tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91421482323971111952024-03-13T09:50:34.160-05:00Fictionally Inclined | She's reading again. How novel.Book reviews! Young adult, romance, and more.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-38805336948318871752012-12-05T22:58:00.000-06:002013-03-29T13:01:40.842-05:00ANNOUNCEMENT! I have moved!<center><a href="http://thebookbarbies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh125/raghad_algamar/newpurplebutton.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center><br />
I am now officially co-blogger at <a href="http://thebookbarbies.blogspot.com/">The Book Barbies</a>! My intro post goes live tomorrow.<br />
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<b>I will no longer be updating Fictionally Inclined. If you would like to continue following me, please follow The Book Barbies.</b><br />
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As you may have noticed, I have been posting very little lately. Senior year of college is no walk in the park, so I've been crazy busy. Although I did vow to come back - and have, to an extent - I just can't handle running a solo blog right now. I'm a perfectionist to the bone, and I am pretty much not physically capable of doing things in half measures. If I can't do something all the way, I probably won't even try. I knew this about myself, and I thought I would give it a valiant effort. Clearly, this was not successful.<br />
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However! Out of this rather dreary situation came something wonderful. I have thought for quite a while that I'd really love to co-blog. It sounds like a blast, not to mention it would be great to have a person with whom you can split the work. I contemplated seeing if anyone was interested, but I really wanted it to be someone I already knew. Then I discovered that my friend Racquel over at The Book Barbies was running the show solo, because her co-blogger had left the blog. Golden opportunity? I think so. Then, one fateful day, I messaged her on Twitter, and the rest is history. ...Or, well, it will be. One day. <br />
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For the moment, Fictionally Inclined is officially defunct. Although I will not be updating here, I am keeping the site up, and if I decide someday that blogging solo is for me again, I will come back here. Until then, you can find me at <a href="http://thebookbarbies.blogspot.com/">The Book Barbies</a>.<br />
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I love you all so much! Thank you for making my memories of this past year so incredible. I hope to see you all over at The Book Barbies soon!Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-49634650570288734532012-11-20T22:39:00.000-06:002012-11-20T22:41:30.405-06:00Top Ten Tuesday: 11/20/12 Edition<center><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt.png" alt="Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish" /></a><br />
<font size="+1"><b>Top Ten Authors for Whom I Am Thankful</b></font><br />
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<img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt-authorsthanks.png" /></center><br />
<b>01. Carolyn Keene & Gertrude Chandler Warner</b><br />
I am thankful for these authors because they aided me in developing my love of reading early on. These are the authors I remember reading most from my early childhood. Around the ages of 7-10 I read these books ALL THE TIME. Of course, I read others, too, but Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew were my primary series.<br />
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<b>02. Laura Ingalls Wilder & Janette Oke</b><br />
I am thankful for these authors because they wrote wonderful family-friendly books, and I have amazing memories of my mom reading aloud for hours because my sisters and I begged her for just <i>one more chapter</i>. We went through the Love Comes Softly and Little House series at least three times each.<br />
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<b>03. The Authors of the <i>Dear America</i> and <i>Royal Diary</i> Books</b><br />
I am thankful for these authors because these books made history come alive for me. I loved reading them! I learned a lot through them; I was just so fascinated by all the different time periods I could explore. I checked the Cleopatra Royal Diary out from the library 13 times before my mom finally bought it for me one Christmas.<br />
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<b>04. Charlotte Brontë</b><br />
I am thankful for Charlotte Brontë because she was my introduction to classics. Although I read some classics when I was younger, for some reason, I always consider <i>Jane Eyre</i> my first classic. I read it at the age of 12. I fell in love, and it awakened me to the wonderful world of classics. I later went through a period in high school where I almost exclusively read classics, books from the "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list, and books read by Rory Gilmore. For fun. These books were perhaps not all the most entertaining, but I took something away from each of them. I never would have read many of these wonderful (and some not-so-wonderful-but-still-worth-reading) books if it had not been for this talented lady.<br />
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<b>05. Penny Jordan</b><br />
I am thankful for Penny Jordan because around the time I was discovering classics could be awesome, I was also a Super Secret Romance Ninja and covertly devouring the hundreds of 1980's Harlequin Presents romances from my aunt's basement. I loved other authors such as Janet Dailey, Anne Mather, and Violet Winspear, but Penny Jordan was my absolute favorite. I must have read <i>Substitute Lover</i>, the book pictured above, eight or ten times, and I frequently re-read tons of her other books. Penny Jordan taught me it was okay to love romance.<br />
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<b>06. Sarah Dessen</b><br />
I am thankful for Sarah Dessen because she (along with Meg Cabot) taught me that I did not need to skip from Babysitter's Club straight to adult books, which is pretty much what I had done. There was this awesome genre called Young Adult in between, and there were some fantastic books to be read from it. Sarah Dessen wrote wonderful books with some of the best, most original characters ever. And really, she wrote <i>The Truth About Forever</i> and created Wes Baker. She deserves a spot on this list for that alone. ♥<br />
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<b>07. Lisa Kleypas</b><br />
I am thankful for Lisa Kleypas because she made me fall in love with historical romances. Although I adored the first historical romance I ever read (<i>Scandal</i> by Carolyn Jewel), Lisa Kleypas was the one who hooked me. I read <i>Seduce Me at Sunrise</i>, and I was a goner. I devoured all the Wallflower books, some standalones, the other Hathaway books. Plus! She is one of the few authors who can convincingly write both historical and contemporary romance. Her Travis series is A+++.<br />
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<b>08. Sarah Mayberry</b><br />
I am thankful for Sarah Mayberry because she taught me that category authors can be awesome, too. I had unwittingly started becoming a total snob and writing off Harlequin and Silhouette titles, and then I discovered Sarah Mayberry. Until recently, she was only a Harlequin-published author, but her books are <i>amazing</i>. She could probably write a book teaching the art of friends-to-lovers, and still, no one would be able to capture it as well as she does. Yet her talents extend far beyond that. (Example: <i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i>, which is stunning, but on the opposite end of the spectrum from friends-to-lovers).<br />
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<b>09. Eloisa James</b><br />
I am thankful for Eloisa James because she is a freaking <i>Ivy League Shakespeare professor</i>. And she writes romance novels. As an intelligent, Shakespeare-loving woman who adores romance novels, I have basically appointed her my personal hero. Smart women can not only read romance, but write it. She also did the unthinkable and made me absolutely love her broken marriage plots. Who wants to read about a husband and wife who used to love each other but need to fix their marriage? How can that be a romance novel? If you are asking these questions, like I used to, I suggest you read Eloisa James. By her, it can be even more touching, emotional, and moving because there <i>is</i> so much realism the story. Plus, there are totally Shakespeare references in a lot of her works, and that makes me happy.<br />
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<b>10. Jill Shalvis</b><br />
I am basically thankful for Jill Shalvis simply for existing because she is just <i>that</i> fabulous. I relentlessly stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and her blog. I love how real and entertaining she is, and that transfers over into her books. She is my favorite contemporary romance discovery of 2012, easily. If you have not read any of her books, you are missing out. Her Lucky Harbor books are my favorite, but I love them all. I don't give a tattered copy of <i>Robinson Crusoe</i> about baseball, but I devoured her baseball books. I am still, perhaps foolishly, holding out hope for the day when she will continue the series with one particular side character.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-80522296882722711212012-11-16T10:30:00.000-06:002013-06-18T11:47:30.058-05:00Review: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWhNynRiQss/UKETecwQ4nI/AAAAAAAAAeg/UCbNahoDQd0/s400/Nelson%2BSky%2BIs%2BEverywhere.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6604794-the-sky-is-everywhere"><i>The Sky Is Everywhere</i></a> by Jandy Nelson<br />
<b>Published:</b> March 2010 (Dial)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Physical copy from library<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Meet Lennie Walker - sisterless, clarinet player, lasagna maker, Heathcliff obsessed and hopelessly in love... Adrift after her sister Bailey's sudden death, Lennie finds herself torn between quiet seductive Toby - Bailey's boyfriend who shares her grief - and Joe, the new boy in town who bursts with life and musical genius. Each offers Lennie something she desperately needs...though she knows if the two of them collide her whole world will explode.<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> I was randomly browsing the YA section of my library when I came across this book. The cover was different than the one I'd seen before, and I did not recognize the title. Although I'm not always crazy about the torn-between-two-boys storyline, it sounded good enough, so I picked it up with pretty much no expectations. Little did I know just how amazing this book was going to be!<br />
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I loved everything about this book. The writing was incredible. It was very flowy and lyrical with an almost stream of consciousness feel to it, yet it totally matched the voice of a 17-year-old girl. I loved the originality of the characters. They were all so unique, and everyone lent something to the story. No one was superfluous. There was not an abundance of unnecessary secondary characters. Just the right amount for the story.<br />
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This book gave me ALL THE FEELS. I giggled, I cried, I swooned. I was completely caught up on Lennie's predicament with the two boys. Her feelings and emotions and thoughts were so clearly conveyed that I felt like I was living inside her head. I was confused when she was confused. I never yelled at her internally for being an idiot, because I could see where she was coming from with everything. The boys were SO DIFFERENT - and I loved them both - but she was drawn to each for different reasons, too. (Also, this really is not a love triangle book, despite how it might sound.)<br />
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I tend to dislike random poetry thrown in between chapters, which has become a "thing" with YA in the recent years. Honestly, it's usually super lame. But there were lots of poems and random notes strewn throughout this book, and they were actually <i>good</i>. I felt like I got to know Lennie better through them. And the best part is that <i>it made perfect sense</i> with the story for them to be there. <br />
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Also, random point, but I love that Lennie was obsessed with Heathcliff and <i>Wuthering Heights</i>. Girl after my own heart. I have not read it twenty-three times, but I have read it four times. And this book made me feel like a re-read may need to be imminent because I miss it.<br />
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Basically, if I had to describe this book, it would just be a long string of adjectives because I am not capable of fully explaining the awesomeness. Heart-breaking. Addicting. Enthralling, beautiful, real. Knock-you-off-your-chair fantastic. While I was reading this book, I felt like it moved quickly and that I was flying through it. But in reality, it actually took me my average reading time, if not slightly more, because I kept re-reading little sections that were particularly beautiful. Reading this book was a great experience, and I will definitely be re-reading in the future. Loved it!<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">How do others do it? People die all the time. Every day. Every hour. There are families all over the world staring at beds that are no longer slept in, shoes that are no longer worn. Families that no longer have to buy a particular cereal, a kind of shampoo. There are people everywhere standing in line at the movies, buying curtains, walking dogs, while inside, their hearts are ripping to shreds. For years. For their whole lives. I don’t believe time heals. I don’t want it to. If I heal, doesn’t that mean I’ve accepted the world without her?<br />
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I liked love safe between the covers of my novel...<br />
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Joe is practically singing my name, he sounds so elated, probably still riding high from that kiss, that sublime kiss that could make stars fall into your open hands, a kiss like Cathy and Heathcliff must have had on the moors with the sun beating on their backs and the world streaming with wind and possibility.<br />
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Who knew all this time I was one kiss away from being Cathy and Juliet and Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Chatterley!?</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><center><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142417807/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0142417807&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0142417807" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sky-is-everywhere-jandy-nelson/1100251109?ean=9780142417805" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Sky-Is-Everywhere-Jandy-Nelson/9780142417805?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-63831693231000209432012-11-07T16:56:00.000-06:002012-11-07T16:56:06.747-06:00I Have Returned!<center><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/oqhda1.jpg" /></center><br />
As you may have noticed, I am on the blogosphere again! I'm so happy to be back.<br />
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THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS AWAY:<br />
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→ <b>School</b> came in and overtook 99.2% of my free time for about 6 weeks. Senior year of college? Is apparently about six times as intense as all the other years. I've never felt so overwhelmed in my life. Therefore, in the infinitesimally small amounts of free time I snatched here and there, I did not want to do anything that could even be remotely construed as work. Reviews? Out of the question.<br />
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→ <b>I turned 22!</b> Woo hoo!<br />
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→ I went on a <b>historical romance</b> kick like woah.<br />
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→ Related to the above point, I discovered <b>Julie Anne Long</b>. LOVE HER. Especially <i>What I Did for a Duke</i>. Epic.<br />
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→ I <b>read <i>Ethan Frome</i></b> for school and discovered that I actually love it <s>except for the end</s>, despite not liking it when I read it several years ago.<br />
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→ I got addicted to <b>Downton Abbey</b> and watched the first two seasons in one weekend. The first season was actually entirely watched in a blanket fort in the downstairs lounge of my dorm. Because I'm in college and I can. My desktop is of Matthew and Mary because I have ALL THE FEELINGS about them.<br />
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→ I deliberated on whether or not I can spare $50 to go the <b>RT Convention</b> in May (which I really really really want to because hello, Jill Shalvis and a million other amazing authors will be there and YES, PLEASE). Still have not decided on this.<br />
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→ Since this past Sunday night, I have pretty much listened to <b>these three songs</b> on repeat any time I'm listening to music (including this very moment): <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqcpTYQ8I4" target="_blank">"I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmJnuWn0wDI" target="_blank">"Between the Raindrops" by Lifehouse & Natasha Bedingfield</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwNJcXAdsKo" target="_blank">"Wanted" by Hunter Hayes</a>. (Seriously. I just checked Last FM, and I've listened to them 40+ times. In 72 hours. This cannot be healthy.)<br />
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Now that all that is out of the way, though, I am so incredibly glad to be back! The past few weeks especially, I've missed blogging and all you guys quite a lot. I have taken the last two weeks to recover from the craziness and decide whether or not I can commit to blogging again without making my life harder. I've gotten everything sorted out so that I feel comfortable committing to it again. And I'm not going to stress over it. If I have to miss a post here and there, it's not the end of the world. I <i>will</i> be super busy, but I feel like I can handle it. I am in the mindset that blogging is something fun and wonderful I can do, rather than feeling like it falls into the extensive "homework" portion of my life.<br />
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Right now, I'm keeping it small. I'm aiming for one review a week, and I will try for two when I feel like it's doable, with memes thrown in here and there.<br />
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That's pretty much where things stand right now. I'm happy to be blogging again, and I really hope it works out.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-74848945282273731092012-11-06T09:35:00.000-06:002012-11-06T13:04:06.014-06:00Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons to Choose an E-reader Over Physical Books (And Vice Versa)<center><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt.png" alt="Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish" /></a><br />
<font size="+1"><b>Top Three Reasons to Choose an E-reader Over Physical Books (And Vice Versa)</b></font><br />
<i><small>(Credit to <a href="http://www.annareads.com/" target="_blank">Anna Reads</a> for giving me the idea to do these pictorially, even though my art skills totally aren't as awesome as hers.)</small></i></center><br />
<center><font size="+1">Top 3 Reasons to Choose Physical Books Over an E-reader</font><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttphys01.png" />Old book smell, new book smell, ...plastic smell?</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttphys02.png" />The happy dance is scientifically proven to be beneficial to your health. Or at least your fangirl tendencies.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttphys03.png" />Lifting weights at the gym just became superfluous.</center><br />
<center><font size="+1">Top 3 Reasons to Choose an E-reader Over Physical Books</font><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttnook01.png" /><br />
Unexpected delays, they happen. The solution? A nearly unending supply of books.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttnook02.png" /><br />
Covert ninja ability to read <i>That Book I Love That I'd Never Ever Read in Public</i> in public and still keep face.</center><br />
<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttnook03.png" /><br />
Your back will thank you.</center><br />
<center><font size="+1">Conclusion</font><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/tttbasically.png" /></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-237485925113470292012-10-04T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-04T09:18:02.745-05:00Interview with Sheila Roberts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-top:-9px; margin-left:0; margin-bottom:0"><img border="0" width="172" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-TqHkgm3O8/UGu7Z8VjVJI/AAAAAAAAAcg/yO9JQ6byOAI/s400/authorphoto-sroberts.png" /></a></div><table width="536px" v-align="top" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px" align="right"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MjwS7fpMmSc/UGu2nMFUFzI/AAAAAAAAAcE/sWrK_l_aR1w/s400/interview-sheilaroberts.png" /></center><font color="#5e1100"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-8px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>First of all, welcome to Fictionally Inclined! I'm so pleased to be able to interview you today about your current release, <i>Better Than Chocolate</i>. This book involves a festival all about chocolate (something that is now in my wish list of fictional things I want to come true)! How did you do research for this?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-6px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Thanks so much for having me. It’s great to be able to join you. I have to admit, my Icicle Falls chocolate festival sure does sound like a great time. Especially the Mr. Dreamy contest. I had a lot of fun with that! Most of my research for this book centered around business and banking matters, but I also toured Theo Chocolates, the only organic, fair trade, fair for life certified bean to bar chocolate factory in North America. They’re located in Seattle, Washington, and they probably offer the most exotic variety of chocolate bars anywhere. And they offer lots of free samples. It was tough sampling all that chocolate, but hey, for my readers, anything.<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-8px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>Did you try any recipes you found over the course of your research? If so, was there a particular one you enjoyed?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-6px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Yes, I tested the recipes I concocted – love the lavender white chocolate fudge! And the chocolate rose white chocolate truffle is to die for. I had a terrible time making it come out right, so drafted a friend to help me. Every time she made it, it turned out perfect. I’m going to ask her to make some for my book signings. Readers and friends from my Facebook Like page submitted recipes too, and a couple of those made it into the book, which was fun.<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-8px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a><i>Better Than Chocolate</i> was not all about the main romance between Blake and Samantha. Family - both biological and the family that comes from friendships in a small town - was a large part of the book, too. Did you enjoy implementing that aspect?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-6px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Yes, I did. I wanted to show how much we need our family and friends, especially when we’re going through difficult times.<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-8px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>Speaking of family, Samantha's sister Cecily interacted multiple times with two amazing guys, both of whom who seemed to have great possible potential for a story. I found myself rooting for one to wind up with her, but I loved the other one, too! Are any of these characters going to appear in future books?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-6px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Yes, readers will see Cecily in Merry Ex-mas, a holiday tale about wives and their exes, which comes out in November. I’m hoping that, down the road, she’ll get her own book. Or maybe she and Bailey will share a book. Sisters share, right?<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-8px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>Finally, how do you name your characters? Do you have a process, or is it different for each?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-6px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Naming a character is so important. That name has to fit the character. And often I make it symbolic. I keep a running list of cool names. Any time we’re watching a movie on TV I’ve got pencil and paper handy so I can jot down first or last names that interest me. <br />
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<i>Thank you so much for interviewing with me, Sheila!</i></font></div></td> </tr>
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top:-12px;margin-right: 0"><img align="bottom" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9uyFtM5zumM/UGvFZMLgW9I/AAAAAAAAAc8/QgIv1jCDtzo/s400/Roberts%2BSheila%2BRoberts.jpg" width="100" /></a>Don't forget to check out Sheila's recent release, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548078-better-than-chocolate" target="_blank"><i>Better Than Chocolate</i></a>! 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. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? 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. { <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/077831345X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=077831345X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=077831345X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/better-than-chocolate-sheila-roberts/1109634758?ean=9780778313458" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Better-Than-Chocolate-Sheila-Roberts/9780778313458?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a> }Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-12065683661782881702012-08-28T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-28T08:00:07.003-05:00Review: Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v64MkqxTL1I/UDj5pk435FI/AAAAAAAAAbo/w6-8tVZb2Qc/s320/Wiggs%2BReturn%2Bto%2BWillow%2BLake.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13445248-return-to-willow-lake"><i>Return to Willow Lake</i></a> by Susan Wiggs<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 28, 2012 (Harlequin MIRA)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!)<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Sonnet Romano's life is almost perfect. She has the ideal career, the ideal boyfriend, and has just been offered a prestigious fellowship. There's nothing more a woman wants - except maybe a baby sister? When Sonnet finds out her mother is unexpectedly expecting, and that the pregnancy is high-risk, she puts everything on hold - the job, the fellowship, the boyfriend - and heads home to Avalon. Once her mom is out of danger, Sonnet intends to pick up her life where she left off. But when her mother receives a devastating diagnosis, Sonnet must decide what really matters in life, even of that means staying in Avalon and taking a job that forces her to work alongside her biggest, and maybe her sweetest, mistake - award-winning filmmaker Zach Alger. So Sonnet embarks on a summer of laughter and tears, of old dreams and new possibilities, and of finding the home of her heart. <br />
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<b>My Review:</b> I went into <i>Return to Willow Lake</i> with a bit of hesitation. I had never read anything by Susan Wiggs before, and this book had a cover that made me think of those books that are cheesy in a way that is only acceptable if accompanied by lots of Christmas carols and mistletoe. I am very glad I gave <i>Return to Willow Lake</i> a chance, though, because it was so much better than I was expecting.<br />
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For starters, one thing I loved about this book was that the main two characters were not your typical leads. Sonnet was biracial - half African American, half Italian - and Zach was very pale with long, blond hair nearly as light as his skin. They had been very close friends throughout childhood and high school, and although they'd lived in separate cities for years, they were still share-the-big-news-first, visit-whenever-I'm-in-town friends. Until Sonnet's step-sister, Daisy's wedding at the beginning of the book. They had not seen each other for quite a while, and a romantic encounter caused Sonnet to freak and cut Zach out of her life for the next few months.<br />
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Then Sonnet received the news about her mother and moved home. As Zach was nearly a part of the family and her new job involved working with him (filming a reality show featuring Jezebel, a teenage hip-hop star), Sonnet and Zach's friendship began to recover. Except now there were feelings Sonnet did not know how to deal with. <br />
<br />
One great thing about this book was how wonderfully the love story fit with the <i>whole</i> story. The romance moved at a great pace and never felt secondary, but it also did not overshadow Sonnet's relationship with her mother, which, as that was Sonnet's reason for turning away some amazing opportunities and moving back home, was rather important. I loved watching them interact. Nina was very wise and kind, and it broke my heart to watch her go through her struggles. Because Zach was so close to the family as well as working with Sonnet, the three plots - the family life, the job, the romance - all coalesced into one beautiful story. <br />
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There was some drama, which obviously had to happen. However, nothing was blown out of proportion or stretched to melodramatic lengths just to draw the book out longer, which would have been very easy to do with some of the conflict. I very much appreciate Wiggs and her ability to write a sweet, touching story without making me overdose on cheese. I will definitely be looking up more of her books, and I recommend this one, which is officially out today!<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">I’m in the middle of Central Park and I’m tempted to burst into song about what a Great Day this is. I’m about to become a one-woman flash mob.<br />
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His kisses tasted of champagne and chocolate cake and memories so old she couldn’t tell if they were memories or dreams.<br />
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She’d always been good at school. Good at work. Good at being a trophy daughter. Sometimes, though, she wasn’t sure she was good at <i>life</i>.<br />
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<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
If she’d become the person she’d dreamed of being at fifteen, she would be a prima ballerina with six kids and a horse farm.</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><center><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/phg5.jpg" alt="Staying In Tonight" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0778313840/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0778313840&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0778313840" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-to-willow-lake-susan-wiggs/1107726862?ean=9780778313847" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Return-Willow-Lake-Susan-Wiggs/9780778313847?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-40233958173177403682012-08-28T01:08:00.001-05:002012-08-28T01:08:51.235-05:00Top Ten Tuesday: 8/28/12 Edition<center><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt.png" alt="Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish" /></a><br />
<font size="+1"><b>Top Ten Bookish Confessions</b></font></center><br />
01. I have never read a John Green book. I know, I know, it's YA sacrilege. I want to, particularly <i>Looking for Alaska</i> and <i>Paper Towns</i>. I just haven't gotten around to it yet.<br />
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02. It causes me physical pain when people dog-ear books. I unbend any pages in library books that have previously been dog-eared. I also don't like it when people set books open and face down. That said, I try to keep my books in good condition, but I'm not <i>super</i> obsessive about it. I am not going to wear gloves or read new paperbacks with a gap of 2 inches just to keep from cracking the spine. <br />
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03. I used to be ashamed and super embarrassed that I read romance, and I would hide the cover any time someone might actually see it. I'm proud to say I finally got past that, and it has made my reading much more enjoyable. I'm a firm believer in reading what you like and leaving others to do the same.<br />
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04. I judge books by their covers. I'm sorry, but I'm an aesthetic person. If your book has a pretty (or just eye-drawing) cover, I'm going to be more likely to read it. And I'm okay with this.<br />
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05. I like it when I discover someone left his or her library receipt in a book I've checked out. I'll go through the list and see if I've read all the books, and look them up if I haven't heard of them before. <br />
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06. I liked the Hunger Games trilogy, but I think they are hyped way beyond what the content deserves.<br />
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07. I know they should be old and clichéd by now, but I still love Girl in Pretty Dress Covers.<br />
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08. I sometimes like boys/men in books I probably couldn't stand in real life. (Example: Heathcliff. Why do I find him swoon-worthy? He loves with an incredible passion that is nearly unbelievable. AND YET. If I were the object of his devotion in real life? I'd probably get a restraining order and run screaming in the other direction.)<br />
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09. I don't get the whole "Oh, I only buy used books because each has its own history and a million stories to tell besides the one written on the page," thing. Okay, I know that <i>sounds</i> awesome, but chill. It's just a book; it's not going to suddenly come to life and tell you all the things it's been through.<br />
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10. I hate deckle edge books. <i>Hate them.</i> With a passion. They drive me nuts. For one, it just looks sloppy and weird, but primarily because it makes turning the page much more difficult than it needs to be.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-92090007985450711722012-08-24T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-25T10:58:08.126-05:00Review: A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ylZB8yeRebU/UBrL4EHSVLI/AAAAAAAAAXw/BYoRbD_e1uc/s320/Dare%2BLady%2BBy%2BMidnight.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061255-a-lady-by-midnight"><i>A Lady by Midnight</i></a> by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #3)<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 28, 2012 (Avon Books)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Digital ARC from publisher via Edelweiss<br />
<b>Summary:</b> After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove--but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she'd look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiance. He claims to have only Kate's safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> Tessa Dare has done it again. I have yet to read a Dare novel during which I did not laugh multiple times and swoon nearly as often. Spindle Cove is my favorite series of hers yet, and <i>A Lady by Midnight</i> just may be the best of the three full-length novels in it (although it's definitely a close race).<br />
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One of the advantages of a romance series is that you can slowly build to a couple through books before the two ever actually get their story told. This was the case in <i>A Lady by Midnight</i>. Even though their build-up during the previous books was very subtle when compared to Book Two's Couple (so as not to spoil it for you) in <i>A Night to Surrender</i>, I was utterly captivated by Kate and Thorne. There was so much mystery surrounding them! In the previous books, there was pretty much one tiny moment where there was just a hint of...<i>something</i>. That's it. That's all you got. Did they have a positively torrid affair? Were they childhood BFFs? Was he secretly an undercover spy who recognized her as the long-lost princess of a tiny-but-successful country? YOU HAVE NO IDEA. When I read the excerpt - just enough to be tantalizing - in <i>A Week to be Wicked</i>, I went positively berserk. To think, I was cruelly going to have to wait <i>months</i> for this! (Really, I have a tendency to get dramatic over the wait for books. Reason #4378 that I love the book blogging community is that you guys get it.)<br />
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Anyway. I was not entirely sure what to expect of Kate and Thorne's story, but I knew I was going to love it. And I was not wrong! While it was a part of the story, I did not think of it at as "posing as the fianceé" book at all. There was so much more to the story. Kate was digging into her past, trying to figure out who her parents might have been. Then, all the sudden, people came out of the woodwork, claiming Kate, an orphan since she can remember, as a part of their unconventional but Titled family. There was mystery surrounding this, as well as the continued question of how, exactly, Thorne knew Kate. As to that, there were hints throughout the book before the truth finally came out.<br />
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The romance between these two was incredible! I love how neither of them were 100% "pretty people." Kate had a large, red birthmark on her face that made her very self-conscious, and Thorne was hulking, unrefined, and his features were too harsh to be considered handsome by many. It was a nice change. You don't have to be conventionally attractive for someone to love you or view you as such, and this book was a great example of that. As for the characters themselves, I loved them! Although I <i>did</i> sometimes wanted to kick Thorne because he was so dang self-condemning and couldn't see how wonderful he was. Over the course of the story, I became so attached to them that I full-out cried when they got their Happily Ever After at the end.<br />
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All in all, <i>A Lady by Midnight</i> was utterly splendid and charming and absolutely a worthy addition to the Spindle Cove series. I immensely enjoyed Kate and Thorne's story, and I would recommend it to any lover of historicals who enjoys her romance with a side of mystery, smoldering chemistry, wit, and lots of laughter.<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">Corporal Thorne could make a woman quiver, from all the way across the room. An inconvenient talent, so far as Kate Taylor was concerned.<br />
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<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
Kate realized she had a grave problem. She was infatuated. Or mildly insane. Probably both.<br />
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<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
The mood went from black to some iridescent color only found in rainbows and seashells.<br />
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<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
She was already suffering these fierce pangs of infatuation on the basis of his looks and strength alone. If he revealed a streak of sharp wit in the bargain, she might be in desperate straits.<br />
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<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
Those words shivered through her bones like cello notes, each one settling to a low, arousing thrum at the base of her spine.</font></div></td> </tr>
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<center><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" /><br />
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Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062049895/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062049895&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0062049895" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-lady-by-midnight-tessa-dare/1108819737?ean=9780062049896" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Lady-by-Midnight-Tessa-Dare/9780062049896?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-13424355358232475442012-08-22T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-22T08:00:11.048-05:00Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RZ9G3k7gXVQ/UBq0AXg8bYI/AAAAAAAAAXU/trrgUXFZ_JE/s1600-h/Redwine%252520Defiance%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="Defiance by C.J. Redwine" border="0" height="201" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ept-WlQyNhI/UBq0BAfS7vI/AAAAAAAAAXc/qhzKBZXckrA/Redwine%252520Defiance_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Defiance by C.J. Redwine" width="133" /></a><strong>Book: </strong><em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11410430-defiance" target="_blank">Defiance</a></em> by C.J. Redwine (Defiance #1)<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 28, 2012 (Balzer + Bray)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Digital ARC from publisher via Edelweiss<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> I had never heard of <em>Defiance</em> until a few weeks ago, when I ran across a review of it over at <a href="http://bewitchedbookworms.com/2012/07/defiance-by-c-j-redwine.html" target="_blank">Bewitched Bookworms</a>. The synopsis sounded very interesting, and the review made me even more eager to read it! I quickly acquired a copy and absolutely flew through it. There was almost nothing I <em>didn't</em> like about this book. From the sparse yet imaginative world of Baalboden and the surrounding Wasteland, to the writing style, to the alternating points of view so I could see the stories of both protagonists, I enjoyed <em>Defiance</em> immensely.<br />
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The two main characters were Rachel and Logan, both of whom were freaking <em>awesome</em>. Rachel was dedicated, loyal, and independent. Not to mention that she could take on three fully-grown guys at once with her super fighting skills, courtesy of her father's rule-defying instruction. Logan could kick your butt, make you swoon, <em>and</em> invent some immensely useful contraption at the same time. Alas, though, your swooning would be for naught, because Logan totally only had eyes for Rachel, even though he fought it for a while. The build-up between these two was spectacular, and the chemistry between them was blatant from page one. Speaking of chemistry, there was sparring! Romantically charged sparring/fighting is totally one of my favorite things <em>ever</em> in books, and Rachel and Logan pulled it off wonderfully.<br />
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The world of <em>Defiance</em> was engrossing and very easy to get lost in, and the characters were a very big part of that. It had quite the cast of secondary characters, and many played very important roles. There was the old family friend Oliver, the barbarous Commander, the helpful yet mysterious sibling duo, and several others. <br />
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<em>Defiance</em> was not a light read; there were many dark elements to it. Rachel and Logan's journey was anything but easy, with obstacles ranging everywhere from the Commander to the malevolent Cursed One that could set you ablaze almost before you could get a chance to run away. In addition to this, there were many internal struggles both - especially Rachel - had to deal with throughout the course of the story.<br />
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I think you would be hard-pressed to <em>not</em> enjoy this book. It had a little bit of something for everyone: strong heroine, brilliant-but-gorgeous hero, heart-pounding romance, adventure, suspense, villains, paranormal/fantasy elements, and a very dystopian setting. <em>Defiance</em> was a winner all the way around, and I can't wait to read the sequel! <br />
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<tr> <td><div align="justify" text="text"><center><img alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" /> </center><span style="color: #5e1100;"> The words are inadequate, but if I open my mouth again, I’m afraid of what I’ll say. Instead, I quietly follow him to Oliver’s tent, the imprint of his palm on mine lingering long after the heat of his skin fades away. <br />
</span><br />
<center><span style="color: #5e1100;"> </span></center><center><hr color="#63c9e1" size="1" width="90%" /></center><center><span style="color: #5e1100;"> </span></center><span style="color: #5e1100;">There are much more important qualities to have than a docile disposition. <br />
<center> </center><center><hr color="#63c9e1" size="1" width="90%" /></center><center> </center>I clench my teeth and tell myself pain is just a state of mind. I can rise above it. My body doesn’t agree with my theory, so I force myself to recite the Periodic Table to give myself something productive to focus on. <br />
<center> </center><center><hr color="#63c9e1" size="1" width="90%" /></center><center> </center>A laugh bubbles up, even as tears sting my eyes. I reach up to clasp...the symbol of his promise to me, and hold the tender, vibrant thought of him close as the stars chase each other across the sky.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></center><br />
<br />
<center>P.S. As if you don't want to read it enough already, take a look at this fantastic trailer!<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HNfjk745Q84" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<center><center><center><center><img alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" /> <center>Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062117181/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062117181&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0062117181" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="0" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/defiance-c-j-redwine/1108621179?ean=9780062117182" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Defiance-Redwine/9780062117182?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center></center></center></center></center></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-42203465826539335482012-08-21T12:31:00.002-05:002012-08-23T15:26:52.150-05:00Top Ten Tuesday: 8/21/12 Edition<center><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt.png" alt="Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish" /></a><br />
<font size="+1"><b>Top Ten Books I've Read During the Lifespan of My Blog*</b></font><br />
<i><small>*Wherein only one book by each author can be included, and I do not count rereads. Stipulations I needed to actually narrow this list down to 10.</small></i><br />
<img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt082112.png" width="400px" /></center>01. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-stolen-letter-to-my-captor-by.html" target="_blank"><i>Stolen</i></a> by Lucy Christopher<br />
02. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9403947-something-like-normal" target="_blank"><i>Something Like Normal</i></a> by Trish Doller<br />
03. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-outlander-by-diana-gabaldon.html" target="_blank"><i>Outlander</i></a> by Diana Gabaldon<br />
04. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-unearthly-by-cynthia-hand.html" target="_blank"><i>Unearthly</i></a> by Cynthia Hand<br />
05. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11879737-the-ugly-duchess" target="_blank"><i>The Ugly Duchess</i></a> by Eloisa James<br />
06. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-shatter-me-by-tahereh-mafi.html" target="_blank"><i>Shatter Me</i></a> by Tahereh Mafi<br />
07. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-within-reach-by-sarah-mayberry.html" target="_blank"><i>Within Reach</i></a> by Sarah Mayberry<br />
08. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-unraveled-by-courtney-milan.html" target="_blank"><i>Unraveled</i></a> by Courtney Milan<br />
09. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-divergent-by-veronica-roth.html" target="_blank"><i>Divergent</i></a> by Veronica Roth<br />
10. <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-head-over-heels-by-jill-shalvis.html" target="_blank"><i>Head Over Heels</i></a> by Jill Shalvis<br />
<br />
They are listed in order by author's last name, and the link leads to my review if it's been published (if not, then it links to Goodreads). Thank goodness I've only been blogging since late last December, is all I have to say! I have no idea how people with blogs that are 2+ years old could possibly manage this.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-49176113012835081032012-08-20T19:59:00.001-05:002012-08-25T10:41:34.164-05:00Bout of Books 5.0: Wrap-Up Post<center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/21dgcd4.jpg" width="360px" alt="Bout of Books" title="Bout of Books 4.0 || boutofbooks.blogspot.com" /></center><br />
<font size="+1"><b>Final Stats</b></font><br />
<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> 7.75<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 6 hours, 44 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 2528 (1329 physical, 1199 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><b>Goals for Bout of Books 5.0: Results</b></font><br />
<br />
<b>Goal #1:</b> Read 6 of the following books<br />
01. <s><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass" target="_blank"><i>Throne of Glass</i></a> by Sarah J. Maas*</s><br />
02. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12950372-the-evolution-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank"><s><i>The Evolution of Mara Dyer</i></a> by Michelle Hodkin*</s><br />
03. <s><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10757749-bunheads" target="_blank"><i>Bunheads</i></a> by Sophie Flack</s><br />
04. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11983940-scarlet" target="_blank"><i>Scarlet</i></a> by A.C. Gaughen<br />
05. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548078-better-than-chocolate" target="_blank"><i>Better Than Chocolate</i></a> by Sheila Roberts<br />
06. <s><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7873953-trial-by-desire" target="_blank"><i>Trial by Desire</i></a> by Courtney Milan*</s><br />
07. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9770123-french-leave" target="_blank"><i>French Leave / L'Echappée belle</i></a> by Anna Gavalda<br />
08. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9551700-to-win-her-heart" target="_blank"><i>To Win Her Heart</i></a> by Karen Witemeyer<br />
<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> FAIL. I actually wound up reading more than my goal, but only 4 were from my list. I did manage to get all the asterisked (must-read) ones, though! And I did start <i>Scarlet</i>, but I was too put off by the writing style to finish it.<br />
<br />
Other books read: <br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12871232-keeping-the-castle"><i>Keeping the Castle</i></a> by Patrice Kindl<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13604478-slow-summer-kisses"><i>Slow Summer Kisses</i></a> by Shannon Stacey<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98405.Born_in_Shame"><i>Born in Shame</i></a> by Nora Roberts (approximately 60% on audiobook, 40% on ebook)<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5841487-true-love-and-other-disasters"><i>True Love and Other Disasters</i></a> by Rachel Gibson (approximately 75% finished)<br />
<br />
<b>Goal #2:</b> Discover some fantastic new blogs and friends<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> SUCCESS. I found quite a few awesome new people and blogs!<br />
<br />
<b>Goal #3:</b> Participate in at least one of the Twitter chats <br />
<b>Verdict:</b> SUCCESS! It took until the final chat on Saturday, but I did it!<br />
<br />
<b>Goal #4:</b> Participate in three or more challenges<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> MAJOR SUCCESS! I participated in <i>seven</i> challenges! I usually do maybe 2-3 challenges. They always sound like a blast, but I don't want to take the time to actually DO them. But I participated like crazy this time! Excuse me while I pat myself on the back.<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><b>Final Comments</b></font><br />
I have to say, this very well may have been my favorite Bout of Books yet. Even though I moved in the middle of it. I found a really good balance of socializing, updating, doing challenges, balancing RL obstacles, and, of course, reading. It was such a blast! I would like to send a huge shout-out to <a href="http://paranormalbookreviews-kelly.blogspot.com/">Kelly</a>, <a href="http://onabookbender.com/">Amanda</a>, <a href="http://creativedeeds.wordpress.com/">Shirley</a>, and <a href="http://onceuponatime.jaedia.net/">Hannah</a> for doing everything they do for Bout of Books. They're what makes this crazy week of epicness possible! *three cheers*Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-42110552171042072942012-08-17T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-20T09:02:08.153-05:00Review: Seduction of a Highland Lass by Maya Banks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DPVZIMWL1W4/UCbApzRC5RI/AAAAAAAAAY4/TyJxiprusoo/s320/Banks%2BSeduction%2Bof%2Ba%2BHighland%2BLass.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10117410-seduction-of-a-highland-lass"><i>Seduction of a Highland Lass</i></a> by Maya Banks<br />
<b>Published:</b> September 27, 2011 (Ballantine Books)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Physical copy from library<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Fiercely loyal to his elder brother, Alaric McCabe leads his clan in the fight for their birthright and must wed for duty. But on his way to claim the hand of Rionna McDonald, he is ambushed and left for dead. Miraculously, his life is saved by the soft touch of a Highland angel. An outcast from her own clan, Keeley McDonald was betrayed by those she loved and trusted. When the wounded warrior falls from his horse, she is drawn to his strong, lean body. The wicked glint in his green eyes ignites a passion that will follow them back to Alaric's keep, where their forbidden love draws them deeper into the pleasures of the flesh. But as conspiracy and danger circle closer, Alaric must make an impossible choice: Will he betray his blood ties for the woman he loves?<br />
<br />
<b>My Review:</b> Thanks to <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-outlander-by-diana-gabaldon.html"><i>Outlander</i></a>, I found myself craving another romance set in Scotland. I had seen a lot of Maya Banks but had never read anything by her. I stumbled across this one at the library and decided to give it a try. I had mixed feelings about <i>Seduction of a Highland Lass</i>: there were things I really enjoyed, as well as things I didn't. Overall, it was a good, but not great book.<br />
<br />
I would normally wax eloquent here about the hero of the novel, but not this time. The hero was definitely the element that weakened <i>Highland Lass</i> the most, for me. While he had his moments, Alaric was a one-dimensional, cookie-cutter super Alpha who was really quite boring. At no point did I feel especially attached to him, or the idea of him and Keeley. In fact, a (disconcertingly large) portion of me almost wanted Keeley to end up with his brother. Yes, his BROTHER. As opposed to Alaric, Caelen was a multi-faceted, extremely intriguing, and thoroughly swoon-worthy figure. While I didn't <i>really</i> want Keeley to wind up with Caelen (because I liked her, and she loved Alaric, although who knows why), I still found myself jumping to attention any time his name was mentioned or he appeared on the scene. Caelen was what made this book not only worth finishing, but made reading until the end a mandatory thing.<br />
<br />
One more negative: If I saw the phrase "'tis the truth" or "'twas the truth" one more time, I was going to RIP OUT MY OWN HAIR. Seriously. At one point, it occurred <i>three times in half a page</i>. I don't read a lot of Scottish romances, and if the dialogue is typically that repetitive, there's no way I could bring myself to read very many of them, no matter how much I enjoy the setting. Which I really, really do. In fact, that was one of the things I did like about this book. The clans, the loyalty, the land. I have discovered that I really enjoy reading books set against a historical Scotland background. I find it fascinating.<br />
<br />
Another potential draw of this book would be the steam factor. If you're looking for a book with some scenes to make you blush, this would be a great choice for you. 'Tis the truth (HA). But really, the memory of one particular scene is <i>still</i> enough to make me fan myself. And I'm sitting outside in the breeze. And I read this book over two months ago.<br />
<br />
I would recommend reading <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9962040-in-bed-with-a-highlander" target="_blank"><i>In Bed with a Highlander</i></a>, the first in the series, first, because books number 2 and 3 refer a lot to events that happened in it. All in all, <i>Seduction of a Highland Lass</i> had its ups as well as downs. The romance was fairly mediocre, but I really liked Keeley. Honestly, it would be worth reading for Caelen alone. <br />
<br />
<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100"><br />
The tales she spun in her head would make a bard look boring. <br />
</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><br />
<center><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/ba887.jpg" alt="Lunch Break Read" /><br />
<br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345519493/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345519493&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0345519493" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduction-of-a-highland-lass-maya-banks/1101893288?ean=9780345519498" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Seduction-Highland-Lass-Maya-Banks/9780345519498?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-15099881999666325992012-08-15T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-15T09:43:47.677-05:00Review: Something About You by Julie James<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hsh6-fyVeMU/UCa44FM1spI/AAAAAAAAAYg/dLeWuI-W45s/s320/James%2BSomething%2BAbout%2BYou.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6642402-something-about-you"><i>Something About You</i></a> by Julie James<br />
<b>Published:</b> March 2, 2010 (Berkley Sensation)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Physical copy from library<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends with a death. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and for nearly ruining his career. Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it's no joke; the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension.<br />
<br />
<b>My Review:</b> Julie James really is a never fail author for me. Her contemporaries are among the best, and <i>Something About You</i> was no exception. I actually read <i>Something About You</i> after I read <i>A Lot Like Love</i>, which was the reverse of how they were intended to be read. But there were some comments in <i>A Lot Like Love</i> that made it absolutely mandatory that I read <i>Something</i> because it sounded simply splendid. And it was.<br />
<br />
From the first time they appeared on the pages together, Jack and Cameron had chemistry that simply leaped off the pages. There was definitely animosity between them, due to an incident that has occurred years earlier. But the intense dislike clearly also masked immense attraction on both parts. The dialogue between the two was snappy and sharp, but eventually good-natured and amusing as Jack and Cameron began to develop feelings and grow to trust each other.<br />
<br />
The book was a fantastic romance with a good dose of mystery and suspense. And glowering. Special Agent Jack <s>McGlowerFace</s> <s>Phallus</s> Pallas was immensely swoon-worthy with his affinity for reading and all his protective, Alpha male ways. I respected Cameron, who was a strong female lead. As much as I loved them separately, they were particularly awesome when together. Thankfully, this was a romance, so I got my fill of that! <i>Something About You</i> was a terrifically satisfying romance. You won't want to put this one down. At least, I know I didn't!<br />
<br />
<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><br />
<font color="#5e1100">Thank God she wasn’t still hanging out in her underpants.<br />
<br />
<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
The temperature in the room rose so fast the glass on the television fogged.<br />
<br />
<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
Nice to see his exceptionally fine-tuned special agent powers of observation were intact.<br />
<br />
<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
Jack Pallas was one of those men that made other men wish they weren’t standing on a doorstep wearing red-checkered oven mitts.</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><br />
<center><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" /><br />
<br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425233383/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0425233383&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425233383" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-about-you-julie-james/1100316195?ean=9780425233382" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Something-about-You-Julie-James/9780425233382?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-10711652251259956652012-08-12T19:44:00.000-05:002012-08-20T19:30:52.069-05:00Bout of Books 5.0: Goal Post & Updates<center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/21dgcd4.jpg" width="360px" alt="Bout of Books" title="Bout of Books 4.0 || boutofbooks.blogspot.com" /><br />
<small>The <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/">Bout of Books</a> readathon is a week-long fest of book-lovin' awesomeness! Crazy amounts of reading, Twitter chats, and fantastic challenges. Check out the link if you'd like to participate.</small></center><br />
Guys, I love Bout of Books. <i>Love it</i>. I always enjoy readathons, but Bout of Books is my favorite. It's high-energy but low-pressure, and the challenges are so creative. The Twitter chats are a blast, and I love all the new blogs I discover through it. I did a Bout of Books very soon after I started this blog, so I think that really started my love affair with this particular readathon. Regardless of how it started, I always jump for joy when they come around again. And this one is (very nearly) HERE!<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><b>My Goals for Bout of Books 5.0</b></font><br />
<br />
• Read 6 of the following books<br />
• Discover some fantastic new blogs and friends<br />
• Participate in at least one of the Twitter chats (From the schedule, it looks like I'll get to this time! Score!)<br />
• Participate in three or more challenges<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><b>Books To Read</b></font><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frVAiFPNYoc/UChLoWS7sAI/AAAAAAAAAZo/jAd_ocjbMcA/s1600/bob5toread.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" width="340" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frVAiFPNYoc/UChLoWS7sAI/AAAAAAAAAZo/jAd_ocjbMcA/s400/bob5toread.png" /></a></div> 01. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass" target="_blank"><i>Throne of Glass</i></a> by Sarah J. Maas*<br />
02. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12950372-the-evolution-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank"><i>The Evolution of Mara Dyer</i></a> by Michelle Hodkin*<br />
03. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10757749-bunheads" target="_blank"><i>Bunheads</i></a> by Sophie Flack<br />
04. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11983940-scarlet" target="_blank"><i>Scarlet</i></a> by A.C. Gaughen<br />
05. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548078-better-than-chocolate" target="_blank"><i>Better Than Chocolate</i></a> by Sheila Roberts<br />
06. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7873953-trial-by-desire" target="_blank"><i>Trial by Desire</i></a> by Courtney Milan*<br />
07. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9770123-french-leave" target="_blank"><i>French Leave / L'Echappée belle</i></a> by Anna Gavalda<br />
08. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9551700-to-win-her-heart" target="_blank"><i>To Win Her Heart</i></a> by Karen Witemeyer<br />
<br />
*MUST READ<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><b>Updates</b></font><br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/13</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>The Evolution of Mara Dyer</i> by Michelle Hodkin (546 pages)<br />
In-Progress: <i>Throne of Glass</i> by Sarah J. Maas<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> <br />
Challenge #1: Passing Books, hosted by <a href="http://shaunesay.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Space Between</a>.<br />
Q: <i>What happens to your books after you've read them?</i><br />
A: I quite generally keep them. I have a couple friends who are fellow avid bookworms, and I will recommend and loan the books to them if I feel they would enjoy them. Every once and a while, I go through my books and thin them out, getting rid of anything I don't think I'll reread. I either pass them onto friends, donate them to a thrift store, or trade them in for store credit at my local half-price bookstore.<br />
<br />
Challenge#2: Literary BFFs, hosted by <a href="http://auggie-talk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Auggie Talk</a>.<br />
Q:<i>Tell us who your literary BFF is and why they're your always friend. What do you guys do together? What do you talk about?</i><br />
A: Kristy Palmetto from <i>The Truth About Forever</i> by Sarah Dessen. I love Kristy! She's one of my favorite characters from TTAF (and I love pretty much EVERYONE in that book). We could totally be BFFs. I think we would have a blast but still be able to have deep and meaningful conversations. And when we're feeling more shallow, we could totally chat about our mutual love of romance novels and <i>sa-woon</i> over boys.<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~1.5<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 796 (250 physical, 546 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/14</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>Throne of Glass</i> by Sarah J. Maas (416 pages), <i>Keeping the Castle</i> by Patrice Kindl (261 pages)<br />
In-Progress: <i>Trial by Desire</i> by Courtney Milan<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> Book Limericks, hosted by <a href="http://www.curiositykilledthebookworm.net/" target="_blank">Curiosity Killed the Bookworm</a><br />
What do I like in books, you ask?<br />
Listing them would be quite a task.<br />
Romance, intrigue, a plot most consuming,<br />
(Oh, and heroes who set me a-swooning).<br />
In that sort of book, I could bask.<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~3.25<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 1261 pages (715 physical, 546 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/15</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>Trial by Desire</i> by Courtney Milan (358 pages)<br />
In-Progress: <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts (audiobook)<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> Book Word Search, hosted by <a href="http://almybnenr.tumblr.com/post/29458957536/bout-of-books-5-0-book-word-search" target="_blank">The Musings of ALMYBNENR</a><br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~4.25<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 30 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 1581 (1035 physical, 546 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/16</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>Bunheads</i> by Sophie Flack (294 pages)<br />
In-Progress: <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts, <i>Slow Summer Kisses</i> by Shannon Stacey<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> Contemporary Challenge, hosted by <a href="http://www.bookswithcass.blogspot.com/2012/08/bout-of-books-contemporary-challenge.html#more" target="_blank">Books with Cass</a><br />
*Limited to YA books published in 2012, since that seemed to be the focus. Also because it makes the process of decision-making actually feasible in my case.*<br />
Favorite Contemporary: <i>My Life Next Door</i> by Huntley Fitzpatrick<br />
Favorite Cover: <i>The Queen of Kentucky</i> by Alecia Whitaker<br />
<img src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309532537l/10798428.jpg" width="120px" /><br />
Favorite Surprise: <i>Getting Over Garrett Delaney</i> by Abby McDonald. Picked this one up from the library. I hadn't heard anything about it, it didn't have the greatest cover, but it seemed like a fun premise. I wound up loving it! I laughed every two minutes. Even more than the humor, the book had depth, a great message, and a quirky cast of characters.<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~5.75<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 1 hour, 25 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 1975 (1329 physical, 646 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/17</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>Slow Summer Kisses</i> by Shannon Stacey (180 pages)<br />
In-Progress: <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts, <i>True Love and Other Disasters</i> by Rachel Gibson<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> Did not participate. *hangs head in shame*<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~6.5<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 3 hours, 36 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 2060 (1329 physical, 731 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/18</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <br />
In-Progress: <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts, <i>True Love and Other Disasters</i> by Rachel Gibson<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> The Page 99 Test by <a href="http://myseryniti.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/bout-of-books-challenge-giveaway/">My Seryniti</a><br />
Page 99 (ebook version) of <i>City of Bones</i> by Cassandra Clare<br />
<br />
<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><font color="#5e1100">...affectionate ruffle of her hair. Hodge went after him, pausing only to pat Isabelle on the shoulder—then he was gone, with a funny apologetic duck of the head. Had Clary really only a few minutes before been able to see the ghost in him of his old warrior self?<br />
<br />
Isabelle was looking after Jace and Hodge, twisting the spoon in her scarred, pale fingers. Clary said, "Is he really?"<br />
<br />
Isabelle didn't look at her. "Is who really what?"<br />
<br />
"Jace. Is he really a terrible liar?"<br />
<br />
Now Isabelle did turn her eyes on Clary, and they were large and dark and unexpectedly thoughtful. "He's not a liar at all. Not about important things. He'll tell you horrible truths, but he won't lie." She paused before she added quietly: "That's why it's generally better not to ask him anything unless you know you can stand to hear the answer."<br />
<br />
The kitchen was warm and full of light and the salt-sweet smell of takeout Chinese food. The smell reminded Clary of home; she sat and looked at her glistening plate of noodles, toyed with her fork, and tried not to look at Simon, who was staring at Isabelle with an expression more glazed than the General Tso's Duckling.<br />
<br />
"Well, I think it's kind of romantic," said Isabelle, sucking tapioca pearls through an enormous pink straw.<br />
<br />
"What is?" asked Simon, instantly alert.</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><br />
This makes me want to read it even more! I'm intrigued by what's going on, and I want to know who these people are, especially Jace.<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> ~6.75<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 3 hours, 36 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 2137 (1329 physical, 808 ebook)<br />
<br />
<font size="+1"><u><b>8/19</b></u></font><br />
<b>Books Read Today:</b> <br />
Completed: <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts<br />
In-Progress: <i>True Love and Other Disasters</i> by Rachel Gibson<br />
<b>Challenge:</b> Movie Cast, hosted by <a href="http://prettydeadlyreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pretty Deadly Reviews</a><br />
My cast for <i>Born in Shame</i> by Nora Roberts<br />
<img src="http://content9.flixster.com/photo/11/35/04/11350419_gal.jpg" width="200"> <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vg-7sh24uns/Tte_lCFKo_I/AAAAAAAAC3w/9NOyufX4m9c/s1600/Olivia-Wilde-Photos-2011-2.jpg" width="200"><br />
Richard Armitage as Murphey, Olivia Wilde as Shannon<br />
<img src="http://www.spoilertv.co.uk/images/cache/glee/season-1/cast-promotional-photos/1.5-f11bc89d8c76c8bf07a7bfb9da52db20_FULL.jpg" width="200"> <img src="http://heroeswiki.com/images/2/29/Deirdrequinn.JPG" width="200"><br />
Jayma Mays as Brianna, Deirdre Quinn as Maggie<br />
<b>Total Books Read:</b> 7.75<br />
<b>Total Time Listened:</b> 6 hours, 44 minutes<br />
<b>Total Pages Read:</b> 2528 (1329 physical, 1199 ebook)Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-75591342713502313742012-08-11T21:14:00.000-05:002012-08-12T08:58:29.879-05:00Second Chance Saturday: August 2012 Edition<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/scs-banner.png" alt="Second Chance Saturday" /><br />
<small>Second Chance Saturday is a Fictionally Inclined feature wherein I pick, read, and review a book each month that I have previously written off for some reason or another.</small><br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fMdKJUhmWWo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0em; margin-bottom:0em; margin-top:-5px;"><img border="0" width="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6V5kfxxUko/UCe1-XggHtI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/mgJ1e63RrDU/s320/LaFevers%2BGrave%2BMercy.jpg" /></a></div><b>This Month's Featured Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9565548-grave-mercy"><i>Grave Mercy</i></a> by Robin (R.L.) LaFevers<br />
<b>This Book Was a Second Chance Because...</b> I had previously gotten the egalley from NetGalley back when it was available to anyone without having to request it, but I ran out of time before I got around to reading it. Then I got it from the library and had decided not to read it...until I read a review at <a href="http://www.pureimaginationblog.com/2012/07/review-grave-mercy-by-robin-lafevers.html" target="_blank">Pure Imagination</a>. Then I decided - with only 3 days left until it was due, and I don't DO overdue books - that I positively HAD to read it. And I did. In a day.<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> Worth the second chance. Although the romance fell a little short of the expectations everyone's ravings had set up in my head, I did enjoy the book. It was a thoroughly intriguing, compelling story, although obviously rather dark. I'll be reading the second in the series when it comes out.<br />
<b>Purchase:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/054762834X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=054762834X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=054762834X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-mercy-robin-lafevers/1104512967" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Grave-Mercy-Robin-Lafevers/9780547628349?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-8297568026781518022012-08-08T15:57:00.000-05:002012-08-08T15:57:46.482-05:00Waiting on Wednesday: 8/8/12 Edition<center><a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/wow.png" /></a></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVpO_uNt82g/UCLQhqZ1g-I/AAAAAAAAAYI/zbZeaT9Ly2g/s320/Leavitt%2BGoing%2BVintage.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>What book?</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10594356-going-vintage"><i>Going Vintage</i></a> by Lindsey Leavitt<br />
<br />
<b>When does it come out?</b> March 26, 2013<br />
<br />
<b>What is it about?</b> When Mallory discovers that her boyfriend, Jeremy, is cheating on her with an online girlfriend, she swears off boys. She also swears off modern technology. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in 1962, Mallory decides to "go vintage" and return to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn't cheat on you <i>online</i>). She sets out to complete grandma's list: run for pep club secretary, host a dinner party, sew a homecoming dress, find a steady, do something dangerous. But the list is trickier than it looks. And obviously finding a steady is out . . . no matter how good Oliver (Jeremy's cousin) smells. But with the help of her sister, she'll get it done. Somehow.<br />
<br />
<b>Why am I waiting on this book?</b> How fantastic does this book sound? I'm the sort of person who can spend hours in an antique store, looking at the old hats and kitchen utensils and wishing I lived in the time when I could use them. I love the old lingo like "steady." How adorable is that? When I first heard about this book, I thought it was pretty much made for me, and my opinion hasn't swayed. I like the original premise, and it appeals to me like crazy. I would really love to read about a girl boycotting technology, embracing her grandmother's list that reflected life of a teenage girl in the early 1960's, and possibly falling in love along the way. I can't wait until this book comes out!Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-77398277791268856662012-08-04T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-04T08:00:06.014-05:00Review: Storming the Castle by Eloisa James<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cxW9I-SYZKI/UBn6a4OhZ4I/AAAAAAAAAW4/VYBBVgkjtGk/s320/James%2BStorming%2Bthe%2BCastle.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9755367-storming-the-castle"><i>Storming the Castle</i></a> by Eloisa James<br />
<b>Published:</b> December 21, 2010 (HarperCollins)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Audiobook from the library<br />
<b>Summary:</b> What Miss Phillipa Damson needs is a good, old fashioned knight in shining armor. What she has is a fiancé she never wanted and a compelling urge to run away. But if she manages to escape, will she find her happily ever after?<br />
<br />
<b>My Review:</b> As I'm not generally the biggest fan of Cinderella retellings, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6957682-a-kiss-at-midnight" target="_blank"><i>A Kiss at Midnight</i></a> by Eloisa James when I read it last year. During the reading, there was one secondary character who stood out: Wick, the major domo/butler who had some additional relationship to the prince that was quite the mystery for a while. I unfailingly loved him in every scene in which he appeared. When I later saw that he had his own story, I jumped at the chance to read (well, listen to) it.<br />
<br />
May I reiterate, just in case you missed it: A love story where the hero is a <i>butler</i>! How awesome is that?<br />
<br />
Forced to run away from home or face a marriage to a horrid man, Phillipa chose the former. When she heard that the prince and princess had a need of someone to help their sick baby, Phillipa jumped at the chance. She had previous experience with children and medicine, so the position was perfect for her. She felt an immediate attraction to Wick, and the feeling was reciprocated, although neither disclosed it at first. Yet there were bigger problems than her deception separating them: As Phillipa was not <i>actually</i> a servant, their stations were not compatible with the prospect of a future together. Phillipa was far above Wick in station, and Wick was a stickler for living according to rules and protocol. How could the two ever have a future together? <br />
<br />
One thing I can definitely say about Phillipa and Wick is that they had magnificent chemistry, and it culminated in a couple scenes that had steam rising from my dashboard. As <i>Storming the Castle</i> was a novella and there was not room for the development of a full-length novel, their relationship felt rushed, especially since my preference generally runs toward the drag-it-out-as-long-as-possible end of the spectrum. In addition, the progression of their relationship toward the beginning was a little strange and awkward. Overall, though, their story was cute and ultimately satisfying, and it made for a very enjoyable few hours. <br />
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<center><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/ba887.jpg" alt="Lunch Break Read" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00486UF6G/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00486UF6G&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00486UF6G" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storming-the-castle-with-bonus-content-eloisa-james/1103579570?ean=9780062074058" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-84261553252835376262012-08-02T08:00:00.000-05:002012-08-02T08:00:06.292-05:00Review: Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2H2A7l4yexk/UBdMXvKWvGI/AAAAAAAAAWI/4c_2pfAO2QA/s320/Mayberry%2BWithin%2BReach.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Book:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547012-within-reach"><i>Within Reach</i></a> by Sarah Mayberry<br />
<b>Published:</b> August 7, 2012 (Harlequin)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thanks!)<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Being a single dad was never on Michael Young's agenda. Yet with the sudden loss of his wife, that's exactly the role he has. On his best days, he thinks he can handle it. On his worst… Luckily, family friend Angie Bartlett has his back, easily stepping in to help out. Lately, though, something has changed. Michael is noticing exactly how gorgeous Angie is, and how single she is. She's constantly in his thoughts and he feels an attraction he never expected. Does he dare disrupt the very good thing they have going? If they have a fling that goes nowhere, he stands to lose everything—including her. But if they make it work, he stands to gain everything.<br />
<br />
<b>My Review:</b> <i>Within Reach</i> is one of my favorite books that I've read recently. I absolutely loved pretty much every single thing about it. I recently reviewed another Mayberry book (<a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-her-best-worst-mistake-by-sarah.html"><i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i></a>), and I mentioned how I associate Mayberry with amazing friends-to-lovers stories. This book? Exemplified that perfectly, even though there was a whole other level to it. <br />
<br />
Angie was the long-time best friend of Billie. Michael was Billie's husband. Angie and Michael were friends, but Billie was the connecting link. They never would have even contemplated each other as anything other than wife's-best-friend and best-friend's-husband. Then Billie died unexpectedly. And everything changed. After Billie's death, the book jumped ahead 10 months. Even after this time period, Michael was still deeply immersed in his half-life of mourning, and his children were suffering from it, as was he. After arriving back from a short trip to New York with fresh perspective, Angie saw how much he was struggling. She told Michael some hard things he needed to hear, and she began helping him out more than she had before. Then circumstances changed again, and Angie began spending significantly more time with both Michael and the two children.<br />
<br />
The dynamic between Angie and Michael shifted slowly and never felt unnatural, although they both fought the attraction. The romance was slow-building, intense, beautiful, and breath-taking. Literally. The first time they kissed, I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe for about 30 seconds. Mayberry has this way of writing scenes - particularly kissing/love scenes - that just punch you right in the gut. In a good way. If that makes any sense at all. Obviously, this book was not light on the angst. I didn't cry as much as I anticipated, though, even though it was a very emotional at times. <br />
<br />
Perhaps the thing I loved most about this book was how <i>real</i> I felt the relationship was. I habitually read romance. If I'm being honest, probably 98% of the books I read at least have a strong romantic element in them, even if it's not the main plot. I read about fictional relationships on a daily basis. I do <i>occasionally</i> get the feeling that the couple would never actually make it if the book was reality, but it's very rare. However, it's also rare that I get the overwhelming sense that the couple <i>would</i> absolutely make it in the real world. I got that feeling in this book. Michael and Angie had a lot of issues to work out before they could ever really be together - okay, really only one issue, but it was a doozie - but once it was resolved, I was absolutely 100% convinced of their love for each other, their compatibility, and their ability to come together couple and as a family.<br />
<br />
Once I picked up <i>Within Reach</i>, I did not want to set it back down again. Ever. It was an emotional - and, let's face it, hormonal, because <i>yowza</i> did this book have some sexual tension going on - roller coaster, but I loved every single second. (Except the part where they watched <i>Bridesmaids</i> with an almost-3-year-old boy. Maybe it's just me, but I found that inappropriate and pointless. Of course, I didn't like that movie at all, so.) But aside from that moment, there was really nothing I disliked about this book. The writing was solid, the children believably portrayed, the relationship believable and moving. If you love a wonderful romance and don't have an aversion to having your heart wrenched a time or two, this is the book for you. Look out for that gorgeous cover (seriously, haters to the left, it's so pretty! And not a mullet in sight!) when it hits the stores August 7.<br />
<br />
<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">Books had been her closest friends when she was growing up, a secret portal through which she escaped to magical worlds and far-off places.<br />
<br />
<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
It wasn’t much, as far as strategies went. In fact it felt a little as thought she was heading off to fight a dragon with a toothpick as her weapon.<br />
<br />
<center><hr width="90%" color="#63c9e1" size="1px"></center><br />
He felt as though the sun was shining on his face for the first time in days, simply because she was standing in front [of] him, because he could smell her perfume and hear her voice and breathe the same air as her.</font></div></td> </tr>
</table></center><center><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373717954/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0373717954&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0373717954" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/within-reach-sarah-mayberry/1109150562?ean=9780373717958" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Within-Reach-Sarah-Mayberry/9780373717958?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-6830743197308265612012-07-31T13:02:00.001-05:002012-08-13T21:31:54.047-05:00Top Ten Tuesday: 7/31/12 Edition<center><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt.png" alt="Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish" /></a><br />
<b>Top Ten Characters with Whom I'd Switch Places for 24 Hours</b></center><br />
One of my favorite TTT topics in quite a while! I just had to do this one, and it was a blast. I had lots of fun sorting through all the potential choices. It was a challenge coming up with characters where my reasoning for wanting to switch <i>wasn't</i> solely for The Amazing Guy with whom said girl shared a book!verse.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt-characters01.png" /></center>01. <b>Katsa from the Graceling Realm</b>. Guys. For real. She's a freaking badass. I'd love to have her Grace. Not to mention, I'd get 24 hours with Po, which is most definitely nothing to complain about.<br />
02. <b>Stephanie from the Stephanie Plum series</b>. Okay, so I'd prefer one of the days when she's <i>not</i> in the path of a homicidal maniac or Vaseline-covered naked guy. But one word for you that makes it all worth it: RANGER. I'd certainly put an end to the wishy-washy triangle nonsense. It'd be Goodbye Morelli, Hello Ranger time in The Burg. And I'd love to meet Lula and Grandma Mazur.<br />
03. <b>Mia from The Princess Diaries series</b>. In my head, they live in that refurbished firehouse from the movie, and I WANT TO LIVE THERE SO BADLY. Plus, I know I'm in the minority, but I totally love Lilly and would love to hang out with her. Also, Michael. ♥ (Hey, look at me putting him third, pretending that he's not totally the #1 reason. HA.) Plus, think of how awesome it would be to rule a cool little European country for a day.<br />
04. <b>Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia series</b>. Who wouldn't want to live in Narnia, be royalty, talk to Mr. Tumnus for a day?<br />
05. <b>Hermione from the Harry Potter series</b>. Like she even needs explanation. There's a reason she's been on pretty much every single list I've seen this week. Hogwarts, etc. <s>Not to mention I could hook up with Draco, because there's totally chemistry there and YES, PLEASE</s>.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f255/Tammathan_freak/FictionallyInclined/ttt-characters02.png" /></center>06. <b>Camille from <i>Hunting and Gathering</i> (<i>Ensemble c'est tout</i>)</b>. SO MANY REASONS. Franck, obviously. ♥ And I'd <i>love</i> to have her artistic talent, live in France, and meet Philibert and Paulette.<br />
07. <b>Belly from The Summer Trilogy</b>. Conrad and Jeremiah. ♥ I want to spend a beautiful summer day at the beach on the East coast with these brothers. <small> Which one I'd make out with at the end of the day is a toss-up, though.</small><br />
08. <b>Jordan from <i>Catching Jordan</i></b>. I freaking love football, and since I was about 9 years old and read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2663477-what-s-the-opposite-of-a-best-friend"><i>What's the Opposite of a Best Friend</i></a> (which is totally the 90's MG version of <i>Catching Jordan</i>'s premise) for the first time, I've wanted to be able to be a super awesome quarterback who played football with The Guys all the time. Alas, it was not meant to be, but I could throw a pretty decent spiral once upon a time.<br />
09. <b>Macy from <i>The Truth About Forever</i></b>. WES BAKER, I LOVE YOU. Also, I want to work at Wish and hang out with Kristy and Monica and talk to Delia and oh, I could live in Sarah Dessen's world and be happy forever.. <br />
10. <b>Elizabeth from <i>Pride and Prejudice</i></b>. <i>Hello</i>, Mr. Darcy. End of story.<br />
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Bonus: <b>Laura from the Little House series</b>. Yes, she was a real person, but I'd totally love to take her place in her (mostly?) fictional world. Whether it was when she was younger and Pa played his fiddle for the family Christmas in the woods, or when she was older and Almanzo drove her home from the school house in subzero temperatures.<br />
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Edit: Also, <b>Anna from <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i></b>! HELLO. France + St. Clair? Yes, please. Can't believe I forgot her the first time around.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-32182790242777405862012-07-28T11:21:00.000-05:002012-07-28T11:38:47.942-05:00Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOIrQ3M7QeE/UBQKUmionpI/AAAAAAAAAVY/Nibsdugh0xA/s400/McGarry%2BPushing%2Bthe%2BLimits.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194514-pushing-the-limits">Pushing the Limits</a> <br />
<b>Author:</b> Katie McGarry<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 31, 2012 (Harlequin Teen)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thanks!)<br />
<b>Summary:</b> No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> I wanted to read <i>Pushing the Limits</i> the second I stumbled across it on Goodreads, and thanks to NetGalley and HarlequinTeen, I even got to read it early. This is one book I am happy to promote. From the intriguing synopsis to the steamy cover, it elicited high expectations on my end, and it did not disappoint! <br />
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I knew when I was going into this book that there were going to be "issues." What I did not expect was how much these two really were going through. Echo with her amnesia regarding an event that led to the scars on her arms, her insecurities, and her family; Noah with his brothers and the foster system. This book is told in alternating points of view, and it works very well for the story. I got nearly equal parts Noah and Echo's story (though there was a little more of Echo's, I think). There was also an unexpected side story with Noah's friends Isaiah and Beth, and I'm so excited that Beth is going to get her own book (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13561164-dare-you-to" target="_blank"><i>Dare You To</i></a>, coming sometime in 2013)! I definitely want to know the whole story there.<br />
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I loved the romance between these two. They were not looking for real romance at this point in their lives, and they especially did not expect it of each other. Yet they both found how much they needed each other, especially in the middle of the chaos of their respective lives. The chemistry between the two was spectacular, and the relationship that developed was believable and beautiful (despite the annoying number of times they called each other "baby").<br />
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One thing I appreciated about this book was the true emphasis it placed on family. Noah's love, devotion, and sacrifice for his brothers brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Echo also had to learn how to deal with everything that was happening with her family, and to realize that maybe things were not how they had seemed to her. Both Noah and Echo had even more growing up to do than they already had in their difficult lives, and I rooted for them, watching them progress every step of the way.<br />
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<i>Pushing the Limits</i> was a realistic, but ultimately encouraging, read. Even though there was a lot of heavy stuff going on, the book was never difficult to read as a result. Katie McGarry kept up a great balance of reality, romance, and, on occasion, humor, which made the book immensely readable despite the heavy subject matter being addressed. It also had a more grown-up feel to it than a lot of YA, so I would recommend it to readers of YA as well as adult fiction.<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls. [Best. Quote. Ever.]<br />
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My father spoke with the air of a deity. He might as well have added the phrase <i>so let it be written, so let it be done</i>.<br />
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Trust. Why not ask me to do something easier, like prove the existence of God?<br />
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Sometimes when you see the line, you think it’s a good idea to cross it – until you do.</font></div></td> </tr>
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<center><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/phg5.jpg" alt="Staying In Tonight" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373210493/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0373210493&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0373210493" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pushing-the-limits-katie-mcgarry/1108266707?ean=9780373210497" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Pushing-Limits-Katie-Mcgarry/9780373210497?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-44377029009034325602012-07-24T23:02:00.000-05:002012-08-12T08:50:15.398-05:00Review: Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IFyY34Hu5PM/UA9kzB9lTgI/AAAAAAAAAVI/kmQuTrzo4sU/s400/Mayberry%2BHer%2BBest%2BWorst%2BMistake.jpg"" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13633179-her-best-worst-mistake">Her Best Worst Mistake</a> <br />
<b>Author:</b> Sarah Mayberry<br />
<b>Published:</b> May 3, 2012 (self-published)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Ebook, purchased<br />
<b>Summary:</b> For six years Violet Sutcliffe has known that Martin St Clair is the wrong man for her best friend. He's stuffy, old before his time, conservative. He drives Violet nuts - and the feeling is entirely mutual. Then, out of nowhere, her friend walks out just weeks before her wedding to Martin, flying to Australia on a mission of self-discovery. Back in London, Violet finds herself feeling sorry for suddenly-single Martin. At least, she tells herself it's pity she feels. Then he comes calling one dark, stormy night and they discover that beneath their mutual dislike there lies a fiery sexual chemistry. It's crazy and all-consuming - and utterly wrong. Because not only are they chalk and cheese, oil and water, but Martin once belonged to her best friend. A friend Violet is terrified of losing. What future can there be for a relationship with so many strikes against it?<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> I adore Sarah Mayberry. She is the only category romance author on my auto-read list, and I bought this one the <i>minute</i> I saw it mentioned over at <a href="http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/" target="_blank">Smart Bitches, Trashy Books</a>. Little did I know, that behind that beautiful cover was one of Mayberry's best books yet! I read it, and I came <i>this</i> close to re-reading <i>the day after I finished</i>. I just didn't want to tear myself out of that world. I wound up not re-reading, but the desire didn't go away, and I wrote it off as a need to read a Mayberry book. This hypothesis was disproved by the fact that I just read her upcoming release, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547012-within-reach"><i>Within Reach</i></a> a couple days ago. Although it was fantastic (watch for a review in the first week of August!), it did not reduce my craving to reread <i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i>. So, I'll be doing that soon. But onto more specifics.<br />
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There were so many things to love about <i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i>! The first and foremost reason I couldn't put the book down was the amazing combination of sexual tension and chemistry. I don't even know how to explain it! It was like the combination was a force in itself that bound me to my Nook. The scene where it all culminated and came to a head (the "dark, stormy night" mentioned in the synopsis)? I <i>still</i> think about that scene on a regular basis. And I read this book in May. And unlike many books, the tension didn't peter out after the first time; it kept going strong.<br />
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Mayberry is an expert at crafting relationships. I generally associate her with friends-to-lovers, because those are usually my favorites of hers. But <i>Mistake</i> was completely on the other side of the spectrum. Martin and Violet were opposites in so many ways, and they loathed the sight of each other at the beginning of the story. Their relationship and real feelings developed in a completely roundabout way, but they were so authentic. I didn't doubt for a second that they would make it as a couple. They were already accustomed to disagreeing and knew how to deal with it. Through the course of the book, they learned that many of the "reasons" for their previous opinions were not at all accurate, and they had to accept that. Which they did. And they grew individually and together as a result of it.<br />
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There were some things that were less than flawless, of course. I felt like there was too much commiserating and fretting and waiting around once it was actually time to make their relationship known. I <i>know</i> that it was obviously a big deal, but it took up quite a lot of time and got repetitive after a while. I would've preferred it if those 20 (or however many) pages would've been used for a little more time in the beginning, so we could see them interacting more when Elizabeth was actually around.<br />
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<i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i> is technically a companion to Mayberry's previous Harlequin release, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8177542-hot-island-nights"><i>Hot Island Nights</i></a>. They take place over approximately the same timeline, though, and do not need to be read in order. I've yet to read the first one (although I plan to soon), and <i>Mistake</i> did not suffer at all. If you're looking for a contemporary romance with mind-blowingly good sexual tension, less-than-perfect characters who are willing to grow and learn, and wonderful love story, <i>Her Best Worst Mistake</i> would be a great one to put on your list.<br />
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One last note <b>to all my Australian readers</b>. Is "gets on my wick" a common phrase over there? It seems to be the equivalent of "gets on my nerves", but I'd never seen it before, and I thought it was interesting.<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="8px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">It wasn’t as thought he’d done anything to provoke her. Except breathe, of course.<br />
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This is a conversation that requires alcohol and saturated animal fats, preferably in the form of ice cream.<br />
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He felt as though the room had just tilted, as though up had become down, black become white.<br />
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And then his mouth was on hers and there was nothing else in the whole wide world except for the warmth and the pressure and the rasp of his tongue and the taste of him and the press of his body against hers and the need surging through her blood like a runaway freight train.</font></div></td> </tr>
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Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00807FKPA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00807FKPA&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00807FKPA" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-best-worst-mistake-sarah-mayberry/1110621668?ean=2940033174072" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-15282168896134898782012-07-18T10:00:00.002-05:002012-07-18T11:59:16.699-05:00Interview with Jill Shalvis { Summer with Jill Shalvis Blog Tour }<center><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gsnaP1X4jeA/UATm1v4gmwI/AAAAAAAAATY/d3wWGsG6YFk/s400/SummerwShalvis-416x143.jpg" /></center><br />
If you spend much time around this blog, you probably know that I discovered Jill Shalvis early this year, and she has quickly established herself a place among my absolute favorite contemporary romance authors. Well, today, I have the privilege of interviewing her, as part of the Summer with Jill Shalvis blog tour! Everyone give a warm welcome to Jill Shalvis.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-top:-9px; margin-left:0; margin-bottom:0"><img border="0" width="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WqQtmq6gY7I/UAa6-KvRNoI/AAAAAAAAAT0/rpv0dvoULC8/s400/jillshalvis-edit.png" /></a></div><table width="536px" v-align="top" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px" align="right"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IwyLRjS2IQ4/UAbBGVxdPwI/AAAAAAAAAUE/X1pFZw3TsHg/s400/interview-jshalvis.png" /></center><font color="#5e1100"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-9px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>How on earth do you write such amazing heroes in every book? I'd love to spend a day in your imagination.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-9px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>Well it’s a busy place in my imagination. J As for the heroes, I read a romance for the hero so it’s important to me that I write a romance for the hero as well. I’m glad you think they’re amazing, thank you!<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-8px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-9px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>How do you name your characters? Do they just come to you, or do you have a list or website you go to when naming?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-9px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>The heroes sort of name themselves. But whenever I hear a great name, I jot it down and save it. I have a whole drawer filled with little bits of paper that I occasionally sort through when I need inspiration.<br />
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-top:-15px;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:-9px;"><img border="0" height="32" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dQIxD9ngIjo/UAbFJrlTXQI/AAAAAAAAAU8/cDQIH5Q3ZfQ/s400/interview-qpink.png" /></a>Chocolate: Dark, milk, or white?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s1600/interview-a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:-15px;margin-left:-6px; "><img border="0" height="24" width="32" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S91pN-UJheM/UAbEKHEtVjI/AAAAAAAAAUk/moDSUuhsV90/s400/interview-a.png" /></a>ALL.<br />
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<i>Thank you so much for interviewing with me, Jill! (And I'm in total agreement about the chocolate. :D)</i></font></div></td> </tr>
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<a imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top:-12px;margin-right: 0"><img align="bottom" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymoXsG69E0k/UATMItuW9sI/AAAAAAAAATI/19qNWkVZ8J0/s400/Shalvis%2BForever%2Band%2Ba%2BDay.jpg" width="100" /></a>Don't forget to check out Jill's upcoming release, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13111756-forever-and-a-day"><i>Forever and a Day</i></a>, the latest in the Lucky Harbor series, to be released on July 31. You can also read my thoughts about it <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-forever-and-day-by-jill-shalvis.html">here</a>. (Preview: I loved it! Amazing hero, smoldering chemistry, beautiful romance, super cute kid. My favorite in the second set of Lucky Harbor books.) Don't want to wait? Lucky Harbor #5, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13076969-at-last" target="_blank"><i>At Last</i></a> is already out, and it's <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-at-last-by-jill-shalvis.html">a great one</a>.<br />
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Also, in case you missed the news, Jill announced yesterday that <a href="http://jillshalvis.com/blog/2012/07/17/whats-next/" target="_blank">three more Lucky Harbor books will be coming in the future</a>! If everyone had similar reactions to me, I know that this news probably generated a small earthquake due to the thousands of happy!dances going on across the world.Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-64472484968065218632012-07-17T23:00:00.001-05:002012-07-17T23:01:41.464-05:00Review: Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymoXsG69E0k/UATMItuW9sI/AAAAAAAAATI/19qNWkVZ8J0/s400/Shalvis%2BForever%2Band%2Ba%2BDay.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13111756-forever-and-a-day">Forever and a Day</a> (Lucky Harbor, #6)<br />
<b>Author:</b> Jill Shalvis<br />
<b>Published:</b> July 31, 2012 (Grand Central)<br />
<b>Format:</b> Temporary egalley provided by Netgalley, physical finished copy provided by Grand Central Publishing. (Thanks!)<br />
<b>Summary:</b> Grace never thought she’d be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh’s loveable mutt to caring for his rambunctious kids. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad… With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family–until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “good bedside manner.” Josh and Grace don’t know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day…<br />
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<b>My Review:</b> My feelings for <i>Forever and a Day</i> could probably be conveyed in a 200-character long capslock keymash. But as that would be of no help to anyone else, I'll attempt to be coherent in my love for this book. Okay, mainly Josh. But this book as a whole was great. It started off with Josh contacting Grace - by accident - to come be a dog-walker for his son's new dog. Grace, being strapped for cash as she was, agreed, even though she had little-to-no experience with dogs. The result was hilarious, and the book only got better from there.<br />
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I had such a wonderful time watching the relationship between Josh and Grace build. They had smoldering chemistry from page one - in fact, it started in small increments in the previous books - and it only grew steadily more intense until it finally exploded. Their romance was as heart-meltingly beautiful as it was hot, and their interactions felt very real to me. They could be serious, but they had some of the most entertaining exchanges ever. Exhibit A)<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><font color="#f27187">This stopped her cold. “You have more spiders?”<br />
“No,” he said without missing a beat. “No spiders.”<br />
“You said spiders,” she said. “And I saw a big one in the side yard, in the sprinkler well.”<br />
“That spider went south for the winter.”<br />
“It’s summer.”<br />
“He wanted to be the first to get out of town.”<br />
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What made this book even better, though, was that it was not <i>just</i> about Grace's relationship with Josh. It was about Grace and her own journey to happiness, developing her ability to make her own choices. It was about Josh and his struggle to balance work, family, and the wishes of his dead father. It was about Josh's son, Toby, and Josh's - and Grace's - relationship with the young boy. It was about Anna, Josh's younger, wheelchair-confined sister, her interactions with the two older adults, and her journey to finally coming to terms with what her life could be with her disability.<br />
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Now, I will devote a paragraph to Josh, because a review of this book would not be complete without it. Because seriously. I'm quite convinced that Shalvis just jumped into my head, pulled out <i>every single thing</i> that's a turn-on for me, and created Josh. Responsible. Single father. Fantastic, near eidetic memory. He was also just a little bit tortured, but with a great sense of humor and a huge heart to make up for it. Add in a whole heap of the sexy!pants factor, and my heart was going pitter-patter. Plus, he was a total nerd at heart, and just a little awkward with women - at least internally. He truly had a little bit of something for everyone, but he never seemed incomplete or scattered as a character. Probably my favorite hero in the entire Lucky Harbor series, which is saying something. <br />
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Like the first "trilogy" of the series, these three books also grew increasingly better with each installment. <i>Forever and a Day</i> was definitely my favorite of this second set of Lucky Harbor books. I would, without any reservations, recommend it if you have previously enjoyed the Lucky Harbor novels. I was going to end this review with a lament over the end of the Lucky Harbor, but today I received some fantastic news! According to Jill's post on her <a href="http://jillshalvis.com/blog/2012/07/17/whats-next/" target="_blank">blog</a>, there are three new Lucky Harbor novels in the works! Therefore, a lament is no longer in order. However, in the mean time until the next book comes out, <i>Forever and a Day</i> will be here to keep you company on July 31, and I would highly recommend going out and getting a copy.<br />
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Bonus! Included in <i>Forever and a Day</i> is the recipe for the Chocoholics' Cupcakes-Worth-the-Fat-Grams. I, of course, baking and chocolate enthusiast that I am, made these immediately after finishing the book. Whether it was because it was an egalley, or simply the digital formatting, I don't know, but some of the ingredient amounts did not display correctly, so I had to guess for some of it. The mixture wound up too runny, then I added way too much flour in my attempt to make it normal cupcake-batter-y. And I baked them a few minutes too long. Thus, the cupcakes wound up quite dry. But the taste was fantastic, and I can't wait to make more of these and improve them to perfection...by actually following the recipe.<br />
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P.S. Stop by for my interview with Jill Shalvis tomorrow, part of the Summer with Jill Shalvis Blog Tour!<br />
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<center><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dotted #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><center><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/111jc6w.jpg" alt="Favorite Quotes" border="none" /></center><font color="#5e1100">He turned to say something and caught her staring. She quickly pretended to be watching her own feet. Look at that, her heels were looking a little worn. “Pretty hardwood floors,” she said.<br />
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“You weren’t looking at the floor. You were looking at my ass.”<br />
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Giving up, she sighed. “Okay, yes,” she said as primly as she could. “But it’s impolite of you to point it out.”<br />
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Okay, so maybe chocolate doesn’t make the world go around, but it sure makes the trip worthwhile.<br />
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There was just something about her that made him feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Like he couldn’t wait to see beyond the packaging, couldn’t wait to touch. And not just physically, which was what really disconcerted him. He wanted to touch her from the inside out, which made no fucking sense at all.<br />
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So wake up and smell the damn cupcakes.<br />
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“It’s because love is one of those really bossy bitches,” Amy said. “There’s no telling it what to do.”<br />
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And on the Eighth day, God created chocolate.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/nd0eap.jpg" alt="Stay Up 'til 2 AM" /><br />
Purchase this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/145550369X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=145550369X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=145550369X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> || <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-and-a-day-jill-shalvis/1106244259?ean=9781455503698" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> || <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Forever-Day-Jill-Shalvis/9781455503698?a_aid=FictionallyInclined" target="_blank">The Book Depository</a></center>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142148232397111195.post-39060034214625212572012-07-15T17:27:00.001-05:002012-07-15T17:28:07.436-05:00Stacking the Shelves: 7/15/12 Edition<br />
<center><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/34eqckh.jpg" alt="Stacking the Shelves" /><table width="600px" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border:1px dashed #63c9e1;" bgcolor="#F2F2F2" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px"><tr><td><div text align="justify"><font color="#f27187" face="Verdana" size="1">Stacking the Shelves is a feature hosted by <a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com" target="_blank">Tenga's Reviews</a> wherein participants share and discuss their latest book hauls.</font></div></td> </tr>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/srT94Nrr2Cc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
Welcome to my first ever Stacking the Shelves! Today, I talk about my haul from the last <b>two weeks</b>. So it takes a while. If you are not inclined to listen to me exercise my loquaciously verbose - but, alas, not particularly eloquent - abilities, you may skip straight to the list below.<br />
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<b>Received for Review</b><br />
<i>Better Than Chocolate</i> by Sheila Roberts { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548078-better-than-chocolate">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/077831345X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=077831345X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=077831345X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> } (Thanks, Katie @ Little Bird Publicity!)<br />
<i>Forever And a Day</i> by Jill Shalvis { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13111756-forever-and-a-day">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/145550369X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=145550369X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=145550369X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> } (Thanks, Grand Central Publishing!)<br />
<i>The Ugly Duchess</i> by Eloisa James { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11879737-the-ugly-duchess">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062021737/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062021737&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0062021737" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> } (Thanks, Edelweiss!)<br />
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<b>Bought</b><br />
<i>Slow Summer Kisses</i> by Shannon Stacey { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13604478-slow-summer-kisses">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007M8S2V2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007M8S2V2&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007M8S2V2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Graceling</i> by Kristin Cashore { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3236307-graceling">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547258305/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547258305&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0547258305" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
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<b>Borrowed from the Library</b><br />
<small>Although, to be clear, these are not <i>all</i> the books I got from the library. I like to browse and pick up way more than I'll ever read. But these are the "important" ones I placed on hold.</small><br />
<i>A Night Like This</i> by Julia Quinn { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12731293-a-night-like-this">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062072900/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062072900&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0062072900" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Morning Glory</i> by LaVyrle Spencer { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/987577.Morning_Glory">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425229289/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0425229289&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425229289" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Thief of Shadows</i> by Elizabeth Hoyt { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11459222-thief-of-shadows">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1455508322/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1455508322&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1455508322" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Crazy for Love</i> by Victoria Dahl { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7633208-crazy-for-love">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373774621/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0373774621&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0373774621" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>(On the) Jellicoe Road</i> by Melina Marchetta { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1162022.On_the_Jellicoe_Road">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EQ9LDK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002EQ9LDK&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002EQ9LDK" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>The Last Boyfriend</i> by Nora Roberts { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12099007-the-last-boyfriend">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425246035/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0425246035&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425246035" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>French Leave / L'Echappée belle</i> by Anna Gavalda { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9770123-french-leave">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609450051/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1609450051&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1609450051" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Flirting in Italian</i> by Lauren Henderson { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12681111-flirting-in-italian">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385741359/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385741359&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0385741359" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
<i>Welcome Caller, This Is Chloe</i> by Shelley Coriell { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12962924-welcome-caller-this-is-chloe">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419701916/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419701916&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1419701916" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
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<b>Other Books Mentioned</b><br />
<i>Bitterblue</i> by Kristin Cashore { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12680907-bitterblue">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803734735/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=fictioinclin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0803734735">Amazon</a> || <a href="http://fictionally-inclined.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-bitterblue-by-kristin-cashore.html">My Review</a>}<br />
<i>Hunting and Gathering / Ensemble, c'est tout</i> by Anna Gavalda { <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47780.Hunting_and_Gathering">Goodreads</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159448144X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=159448144X&linkCode=as2&tag=fictioinclin-20">Amazon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=fictioinclin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=159448144X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> }<br />
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<b>Blogs Mentioned</b><br />
<a href="http://thebookbarbies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Book Barbies</a><br />
<a href="http://ratherbereadingblog.com/" target="_blank">Rather Be Reading</a>Sharon (A Book Barbie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03923363390909309303noreply@blogger.com22