November winners! (revised, with WINNERS names, doh!)

I just got this fabulous e-mail from Kristan Higgins. She is our November Guest Judge for the Veterans and Rookies contest. Charity gathered up all of the entries and put them together, minus the names, for Kristan to be able to read through. She picked the winners. Yes, I said winners, plural. Since there were way more entries than we thought there would be, I just didn't feel right about only having one winner. So, First place will get the books already mentioned: Fools Rush In, Talk Gertie To Me, gods In Alabama, Whitney, My Love, and Don't Look Down, as well as Nearlyweds. However, as I know the winner, I also know she already has DLD, so we'll figure something out. Second and third place will both get a copy of either gods In Alabama or Between, Georgia, or another one of the books that we've reviewed here this month. Contact me right away (like TODAY, if possible) so I can get your addresses.Post a comment here, or e-mail me at deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net. Be sure to include "I'm a November winner!" in your subject line!! Now, without further ado, here's Kristan!

Dear Lovelies,

This was the first contest I've ever judged, and it was, well, wicked hard! The answers were diverse, well written and funny, and trying to rank them kept me up till one a.m., so if my kids find waffles in their lunchbox today, you're all to blame.

THIRD PLACE - winner is HOPE

Well, we all love a Crusie. Personally, it's the banter that draws me to her books. In my own humble opinion, the dialogue is what sets Ms. Crusie above most other writers, those zinging one liners that have us wheezing with laughter. I also liked the way this entrant described Sue Ann Jaffarian's novel...that she bought it for the plus-size heroine and ended up so drawn into the story that her original reason faded. When the story is that powerful and well crafted, you know the author has succeeded in writing a memorable book.

1. Crusie, I will read anything buy her because I know that it will be good. Also anything by Alesia Holliday or Lani Diane Rich are great books that I will pick up just because.

2. For Crusie, Faking It was the first one that I read, and just the banter and fun caught me, but the basement scene when she confesses all her sins hooked me and I haven't passed a book since.

3. The banter in all three of the books are great. They are things that I would say provided I had someone to write for me and I was able to come up with a comback that quickly.

4.Sue Ann Jaffarian. At first I just wanted to see how she would portray a plus size lead character, but as I got into the mystery, I became hooked on her character portrayal. It was real and made me feel what all the characters were going through. Also the mystery aspect of the story was one that kept me guessing to the end.

SECOND PLACE - winner is Orangehands

I confess to not knowing the authors that this reader chose, but now I'm dying to read them. This answer hit the nail on the head of why we love an author--characters who engage our hearts and minds. The response was beautifully written, too.

*******************************

Considering how many books I have read over the years, it is surprising that I can easily pick out my favorite veteran author. But I can. Chris Crutcher. There is no other author that engages so much of my heart and mind. There is also no other author who so unflinchingly looks at the reality behind teen life and writes about it. There are a lot of authors I like, a good amount I even love, but Crutcher is the top of it. (Besides which, all of his novels have been banned. How can you beat that?)

I actually don't remember which of his books was the first I read (and the first hooked me), but I do know the one that means the most to me: Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes (though Whale Talk and Ironman are close seconds). This book helped me in numerous ways, but first and foremost, it made me think about things that I never really saw teen books address before. It gave me even more ammo to fight for a cause I had at that time already spent a lot of years on, and it also made me sit up and take notice of the other side and their thought process. It was smart and it was well-written, and it didn't hide behind the easy road.

Rookie: I just discovered J.R. Ward and so far I am really enjoying her series about the Black Dagger Brotherhood. She writes in a seemingly casual way, she's telling a new slant on an old story (vampires) and making it one of the best ones I've read (though to be fair I still haven't tried Anne Rice), and I love her characters.

FIRST PLACE... - winner is McB

Congratulations, Lovely! I chose this entry because this reader picked veterans who bent the genre of historical romance long before anyone realized it needed bending. As the reader so wisely points out, we'd all been swimming in a pool of heroines who were inept to the point of the ridiculous, just waiting for the literal knight in shining armor to save her from her own boredom/silliness/evil father. Writers McNaught, Garwood and Deveraux (a personal fave) gave us heroines who fought, kicked, swore, led, thought and quipped...oh, sure, they all had sapphire eyes and flaming tresses, but they had brains, too.

As far as the second part of the answer, I liked this reader calling Jen Crusie a rookie. Points for just being creative.

************************************************

Whitney, My Love

Dee, oh my - you have opened the flood gates, my dear! I LOVED that book. Actually I totally adored all of Ms. McNaught's historicals. And yeah I still have every one of them. I'm such a sucker for a good historical. They were my introduction to romance. Ms. M, along with Julie Garwood and Jude Devereaux. I had fantasies involving the Montgomery men for years!

Before I found those ladies, I didn't read romance. I was very heavily into mysteries and still really enjoy reading them now. What changed my mind? What made these authors so special is that they wrote not just fabulous historical romance, but they did so without resorting to the then ubiquitous bodice-ripper trend. They showed me that romance fiction could be GOOD fiction, with great heros, heroines who were capable of more than waiting around to be saved, and wonderful humor. They've moved on to writing great contemporaries now, but its these early, historical romances that live forever in my heart.

And from them I eventually braved reading *gasp* category romance. My previous experience with these was my grandmother's occasional Barbara Cartland and Harlequin books(rich European doctor learns about love and laughter from the brave village miss who ventured into the big city to work as his receptionist).

And I discovered through trial and error that there was some worthy fiction mixed in among these little paperbacks. Among them and among my very first discoveries? GETTING RID OF BRADLEY by the Cherry, Jennifer Crusie. Oh my Bob I laughed so hard reading this book. I still recall snorting with laughter on the subway as I read those words for the first time "Oh no, dead dog?" (okay, you had to be there). That wasn't Jenny's first book, but it was an early one, so does it qualify for rookie status?

No wait a minute. I have another that most definitely qualifies for rookie status on account of her first book has not *yet* been accepted for publication. But I've beta-read it and I'm guaran-dang-teeing you its going to be on your bookshelves one day soon. When that day happens I promise to spread the word, and then she can be your rookie find too.

So there you have my veterans and my rookie.

Thanks for inviting me to judge the contest. Enjoy your gifties, winners, and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Kristan Higgins

Pink Jinx - Sandra Hill

Hello Lovelies!!! Finally I'm getting another review up! I know, it's been a couple of days, and I apologize. But, I've been busier than a one legged man in A... oh, you get the picture. We here at DeeandDee have been working on switching over to the beta version of Blogger and it's taking a LOT of work. The reason for the switch is to make it easier for you guys to find reviews. They will be tagged and you'll be able to search just contests, or Authors A-D, etc. The template isn't what we want yet, but most of the posts have already been put over there. As I was moving posts, I did notice one thing, I've come a LONG way, baby! I'm getting much bettah at reviewing, and I hope that continues. I'm not sure when it will be up and running with us posting only over there, but believe me, YOU will be the first to know!!! And now, Without Further Ado...

Pink Jinx by Sandra Hill
(BCC)

Baited...Straitlaced Boston lawyer Veronica "Ronnie" Jinkowsky knows some-things fishy when her estranged grandfather lures her to his New Jersey treasure-hunting business with woeful takes of old age and bankruptcy. But she never expected the salty old dog to shanghai her into a hunt for pink diamonds with her poker-playing, four-time ex-husband Jake Jensen in tow.

Hooked...Betting her heart on Jake was always a losing proposition, yet just the sight of his come-hither blue eyes is still enough to melt her steely resolve. Now Ronnie's on a high seas adventure that throws together lost gems, a lost ship, and lost love-not to mention a Mafia widow, her two goons, and an elderly Cajun matchmaker.

And Going Down for the Last Time! Trapped with the man she could never learn to live with-and was never happy without-is Ronnie fated to be forever jinxed in matters of the heart?

All in all, this BCC isn't bad. It does a good job at describing the book and has no major misleading statements in it. In fact, it was because of the BCC I laid the money down. So when I finished reading it, I was glad to discover I didn't feel cheated.

Ronnie Jinkowsky has lived her life terrified of her grandfather Frank Jinkowsky. It is because of him she is terrified of the ocean, hates the smell of sea water, and is terrified of roller coasters. He is a gruff man that has never seemed to care much for her and has at times bordered on the cruel, so when suddenly he turns all of his assets over to her, including his treasure hunting business, Ronnie is suspicious, and doesn't want it. Unfortunately, the trust he set up is iron-clad, and Ronnie would know, after all, she's a tough corporate lawyer.

Determined to get to the bottom of this, Ronnie uncovers that her ex-husband Jake Jensen has just recently invested $100,000 in Jinx,Inc. Off to Atlantic City Ronnie goes to confront Jake and find out what he knows. The problem is, Ronnie and Jake aren't just divorced, they are divorced FOUR times. Ronnie has never been able to resist Jake. She loves him. She just can't live with him. He is a professional poker player, and the instability of it all has always scared Ronnie.

While in the middle of a major poker tournament, Jake spots Ronnie. During his first break he pulls her aside and finds out why she showed up now of all times. You see, Jake loves Ronnie just as much as she loves him. But like Ronnie, he doesn't see anyway they can live together. If he learnt anything from their four failed marriages, it was that they just don't work. Unfortunately, Jake wasn't ready to see her, because his heart and mind underwent the same longing they always do. And just as they start talking, Ronnie gets the surprise of her life, Jake's fiance shows up.

After running for the bathroom to be sick, Ronnie heads back to tell her Grandmother she is taking off for a few days to figure out what she is going to do with Jinx, Inc and is given an ultimatum. Leave now for your grandfather's and you have no job, and no grandmother. Well, what's a girl backed into a corner supposed to do?

Ronnie leaves and heads to Frank's to find out what he expects and finds that the old glorious house he once loved is falling apart, most of his treasures are off the walls, and her once well put together, polka-loving grandfather is wearing rags and has Don King hair. Her first instinct is to run, far,far away, after all, what has this man ever done for her? She just needs to figure out a plan first.

But Frank has a plan all his own. He knows he's been a terrible grandfather to Ronnie, and an even worse father to her dad, his son. And he's getting older and he wants to set things right between them, and if by doing so he gets her and Jake to finally grow up and stay together, well then, all the better for him, he wants a great-grandbaby from them, so he can finally do it right.

This book was hilarious. It wasn't just funny though, there were some strong emotions the characters had to deal with, and Hill tackled those feelings with true to life charm. I have only read one other book by Hill, and that was her, The Red Hot Cajun , and while I don't remember a great deal of that book, I do remember I really did enjoy it. And it was neat seeing some of the people from that book join the wacky cast of characters in this one. Tante Lulu is back, and oh man, that old lady is as funny as ever.

Another thing that really tickled my funny bone was the four marriage thing between Ronnie and Jake. Each marriage had a name, there was The Sappy Marriage, The Cowboy Marriage, The Tequila Marriage, and the Insanity Marriage. Hill incorporates the background of the marriages into the start of chapters and it works very well. You can see shades of their past and it gives the reader just enough to see the parallels to their present.

This is the first book in a new series for Hill, and I will definitely be checking out the rest of them. I'm also going to see if I can't find all the Cajun books and check them out as well.

For a fast paced, fun and touching read, I highly recommend, Jinx. It has it all, laughs, tears, and action. Oh, and some really, really, hot sexy love scenes. And let me tell you, she writes them very well!

Take Care

Explanation

Hey there lovelies. I hope this post finds each and every one of you in good health. I just wanted to do a quick post that explains a bit about the reviews I do and why.

Before Dee invited me over here to blog with her, I had done a few reviews on my own blog Lip Service , I found, that while not the best at it, I really enjoyed talking about the books I read. And believe me, I read a LOT of books. I enjoy getting lost in the pages of a good book for a few hours and I love introducing those books to others. It's fun to talk through a book. Sometimes, when I write a review, I'll realize the book had a far greater impact on me than I originally thought, and that is a HUGE bonus. So really, I review not only to help others find books they may not have on their own, but for my own benefit, too.

Whenever I start a new project, though, I have to figure out exactly what I want to do with it, where I want it to go, and HOW I'm going to handle it. I knew going in, that I won't always like the books I read. And that posed a whole 'nother set of questions. What will I do with those books. Then I thought about a few of the review sites I had seen, that talk about only reviewing books they like and how once I saw that, I stopped reading. There is no checks and balances that way. Although you could get a fairly good idea of my reading tastes, you wouldn't get the whole picture. For instance, I've mentioned not liking the books of Carly Phillips , but I do like books by Leanne Banks , and many readers like BOTH of them. They both write Romance, and they both have steamy sex scenes, but the difference in the writers is style and voice.

Sometimes, I'll find a book where I love the premise of the book, but not the way it was written. I really like the IDEA of the book, but not the way it fit together. That's why Dee and I agreed, if we read a book, we'll review it. We will be HONEST, but we will NEVER be cruel. Writing is not an easy job, and the authors of the books I read deserve the respect that all the hard work has earned them. But if I don't like it, I'm gonna tell you and I'm gonna tell you why.

The first unfavorable review I ever did was very hard for me to write. I wasn't sure how to honest and not unkind at the same time. It's getting easier to write the not so great reviews, but it will never be my favorite part of the job. But I feel that I would be letting you readers down, if I wasn't honest about it. We all spend good money on the books we read, and quite honestly, sometimes, they just aren't worth it. So I review those books that fell flat, so you lovely readers can decide if the money will be worth it, or if perhaps a trip to the library will be in order.

Lots of reviews to get done, and I'll get back to them tonight.

Take Care

Nearlyweds, Beth Kendrick

Yes, I know this is "Veterans and Rookies" month. Yes, I know that Beth Kendrick is not actually a 'rookie' author, yet she may not quite be a 'veteran' to some of you, yet. But so what. This is MY blog (well, it's Charity's too, but this is MY review, so there!). And if I feel like telling you about Nearlyweds, then you're going to have to trust me.

If you read my other blog, you know that I really like the authors over at The Literary Chicks. I've met a few of them, and they are a really classy group of ladies. Yeah, Lani might snort at that, but hey, again, my blog, I get to say whatever I feel like saying. I found the site through The Cherries, and I started buying their books. But I've got an admission to make. And this is just between the few of us, ok? I was already a Beth Kendrick fan before I ever heard of The Cherries, or The LC. Of course, I didn't really know who she was. I knew only that I really, I mean really, liked her book, My Favorite Mistake. Not surprising at all, is it? I mean, hey, she's one of The LC. Of course I liked that book. But this review isn't about that book. It's about this one, right here, with the cute lil doggie on the cover. So let's get to it, shall we?

Casey, Erin and Stella are all recently married. They've managed to land their dream men, and their newly married lives are just starting out. Casey has Nick, the man she's fantasized about since high school. Erin has David, her sweetie from college. Stella has Mark, and a picture-perfect jet-set life. However, before the ink even dries on the marriage certificates, things start to look troubled for these three women.

For starters, Nick has a bad problem with seeing anything through. He didn't finish law school, he never actually proposed, and, oh yeah, he's not quite sure he wanted to even get married. David is wedged, literally as soon as the honeymoon ends, between the two women in his life - his wife...and his mother. Mark gets caught in a rather important misunderstanding on his wedding night that ends in an early finish to the honeymoon.

Now, after finding out that marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be, these three women discover something even more disturbing - they're not even married. Can you see that giant, mushroom-shaped cloud presiding over Massachusettes? That would be the fallout from the explosions going on when these ladies must decide whether to walk down that aisle again, or walk away from their dreams.

I could ramble on and on about the plot in this book, about how these characters were so fresh and funny, about how I could see every single situation actually happening (hey, I've had a mental breakdown at the Clinique counter, ok?). I could tell you all about how Ms. Kendrick weaves this amazing spell and sucks you right into the center of the room for all of the heartache and angst and laughter. I could try to dazzle you with how the story unfolds in such a way that you really don't know who will work and who will flop until the very end. I could attempt to describe the dog, that big, burly, black hulk of a canine that manages to perform what each of the women only dream of doing. I could... but I won't. Because you can go over to the LC and read that, or you can head over to Ms. Kendrick's site and figure it out.

What I will do is this... I will tell you that I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed every single second of the 3 hours and 27 minutes it took me to devour it. Yes, I bought it Wednesday night. I headed home from the bookstore and did some writing. I put the kids to sleep and snuggled up in my big empty bed, and just sank into this story. And yes, as soon as I was done, and I finished beaming, I ran right down here and decided to tell you all about it. So. There.

I don't know Beth Kendrick. She's not one of the people I met in New Jersey. I've never hugged her or shared e-mails with her. She'd probably think I was a scary stalker freak if she met me. But I do know one very important thing about her - this woman can write! And for all of you out there wondering... YES, I will toss my copy of Nearlyweds into the contest spoils. Not because I don't like it and won't read it again. But because I like it so much that I'm going to order another copy, and I think someone else should share in my joy. (Oh come on, you knew this was coming... )
So.
There.

Keep turning those pages!
- dee

(ps - if you caught the slightly snarky tone of this review, bear in mind the time. Now think about how little I sleep when my husband is out of town. Now remember that he's been gone since Sunday. Go ahead, add up those days. My sleep consists of catnaps while the kids zone in front of "Cars" right now, and I just don't feel like being light and fluffy. But I really loved this book, so don't hold my nasty 'tude against Beth, or the book. It's really so much better than I incompetently described in my sleep-deprived way, and you'll really be missing out if you don't read it. 'Nuff said.)

November contest UPDATES

Oh friends, November is just so full! We have fried turkey day coming up, my husband is off in Texas (the land of all things BIG, donchaknow?), Charity's done with that carnival, and I'm eeking out an average of 2500 words a day on my NaNo story. PLUS, we're doing this fabulous contest here at Dee & Dee, where you, our favorite people in the world (besides our kiddies and hubbies, and well, each other!), get to win some fabulous, free BOOKS. I wanted to update you on the contest, because I promised that I would. And because this is just too much fun to hold inside my little ol' self any longer.

First, we have a Special Guest Judge for the contest! That's right, we're not just going to call on the CherryBombs this month. While they do an incredible job, I'm guessing they might just be sick of me begging them to be the judges every single month. Frankly, it's too hard for me and Charity to judge these things, because, well, we love ALL of you. Plus, it's much easier for us to put it off on someone else. So. There you have it. Our SGJ is none other than the amazingly talented Kristan Higgans. Charity reviewed Kristan's book, Fools Rush In, earlier this month, and Kristan was gracious enough to do a mini-interview with her. I plucked up the courage to ask Kristan to judge the contest and SHE. SAID. YES! WOOHOO! How freakin-A cool is that?

As a bonus, Kristan is going to send the winner a signed copy of Fools Rush In, as part of the prize package.

Also, Lois Winston, author of Talk Gertie To Me (reviewed here this month), is also sending out a signed copy of her book to the winner.

Plus, I'm getting a signed copy of Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Alabama (reviewed here by me and in another review by Charity) sent to the winner as well. Don't think that Joss and I are all close or anything. We're not. Well, in my very most embarrassing FanGirlSqueeMemories, we are like this, BFF and all, you know. But in reality, I'm just an almost stalker fan. However, since I read her blog all the time, I know that the book will be sent out. I'm just good that way.

So, that's three "Rookie" books going out to the winner. There will be two other books in the prize pack, but alas, they won't be signed. They are coming straight to the winner, and they are personal faves of mine. They are both from "Veteran" authors, and I hope you enjoy them. They are Whitney, My Love, by the incomparable Judith McNaught, and Don't Look Down, by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Of course, if the winner already has either of these, I'll be more than happy to substitute the "Veteran" books for different ones, but we can haggle that out later.

I just have to tell you that Kristan has her work cut out for her. We already have at least 12 entries, from comments and e-mails. I am SOOOOO glad that I don't have to judge! Just remember that the contest closes on Saturday, at 11:59 ET. Please make sure that all comments or e-mails are sent by then. I will gather them all together and get them off to Kristan shortly after the contest closes, and she can judge them. Then the winner will be announced, and the books will be mailed. I'm just so excited I can hardly wait! Until then...

Keep turning those pages!

dee

I'm In No Mood For Love - Rachel Gibson

Well Hello, Lovelies! This review is for Lucy. She's already read the book, so it should be interesting to see how different our takes are. I had meant to do this review last night, instead I spent the evening in the hospital and then church for Miss Beautiful's School Fall Program. Then, since I had a full day of taking it easy planned, a friend called me this morning with an emergency and needed me to take care of her baby girl. Glutton for punishment? Who, me? So, I've spent today babysitting and crying. Pain sucks, and I blame it all on old age. I still have a ton more books to review and several more in my TBR pile. That TBR pile keeps growing. I think for every book I read, I buy two more. And since it's Tuesday (and new books come out on Tuesday) and I have to go to Wally World to get a prescription filled, then I'm sure there will be at least one more new addition to the pile. It's NaNo still, and Dee is pluggin away at it, so go give her some luv will ya? Also, don't forget this months contest, Veterans and Rookies . You can click over to that post and leave your entry in the comments, or e-mail them to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net . And now, without further ado...

I'm In No Mood For Love by Rachel Gibson
BCC

Bridesmaid Gone Wild

What is Clare Wingate doing? One minute she's suffering in a pretty-in-pink gown she'll never wear again, and the next thing she knows it's morning...and she has the nastiest hangover of her life.

To make matters worse, she's wearing nothing but a spritz of Escada and lying next to Sebastian Vaughan...her girlhood crush turned sexy, globe-hopping journalist. Somewhere between the toast and the toss of the boquet she'd gotten herself into a whole lot of trouble.

Clare had the right to go wild-after all, she'd been knocked off her dyed-to-match shoes after finding her own fiance in a compromising position with the washing machine repairman Clearly her society wedding is off.

But Sebastian pushed all the wrong buttons- and some of the right ones, too. Clare is in no mood for love-not even for lust-and wants to forget about Sebastian and his six-pack abs ASAP. But he isn't in the mood to go away, and his kiss is impossible to forget.

I actually read this BCC before I bought the book. I liked the cover, but something kept causing me to pick it up and then put it back. Finally, I read the BCC and thought, why not? So, I did, all in all, like this BCC. That was before I read the book. Now it's just okay. It is a tad misleading. The last paragraph of it made me expect Sebastian of pursuing Clare for a relationship and perusing her hard, but that wasn't technically the case.

I had read Gibson's Sex, Lies, and Online Dating , and hated it. Okay, okay, hate is a rather strong word choice, I was just really, really, really unimpressed. But, since this isn't a review of that particular book, I'll cut to the chase - No Mood is book two in a some-what series, and if I would have been paying attention to the fact that this was the same author that penned SLAOD I probably would have missed out on a decent read, since I would have immediately put it back.

Just as the BCC says, Clare comes home from her friend Lucy's wedding and finds her fiance getting down and dirty with the repairman. Horrified, Lucy rushes back to the reception and drowns her sorrows with chamagne and then gin and tonics. Again. This isn't the first time Clare has known heartache and this isn't the first time she drowned that sorrow with booze. It's the second. And just like that first time, Clare wakes up the next morning not alone.

Only this time, the man Clare wakes up to, is none other than her childhood crush and tormenter, Sebastian. Sebastian's dad has worked for Clare's mother for the better part of 30 years, but the relationship between father and son has been basically non-existent. After losing his mother, Sebastian takes a trip to visit his father, and is shocked to find Clare, awkward and gangly as a child, all grown up and incredibly sexy.

I did enjoy this book. I liked that, to me, it felt way more like Sebastian's story than Clare's. I didn't feel Clare changed that much throughout the story, and while that's okay, I need to see growth in the characters, and I just didn't feel it that much with Clare. But, Sebastian was a whole other story. The man underwent some serious internal changes and they were all for the better. I bonded with Seb (no need for me to continue to use his full name, we are tight) and I cheered for him when his life seemed to click into place.

I'm still not a fan of Gibson's writing style. It feels choppy and forced in many places. But as, Kara Lennox says in this Romancing the Blog post , it's not so much great writing that gets a story sold, but a great idea. Like Lucy, I liked that Gibson incorporated AIDS and the scary possibility of the disease, into her story. This isn't touched upon in a lot of novels. Usually, the use of a condom in a Romance is for birth-control, and I have from time to time thought, I cannot believe you just FORGOT to use a condom and your first concern is OMG, am I preggers? You don't know where that thing has BEEN! It is ideas like this that make for a great story idea.

All in all, No Mood was an easy read. A hit, where it's companion SLAOLD was a miss. I'll give the next story a chance.

Take Care

Talk Gertie To Me, Lois Winston

I want to send a HUGE thank you to Charity this month. While I have been toiling away in NaNo land, she has been busy keeping the reviews rolling. Honestly, I don't have a clue what I'd do without her, and I'm glad I don't have to find out! THANKS CHAR!!

Talk Gertie To Me by Lois Winston is another one of my New Jersey Conference buys. If you've never been to the New Jersey Romance Writer's Conference, you really need to get there one year. While I loved the workshops and meeting so many people, it is worth it just for the Saturday afternoon Book Fair. You get to meet all sorts of wonderful authors, and buy LOTS and LOTS of great books, like this one. Now on to the review...

Nori Stedworth grew up in Ten Commandments, Iowa. That in no way prepared her for life in the big city. And I do mean the BIG city, as in - Manhattan. Nori moves there, well, escapes to there, really, in a drastic bid to gain some independence from her sometimes over-bearing family. They expected her to stay in TC, marry the local mortician, and have a house full of kids. Nori heads off to NY instead, gets a job at a dot-com, and finds herself a boyfriend and an eclectic group of friends.

As the story gears up, Nori loses her job, her man and her best friend in the same afternoon. If that's not enough to bring a girl to tears, her mom shows up on her stoop. How's a girl to cope? Enter Gertie, Nori's brash, semi-annoying friend from childhood. Did I mention that Gertie is imaginary? Yeah, well, she is. Gertie may be all in Nori's head, but her voice is louder than most anything else. When Nori finally starts listening to Gertie, things start getting better for her.

How do things get better? Well, I won't tell you that. You'll just have to pick this book up and find out, won't you? You better say "Why yes, I think I will," or you will really be missing out! Suffice it to say that Gertie has very strong opinions about a good many things, and when Nori starts channeling Gertie, people need to run for cover. Gertie rants about everything from cleanliness to toilet seats, and her voice is witty and true. Trust me on this one though, don't try drinking anything while reading this book. Gertie will have you snorting coffee through your nose!

Things I liked:
- The POV changes from Nori to her mom, Connie. Both voices are fresh and fun. You can actually get a feel for both of these women, and they are both so believable!
- The secondary characters rock! Nori's friends are the sort of people you want to be around. They are supportive, but not overpowering. Honestly, if you don't see some of your own best friend in Nori's friends, you need to start looking for some new friends.
- There were so few editing errors that I didn't get distracted at all. You know how much this bothers me when it happens, so to find so few (actually I can't remember any, but I also can't find my scoresheet, so I can't say there aren't any) was a real treat for me.
- The resolution was not as predictable as you may expect. Yes, things happen the way they're supposed to, of course, but you can't see everything coming a mile away. Nothing was so shocking that it put me off, but it was nice not to be able to guess exactly how things would happen.

Things I didn't like:
- ummmm, well... it wasn't long enough? That's about it. And at 305 pages, that's really not a valid complaint. There wasn't anything that made me go "Uh, yeah, right!". Nothing that made me want to toss it against the wall. Nothing that made me want to put it down. It was a fun, fast read, and it left me wanting more.

Lois Winston has a great site that features an excerpt from this book, as well as links to places where you can purchase it. I encourage you to stop by her site and check it out. You won't be sorry.

Keep turning those pages!
dee

Motor Mouth - Janet Evanovich

This review is for Deb R , because she voted first and her blog is fantabulous, just click her name and be hooked like me! I've been in a bit of a funk lately, my writing is not going well at all and that has me in a sad way. So yesterday I made a sappy CD from my iTunes, there are only 14 songs on it, but I went ahead and did a Music Meme with it, just click here to participate. It should be rather easy, and it will show you just how sad my mood has been. We are getting lots of entries in our Veterans and Rookies contest for this month. You can either click over to that post and leave a comment or you can e-mail your entry to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net . We love to hear from our readers and this contest is super great because it gives us a bit of insight to your reading likes. And now, without further ado, on to the review...

Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
JCC

Those metro maniac Alexandra "Barney" Barnaby and NASCAR driver Sam Hooker are back!

Miami is still freakin' humid. The nights are even hotter. And there's a body on ice. And that's just the beginning of this adrenaline-rush of a hot-wired ride from phenomenal number one New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.

A woman with a taste for speed and a talent for breaking the rules, Barney also knows a little too much about cheating. First there was Hooker and that salesclerk. Now she's convinced one of the competitors is up to no good on the track. Snooping to find evidence, Hooker and Barney "borrow" a NASCAR hauler. Turns out, the hauler is carrying two race cars and a dead guy. It looks like Barney and Hooker are facing multiple counts of grand theft auto and homicide.

So buckle up as Barney, Hooker, a 150-pound bundle of Saint Bernard love names Beans, and Super Cigar Ladies Felicia and Rosa shift into gear on a wild race around South Florida and Concord, North Carolina.

Everything you always wanted to know about righteous indignation, stealing an eighteen-wheeler, and sex in the fast lane.

HA!! Finally, I get to say I really, really, REALLY, did not like this JCC. Whew! I was afraid publishers were getting their acts together and I wouldn't have fodder. Okay, my first impression was, kiss Evanovich ass much? (And I should say, my first impression was but a few moments ago as I typed it.) My second impression was to roll my eyes at the over abundance of adjectives. And my third and final thought was close but no cigar! While Barney and Hooker do end up stealing a hauler, they do it for a slightly different reason than the JCC suggests. Felicia is in the fruit business, it is Rosa that is a Cigar Roller. Geez, trivial maybe, but I don't like misleading or incorrect information. It's deceiving and just wrong.

All of the above said, the actual book within the cover, isn't too bad. Not great either. If you are an Evanovich fan, it's worth the read, but don't expect to be blown away. I was sorely disappointed at the lack of actual character interaction. In typical Evanovich style, Mouth is written in First Person, and while it works well for the Plum Series , I just didn't feel connected in anyway to Barney, even though she was the one telling the story. It felt like Evanovich herself doesn't know what Barney is all about, so she's gonna fake it until it comes to her. She seems to have borrowed a few things from the Plum's, first off, Beans the dog is just Bob the dog in Saint Bernard clothing, and second, Rosa and Felicia are straight off the casting couch for a role in Stephanie's life.

Motor Mouth begins with Barney spotting a race for Hooker and noticing how the 69 car is cheating. She's not sure how, but she knows he is. Gobbles, another spotter, is next to her. When Gobbles' driver is in a wreck that puts him out the race, Barney learns that Gobbles is in a load of trouble. This is how Barney and Hooker end up stealing the hauler with the dead guy in it. But they've got it, so why not do a little investigating as to how the driver was cheating? That is until the brother of the dead guy wants his car back and they sort of don't have it anymore. But the bad guys have Beans and Hooker's future as a race car driver in their hands and the race is on to get Beans and figure out why this race car is so important.

As far as books go, this one isn't too bad. I'll no doubt by the next installment in the series, but I'm an optimist where my books are concerned, and since I am a big fan of Plum, I'm willing to continue to give Barney a chance.

Lucy, the next review will be for you - I'm In No Mood For Love will be up tonight or tomorrow morning! Check back!

Take Care

Grave Surprise - Charlaine Harris

Oh Lovelies, I have so many reviews to get done, I don't even know where to start! I let my kids look at the covers of the books I have lined up and let them pick where I should start. I'm not sure what it says about my children that they thought this cover looked cool, but I've never said Bear-Bear and Miss Beautiful were the most normal kids in school. (Click their names for pics.) And since I don't know which one to do after this one, I'm gonna let you guys decide. Okay, here is my To Be Reviewed List, cast your vote! Killer Insight by Victoria Laurie , Santa Baby by Jennifer Crusie , Lori Foster , and Carly Phillips , Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye , Knight of Darkness by Kinley MacGregor , Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich , Pink Jinx by Sandra Hill , or I'm in No Mood For Love by Rachel Gibson . I told you, I've been in PAIN, reading was quite a release. There are a few more, but I need to get these done first, they are the ones I read the longest time ago. Also, don't forget to enter this months awesome contest that Dee has put together (she's so wonderful, isn't she?). And now, finally, on with the review...

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
Jacket Cover Copy (JCC)

Note: As I get ready to type this, it will be the first time I have read it. Harris is a must buy for me, and I never bother to see what the book will involve. - One of my veteran authors, I will read anything by!

When I was fifteen, I was struck by a bolt of lightning through an open window of the trailer where we lived... I recovered, mostly. I have a strange spiderweb pattern of red on my rots and right leg, which has episodes of weakness. Sometimes my right hand shakes. I have headaches. I have many fears. And I can find dead people. That was the part that interested the professor...

At the request of anthropology professor Dr. Clyde Nunley, Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver come to memphis to give a demonstration of Harper's unique talent. And what better place to have that demonstration than in a very old cemetery?

Dr. Nunley doesn't bother to hide his skepicism, especially when Harper stands atop a grave and senses two bodies beneath her-one of a centuries-dead man and the other of a young girl, recently deceased. When the grave is opened, Harper's claim is proven true. The dead girl is Tabitha Morgenstern, an eleven-year-old abducted from Nashville tow years previously-a child whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find. The coincidence raises suspicions about her among the police-so she and Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer. They make a nocturnal visit to the cemetery, hoping that Harper can sense something further about the murder.

And then, the next morning, a third dead body is found in the grave...

This is probably the BEST cover copy I have ever read. This is book 2 in a series, and though you don't need to read the first book, Grave Sight , to understand this one, it does have some background information in it. That's why I like the JCC so well, it sums up a lot of that history and lets you in on the book you will be reading. Excellent!

"They all want to be found, you know. That's all they want. Not vengeance, or forgiveness. They want to be found."

Harper Connelly and her step-brother Tolliver Lang do exactly what the JCC says. They travel the U.S. finding corpses. As long as she has a bead on their where-abouts, Harper can find the body. 18 months ago, Harper had been hired by Joel and Diane Morgenstern in Nashville, to find the body of their eleven year old daughter, Tabitha, after every other means of finding her had been exhausted. Unable to find her, Harper never forgot the little girl. After all, her own sister Cameron has been missing for years, and she has been unable to find her.

But when Harper finds the girl's body in an old cemetery in Memphis, buried on top of an old coffin, Harper realizes that the circumstances are far from ideal. It gets worse, as she and Tolliver soon find out that the parents of the girl have now relocated to Memphis. Too many things happen to make this be a coincidence, and the police make sure that Harper and Tolliver stay put.

Harper and Tolliver find themselves dealing with the Morgenstern family, all of them. Joel and Diane - the parents, Victor - the sullen teenaged half-brother, and Felicia Hart - Victor's over-protective, good looking, aunt. Add to the above, an obsessed FBI agent, a skeptical professor, suspicious police, news reporters, a private investigator, and a psychic (an out-there, but true psychic), and you have one of the best mysteries around.

I have always secretly prided myself on the fact I could always figure out whodunit, but I let myself down with this book. There were so many twists and turns that when the end revealed all, I was left with my mouth hanging open. The fact that Harris can do that, just elevates her in my opinion.

It isn't just the mystery or other-worldiness of Harris' books that draw me in. I think what has me so enamored of Harris is her voice. I love her ability to capture the essence of people and human nature and create characters that feel so real that when I read their tales I feel as if I am catching up with an old friend.

If you are a fan of the Southern Vampire series, but haven't read anything else by Harris, you should start now. And while Harper's world is extremely different from Sookie's, Harper is just as endearing and insightful. "But I knew grief, and I knew release,..." Harper is just exceptional. "...it was just one of the moments when anguish comes sweeping down like an eagle from the air, to tear at you with cruel talons."

Now, something else happened in this book, well, not really happened, more like hinted that it may, and I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. I think I'm actually quite happy with the development, and I think that makes me wonder about myself. Read the book, you'll see what I'm talking about. I can't give any more than that or I'll ruin it.

Go. Read. This. Book.

"This is a thin place." "What's that?" "A place where the other world is very close to this world, separated only by a thin membrane."

Take Care

NOVEMBER CONTEST!!! Win More BOOKS!!!

Veterans and Rookies

Yes, that's right. I wanted to tie in one of my most favorite holidays with this month's contest. And while I just LOVE me some fried turkey, that's not the holiday I mean. In honor of Veteran's Day (tomorrow), and because, well, I'm a Veteran (hey, after TEN YEARS in the Navy, you're darned right I'm a Veteran, and VERY proud of it, thankyouverymuch!), this month's contest is called: Veterans and Rookies.

Here's the deal. You know that Chariity and I both write, and we love it. Really though, at heart, we both are READERS more than anything else. I can only hope that Char is not nearly as bad as I am, because if she is, then her family probably wants to have huge bonfires in her front yard with all of her books. See, I have literally thousands of books. Everywhere in my house. I have a hard time clearing a path in my office sometimes because of all of the books. I read just about every genre that is written. I've hardly ever met a book I didn't finish. And, I think that there is something to be learned from just about any/every book ever written. So HUGE is my respect for authors, that it is difficult for me to ever get rid of a book.

Ok, here's another truth: My books become more than just words printed on paper bound together with a cute cover to me. They become, at the very least, my friends. Sometimes though, they become even more than that, almost like adopted children. Yes, you read that correctly, sometimes I love a book so much that it becomes almost part of my family. Now, I can count on less than all of my digits the amount of times a book has been elevated to 'family' status, but it has happened. Even this last year, you here at Dee&Dee have witnessed it. (We really don't have to turn this into a SqueeFest though, do we? You all know which author/book I mean.)

When that happens, when a book goes from a friend to a family member, I tend to take notice of just about every other book that the author has written. Yes, it happened with Jennifer Crusie (I am Crusified and Burned, baby!). And Susan Elizabeth Phillips (though I'm still working on her backlist). And Ms. Jackson (though, sorry to say, there are only the two right now). I've read everything by Tom Clancy, and John Grisham. I don't know that I've ever read a Sandra Brown I didn't like. These authors have all reached the VETERAN status as writers. They are tried and true, virtually guaranteed to be a page-turner.

But they all started out as ROOKIES. Yes, my beloved Jennifer Crusie, long before the days of her amazing partnership with Bob (God Among Men/GAM) Mayer, started her career with Sizzle. Of course, you can't hardly mention that book to her without seeing her cringe. I know, I've seen it happen. While some authors, like The Cherry, don't start out on a bestseller list, some shoot right to the top. The first romance I ever bought (purchased with my babysitting money at the tender age of 14, I might add) was Whitney, My Love, by Judith McNaught. I have owned at least 5 different copies of that book. It might be that it's a sentimental favorite, because it was, well, my first. But OTOH, it is a damn fine book. As is every other Judith McNaught book I have ever owned. She's a VETERAN, but her ROOKIE book was the one that hooked me.

Do you see where I'm going with this? So this month's contest is all about those Veterans, who were once Rookies. Dig deep, friends, and tell me your stories. I want to know what Veteran authors you will read, just based on their name on the cover. But there's more. I want to know what book of theirs hooked you. AND... I want to know why. Also, I want to know if you've read any good Rookie authors recently, and if so, who are they? (Ok, really, I just want to know what new people you've found and love.)Was Welcome To Temptation your first Crusie, and you just couldn't get over that scene on the dock? Do you now wave goodbye and hello to every state as you cross a state line, just like Lena in gods in Alabama (JJ's Rookie book). Or, like me, can you still picture Clayton's hands as he dried Whitney off from her bath, like McNaught wrote in her Rookie book?

So, these four things must be included in your post. 1)What writing vets you read just cuz of their name, 2)What book of that vet hooked you, 3) WHY did that book hook you, and 4) Know any good Rookies, that you think might one day be Veterans?

Tell Me. And Win.

It's that simple. Oh, and did I mention we will be having a special judge? Well, we will. I'll tell you all about that next week. And the prize? Well, we're giving away a bunch of Rookie books by authors that we're sure are destined for Veteran status. A few of them have been reviewed here (or will be reviewed, as soon as I take a break from NaNo to write up the reviews). Plus, as a special treat, I'm going to include the Rookie books of a few of my favorite Veteran authors. I'll have a complete list posted on the day the contest closes. See, I don't want you to enter just because you're getting cool FREE books. I want you to enter and tell me who makes your head turn, and what it was about those books that turned that head.

Post your comments on THIS POST, or send us an e-mail at deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net Contest will run from when this is posted until next Saturday, 11/18/2006, at 11:59 Eastern time.

Now... Spill your guts.

2120

I Am Frothing At The Mouth For This Book!

Okay, so I have about 9 reviews to get typed up and posted, along with 8 more books sitting in my TBR pile. BUT, I had to share this YouTube link with you. It is for the upcoming Atlantis Rising a debut for Alyssa Day. Not only is that cover one of the HOTTEST I've seen in a L-O-N-G time, this book looks so good, I have to have it NOW!!!

Enjoy. And as always...

Take Care

Wise Men Say - Only Fools Rush In

OMG! Do you see that title?! Okay, so it probably isn't the catchiest of all titles ever, but it's better than anything I've come up with lately. Give me props, my lovelies, give me props ;)! Believe it or not, I started this review one week and one day ago. I've been in PAIN people, and anything I would have written would have been ludicrous, because they gave me some VERY powerful pain medicine to help me cope (I'm a baby, I hate to hurt) so other than reading I haven't done much else. Then, when I finally recovered enough to post winners, we had a school carnival that was so busy I was knocked on my butt for a few more days. But, stitches came out this morning and I'm feeling much bettah, almost like my old self. Almost. Now, you know I love doing reviews, right? All reviews. But this review is extra cool for me. The novel I'm getting ready to review is a debut from an extremely talented author and when I contacted her to ask if I could ask a few questions, she said sure! So, not only are you going to get to see what I thought of the book, you are going to get a look at how the author feels. Cool, huh? Oh, and tiny warning here, this review will probably be a FGSF. You know how I love to have a good ole Squee Fest so without further ado....


Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins
(BCC)

Millie Barnes is this close to finally achieving her perfect life...

Rewarding job as a local doctor on Cape Cod? Check. Cute cottage of her very own? Check. Adorable puppy suitable for walks past attractive locals? Check! All she needs is for golden boy and former crush Joe Carpenter to notice her, and Millie will be set.

But perfection isn't as easy as it looks-especially when Sam Nickerson, a local policeman, is so distracting. Sure, he needs a friend after being dumped by Millie's fortune-hunting sister, but does she really need to enjoy his company that much? He is definitely not part of her master plan. But maybe it's time for Millie to start a new list...

The cover of this book is what caught my eye, it looked fun and flirty and I loved the dog laying between the man and woman's legs. I picked it up, and read the BCC, which still amazes me, I mean, I never used to read the things, and now that I have made such a thing about them on my reviews, I'm addicted to the BCC's. I am my own victim. That hasn't turned into such a bad thing though, because lately, they haven't been bad at all. And when I analyze the BCC on the blog, I'm always wondering what the author thinks of it. Well, for once, I have my answer. When I asked Kristan what she thought about the BCC, she said, "I loved what my editor, Abby Zidle, wrote for the back cover. Millie is an organized list-making type, so this summed up her attitude toward life perfectly. She thinks all she needs to do is follow directions and she'll land Joe, but there's Sam, constantly distracting her, though she's not quite sure why."

Millie Barnes is about to turn the Big 3-0, she has just finished her residency, so she's ready to start her career as an official Doctor, she has a cute little cottage on Cape Cod that her grandmother left her, great friends, and a rock solid plan to finally get the attention of the man she has crushed on for 16 years.

Joe Carpenter The Carpenter, will be Millie's, she knows it. She has studied, okay, if you want to get technical, she has stalked, this man for most of her life, she knows him. She knows he is kind, loves dogs, does good deeds for the elderly, and he likes women. She knows where he lives, she knows his phone number, his work schedule, she even knows where he likes to eat and when. All she has to do is make a few physical changes, and when he sees her, he will finally see the other half of his soul.

Sam Nickerson is Millie's newly made ex-brother law. Although her sister left Sam a year ago, the divorce has finally been made final and Sam is dealing with his feelings about this and raising his 16 year old son Danny. Sam is good looking, a local cop, ex-Notre Dame football star (just mentioning this made my husband take interest in the book), and all around good guy. Millie loves Sam, he has always been kind to her, and was probably one of the only people she never felt like the ugly duckling around. Millie has always wondered how her self-centered older sister landed such a great guy, and seeing him hurting makes Millie hurt. So she has decided it's up to her to get Sam through this tough time in his life.

So, while Millie puts her plan into action to get Joe, she also starts a plan to help out Sam. Why is it then, that when she finally gets Joe, it isn't what she thought it would be and she can't quite keep her thoughts away from Sam? Well, I think Kristan does a lovely job at answering just that question, "Like most of us, Millie has qualities about herself that she loves and tries to focus on, but when she's feeling low, her old insecurities come back and kick her right in the old ego. With a beautiful, ultra-confident older sister, Millie is constantly measuring herself against Trish. While Millie is confident and happy on a professional and personal level, it's the romantic part of her life where she's a bit lost. It's no fluke that when Joe finally does notice Millie, it's when she's at her best self, completely focused on the task at hand, not trying to be anything more than the kind, competent person she is. And it's no fluke that Sam has always seen her this way."

Millie's story is one I won't soon forget. I absolutely loved Millie and her warped sense of self and worth at the beginning of the book. Millie, smart, kind, loving, and selfless is the epitome of every insecurity a woman could have. I think I've mentioned before that when I sit to read a book I will review (every book I read) I make sure to have a pad and paper at my side. I like to write down particular quotes and passages that I enjoy (or don't) and when I cracked Fools I had that same pen and paper handy. I got as far as page 13 before I made a notation and I'm going to piece together some of it for you here (I'm always wary of quoting books. I mean, how much is too much?) - "I didn't have any illusions about myself. I was a smart, nice person. Caring. A fine friend...But in terms of physicality, I was short, chubby, with long, lank hair that I pulled into a ponytail more often than not...Overall, rather plain and ordinary. Being cursed with an extremely beautiful older sister had certainly not helped my self-image over the years....though I had definitely mastered the pasty skin/dark circles/unshaven legs look...
While I didn't imagine that I could become a swan, I was determined to become at least, oh, I don't know, a Canada goose? They're nice, right? Nothing wrong with a Canada goose."
Now, there are a couple of reasons I loved this passage. The lesser of those being that it is fularious (I'm censoring here, we have younger readers and I don't want to offend Gret) and the greater being that truer words have never been spoken. In today's society we see our most beautiful assets as nothing more than trivial if we don't have the external beauty to go with it. Why is it, that it takes a book sometimes to show you that when we are at our inner bests, is when we achieve true beauty? This is one of things that Fools made me realize. Like Millie, I may never be a swan, but I make a perty darn good Canada goose.

Unfortunately, that was the first and last notation on my trusty paper I made. I became so engrossed in the words on the page, I forgot that I had a responsibility to my readers. I know, bad reviewer, but I am a reader at heart.

Now the first words of the book are, "I'm a stalker. The good kind." And then Millie goes on to relive some of her stalker moments on her quest to land Joe Carpenter. Now, I'm not ashamed to admit this (okay, maybe a little ashamed) but I too, have been a good kind of stalker. Really, who hasn't. I never really carried it to the lengths that Millie does/did, but I could relate nonetheless. But I had to know, was the author a closet stalker? The ideas were just too far fetched to be etched in make-believe. "Regarding the stalking, let's face it, a lot of us have stalked our quarry! That was another universal element I wanted to include, having arranged more coincidences that I care to admit to. Millie is often a fool for love, and it was an absolute blast to write about the lengths we women will sometimes go to in order to get our men." Now, I know she's only admitting to "arranged coincidences", but you read the book and tell me, could some one really have made all that up?

So what happens when Millie finally catches the eye of Joe? Well, our perception of people we really do not know (and some we think we do) are oft wrong, and life never easily hands us these lessons. "When I wrote FOOLS RUSH IN, I wanted to capture an experience that a lot of women (including myself) have had. We become fixated on an early impression of someone and shape everything we see to match what we've set in our minds. As reality butts in again and again, Millie has to constantly shift her expectations and rewrite everything she's thought about Joe." But to be honest, I felt that Millie really had to rewrite everything she thought about her life and the people in it, not just Joe. I cried with Millie in this book. I laughed with Millie in this book. And yes, there were even a few times I wanted to die of embarrassment for Millie. I was reminded of the first time I ever watched Anne of Green Gables a few times while reading Fools. I remember when Anne smashed her slate over Gilbert's head, and I felt my cheeks blush and felt the embarrassment for Anne. It amazed me that I could feel for a character so much and it has been a rare thing since that time for me to sympathize with a fictional character. But it was as if Millie and I were the same person and what she felt I felt. It was wonderful.

When I turned the last page of Fools I cheered for Millie, but I wept for myself. I wanted MORE! And as a writer who has yet to complete a novel, I wondered what it must be like to create some one as special as Millie and the people and events in her life. If I had such a hard time saying good-bye as a reader, what did Higgins feel as the author? Well - "Every time I type the words "The End," I find that tears are running down my cheeks. It's hard to become so engrossed in your characters' lives, follow them through their journey, and then just leave them there. I find myself imagining what comes next for them, writing their life stories well past where the book stops...until I become engrossed in another story, another character." Um, Kristan? Could I have those continuance stories please?

I just cannot express to you how much I enjoyed this book. Never has a debut novel grabbed me like this, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book by Higgins. So, even though she has and excerpt up , I wanted to hear how she describes her next book, "CATCH OF THE DAY is also a romantic comedy, and also focuses on a universal experience--falling in love with the unattainable man. In Maggie's case, the man is Father Tim, a Catholic priest, and if there's a more embarrassing crush to have, I don't know what it is, and it makes for some really, really fun scenes. And before you ask, yes, I've had a crush on a priest, and he was also my cousin, so it was doubly forbidden, embarrassing and mortifying.

In CATCH OF THE DAY, we see Maggie struggling to find the kind of relationship her identical twin has. This juxtaposition between sisters is a constant reminder to Maggie of what she's missing. But like Millie, this heroine is happy, confident and fulfilled in just about every area except romance. When she meets Malone, Maggie has to learn to scrape the surface and stop comparing him with Father Tim. " You want to read it now too, huh?

Okay, I've gushed enough for one review, and think - it only took me a week to finish! But seriously, if you don't have this book, get it! And please, let me know when you finish. I just don't see how you can be disappointed. I also want to thank Kristan Higgins for taking the time to answer some of my questions. This is one author to look for. This debut was fabulous and I expect her wit is just going to get stronger as she enjoys a very long career!

Take Care

And Finally - The WINNERS

Thank you all so much for being patient with me while I recover from my oral surgery. I'm not quite 100% but I'm getting there, and the stitches should come out Wed!!!

There was a tie in the voting process, so I put both names down on a piece of paper, put them in a hat and drew for the winner of the Jennifer Scales books, best I could do with a tie.

Lucy you have won a signed copy of Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace and Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi

Sheri you have won a signed copy of braced2bite by Serena Robar

Angela you have won a signed copy of a YA Paranormal book by Gena Showalter

Congratulations you three! Please e-mail me your snail mail addy to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net and I will forward it on to the authors so they may send them out (with the exception of the Jennifer Scales, I will send them out since I have them).

I also still need the winners of the Playing With Fire contest to e-mail me at deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net your snail mail addy's so I can order the books and have them sent your way.

I will be posting a review today and several more in the days to come. So stay tuned. I also think Dee is working on an ultra-cool contest for this month AND doing NaNo! So if you get the time, click her name over there and leave her good vibes on the NaNo thing. I wanted to do it this year, but with the surgery and a million PTO things going on this month, there was no way I'd be able to write, sigh.

Congrats again to the winners!!! The readers here at Dee&Dee are the BEST!

Take Care

Update!

Hi Lovelies! Just wanted to post a quick update. I had Oral Surgery on Wednesday, and unfortunately, it is taking me a LOT longer to recoup than I thought. There is a school carnival tomorrow that I have to be at, since I'm in charge of the food portion and I have 6 reviews I need to finish up and get posted.

Winners to the contest will be posted Sunday at the latest, but I'm hoping to have a few minutes to rub together tomorrow that I can use to post them. All the votes have been cast and are sitting in our in-box at deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net and as soon as I can make sense of anything, I will total them up. If I tried now, I'm afraid I'd mess up the count, and I don't want to do that.

I just wanted to let every one know, I haven't forgotten, I'm just in so much pain, I can hardly think straight. Everyone keeps telling me it's harder on you to have teeth cut out the older you are, but COME ON, I'm only 30. Surely, I should be out dancing to Polka by now!

Take Care

Bring In The Judges!!

Okay Lovelies, the time has come to pick the winners for this months contest! The mini-contest had two entries, and since I just can't choose, both of them will receive a copy of Playing With Fire by the beautiful Gena Showalter . Lucy and Christina please send your snail mail address to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net and I'll get the copies sent out!

Contest Entries:

Linda - I think I would like to be able to read peoples thoughts. And I don't think I would mind a bit being a Vampire. Like in the Argeneau series. gurrr especially if I got to be life mates with a hunky loving McDreamy Vamp. (I had to let Linda know, if I was a vampire, I'd want Eric from The Dead Series, hubba-hubba)

Lucy - For a superpower, I would like to disappear from the current location and then be able to astral travel to somewhere else.

Kim - I might like to fly. I'd like to be a shapeshifter that could morph into a bird or Pegasus or something.

Kay (Gret) - ... for the "superhero thing", it's kind of a cross between quite a few of the X-Men powers. Mind Reading- Xavier; Power Sucking- Rogue; ShapeShifting- Mystique. All put into one. I just think that those ones are pretty cool. (Um, me too, I would never be able to pick just one, give 'em all to me!)

Cheryl - I think a superpower trait I would like would be the ability to read minds. Perhaps, knowing what someone is thinking ahead of time would give me a chance to thwart bad intentions.

Christina - Asking me to choose just one paranormal feature or creature is just mean! I think some kind of were animal would be good because they probably have killer metabolisms and weight wouldn't be an issue, Can you imagine being able to eat all the chocolate you wanted and never gain weight? Then there is the super strength thing, being able to pick up your furniture to vacuum would be awesome. Perhaps a psychic turned werewolf? Then I would have super mental powers as well as the stuff I already talked about. And as much fun as flying would be, a were canary just doesn't have the same ring as werewolf.

Robin - Playing With Fire was a great book and I would LOVE to have the powers in that book! Control of the elements - wow. (I know. My kids watch this cartoon Avatar and he is master of all the elements, I am so hooked on that show it isn't even funny!)

Angela - My favorite super power would probably telekinesis.

Jordan - ..."invisibility". When I asked why she came up with a couple of answers: 1) It would be great to be able to play tricks on your friends!2)New way not to be late for class--if you are invisible you can usually go through walls so you could just slip into class late and appear in your chair!

Sheri - Super powers, eh? I think I would like to be able to shape shift. I have always loved horses and I think it would be so cool to be ale to change into a horse... Just picture it: high mountain meadow, wildflowers spilling over the hills on every side, a bubbling creek running through the middle of it. At the edge of the trees stands a wild horse. Sunlight glistens off her golden hide as she surveys the open space before her. Head up, she tests the gentle breeze that blows gently through her white mane, alert to any danger. Satisfied that she is safe, she steps delicately into the meadow. Thirstily, she dips her muzzle into the stream, blowing and snorting as the cold water tickles her nostrils. Having drank her fill, she nibbles at the succulent blades of grass, a mouthful here, a morsel there. The wind shifts and she raises her head, ears twitching, alert to a hidden danger. With a squeal she wheels away from the creek and gallops swiftly into the safety of the forest, and she is gone...

Hmmmm....That would be me, all right! But I would only want to be a wild horse--no saddles for me!!

I would also want to be able to shift into ANY shape--how cool would THAT be?! Just think, I could literally be that "fly on the wall" everyone always talks about! Or the stapler on the desk--who would suspect a stapler of being able to spy?!! It could be fun!

Whitney - The paranormal trait I would most want to have is telepathy so that I could communicate with my extremely adorable boyfriend all the time and we wouldn't run up minutes on the cell phone bill. Maybe then I could get my cell phone back...


And that, my dear readers, is all of the entries! Dee and I aren't picking the winners, so as soon as the winners are e-mailed to me, I'll post them and arrange for the books to be sent!

Thanks for entering our contest this month, and I cannot wait to see what we have for next month!

As always...

Take Care

Contest Entries

Hello Dear Readers! I want to thank every one for entering the contest this month, I have been so very excited about it and cannot wait to announce the winners! The following is a list of all entrants for the main contest and the 3 winners will be announced on Tuesday.

Robin Snodgrass
Angela
Jordan
Cherry Red
Kay (Gret)
L. Salterbach
Linda
Cheryl
Christina
Sheri
Whitney

If I have missed anyone, please send me an e-mail to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net or comment on this post by tomorrow, Monday October 30 by Noon and I'll make sure you get added. Thank You again to every one who entered. The judges will be contacted and the three winners will be chosen by them. With so many great books up for grabs, I thought it would be better to get some third parties in!

As for the mini-contest , I only had two entries (see, catchy titles are tough) so BOTH of the entrants will receive a copy (unsigned) of Playing With Fire by Gena Showalter . Lucy and Christina, if you would please send your snail mail address to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net I will get the books ordered and out to you! Thanks for entering!

Stay tuned for the winners on Tuesday!

Take Care

Rehearsal, A Different Drummer, by LK Hunsaker

What can I say about this book? What can I not say? I bought this book last week when I was in Borders with my daughter. She was looking for another Jennifer Scales book, and I was just looking. I'd noticed an ad for an author signing that day, and was pleasantly surprised to see the author still there. I really enjoy getting the chance to meet authors and hearing what they have to say about their own work. The fact that this was a local author made it even more appealing. Speaking with Ms. Hunsaker was a joy, and her understated enthusiasm for her story convinced me that I should by her book. It's not something that I would have probably picked up on my own, especially with it's price and its length, but it's hard for me to say no to another author. I'm so glad that I bought it!

My initial attraction to the book was its title, Rehearsal, A Different Drummer. If you've ever visited my own webpage, you'll know that I have a fondness for Thoreau. His quote is listed as the very first of "My favorite sayings", even above my favorite Bible verse and my favorite chorus from Van Morrison. How could I not be interested in a book that uses his quote on the dedication page? That alone was worth the price of the book.

The book... I don't even know how to describe it. I guess the BCC does ok though. If you want to read it, click the link. It's not bad, and it doesn't have any glaringly obvious mistakes. However, it doesn't tell you that you may put the book to the side until you are out of historical romances, then pick it up when you realize you have nothing else to read, then spend the next 20 hours (literally) reading, then want to kick yourself for not being intuitive enough to rush home and read it the first day you bought it. Or maybe that's just me.

Susie Brooks is a 19 year old dance teacher, growing up against the backdrop of the American Seventies. She lost her mom as a child. Her mom's friend helped raise her, because her dad was out of town a lot on business travel. Evan Scott grew up in the same house as Susie, and was her built in big brother, best friend, and protector. Five years older, he took care of Susie and knew her in a way that most people can only imagine someone else ever knowing them. Evan and Susie shared the sort of relationship that you've always wanted with your best friend, able to talk about most anything, finish each others thoughts, and usually communicate with only a look. They move away from their tiny town together, taking up residence across the hall from each other in a building inhabited by the rest of Evan's band. Susie wants more from their relationship, but she's afraid that Evan will never see her as more than a surrogate little sister, or his best friend. Evan wants more as well, but is afraid of telling Susie how he feels.

Everything changes when Duncan O'Neil enters the picture. Duncan is a friend of Evan's, as well as being a shockingly sexy guitar player from the UK. He arrives in town to see Evan, and to possibly join their band, Raucous. His incredible talent earns him a spot in the band, and his raw sensuality earns him more than a passing glance from Susie. After being turned down by her a few times, she finally agrees to go out with him. What starts out as two of Evan's friends enjoying time together quickly turns in to something much, much more.

Susie isn't an official part of the band, but she's their biggest fan. She's been with them since Evan joined, and she rarely misses a practice, much less a performance. Playing mainly in local clubs, the band soon gains a small following. When asked to go on the road as the opening act for a much larger band, they accept, and Susie joins them. While on the road, the relationship between Susie and Duncan intensifies. Evan is torn between wanting Susie for himself and seeing how much she is blossoming with Duncan.

Susie's transformation from a shy, scared girl into an independent young woman is a sight to behold. With Duncan's help and encouragement, she learns that it's ok to be herself in front of others, and that she is much stronger than she ever thought she could be.

There were a few things that initially bothered me about this book though.
First of all, it's looooong. I don't mind long when I'm looking at War and Peace, or Gone With The Wind, but it's rather daunting with a new, unknown author. There were times when I wondered why certain things were there, because the book would probably have been just as good without them. However, as I finished first a hundred pages and then more, I realized that the story wouldn't have been quite the same. As long as it was, I really enjoyed most every word.
Second, I wish that the editor had been a little more attentive. As a writer, I know that occasional mistakes happen. However, as a teacher (though only to my six homeschooled children), they still tend to get under my skin. There were times when I was pulled out the story momentarily because a word or phrase didn't make sense, or was left out. This was not a huge thing, but it was a bit distracting for me. You know how I am about editing, so that should say enough.

However, the things that I enjoyed really outshone everything else. The book wasn't billed as a YA, but I will gladly hand it over to my 14yo daughter as soon as she's done reading her current book. I know that she'll love it, even if she's initially intimidated by the size. While there was sensuality and passion, it was not inappropriate for a teenager at all. Also, in keeping with the musical theme, the book was not divided into chapters in the regular way. It was divided more in a journal style with dates, but also included musical references. The beginning, for instance, (or what some might call a prologue, though I am loathe to use the term) was called the Overture. The rest of the story is divided into sections such as the Fugue, Fanfare, Andante, Arpeggio, Crescendo, Dissonance, Counterpoint, and Serenade. Look up the words if you don't know what they mean, but it's enough to say that the sections are pretty well described by them. Also, I got to get inside the head of the characters, and that was refreshing. The story was told in a way that scenes were not repeated from every point of view, but they were described from the main points of view. When Susie was worried that Duncan was pulling away because he didn't care as much, you got to see that Duncan actually didn't want to push things too far, too fast. You felt Evan's struggle to be happy for Susie, even if it was with Duncan. You really got a feel for who the characters were. At times, it was more like reading a diary than a book, and that made it all the more personal.

The back cover says that this is the first of a series of four books. I can honestly say that I hope I don't have to wait too very long to read the next one. The story of Duncan, Susie and Evan is far from over, and I want to know what happens next. Honestly, after over 600 pages, you'd think I'd be sick of these people already, but I'm not. In the style of most great storytellers, Ms. Hunsaker has created a cast of characters that captivated me, had me on the edge of my seat, not even wanting to close my eyes at 4am. Though I am known for not wanting to stop reading in the middle of the story, I can scarcely recall a time that I have become so engrossed in the lives of the characters so totally. I very much look forward to reading the next three stories.

I hope you'll add this book to your to-be-purchased list, and let me know what you think!!