Category: Books Read-2011

(Review) Songs For a Teenage Nomad

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Songs For a Teenage Nomad
Author: Kim Culbertson
Pub Date: August 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 245

Source: I received a finish copy of the book from Sourcebooks Fire for an honest review.

About the book:
What is the soundtrack of your life?

After living in twelve places in eight years, Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Another new home, another new school…Calle knows better than to put down roots. Her song journal keeps her moving to her own soundtrack, bouncing through a world best kept at a distance.

Yet before she knows it, friends creep in—as does an unlikely boy with a secret. Calle is torn over what may be her first chance at love. With all that she’s hiding and all that she wants, can she find something lasting beyond music? And will she ever discover why she and her mother have been running in the first place?

This is Kim’s debut YA novel. When I first heard about the book I wanted to read it because it sounded so good and I wasn’t disappointed either.

I have to say that one of my favorite things about Songs For a Teenage Nomad was all the song references that were made in the book. Callie was a music junkie (just like me) and every chapter started a song title or lyrics or artist name/band. Music is a huge theme behind this book.

Calle’s life isn’t a typical teenagers life. She has been in over twelves places in eight years (she is only in grade nine) and no she isn’t a military kid. Its by her own mother’s doing. Whenever something happens in her mother’s life (marriage, divorce etc) and she needs to leave she takes out the map of California and throws a penny on it and where ever it lands is where they head to next.

So for Calle the only things that remain the same in her life is her love of music, her diskman and her song journal. For Calle its important to document the songs that have impacted her life because each songs reflects a time in Calle’s life.

When Calle ends up in Andreas Bay, California Calle begins to hope that this will be the final resting stop for her and her mom and that they will finally stop running away from the world. Calle has always felt like an outsider because she was always the new girl but being in Andreas Bay Calle begins to let her guard down and she is enjoying school, making friends and possibly getting her first boyfriend too.

In regards to boyfriends there is two boys involved, Sam and Elie. I didn’t like the relationship between Calle and Sam and wanted to go in the book and tell her so because Sam wasn’t the guy for her. He treated her like crap and she went back time and time again. I know its hard when you like someone to see what they are really like and no matter what anyone tells you, you don’t see that. Isn’t it funny how what we ever really need is right in front of us?

Being a mother my heart went out to Calle because that is what she needed a mother who would put Calle first and not herself. Calle’s mother was constantly running away from her problems and secrets. She never told Calle anything about the past no matter how hard Calle tried to ask her. Personally I think Calle should have known what was going on.

Sadly it takes Calle to snoop and discover things to make her mother talk but even then her mother was more upset at the fact that she was snooping and going through her things then telling her daughter the truth. Will she eventually tell Calle what she wants to know?

I loved how at the end of the book Kim tells the reader how they can make their own song journal. Personally for me whenever I hear a song it brings me back to certain events in my life that I will always cherish.

Some of the songs that are a part of my Song Journal are:
~Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
~Girls Just Wanna Have by Cyndi Lauper
~I knew I loved You by Savage Garden
~Perfect by Pink
~Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys and Jay Z

What is the songs that bring back memories for 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.

(Review) Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?
Author: Sloane Tanen
Publisher: Sourcebook Fire
Pub Date: April 2011
Pages: 368

Source: I received a finished copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire for my honest review.

About the book (from the back cover):
Being marooned on an island somewhere off the coast of Madagascar with five celebrities sounds romantic and glamorous, right?

WRONG.

You couldn’t find people with fewer survival skills if you tried. Seriously. Cisco may have centerfold abs, but he can’t even spell SOS. At least super sexy Jonah seems to have a clue (too bad about the purity ring). If I’m stuck here much longer, these self-involved head cases might drive me crazy- assuming they don’t insult each other to death first. Its like a group therapy edition of Survivor.

At this point, I’m pretty convinced that all celebrities should be caged in Hollywood and confined to the pages of US magazine. And, BTW, if you’re there, God, it’s me Francesca, and I really want to go home.

HELP!

When I first heard about this book I was dying to read it because honestly who has never thought about being stranded on a desert island with a celebrity? Over the years I have to say my list has changed dramatically about who I would love to be stranded on a deserted island with.

Who would you pick? I think right now hands down it would be Enrique. Need I say more?

(This was taken June 2007. It happened so fast that I wish we could have gotten a better picture but the people working with Enrique were in a rush to get him out.)

Thankfully Francesca is doing exactly that and she thinks its going to be a blast but quickly realizes its nothing like she thought it would be because all she wants to do is go home after a few hours being stranded with these people.

Francesca is your typical high school student who loves her technology and anything to do with celebrities (magazine and all). Life for Francesca isn’t easy her father has left the family and living with his new girlfriend. One he soddenly informs her that they will be having a baby. This isn’t what Francesca wants to hear. She is upset and heart broken.

Having run away from her father, Francesca heads to her BFF Jordan’s house. Jordan has to go and do her SAT test but leaves a little package for her which consists of tabloid magazines and a seventeen. Flipping through Seventeen she stumbles upon a contest that allows the winner an all exclusive trip with five celebrities. Thinking she has nothing to loose and the chances of her winning of slim to know she write her essay and quickly sends it off.

When a phone call comes informing her she win, Francesca is excited figuring this is exactly what she needed since her life has been turned upside down. Before she can bask in the glory of the win she is wisk away to Madagascar to help promote literacy in children. Sadly the group doesn’t make it there. They land on a desert island. Loosing everything they own.

Cut off from the world the group quickly realizes that the odds of being found are slim to none but keep up their hopes that someone will realize they are lost. Will they be found before its too late?

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t help but laugh at different times throughout the book. It was nice to see that a girl who is funny and awkward try to make the best of a worst situation and the gradually seems to fit in and become one of the crowd who ends up becoming friends with them.

I am looking forward to discovering Sloane’s other books because I heard that they are really funny.

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 & Tour) The Guilty Plea

Posted on by Cindy


Title: The Guilty Plea
Author: Robert Rotenberg
Pub Date: May 2011
Pages: 336
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada

Source: I received an advance readers copy so that I could give my honest review for the book tour.

About the book:
Bestselling author Robert Rotenberg is back with his next razor-sharp legal thriller. Rotenberg’s insider knowledge of the behind-the-scenes courtroom machinations and his mesmerizing trial scenes make this another scorching page-turner.

On the morning that his headline-grabbing divorce trial is set to begin, Terrance Wyler, youngest son of the Wyler Food dynasty, is found stabbed to death in the kitchen of his million-dollar home. Detective Ari Greene arrives minutes before the press and finds Wyler’s four-year-old son asleep upstairs. When Wyler’s ex-wife, a strange beauty named Samantha, shows up at her lawyer’s office with a bloody knife, it looks as if the case is over.

But Greene soon discovers the Wyler family has secrets they’d like to keep hidden, and they’re not the only ones. If there’s one thing Greene knows, it’s that the truth is never simple.

I want to thank Simon and Schuster Canada for allowing me to be one of the tour host for The Guilty Plea book tour. I believe I am the last stop in the tour so be sure to check out what everyone else has thought about the book. (I provided the links below.)

Personally one of the best things about book blogging is the chance to discover new and exciting authors especially if they happen to be from your own country. Up until getting contacted about this book I have to admit that I haven’t heard of Robert Rotenberg but I have to say since reading The Guilty Plea (which I loved) I am curious to read his first book.

The Guilty Plea was just the kind of book I use to love reading but I think over the years I haven’t found one that I could really get into until picking up this and reading it. I had a hard time to put it down at times just because there was so much suspense happening.

Terrance Wyler is the youngest son of the Wyler family who is famous for Wyler Foods. He is going though a really messy divorce and the morning of the trial he is found dead on the kitchen floor stabbed to death.

The detective to arrive on the scene is Ari Greene. As he arrives on scene he quickly discovers that Terrance’s four year old son, Simon is upstairs and unaware of what happened that morning.

Its not until a few hours later when the soon to be ex-wife, Samantha Wyler shows up at her lawyers office with the bloody knife wrapped up in a kitchen towel. You would think this would be a wrap up the case and the murder but as the book progress you quickly realize that thats not the case even though the evidence points to Samantha. Its not as easy as it looks although I am sure sometimes they wish it would be.

Looking at the evidence you begin to think its Samantha and at the end you are shaking your head thinking wow where did that come from. For me that makes a great legal thriller thinking its one person when out of the blue its someone else and then when you look back you realize that yea your right.

As the investigation goes on you discover that every family no matter rich or poor have their secrets and this family is no exception. Although if this secret gets out many peoples lives will be effected.

If you are looking for a fantastic legal thriller (think John Grisham in the early days) I have to say you must pick this up to read. You won’t be disappointed. I am going to pick up Old City Hall the next time I am at Chapters and save it for my summer read by the pool when Michael does his swimming lessons.

Thanks again Simon and Schuster for sending this to me.

Check out other reviews and tour stops of this book:
Mysteries and More Review,Questions and Answers,Thoughts on Q&A
Books Bound Review with Q&A
Serendipiter’s Q&A, Review
Teena in Toronto Review with Q&A
Luanne-A Book Worms World Review with Q&A
Books and Brands Review
Canadian Authors Review

If you happen to be in the Toronto area on May 6th (Friday), Robert will be at the Indigo at the Eaton Centre at 1pm to talk about his book and to do a signing.

If any one goes I hope you will have fun.

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 & Tour) Stones for my Father (part 2)

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Stones for my Father
Author: Trilby Kent
Publisher: Tundra Books
Pages: 170
Pub date: March 2011

Source: I received a copy of this book from Tundra Books to read and review.

About the book:
The Boer War was disastrous for the British: 22,000 of them died. Close to 7,000 Boers died. Nobody knows how many Africans lost their lives, but the number is estimated to be around 20,000. This tragic, and little remembered, chapter in history is the backdrop for Trilby Kent’s powerful novel.

Corlie Roux’s father has always told her that God gave Africa to the Boers. Her life growing up on a farm in South Africa is not easy: it is beautiful, but it is also a harsh place where the heat can be so intense that the very raindrops sizzle. When her beloved father dies, she is left in the care of a cold, stern mother who clearly favors her two younger brothers. But she finds solace with her African maitie, Sipho, and in Africa itself.

Corlie’s world is about to vanish: the British are invading and driving Boers from their farms. The families who do not surrender escape to hidden laagers in the bush to help fight off the British. When Corlie’s laager is discovered, she and the others are sent to an internment camp.

Corlie is strong and can draw on her knowledge of the land she loves, but is that enough to help her survive the starvation, disease, and loss that befalls her in the camp?

Today I am lucky enough to be one of the host on the tour for Stones for my Father. You can check out the other blogs who have toured the book so far and read their reviews and interviews with the author Trilby Kent. Thanks Tundra Books and Slyvia for allowing me to be a part of this tour.

In 2009, I got to read and review Trilby’s debut YA novel called Medina Hill and really enjoyed it so when I was given this chance to review Stones for my Father I couldn’t resist.

Stones for my Father is completely different from Medina Hill. The story is set during the Boer War in South Africa.

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I don’t read historical fiction or anything on wars but I am always willing to make the exception when it comes to an author I have read in the past and enjoyed. I do remember learning about the Boer Wars briefly in history class when I was in high school but sadly history wasn’t my strong point so needless to say as I started to read the book little bites and pieces would surface and I would say “Oh yea I remember that now.”

I think had they made history a little bit more fun I think I would have enjoyed it more and thankfully thanks to blogging it has given me the chance to experience and enjoy books that I would normal not pick up and read.

Once I started to read about Corlie (a twelve year old girl) I quickly became engrossed in the story and managed to read it in one sitting. The story isn’t just about the Boer War but one girls struggle to survive when it seems like the odds were stacked up against her.

There was times that I wished I could have jumped in the book and stood up for Corlie when it was evident her mother was mean and nasty towards this little girl. I think living in this siutation forced Corlie to grow up sooner that she needed too. Her mother was a real piece of work and you could see through out the story that she favored Corlie’s brothers over her.

When the family has to leave because the British are coming they take what little they can and head to meet up with the others at the laagers. Shortly after meeting up at the laagers they are invade and the women and children are sent to the internment camp.

Life at the internment camp isn’t all that perfect, people are dying from dieases and starvation. Food and water is rationed and if you are lucky you will get food but barely enough to survive. Thankfully Corlie and her family are able to get food but Corlie manages to help out the other women of the camp to get some extra food. Things are going good until Corlie makes a mistake and does the wrong thing. Before she knows it she is being called a thief and is kick out of the tent by her mother.

Will she survive on her own? Or will someone come to her rescue?

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) Across The Universe

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Across The Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Pub Date: January 2011
Pages: 416

Source: I received a finished copy from the lovely Vimala at Penguin Canada. Thanks so much Vimala.

About the book:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

When I first heard about the book I was super excited and wanted to read it because it sounded really good and I have to admit that I love the cover of the book. Although I have to say that I was a little worried because its a fantasy/sci fi kind of book and that is a genre I could never get into but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised because not only was it fantasy/sci fi but there was also a bit of a mystery thrown in as well. I made it a point not to rush in reading the book although there was times I had a hard time to put it down.

This is Beth Revis debut novel and apparently it will be a three book series. I can’t wait to read the others now.

The book is narrated by Amy, who is the teenage girl who goes into a frozen sleep and is scheduled to wake up three hundred years later but is awaken fifty years too soon. The other narrator is Elder who is also an teenager but soon to be leader on the Godspeed ship. He is being trained by Eldest who will hand over the ship to him when the time is right.

The opening chapter is about Amy and her tough decision if she should follow her parents that are going to be frozen so that they can be a part of a new planet because they are essentials to this mission because of the skills they have that will allow them to form this new planet in three hundred years. Her mother goes first, Amy thinks she will go next but her father goes next but tells her that she can go with them or she can remain on planet Earth. Staying on Earth will allow her to be with the rest of her family, her boyfriend and life will be like it was. Amy is torn but in the end decides to go with her parents.

With just fifty years left into the trip Amy is unplugged and is unfrozen quickly and almost dies from it. The mystery around this is that they have no idea who could have done this. Who could have unplugged Amy before her time and why?

Amy begins to realize that everyone on the ship is alike (dark skin, dark hair and eyes) with her being the different one (red hair, pale skinned and opinionated). They are all non-ethic. Everyone on the ship is controlled because they all know there places, roles and its all peace, love and happiness there. (This was my impression of the ship)

Elder who was born on the ship doesn’t know about anything outside the ship like Amy does. He believes what he has been told and we soon realize that everything about the outside world has been alterated to the Eldests liking. So what Elder thinks he knows isn’t the truth.

Eldest makes sure to keep Amy away from everyone because he knows that she will be trouble and warns the ship that she is different and to stay away. Amy is forced to live in the hospital with everyone else that is labelled different such as the artists and musicians.

Before long more of the frozen bodies are being unplugged and no one can figure out why and who would be doing this. Amy and Elder take it upon themselves to figure out who the person is that is slowly unplugging people and allowing them to die. With the list of suspects slowly narrowing down could Amy and Elder’s life be in jeapordy?

One of my favorite things about the book is the cover because if you flip it over you get to see what the ship looks like and it comes in handy with when reading the book because you can see exactly where the locations are.

As I was getting ready to write my review I was on Beth Revis site and discovered that Across The Universe has a website site devoted to the book where there is an interactive map of the ship and so much more.

If you are looking for something to read then I have to suggest this book. You will not be disappointed. I know I wasn’t and I am so glad I was given the chance to review this.

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) Staying at Daisy’s

Posted on by Cindy


Title: Staying at Daisy’s
Author: Jill Mansell
Pub Date: March 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 501

Source: I received a copy of Inkblot from publicist Danielle and Sourcebooks Landmark for review purposes.

Synopsis:
Life is easy, it’s men she’ll never figure out…..

When hotel manager Daisy MacLean meets cocky sports hero Deve Tyzack, it’s a no brainer – stay away.

He is arrogant and sarcastic – but also incredibly sexy. Daisy tries her best to steer clear of him, yet soon comes to realize he is the one guest she can’t bear to see leave.

Then she learns a devastating truth; most people are not who they seem to be, for better or worse….. (from back of book)

Staying at Daisy’s is the sixth republished book from Jill Mansell that Sourcebooks has published. I have been fortunate enough to have read them all and I have to say I loved each and every one. Just when I thing I have loved a book another one comes out that I love just as much.

This one was no exception. It was a great way to escape a rainy day.

Staying at Daisy opens up with Daisy MacLean (who is the hotel manager at her father, Hector’s hotel) getting some bad news about her husband, Steven. He was in a serious accident and it doesn’t look very good. She quickly realizes that he isn’t the man she thought he was. He was leading a double life with lying and cheating. Daisy had no idea this was happening.

Fast forward one year later and Daisy is busy making sure the wedding reception her hotel has booked runs smoothly and without a hitch. Of course we all know that won’t happen because the groom just happens to be Tara’s (who happens to be a chambermaid and Daisy’s best friend) ex-boyfriend, Dominic. Things quickly heat up and before you know it Tara and Dominic are caught in the act. Will the wedding continue?

Before long Daisy is confronted by the best man, Dev. Daisy sees through is act and swears she wants nothing to do with him because he reminds her of her dead husband. So she seeks comfort in her ex boyfriend, Josh who just happens to show up at the right time. While the timing is right for Daisy you can see that she is actually falling for Dev. How will this relationship play out? Can she truly trust Dev or will he turn out like Steven?

There were a few other characters that I loved such as Maggie and Hector. I wondered if there would ever be more to their relationship then what they had. I loved Maggie’s character and couldn’t help but laugh with her. She managed to some how always land in an embarrassing moment when it was the wrong time.

I loved how each of the characters were all looking for love and they didn’t see that the love for them was right under their noses so to speak.

Thanks again to Danielle at Sourcebooks for sending me this to review. I love reading Jill Mansell’s books. They are light and fun reads.

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) The Liberation of Alice Love

Posted on by Cindy


Title: The Liberation of Alice Love
Author: Abby McDonald
Pub date: March 2011
Publisher: Soourcebooks
Pages: 417

Source: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher for my honest review.

Synopsis:
Alice Love keeps her life (and job, and family) running in perfect order, so when her bank card is declined, she thinks it’s just a mistake. Sadly, someone has emptied her bank account, spending her savings on glamorous trips, sexy lingerie, and a to-die-for wardrobe—and leaving Alice with lots of debt. As a dashing fraud investigator helps her unravel the intriguing paper trail, Alice discovers that the thief is closer to home than she ever imagined. What’s more, it seems like her alter ego’s reckless, extravagant lifestyle is the one Alice should have been leading all along. As the little white lies begin to stack up, how far will Alice go to find the truth?

And whose life, exactly, is she fighting for?

My Thoughts:
This could possibly be a persons worst nightmare and one that happens on a daily bases. Last year it was reported that over 8.1 million people were victims to ID theft.

What would you do if you found out that your whole life savings, credit and name were stolen from you? This is what has happened to Alice Love. Its her worst nightmare and she has no idea who could have done this to her but will stop at nothing to find out who the person is.

I really enjoyed the book and I have to admit at times I wanted to reach in and strangle Alice for not waking up sooner. The first time was when her bank card was declined and she didn’t really do anything about it. For me if my card is declined I am at the bank within minutes of it happening to find out what has happened.

Within a few chapters Alice (when her credit card is declined) wakes up and realizes she is in more trouble then just a declined bank card. She finds out her life savings has been removed and bill collectors are calling and asking for their money because someone has stolen her identity.

Alice is determined not to be the victim and begins her own investigation (the bank, police etc are involved in their own ways). She wants to know who could have done this to her and why. She quickly realizes that the person who did this is actually quite close to home for her. Its not who you think it is!

Alice’s sister, Flora enlists a very cute guy Nathan (investigator) to help her out. Alice and Nathan have met briefly at a party Flora threw and you could see the connection then and you still see it when they are together. I kept rooting for a happy ending with them. Will she end up with Nathan or will her best guy friend Julian ruin it for her?

As she begins to sort out the paper trail because she remembers “data never lies” she begins to realize that this person is living the life Alice never dared to do and buying things she would never buy. She follows the clues that are right on the paper in hopes of catching up with the person. The clues lead her all over the place from London to Rome and then finally to LA.

What will Alice do when she finally catches up with the person? Will she be able to clear her name?

I really enjoyed this book and discovering a new author. Although when I read the press realized and visited Abby’s site I realized that I actually have her young adult book Sophomore Switch sitting in my TBR pile. Which I am curious to read now and hoping to get too very soon.

I was hooked from the first sentence and I had a hard time putting the book down. I was just as curious as Alice was in finding out who the person was and why they did it.

This is definetly an author that I entend to read more of.

Thanks April at Sourcebooks for contacting me about this book. I am so happy that I got the chance to read this.

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.