Author: Cindy

(Review) The Butt Book

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TITLE: The Butt Book
AUTHOR: Artie Bennett
ILLUSTRATOR: Mike Lester
PUB DATE: December 2009
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books
PAGES: 32

SOURCE: Received a copy of the book from the author

Synopsis from Amazon
Make way for the butt!

Tall butts, short butts, round butts, flat butts.
Butts on mummies and butts on mommies.
Butts on giraffes and elephants and dogs and… FISH?

Yes, even fish butts are celebrated in this tribute to backsides, rumps, tushies, keisters, heinies, and derrieres. Dozens of funny rhymes and pages of laugh-out-loud pictures pay homage to a body part that keeps kids and grown-ups giggling with glee.

Bottoms up!

OUR THOUGHTS:
Shortly before Christmas I was contacted by Artie to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing his children’s picture book The Butt Book. When Artie send me the PDF of the book I called Michael over right away and we sat and read the book together.

We laughed at the story which rhymed and at the illustrations which were bright and colorful. This was a fun read because there is no other book like it. Like Artie mentions the butt has been neglected. Thankfully Artie brings the butt forward for us to enjoy.

Just imagine if we didn’t have a butt (bum, tush, derriere) how would we sit?

When you look at the cover you think that the book will be talking about animal butts and the two humans are kind of hidden but nope you won’t only find animal butts but human butts as well. Butts come in all shapes and sizes, from humans to animals. Plus the one thing that butts and our faces have in common is our cheeks.

The book is written with clean humor that the kids will get and laugh it.

This is a great picture book which I am sure will be a big hit amongst the boys seeing as boys seem to think butts are funny.

I enjoyed reading this book with my seven year old and being able to watch him laugh was one of the best feelings in the world.

You can check out Artie Bennett’s blog for some great trivia and jokes plus a whole lot more.

Thanks Artie for sending me your book to read and review. Check back tomorrow when I have a guest post by Artie to share with you.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Author Interview) Catherine McKenzie

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When I was contacted in November to be part of the Arranged tour I was really excited because I wanted to read Catherine’s newest book and I was also able to interview Catherine again. I got to interview Catherine last year when she was promoting her first book Spin. You can click here to read that interview.

So without further hesitation here is my interview with Catherine. I hope you enjoy it.

Cindy:Thanks again for letting me interview you.. I truly appreciate it.
Catherine: NO, THANK YOU!

CINDY: As I mentioned in my review yesterday for Arranged I am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan. I have read all the books, watched the show when it was on tv, and actually ended up honeymooning on Prince Edward Island. We took part in anything and everything Anne of Green Gable-ish. Even seeing the stage version of it all.

Anne of Green Gables has always been my favorite books growing up and I am curious why did you use the name Anne Shirley Blythe for your main characters name? Are you a fan of Anne of Green Gables?

CATHERINE: I am a very big fan of Anne of Green Gables. I named the main character after her because one of the themes I wanted to explore in the book was how someone who might have grown up named after someone like Anne might have turned out, romantically, and what she would do if confronted with an unusual way of meeting the “man of her dreams”.

CINDY: I think Megan Fellows did an excellent job as Anne and Gilbert Blythe need I say more? Yea I had a crush on him. I am sure I wasn’t the only girl?

Did you have to do alot of research on arranged marriages?

CATHERINE: I did do some research on arranged marriages in certain cultures, but the main premise is about a service that I made up, so my research was mostly in my imagination.

CINDY: What was the inspiration for using this as a theme in the book?

CATHERINE: One day the idea just struck me: “What kind of person would use an arranged marriage service?” I loved the idea and wanted to explore it. As to what made the idea pop out, it was likely a combination of me knowing a few people who have had “traditional” arranged marriages, The Bachelor and some other reality shows I’m embarrassed to remember the name of.

CINDY: The Bachelor was a guilty pleasure for me to watch. I have to say that I am actually interested in the idea of arranged marriages. I am a firm believer in, its whats inside that is the most important and I have to thank my grandmother for instilling that it me.

With your busy working schedule (Catherine is a litigator, she teaches part time at McGill and she is on many professional associations) how do you find time to write?

CATHERINE: People always ask me this and it’s a tough one. I try to write a little at night, more on the weekends. But, while my two books, SPIN, and ARRANGED, are coming out a year apart, I actually started writing ARRANGED in 2006, and SPIN in 2008.

CINDY: Oh really and here I thought Spin was written first. Which leads me to my next question, Are you working on anything now?

CATHERINE: I am working on another novel which I’ll hopefully be able to tell you about soon.

CINDY: Oh really I can’t wait. I might have to ask you again when I go to your next book signing.

If you could have dinner with a famous person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?


CATHERINE: I guess I have to say: Lucy Maud Montgomery. Seriously, I read the first volume of her correspondence several years ago and I think she had a fascinating, if not that happy, life. I’m sure a conversation with her would be very interesting.

CINDY: I want to thank you again Catherine for taking the time out of your busy schedule (holiday season and all) to answer my questions. I truly appreciate it and I am looking forward to getting to see you again very soon.

I thought I would include the photo from the Spin signing I got to attend last year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill University (B.A. ‘95 in History (Hons)) and McGill Law School (BCL & LLB ‘99), Catherine practices law in Montreal. Her first novel, SPIN, was published by HarperCollins Canada in January, 2010. It debuted at #15 on the Globe & Mail Canadian best-seller list. Catherine did a happy dance upon learning the news from her editor. Her second novel, ARRANGED, will be published by HarperCollins Canada in January, 2011.

OTHER BOOKS BY CATHERINE:

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Arranged

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Arranged
AUTHOR: Catherine Mckenzie
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins Canada
PUB DATE: January 8th, 2011
PAGES: 304

This is the cover of the finished book.

SOURCE: Received this from the publisher

Synopsis: (From publishers website)
Anne Blythe is lucky. She’s got a brand new book contract, a great newspaper job and a steadfast best friend, and she can land just about any man she sets her sights on — and the ones that appeal are typically tall, dark and handsome.

Problem is, the men she chooses never last. Shortly after yet another relationship goes down in flames, Anne comes across a card for what she believes is a dating service, and pockets it just in case. If she’s so unlucky in love, maybe she could use a little assistance. Then her best friend announces she’s engaged, and envy gets the better of Anne. Now’s the time, she decides, to give the service a try — and she is shocked to discover that what the company specializes in are exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriages. After learning of the company’s success rate, however, she overcomes her reluctance and signs on. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, and she’s not done so well selecting a mate on her own. So why not use a professional service that claims it can produce the perfect match?

Some time later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack, the man they have chosen for her. And against all odds, it seems to be working out, until Anne learns that Jack and the company who arranged their marriage are not what they seem at all.

MY THOUGHTS:
I have to say that I actually love the cover of the finished book much more then the ARC cover and that is only because I think the finished copy represents what the book is about.
(This is the cover of the ARC I received.)

I have to say that I loved ARRANGED much more then I did Spin. I had a hard time putting the book down and when I did it was for the shortest time.

This is the exact opposite of Spin where the main character was a train wreck waiting to happen. This time Catherine made her main character realistic and one that I am sure many single 30 year old could relate to. Honestly I actually had some of the same feeling as the main character did about worrying about getting married when it seemed like all my friends were getting married and being alone for the rest of my life.

The book is divided into three sections. Each section covers the journey that the main character is taking in her life.

I loved the main character. Her name is Anne Shirley Blythe. Does that sound familiar to you? Well if you happen to be a fan of Anne of Green Gables you will recognize that name. As soon as I read her name was when I think I feel in love with the book. I am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan. (Just like the author is)

The book opens up with Anne questioning her boyfriend, Stuart about his cheating. Stuart being the complete idiot doesn’t really deny it because Anne has all the prove she needs (emails) and walks of their apartment heart broken and upset. You could see that Stuart doesn’t’ really care about Anne because he doesn’t even stop her.

In her new apartment Anne decides to go and have drinks with her best friend, Sarah. Its on the way to the bar that she spots a business card just lying on the street. She picks it up to read and gets a little excited seeing the name Blythe & Company. What are the odds of that happening? She holds onto the card.

It takes running into her exs (all of them married) and Sarah getting married that makes her decide to finally call Blythe & Company. Thinking that they are a dating service, she figures she has nothing to loose but quickly realizes that its not a dating service but a service that arranges marriages. She figures its worth a shot but has second thoughts because it cost $10,000. She decides to give it a try what does she have to loose but $500 for the testing they need to do.

A week later she gets a calling saying that she is okay and is approved for the next round and wants to know if she will proceed with the process. She does and quickly figures out how she will get the next installment of money (thankfully her book that she has been working on sells so she has nothing to worry about) and as part of the arrangement she begins therapy. That will a part of her until she gets married.

In part two of the book Anne founds out that they found a perfect match for her. She is on her way to Mexico to meet her future husband, Jack. She has no idea what he looks like but knows that they are compatible. Proving that its whats inside that counts and not what the person looks like. I think Anne is surprised at first when she meets him because he isn’t someone Anne would go for, he is the exact opposite. They spend most of the week getting to know each other, along with the mandatory couple’s therapy. Will reality finally hit Anne and make her change her mind about getting married?

Its in the third part that I was blown away. I couldn’t believe what Jack had did to Anne and Anne probably wouldn’t have found out had she not sat on his journal. Will Anne be able to forgive him or is what they had a lie? What will she do when she realizes that Blythe & Company isn’t who they really are? Will she expose them for what they really are?

Hmm doesn’t this sound good?

Check back tomorrow when I have an interview with Catherine.

If you want a sneak peak at the book here is your chance:

You can also check out The Savvy Reader’s blog where Harper Collins Canada has a ton of great info about books, authors and so much more.

OTHER BOOKS:
-Spin

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings

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real mermaids don't wear toe rings

TITLE: Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings
AUTHOR: Helene Boudreau
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
PUB DATE: November 2010
PAGES: 206
SOURCE: Received from the publisher.


Synopsis: (Publisher’s site)
Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning…

If she hadn’t been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting…

MY THOUGHTS:
When I first heard about this book I really wanted to read it for three reasons:
1) This sounded like a cute and fun read for winter reading.
2) The author is Canadian and
3) Helene grew up on the East Coast (just like me)

This was a quick and easy read and I managed to read it in one sitting as I was curled up on the couch one afternoon. The day I read it was over cast and dreary out. Your typical winter day so it was nice to imagine being somewhere nice and summery.

Jade is struggling with the death of her mother still (who apparently drowned a year before), puberty, and relationships. If that wasn’t enough for Jade when she is a few months shy of turning fourteen she gets her period for the first time along with another surprise she never expected. Oh what can it be?

Its hard to be a teenager girl but not having your mother around to help you with stuff such as your first period can be rough but thankfully her dad steps up to the plate and helps her. His go to resource is google. What ever he needs to know he googles it.

I had to laugh at the scene where they are in the drugstore and they have no clue what kind of pads or tampons they should get and the fathers solution is to get one of everything.  As they are standing there the father is googling and he informs Jade all kinds of weird facts about periods.

As the book progresses Jade finds it hard to keep her secret from her best friend, Cori but her father insists bad things could come of people knowing what she is.

I loved Luke and I was surprised at the ending. I know it felt to Jade that he was more interested in Lainey but he wasn’t he prefered Jade and waited until her fourteen birthday to tell her so.

This is a great middle grade book for girl readers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hélène Boudreau writes fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults from her land-locked home in Ontario, Canada, though she grew up on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. She has never spotted a mermaid in the wild but believes they are just as plausible as sea horses, flying fish or electric eels. Her debut middle grade novel, Acadian Star, was nominated for the 2009–2010 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award. You can visit her at: Helen Boudreau

OTHER BOOKS:
Acadian Star (Pub 2008)

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Prom & Prejudice

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*This book is being released today*

TITLE: Prom & Prejudice
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Eulberg
PUB DATE: January 1, 2011
PUBLISHER: POINT (Scholastic)
PAGES: 288

SOURCE: I received this book from Holly as part of her ARC Tours that she is hosting on her blog.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Synopsis (from Scholastic): It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single guy in his spring semester at Pemberly Academy must be in want of a prom date.

After winter break, the girls at very prestigious, very wealthy, girls-only Longbourn Academy are suddenly obsessed with the prom, which they share with the nearby, equally elitist, all-boys Pemberly school. Lizzie Bennett, who attends Longbourn on scholarship, isn’t exactly interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be – especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance, but less than impressed by Will Darcy, Charles’s friend, who’s as snobby and pretentious as his friend is nice. He doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. It doesn’t help that Charles doesn’t seem to be asking Jane to be his prom date, or that Lizzie meets George Wickham, who tells her that Will Darcy sabotaged his scholarship at Pemberly. Clearly Will Darcy is a pompous jerk who looks down on the middle class – so imagine Lizzie’s surprise when he asks her to the prom!

Will Lizzie’s prejudice and Will’s pride keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? From Elizabeth Eulberg comes a very funny, completely stylish prom-season delight of Jane Austen proportions.

MY THOUGHTS:
I have yet to read Elizabeth’s debut novel THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB which came out December 2009. I actually have it sitting in my TBR pile and plan on getting to it very soon. I just found out that the paperback version is going to be released today, January 1st, 2011 along with this her second book.

When I picked up the book from Tina because she was the person passing the book on to me in the tour she said I would love it and I have to say that Tina knows me very well. I did love the book and managed to devour it within a few hours (I would have finished it sooner had I not been interrupted several times). I was drawn in right away and had to continue to read to find out what would happen. Would there be a happy ending?

This is the retelling of Pride & Prejudice. I have to admit that I have never read Pride & Prejudice before and admit its something I always said I wanted to read but just never got around to do so. One day! In saying that I have to say that this is a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth made this her own version.

You don’t have to read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy this story but perhaps it will make you want to read it. That is the way I am feeling right now.

You can’t help but love Lizzie Bennet because she is just your typical teenager trying to fit into an environment that clearly doesn’t want her kind there. Are you wondering what I am talking about? Well Lizzie is attending a very elite private school called Longbourn Academy on a music scholarship. Longbourn girls don’t take very well to outsiders and make it a point to make their lives a living hell. Thankfully her roommate Jane isn’t like them and takes Lizzie under her wing. In the whole school she has another friend Charlotte who is also another scholarship girl.

Lizzie finds peace and acceptance in her music and her teacher. Its that that brings her joy and the real reason she is attending Longbourn. She knows this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and is determined not to let others spoil this chance for her.

Pemberley Academy is the boys school that is associated with the book and we realize through the story that the boys aren’t like the girls and some find it hard to believe the treatment scholarship kids get there.

When Jane introduces Lizzie to her boyfriends best friend, Will Darcy, we can see that Lizzie doesn’t really like him. I have to say that I didn’t really like him. I found him to be arrogant and snobbish. Thinking he was better then everyone else at times. But throughout the course of the book you slowly see Will breaking down the walls and proving to Lizzie he isn’t like the rest of the guys.

Will Lizzie change her mind about Will and realize that he might not be such a bad guy after all? Will she be like the other Longbourn girls and get excited about going to prom?

Other books by Elizabeth Eulberg:
-The Lonely Hearts Club

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Happy New Year

Posted on by Cindy

Happy New Year Comments and Graphics for MySpace, Tagged, Facebook

Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year. All the very best for 2011.

Thank you for taking the time to read and visit my blog this past year. I truly appreciate all of your comments and emails.

Not sure what 2011 will hold for me but I am sure it will be just as exciting as 2010.

Cheers everyone.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Happy New Year

Posted on by Cindy

Wishing all my readers and their families a very Joyous and Happy New Year. All the very best for 2011.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.