THE CINDERELLA DEAL by Jennifer Crusie

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THE CINDERELLA DEAL
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Source: Purchased at the store
  • Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Bantam; Reprint edition (January 26, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0553593366
  • ISBN-13: 978-0553593365
SYNOPSIS:
Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs to have a fiancée in order to capture his dream job, and Daisy is game to play the role. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that changes everything. Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Daisy lose her prince, or will opposites not only attract but live happily ever after?
MY THOUGHTS:
Who wouldn’t want to be Cinderella? Well, I mean the good part of Cinderella’s fairy tale.  Daisy is so quirky and the complete opposite of Linc.  Don’t they say opposites attract? Well, in this fun and light romance, the author gives you humor, romance, and witty writing that is a fairy tale of modern days. 
Linc needs a fiance to seal a deal for a job.  Daisy needs the cash. What they don’t realize is that they need eachother! I loved the bickering between the two and I loved the romance.  At times I wanted to reach into the book and slap the crap out of Linc, but Daisy does a good job of setting him straight.
This book reminded me not only of Cinderella, but of the movie Pretty Woman as well. I will say that Daisy has a soft spot for animals and I love how the author describes these animals that she rescues.  We have a cat that might has well be dead, because he lays around and plays dead all the time.  We have a kitten she finds that she names Little Orphan Annie. Then we throw in a dog that has a broken tail, leg and one missing eye! I especially love the line where Linc sings to the dog:
“Daisy Blaise had a real dumb dog, and Jupiter was his name/Oh, Ju-Ju-Ju-pi-ter/Ju-Ju-Ju-pi-ter/Ju-Ju-Ju-pi-ter/And Jupiter was his name, oh.”
A great and light read for any day of the week to lift your spirits!

MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!

THE DARKLING by Keoni Anderson

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THE DARKLING
Author: Keoni Anderson
Source: Author Submission
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 436 pages
  • Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (December 10, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1439264260
  • ISBN-13: 978-1439264263
SYNOPSIS:

The Darkling by Keoni Anderson follows Henry, a San Bernadino, California, high school student who desperately wants to escape the slums and get admitted to a good college. But when he stumbles upon a mysterious key and note in a local park, all bets are off for a normal college life, when the found items lead Henry to Sofa Re and the dark secret hidden in the shelves of Re’s innocuous bookstore. A hidden world of alien conspiracies, creatures, hunted fugitives, and relentless persecutors unfold before Henry, who is pulled into an alien civil war whose seeds were planted on Earth millennium earlier, now coming to life in the form of a conflagration in which Henry is destined to play a key role, changing him, his world, and a galaxy forever. Written in nail-biting prose and filled with compelling characters, author Anderson has created a space epic worthy of the best in the science fiction genre. This is a must read for any sci-fi fan, or anyone who loves a great story well told.
MY THOUGHTS:
I am not a big fan of Sci-Fi books.  When the author contacted me to review this book,  I thought it sounded great for my first book in this genre.  First of all, the cover is amazing!  It gives you the creepy and dark feel of what I think Sci-Fi books have.
When Henry finds a key in the park, he knows his quest for a normal life is not going to happen.  This had all the elements you would come to expect in this genre.  Aliens, conspiracy, bad guys and creatures of all sorts.  I dove right into it and even though some parts I found myself skipping over, I continued to read it.  The book had the definite Sci-Fi feel and plot to it.  
Even though this was a great book, I am still not sold on this genre.  If this is what I use my basis on though,  I would more than likely give it another go.  The author did a wonderful tale and had a wonderful plot!

MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!

A HOUSE AFIRE by Emma Kinna

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A HOUSE AFIRE
Author: Emma Kinna
Source: Author submission (Thanks Emma!)
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review* 

  • Paperback: 504 pages
  • Publisher: PublishAmerica (December 4, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1448990874
  • ISBN-13: 978-1448990870
SYNOPSIS:
Phyllis Sorin has seen all sorts of people. With two kind Aunts who rent out the rooms of their house to anyone in need, the people she calls family are a little different from most. There’s Bill, who takes on the personalities of movie characters. There’s Quincy, whose best friend is a drag queen. There’s Anna, an opera singer and kung-fu master. And Phyllis, well, she’s not exactly normal herself. But even as she begins to navigate high school’s social jungle, Phyllis finds comfort and humor in her odd home. When Dominick Siddons moves in, however, all of Phyllis’s priorities become inferior to finding out his secret. A young lawyer with a vicious wit and ferocious temper, Sid may understand Phyllis in a way no one else can. And through truth and fiction, through the inevitable chaos of the house, Phyllis finds much more than she bargained for.
MY THOUGHTS:
This was a fun and unique book with great detail and flow to the story.  The characters could get a little wacky which is what I loved about this book. Talk about some out there talents though!  Within just a few pages, you are saying wow!  The story does seem to drag though in certain spots due to lots of dialogue.  There is suppose to be a sequel to this book as well.  
Overall a good book that was a good read.  It is definitely different than my usual reads, but that is not a bad thing.  If you want to step out of your reading box, this could be just the book!

MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!

THE HOUSE OF TOMORROW by Peter Bognanni

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THE HOUSE OF TOMORROW 
Author: Peter Bognanni
Source: Publisher
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Hardcover: 354 pages
  • Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam (March 4, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0399156097
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399156090
SYNOPSIS:
Sebastian Prendergast lives in a geodesic dome with his eccentric grandmother, who homeschooled him in the teachings of futurist philosopher R. Buckminster Fuller. But when his grandmother has a stroke, Sebastian is forced to leave the dome and make his own way in town.
Jared Whitcomb is a chain-smoking sixteen-year-old heart-transplant recipient who befriends Sebastian, and begins to teach him about all the things he has been missing, including grape soda, girls, and Sid Vicious. They form a punk band called The Rash, and it’s clear that the upcoming Methodist Church talent show has never seen the likes of them. Wholly original, The House of Tomorrow is the story of a young man’s self-discovery, a dying woman’s last wish, and a band of misfits trying desperately to be heard. 
MY THOUGHTS:
At first, I wasn’t to sure about this book.  The blurb on the book seemed to be a little out of my comfort zone of reading.  I decided though, that if I was going to expand my reading experience, I should give it a go. I am so glad that I did.
This book was such a great read. It was quirky, fun and heartbreaking all at once.  Before you even realize it you will be on the last chapter. It has teen life, music, and romance.  You will find yourself thinking back to your teenage years without even realizing it.  Each character has a flaw, but that is what makes this book great. It is a moving book without making you think too hard.  

MY RATING:



Very Good! Worth Spending Your Money on!


GUEST POST–Author Rachel Hawkins–Author of HEX HALL

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To go along with the giveaway today, author of Hex Hall, Rachel Hawkins decided to write up a guest post for everyone! Let’s all welcome Rachel Hawkins!

One of the first things people say when they find out I’m a writer is, “Sweet! You get to work at home!” I never have the heart to tell them that I actually can’t write at home. I mean, I do sometimes, but it’s definitely not my favorite spot to write? Why?  Well, my house is very…distracting. There’s the TV, obviously, and all my tottering TBR pile, and the internet, and sometimes, when the writing is going really badly, laundry. (This is how I always know I need to take a break. When the prospect of washing clothes feels more fun than writing? Yeah. Time to step away from the keyboard.) So I’m one of those obnoxious people, hammering away on their laptop at a coffeeshop. In fact, I’m writing this from a Starbucks RIGHT NOW. Obnoxiously. 

But I can’t write at just any coffee shop. So I’d like to present The Top Ten Things A Coffee Shop Has To Have For Rachel To Want To Write There, AKA The Most Specific Top Ten Ever. 😉

1) No free internet. Please don’t tell me I can just turn the internet off. You clearly don’t know the depth of my addiction.

2) A variety of coffee AND hot tea. Sometimes I need to write in a caffeine fueled haze. Other times I was to be contemplative and sip chamomile.

3) Baked goods to reward myself with if I actually complete my writing for the day.

4) Lots of outlets. Nothing sucks more than being In the Zone only to have your laptop die!

5)Decent sized tables. I sometimes have a notebook, my laptop, and my printed out manuscript all vying for space!

6) Unobtrusive music. People, I listen to my iPod VERY LOUDLY while I write, and if I can still hear your crappy elevator jazz (Starbucks? J’ACCUSE!), I’m not gonna want to write there.

7) At least one hot barista. Shut up. I’m married, not dead!

8) Bathrooms. ‘Nuff said.

9) A good vibe. Granted, this is the most subjective thing ever, but it’s my list, darnit! Some coffee shops just have the perfect ambience for writing. Low lighting helps!

10) Baked goods. Wait, I said that already? Well, they’re VERY VITAL TO MY ARTISITC PROCESS!