Author Book Signing

The Princeton Barnes and Noble hosted a book signing event where part of the proceeds to book purchase went to save a local library. Needless to say I was in my glory with my stack of books. I convinced Corey to drive me over 2 hours up the road to meet Amy Ewing, the author of The Jewel. We hung around for about 2 hours (me stalking the shelf like a weirdo) waiting before we had to head back home. Here is a group of authors. I personally purchased Pandemic, Providence, Empty, and A Tragic Heart.

Here are the messages that the authors wrote in my books :)

Now although I did not get to meet one of my new favorite authors I did get a happy ending!! After we finally made it home Corey took me for a walk in the local nature trail and proposed to me *yay* Now I get to start my own happy ending. And start planning my literary themed wedding!

Perfect Ruin - Lauren Destefano

Well I am done already, and if you have ever read a book by Lauren Destefano I am sure you can understand why. This novel is slow, yet fast paced at the same time. The character growth is slow but the plot progresses quickly. You start with Morgan, a 16 year old girl who has a dysfunctional family. She has a best friend, Pen, who also has a dysfunctional family. After a mysterious death their perfect world, or island in the sky, starts to go crazy. Heightened security has the girls on high alert and soon you find out things are not what they seem in their perfect world.

Daphne is the girl who is murdered within the first chapter of the book. Soon after you meet her sister, Amy, who is seen posting her dead sisters essay all over town for everyone to read. Next thing you know the local flower shop catches fire. Now all we are told as the reader is that it is believed to be a boy named Judas, Daphne's betrothed. You think that would be weird in the book but it actually works. The people put together really seem to be meant for one another. Especially our main character, Morgan, and her boyfriend, Basil. So back to the story...

Morgan finds Judas and tries to help him, which kindles her friendship with Amy. Story progresses where things get worse and worse in the city and people start showing up dead. Morgan and Basil get home from school and she immediately checks on her mother who appears to be sleeping. Morgan is overcome in pain so Basil takes her to her bothers apartment.

Back story on her brother, Lex, he is an ex-pharmacist, who has a wife, Alice. Lex tried to jump over the edge of the Island after Alice had to have her pregnancy terminated for being out of turn. He was left blind from the incident and almost died. From that point forward Lex hated the government and the King.

Now that I caught us all up... because of Morgan's family history we find out she was poisoned, as was everyone in her family as well as several other people. Lex and Alice no longer take their medications from the government so they are safe. Morgan's mother and father are both dead and Lex is barely able to save his sister. Lex, Alice, Morgan, and Basil now all have to go in hiding because they are supposed to be dead. Morgan wakes up to find herself underground in a 'bird' (plane) meant to help rebels leave the floating island. In a fit of rage over her parents she leaves the bird followed by Judas to kill the King. She realizes this is ridiculous when she gets to the surface and decides to just write a message to Pen.

Pen is already at her and Morgans secret spot and the two get to talk. It is here Morgan realizes the Pen truly loves living on the Island and believes every word of the history books. Morgan decides not to tell her about the bird and just wanted to say good-bye. Before she can leave they are shot with darts by the Prince and Princess and rendered paralyzed. They are captured...yada yada yada, they escape and make it back to the bird. The group realizes it has to leave now or be killed. As they reach the end of the floating Island they find the Princess has been stowed away in the bottom of the bird with Pen's betrothed, Thomas.

Pen has a melt down about leaving the Island but it is too late and the bird is in the air. They make it to the ground where they are greeted by other people. The book ends here!!!!!!! Ugh don't worry the sequel comes out March 10th. So, not too long of a wait. I gave a crazy simplified synopsis because you have to still be able to enjoy reading it! Lauren Destefano is an amazing author and I recommend reading anything she is willing to write.

Currently reading Perfect Ruin! Now I was a huge fan of the Chemical Garden Trilogy so I am hoping Lauren Destefano will have written just as well here.

I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but this art work is simply amazing.

In side flap with more artwork.

Pretty stars in side the book.

The back of the book. I really can't get over how great this looks. So simple yet it sucks me in.

The One & Only - Emily Giffin

Well I don't know what to really say about this book other than I was really into it, and then all of a sudden I wasn't. I cannot review this book without including spoilers to accurately describe why I almost wanted to puke toward the end. Lets start with the basic plot line and go from there...

Shea, main character, lives in a small Texas town where Football is religion. You eat, breathe, and sleep, Walker Football. Her best friend, Lucy, is the daughter of infamous Coach Clive Carr, for Walker's team. Lucy's mother dies in the very beginning of the book and set the mood for the teams year that they need to win all the games and championship in her honor. Shea is a reporter that covers Walker Universities sports teams for the Post. She is dating an ex-football player, Miller, who is now a gym teacher. She is essentially in a rut going no where because she is too loyal to her football team to pursue anything else.

Now onto the story...

With the death of Connie, Lucy's mom, Lucy and Shea's mom push Shea to break up with dead beat Miller and move on in life. Coach Carr, who Shea has always looked up to and seen as a father figure, agrees with them. Taking Coach's advice she does break up with Miller and in turn Coach gives her the phone number of a guy in Dallas to offer her a better reporting job so that she can actually do what she wants. Through this job Shea means Dallas Cowboys Quarterback, Ryan James, who she went to college with at Walker and was home visiting to watch the game. Ryan asks Shea out and from there they become a couple.

Things get serious fast and Shea starts to notice Ryan is a little possessive. At first she sees it as just jealousy, but she also thinks it is her mind playing tricks on her because she is starting to get a crush on Coach Carr. Grosssssss. I was really hoping that was just going to be a glance over that she would get over and move on.

*Disclaimer - I am a huge Cowboys fan*

So me being the fan I am, I want Shea and Ryan to work because that would be amazing. But Shea starts talking to Coach more and more and they get closer. While her and Ryan's relationship is still growing Ryan often becomes angry at her if she is found to be talking to other guys. At the end of the book Ryan grabs her arm and belittles her in the bar in front of her friends. Ryan storms out of the bar and Shea goes home. Coach calls to check on her and she asks him to come over and keep her company. By the time Shea is done showering Ryan is in her apartment waiting for her and starts apologizing. Shea asks him to leave and things start to escalate. Low and behold, Coach Carr, arrives just in time to save the day. With Ryan gone Shea and Coach admit they have feelings for each other. *vomit* They end up meeting up later and kissing in his office.

Here is another part I was not happy with. Lucy saw Ryan get hands on with Shea and saw the marks on her arm. Yet, Lucy still asked if there is any way that Shea and Ryan can work it out. What kind of friend is that? No kind of abuse is acceptable. But, lets continue on. Lucy and Shea have been slightly on the outs because Lucy is jealous of the relationship Shea and Coach have.

Christmas Time is upon us and the Carr family plus Shea are over Lucy's house decorating. Lucy leaves the room and Shea and Coach have an intimate moment. Unsurprisingly, Lucy walks back in the room and catches this moment causing a blow out. Shea and Coach go back to his house where she asks him to 'make love to her' because it may be the only chance. They don't, thank god, and they leave. The next day Shea is called by her mother stating Lucy is making Shea choose between their life long friendship or her love for her father, Coach Carr. Shea goes to Lucy and tells her she chooses Lucy which Lucy is of course elated over. Shea then goes to her job and tells her boss she quits/gets fired because she cannot be impartial due to her love for Coach Carr and Walker Football.

Now in my opinion Lucy is 100% right. I mean her mother hasn't even been dead for a year yet in the book... and Coach has been like Shea's dad growing up. What a sick and twisted line to cross. He is an old man and she is in her 30's. How can he do that to his own daughter let alone a young woman who looks to him for advice on life. And how can Shea even be mad at Lucy or her mother for being upset about the whole situation. Shea and Coach break it off and Shea runs off to New York to stay with her dad and get over her 'broken heart'. Lucy continues to call her and act like life is just perfect these days. Shea eventually comes home for the final Walker Football game where they win the championship for Connie.

What is disgusting is that Lucy tells Shea she finally is ok with her and her dad being together. Coach Carr gives this nice speech about how they did it all with Connie's help (you remember his dead wife) and then kisses Shea right there in front of everyone. HOW THE HELL DO YOU THANK YOUR DEAD WIFE AND KISS YOUR SORTA DAUGHTER.

The book ends there where you don't know what happens next and I really hope she doesn't write a sequel to this because I was appalled with the gross love triangle. To me it was like she was hitting on her step-dad.... You may not agree but this is my opinion... again I was skeeved out by this book and felt dirty after reading it.

Emily Giffin

So I have a new favorite Author, Emily Giffin. The movie Something Borrowed was on at work before I went out for surgery and I have always been meaning to read the book the movie was based ok. I have never read an "Adult" type book before and I am so happy the first one I read was by Emily Giffin. Something Borrowed was the most realistic book I have read that wasn't overly done or at all silly. I could not put this book down, and I know I probably say that about almost every book I read. If you haven't seen the movie the book is about a girl, Rachel, who is in love with her friend Dex. Dex is engaged to her best friend Darcy. Long of the short, Rachel and Dex have an affair and the whole issue comes to a head. There is a big twist at the end and wow I loved it.

The follow up book Something Blue was just as addicting! I hated Darcy all through Something Borrowed and she actually grows on you through this sequel. You fall in love with every character, even the miniscule ones. Something Blue made me want to pack up and move to England! I can't say too much without giving away the ending to Something Borrowed, so if you haven't read it do not read ahead! Darcy is pregnant with Marcus' baby and surprise surprise, Marcus doesn't want squat to do with her. Darcy's mother disapproves so alone and pregnant Darcy runs away to live with Ethan in England. Darcy finds love in England and then realizes who she is actually in love with. Lots of surprises!

Next up is Baby Proof. WOW. Now this is a new set of character who struggle with a change of heart. Claire does not want to have children and her husband Ben has a change of heart and wants a child. I don't want to spoil anything but all I wanted to do while reading this was fast forward to the end. This was more suspenseful than most young adult books I have read. The cute part about this book is about two sentences toward the end they mention Ethan! They give you a cute little update about him and Darcy. There was actually a part in this book near the end that i teared up reading because you think, oh no this really is it, it's too late.

Then I read Love the One You're With. This book was honestly a struggle. Corey told me to push through it because he knows how I get when I don't finish a series I am reading. I am happy he told me to push through it because about 3/4 of the way through I couldn't stop reading. It was a shame it took me that long to really get into it but the ending was worth it. Having personally been in a crappy relationship myself for 5 years (who hasn't) Ellen made me so angry. She has the perfect husband, Andy, who loves her to death. She chooses to flirt along the line of cheating with her scummy ex, Leo, just because she isn't sure what she wants. Maybe I just couldn't get into the book because I after getting out of that relationship I couldn't ever imagine risking what I have now to go back to being miserable.

Heart of the Matter. Now it is 5/30/2014 and I have completely forgotten about my blog that quickly. So I will finish this post. This book was a fast read for me because the story line was just that good. Valerie is a single mom who has no dating life what-so-ever because she devotes her life to work and her son Charlie. Tessa Russo is a stay at home mom of two married to a surgeon, Nick Russo. I can't give too much away but Tessa and Valerie's lives cross in a way that has you feeling for both characters. You can't seem to pick which one you want to 'win'. This is a great book for someone who has been in an unfaithful relationship because you really see both sides of the story here. In the end you are happy even though it isn't exactly a happy ending. The ending is real though and that is what I love about these books.

Now on to, Where We Belong. Unfortunately this book was another struggle for me. It is about a girl, Kirby, who goes in search of her birth mother, Marian. I loved all of her other books and even towards the end I still could not really get into it. It was too unrealistic in comparison to her other novels. It does have a somewhat real ending, in that they all stay in touch. Kirby is just your typical annoying teenager which is what I was trying to get away from by reading Emily Griffin books. Marian was a good character to read and you could really feel her struggle with wanting to be involved and also wanting to keep everything that she had worked so hard to obtain. My heart really breaks for Kirby's parents because they try so hard to make her happy but she is just a typical know-it-all teenager. Honestly this is a book you can probably skip...