Eclipse in Real Life

I'm sooooo jealous my SIL went to Forks last week! (Well, she went to visit family up in that general vicinity and while she was up in that corner of the US she had to go to Forks!) I pestered her until she have me some Forks scoop and pics - here for your enjoyment:

So yeh, not bragging or anything, but I went to Forks, Washington.

Yes, my sole purpose for visiting is ‘coz I’m a Twilight-aholic.

And it was fucking awesome.

Not just ‘coz of the whole Twilight mania complete with tours, shops, signage and the like. The area (Forks, La Push, Port Angeles) is some of the most gorgeous countryside I have ever seen.

The [supposed to take] 2 hour trip turned into a 4 hour trip (one way!!). One reason is that everyone in that region drives about 10 miles UNDER the speed limit. UNDER PEOPLE. You pull that shit in Houston and you gonna get shot. In the face.

Second reason is ‘coz of all the damned wildlife. We almost crashed no less than 10 times. The brakes on that rental car gonna need some changing. Soon.

Elk. Deer. Ravens. Cougars (no, not that kind, even though it was in Twilight land, and expected, it was the real deal kind with jacked up tails).

The lakes and mountains were so peaceful that it felt claustrophobic. It was somehow suffocating to let go of the hustle and bustle. To relax into going UNDER the speed limit. To enjoy slowing down for the numerous forms of wildlife. To actually be quiet long enough to hear waterfalls cascading down the mountain cliffs.

Edward and Jacob visit my dirty thoughts frequently. Most times together.  Wait, so where was I?


Michael was so good and made sure that I stood still long enough to take a picture in front of everything. (fyi, Michael is my brother - her husband)

Forks:

There was a line forming to take pictures in front of the Forks sign but guess who was first? I’ll give you ONE guess.



Now, I didn’t take the Twilight Tour but I enjoyed perpetrating like I did.



Then I just had to get a shot with Bella’s truck.



La Push was beyond words. Breathtakingly storybook is as close as I can come.



The beach actually had people running about. AND people surfing. In wet suits of course ‘coz, again, in case I have not been clear, it was cold.



Look real close. See that moon?



This goes in the Alzheimer’s album to remind us when we’re 80 the places we’ve visited.



This I thought was Twilight inspired but, nope, been there for years.



The cutest thing in La Push though was the treaty line.

Port Angeles:



Bella Italia with my friend Amy. She was my running buddy back in the days of orange hair and red attitude.



The coast went on and on just as beautiful as this for miles it seemed.



The water was clear and crystal but a bit greenish (which lets you know it is COLD water my friends, don’t go in there!).



I can understand and appreciate why people live there, even knowing it never got over 53 degrees the entirety of our stay (in June) … I understand it. Serene, relaxed culture surrounded by some of the greenest lands in America.

All I can say at this point is neener-neener, I went to Twilight land and it was all I had hoped it would be!

And then I pestered Hannah with questions('cause I'm going next summer if it kills me!):

So, Forks was cold and overcast, even in June?
Well, cold to me. There were many people (locals) in shorts/t-shirts but the high temperature the day we visited was a whopping 53 degrees. The sky was overcast until we made it to La Push. And I don't mean just that one day ... our week-long visit was plagued with cloud cover.

Is the town as tiny as they say?
Tiny doesn't even cover it. When people joke about one stoplight towns, this is the town they are speaking of. Only one light and if you blinked, you would miss the town entirely. Which, to be fair, was more than La Push had. They got no stoplight at'all.

Were the townies friendly? Were there a lot of tourists?The locals were extremely friendly. Southern hospitality could take a lessons from these people. The shops were overflowing with tourists. Well, I assume they were tourists as they were all female and most under the age of 20 (complete with giggles over who is more "TeamEdward" or "Team Jacob"). The town is racking in bountiful Twilight profits and the locals were eager to show their appreciation.

What spots were obviously movie-related?
Most every spot had a dusting of Twilight paraphernalia of one sort of another. Heck, even the Chamber of Commerce has a Twilight poster in the door. Forks did have more movie related shops while La Push is more nonchalant about it but, I must say, when you have scenery as gorgeous as they do, you don't need any add on materials.

What were the shops like? Any places to eat?Shops and restaurants all closed at 6:00 so we were not able to stop and eat anywhere due to the time constraints. We did, however, eat at Bella Italia and it was delicious. There was a poster in the window signed by Stephanie Meyer when she visited in 2009. The staff mostly enjoyed the business and the tourists but you could tell some of the younger folks were, well, over it.

How far was it from Forks to LaPush?
Heading from Port Angeles to Forks, you actually drive past the road heading to La Push. When we headed it back it took approximately 1/2 hour. The path into La Push was a narrow one with beach stops named one, two and three along the way. We headed to the last one, number 3, and were able to drive right onto the beach. Driftwood was abound in all directions and the rock climbers (as the locals call them) were awe inspiring. The rock climbers were created by earth plates crashing together and forcing the rock straight into the air. Accessible by only by boat it is a place for young kids and, presumably, Natural Light cans.

You went to Port Angeles too – how was that ride?
Port Angeles almost sneaks up on you. You seem to be driving in a forever land of Douglas firs and BAM, you are in downtown Port Angeles. Again, small town but the air smelled like my dreams when Edward visits. Salty and tangy with a bite of wind chill.

Did you try to change the radio and touch Michael’s cold, cold hand and acknowledge that he’s a vampire?
Let me tell you a secret. Satellite devices do not do well in Port Angeles, Forks or La Push. The [almost] constant cloud cover leaves you without satellite radio, functioning cellphone or GPS. If not for my friend Amy, we would have never found the area (or our way back!).

Oh, wait…got a little carried away there! Was the restaurant nice – was it full of tourists or locals? Did Port Angeles acknowledge Twilight in any way?
Port Angeles did not have Twilight mania as did Forks but there were drips and drabs showing the connection. Port Angeles seemed to be more of a locals only joint. Although Port Angeles delivered delicious food and breathtaking water scenes, and while Forks is home to my Bella and her many adventures, La Push is the place that stole my heart. And not just 'coz I'm team Jacob.


Thanks for sharing, Hannah - it looks like you had a great time!!!

Review: Jude in Chains by KZ Snow

(This book falls into my M/M Reading Challenge)

Awhile back, Kris over at Kris-n-Good Books held a contest, and offered a copy of several books. I won Jude in Chains. At first, I wasn't sure about this one, the premise seemed like kind of a downer...but as is becoming all too familiar - I was wrong! I tore through this book in less than a day!


From Dreamspinner Press:
Hoping further to expose the fallacy of "reparative therapy" for non-heterosexuals, writer Misha Tzerko enrolls in a weeklong program at the Stronger Wings Camp and Conference Center. He's already lost a long-term boyfriend to the ex-gay movement—Robbie abandoned him for a straight life complete with wife—and for his own closure as well as his job at Options magazine, Misha intends to get an inside look at the ministry established by C. Everett Hammer III.

Misha is shocked and dismayed to find someone else from his past at Stronger Wings, a man with whom he shared two brief but captivating encounters. He knows he can’t save everyone in the program, but he's determined to save Jude Stone... no matter what it takes.

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Misha is a gay reporter whose last serious lover left him to persue a relationship with a woman. He's getting ready to head out to a "reconditioning program*" to make gay men straight. He's going to pose as a straight reporter so that the founder will allow him to stay and interact with the clients. Right after he signs in, he runs into Jude, whom he'd met two years earlier at a wedding - it had been instant attraction but he never saw Jude again, until they meet at the program.

Jude had parental issues at the time of the wedding, and apparently they'd gotten worse. He's at Stronger Wings because he doesn't want to be gay anymore, he doesn't want his parents to be disgusted by him anymore.

The times Misha spends with Jude during the week, just talking about themselves and their pasts are so tender and sweet. As Jude fights his attraction to Misha, Misha falls harder for Jude. The interactions between Misha and the other camp "residents" are pretty funny. I especially liked Ash and Samuel. Hammer made a great bad guy - I have my doubts about him :)

Misha had a great sense of humor. Near the end of the story, Misha decides to dance, and chooses his dance partner thusly:

"She'd been eyeing me, so I figured she was an ace in the hole. Not my hole, of course, but whatever hole aces went into."

The ending was a bit fantastic, but oh, so funny. And hopeful. It was a bit open-ended but I think there's an HEA there.

I give Jude in Chains 4 out of 5 stars! Thank you so much Kris for introducing me to KZ Snow's books, I will definitely be going back for more!

*I have to add that the name of the facility - Stronger Wings - kept making me think of the Big Brother-type organization in the movie Role Models - Sturdy Wings (my adolescent sense of humor loves this movie!).

Review and Giveaway: Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell

From the author's website:
Alice, a former New Yorker, struggles to feel at home in the bizarre world of the San Fernando Valley -- all while holding a job and caring for her young daughter and senile mother. When her attorney husband lands a trophy client - box office queen Rose Maris - things begin to look up.

Then Alex starts working late - a lot. He crunches his paunch into a six pack and trades his Gap ensembles for Armani everything.

Soon, Alex and Rose's affair blazes in the tabloids and Alice is plunged into trash-gossip hell. Her life crumbles around her as she navigates her newly single life through suburban L.A. -- a place rife with porn stars, psycho soccer moms and nutty neighbors obsessed with creating a winter wonderland despite the scorching desert heat.

Is there a chance to wrest Alex from the Sexiest Woman Alive? And if so, would Alice want him back? And what about George, her college sweetheart? Or Johnny, a walking charm-bomb paparazzo? As Alice inventories the rubble of her life, she desperately searches for her bearings and is forced to ask herself what she really wants from life, love and herself.
. . . . . . .

Irene Zutell really has a gift for words. If anyone else had told this story I probably would have put it down and walked away. The storyline itself is sad: Woman is married and has a young child, husband leaves her for a younger/richer/famous client. As if that wasn't enough, her mother has Alzheimer's and is thrown out of her elder care home. Depressing, right? In Ms. Zutell's hands, not so much.

Don't get me wrong, this book was not a barrel of laughs, but Ms. Zutell found humor in almost every part of the story. Okay, the husband is an ass, I'll give you that. But all the craziness made this book a you-can't-cry-because-you're-too-busy-laughing story:

Alice Hirsh's husband has left her for a client - a famous movie-star client - right after Alice almost died. She's left in the house they just bought, hiding with her five-year-old daughter, Gabby, from the paparazzi camped out in her front yard.

Right from the get-go the humor in this book is evident. She's staying inside the house hiding from the paparazzi, running out of food in the house and then the elder care home calls to tell her she's got to bring adult diapers for her mother:

I've got to get it together.
One person's needs depend on me. Another person needs Depends.

The cast of characters in this book is eclectic: A former pron star turned doctor's wife, a psychic, a Winnie-the-Pooh sweatshirt-wearing soccer mom/bar owner, the wacky neighborhood association president, the movie star and the ex-husband(I said they were eclectic, not that I liked them all!), her mother's nurse, and Gabby.

The house on the hill next door is used for filming pron. And Alice's five-year-old daughter thinks all the moaning and groaning they can hear coming from the house is a princess in need of rescue.

The elder care home refuses to keep her mother because she keeps swearing, even though they know she has Alzheimers. After she brings her mother home, at one point she thinks her mother is dying and her mother is trying to speak:

Please mom, please don't say cocksucker, I pray. Please don't let that be your last word. Please, please, please.

Alice's internal monologue was great. This book actually made me feel less paranoid about my own internal monologue :)

This was not a typical hero/heroine story; I don't think there really was a hero. Yes, there was a love interest, but it stayed kind of vague as far as HEA. I didn't like the fact that all the men in this book were less-than-honorable.

I think if you enjoy Women's Fiction you will really enjoy this book. Ms. Zutell addresses real issues women face today - divorce, parenthood/pregnancy, and caring for elderly parents - with a touch of humor; this story was touchingly funny.

I give Pieces of Happily Ever After 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.


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Giveaway:
Thanks to BookSparks PR, I have one copy of Pieces of Happily Ever After to give away. Leave a comment telling me you'd like to read this book - ends July 12. Must be a follower, US only.


This book was provided to me free of charge by BookSparks PR in exchange for an honest review.

June Wrap Up

Wow, June was a great reading month! I discovered a few new-to-me authors I'm currently stalking ;) Here's the rundown:

1. Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch (5 stars!)
2. The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon (4 stars)
3. The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare (4 stars)
4. Masked by Moonlight by Nancy Gideon (2 stars)
5. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (5 stars!)
6. Necking by Chris Salvatore (4 stars)
7. Skin Game by Ava Gray (3 stars)
8. Fortunate Harbor by Emile Richards (3 1/2 stars)
9. Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine (3 stars)
10. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (5 stars!)
11. The Beast in Him by Shelley Laurenston (3 stars)
12. The Mane Squeeze by Shelley Laurenston (4 stars)
13. Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell (3 1/2 stars)
14. Jude in Chains by KZ Snow (4 stars!)
15. When He Was Bad by Shelly Laurenston/Cynthia Eden (3 stars)
16. Knight of Passion by Margaret Mallory (3 1/2 stars)


AND True Blood started again! Woo Hoo!! I'm so thrilled, although Vampire Bill is already getting on my nerves....

Also in June I traveled to Lake Charles to meet 3 other bloggers (my SIL Hannah, Cecile from All I Want and More, and Hell Kat from Paranormal Fantasies). We had a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing Cecile and Hannah again over Labor Day weekend for the Writers for New Orleans event - I contacted the New Orleans area bloggers I'm aware of, but if anyone else lives near New Orleans - think about going!!


Lastly, I received a couple of awards this month:

Julie over at Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks gave me an award - and a very cool award it is:


1. As with any other blog award, you should post it and mention who presented it to you along with a link to their blog. 2. You must then award it to 2 to 5 other bloggers that you have been following for some time and that you find inspirational to your blog. You may want to mention why you chose them, but it’s not necessary. (Feel free to award it to someone who has already won it. They should know how many people are inspired by their work. If you’ve won it before, you don’t have to pass it on again, but you should still mention who gave it to you.) 3. Contact these 2 to 5 bloggers and let them know that you have granted them the “You’re My Inspiration blog award”. (There may even be tears of joy involved…okay, maybe not.)
Who are my inspirational bloggers? There are so many but here are a few:

1. Blodeuedd - she reads such a varied selection of books, her reviews are interesting and she's always so friendly.
2. Cecile - Cecile has got to be the friendliest Book Blogger I've ever met! I don't think there's anyone in the community that doesn't smile when they hear her name.
3. ALPHA Reader - I'm not going to say anything about her because I think at this point I'm a borderline stalker. Okay, I will admit I wish I could write reviews like this chick - she's very, very good.
4. Parajunkee - Parajunkee is a NOLA blogger, so she's got that going for her, but aside from that she's very friendly and I love her helpful posts - I've made several improvements to my blog that I would not have been able to figure out without her.
5. Lea - Lea's got a great blog and I like her reviews. She's friendly with everyone, and Tori is adorable!


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And Christine over at The Happily Ever After Blog gave me this award:



The Award Criteria: This award is awarded to those bloggers who: 1~post almost every day, if not every 2~reply to every comment that's posted 3~just down right LOVE blogging! The Award Rules: Share one extraordinary thing that's happened to you then pass this award to 5 Xxtraordinarly bloggers.

One extraordinary thing that's happened to me, hmmm...that's harder than it sounds! Okay, meeting my husband and having my wonderful children is a given. I'm going to go with something else and say - meeting all you wonderful Book Bloggers! I have a very reserved personality, and am therefore very shy, but being able to "meet" you all online - and talk about books, no less - is something I never would have imagined happening. It's very special to me.

And five bloggers I'm passing this on to:
1. Pattepoilue at One Book Away From Heaven
2. Sullivan McPig at Pearls Cast Before A McPig (I'll admit I'm a lurker but love the posts!)
3. Larissa at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life
4. Monroe at Monroe with a Twist5. Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews (she's always got something going on!)


Oh - how could I forget? June 13 was my one year blogiversary! I've done a few giveaways - the last one is ending today - and will announce those winners next week!

So, my June was awesome - how was yours?

Review: Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl

I should state up front I am a Victoria Dahl fangirl. I loved Lead Me On and Start Me Up. When I saw she had a new book, Crazy for Love, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed!

Chloe Turner is was a typical bride-to-be... until her fiancee faked his death to avoid marrying her. When the story opens, it's getting close to his court date to face charges involved in his crashing a plane to fake his death. Chloe's best friend Jess has taken her to White Rock Island to get away from the paparazzi, who have dubbed her "Bridezilla". Her fame-whore niece has been feeding all kinds of fake stories to the press about what an awful bride Chloe was.

Meet Max and Elliot Sullivan: Max is a treasure hunter/diving supervisor and his brother Elliot is a doctor who works for the CDC. Elliot has just gone through a divorce and bought a boat to try to relax. Max is using his off time from work to teach Elliot how to sail. They are staying in the cabin next door to Chloe and Jess.

Max has successfully sworn off women for the last nine months, and Chloe is trying to get over the devistation and humiliation thrust upon her by her ex-fiancee's actions. Max doesn't know that Chloe is the infamous Bridezilla - he's been treasure hunting the last several weeks. Their flirting together is engaging and sweet; I really like them as a couple. Max has a secret that he ends up sharing with Chloe early on, and she "gets" him. She sees through his facade to the great guy underneath.

She shifted and tried to cross her arms, but the fishing rod and life vest interfered, so she just edged away from him. "So...you're sending mixed signals here. Flirting with me and then telling me you're celibate."

"But I'm going to have sex with you," he insisted, just before the roar in his ears warned him that this was getting very bad, very fast. His pulse pounded, pushing a headache to life behind his eyes.

"Really?" Chloe drawled

"Oh, Jesus."

"Am I going to like it?"

He ran a hand through his hair, aware of the drop of sweat snaking down his neck. "I meant that I really wanted to, even though I told myself it was a bad idea, and I couldn't stop thinking about you and that red bikini. And your eyes!" he added belatedly. "And you're such a normal girl. You're not glamorous or....Um."

"I'm starting to believe you really aren't a player, because this is the worst seduction ever."

Max is constantly putting his foot in his mouth around Chloe and it's very sweet. He did have one very big personality issue that was part of the storyline, and I must admit I found myself wondering several times why he didn't just seek out help for it, as it was affecting his life. Once Max did find out who Chloe was, the story got a bit darker. The attraction was still there but now each of their issues are getting in the way and muddying the waters, so to speak.

And guess what, folks - this book is a 2-fer!!! Not only do we get Chloe and Max's story, we also get Jess and Elliot's story: *cha-ching!*. Jess and Elliot are attracted to each other, but between Elliot's divorce and the dysfunctional example set by Jess' parents, their story is much more delicate and tentative and is left a bit open-ended. Maybe a second book in the series?

The "runaway groom" storyline kept me me saying "No!...Yes?...No way!...Maybe?" I found I kept this part of the story running through the back of my mind while I was reading and I was constantly flipping back and forth between possible scenarios.

Ms. Dahl writes characters that are endearing and easy to root for. I really enjoyed this book and gobbled it up in a day. I give Crazy for Love 4 stars!

Crazy for Love is available for purchase July 1, 2010.


This book was provided to me by NetGalley free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta and my attempt to be an Aussie for a day!

Saving Francesca is a book I normally would not have looked at twice - a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl whose mother is acutely depressed. Neither of those subjects is really my *thing*. But, I remembered when I went to Maggie Stiefvater's book signing that she mentioned that it was one of her favorite YA books (here's a great review she did over at YA Reads).

Then, Danielle sent me her copy, and I put it on my TBR shelf. And it stayed there - mocking me. I was afraid I wasn't going to like it as much as she did. As usual, I was wrong and she was right (well, not about the vegemite; more on that later :D) - I loved this book. I tore through it in an afternoon.

_________________________________

From the back cover:

LIMITATION PLACERS IN FRANCESCA'S LIFE
St. Sebastian's: Pretends it's a coed school by giving the girls their own toilet.
The Psycho Girls: The only female companions to be found at st. Sebastian's: Tara Finke, ultra-feminist; Siobhan Sullivan, former "Slut of St. Stella's Academy"; and Justine Kalinsky, impossibly dorky accordion player.
The Sebastian Boys: Thomas Mackee, specializes in musical burping, probably dropped on his head a few times as a baby; Will Trombal, Perpetually frowning, smug moron with no personality; now, if only Francesca could stop daydreaming about him...
MIA: The Queen of the Limitation Placers - Francesca's vivacious mother. Thinks she knows what's best for Francesca and makes her attend the hateful all-boys school - until the day she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is.


My Thoughts:

Did I mention I loved this book? 'Cause I did. It was touching, sad, funny, angsty, and an all-around excellent read. As the story opens, Francesca sort of defines herself as the opposite of her mother. You see how she has opinions but doesn't act on them, giving off a sort of non-commital, disinterested vibe, when really what she's been doing is sort of "squashing" her personality as she fights becoming her mother.

Suddenly, one morning her mother doesn't get out of bed. And again the next day, and the next. As her mother goes through her illness, Francesca is forced to look into herself and figure out who she is; defining herself as more than "not my mother".

Ms. Marchetta created characters that grew on me as the story progressed - the boys who started off as aloof, obnoxious and crude but by the end of the book as were a wonderful support system (and still crude and funny). Francesca's views of and interactions with her female friends was a bit off-putting at first, but those interactions were also part of her journey to find herself. Some of the adults in the story were awful enough to be borderline moronic, like the "aunt" who suggested Francesca's father might start to look elsewhere if her mother's illness continued, but I know, sadly, that those kinds of people do exist out here in the real world. Francesca's relationship with her father was complex and frustrating, but in the end, loving.

This was another book that made me laugh and cry. The writing was excellent - I connected with Francesca, and also, maybe a bit scarily, with her mother (although, I think that once you get to a certain age maybe that's not so surprising). I definitely want to read the next book, The Piper's Son, which is about Francesca's friend Thomas.

If you hadn't figured it out by now, I give Saving Francesca 5/5 stars!

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When Danielle sent this book, she also sent a cute little koala bear and a tube of Vegemite. Now, the only thing I know about Vegemite is that Men at Work sing about it. So, I decided that since I was reading a this book sent to me by an Australian friend and written by an Australian author this would be a good day to try the Vegemite. I also had a package of TimTams (thanks Limecello) that I ate after I finished the book, so I was feeling very Australian today. :) (trying to remember if I used my Aussie shampoo this morning...) Back to the Vegemite...it was not what I expected (although I really don't know what I was expecting), it was very strong and tasted like beef bullion. Is this really a breakfast food? I would think it would be more suited to lunch. It was fun to try though (the whole family gave it a go and had about the same reaction as I did :O).

Thank you Danielle for the excellent read and the chance to sample Vegemite since I've always wondered exactly what it was (Holy cow - I just realized that song is almost 30 years old!!!). And don't worry about the koala - he's keeping my Edward Cullen doll company on my keeper shelf :)

Torn over whether to let my son read JR Ward

So, back in October, my son surprised me by asking if he could read Dark Lover. Apparently his girlfriend recommended it. I automatically said no.

But now I'm rethinking my position. He's going to be 17 next month. He watches R-rated movies that are full of sex and violence. He's read the Sookie Stackhouse books, which I was hesitant about at first (thank you Shower Scene in Book 4), but we didn't let him watch True Blood until this season.

I'd like to think we've raised him right so far, and I remind him A LOT that the relationships he sees on TV and the movies are not necessarily true-to-life and I expect him to respect women and not view them as sex objects.

And, from what I read in the blogosphere, many of you started reading romance in your teens (I only started less than two years ago), so am I pulling a double-standard because he 's a boy? I know it sounds weird, but I don't want him to view Dark Lover as a sex manual, if that makes sense.

I know there was some sort of kerfluffle recently about a teen reviewing an erotic book for a site, but I think that was mainly over the fact that he wasn't presented as a teen when he did the review? Or that it wasn't his parents that gave him the book?

I've decided to let him read it, but I'm curious about what other romance readers think or what you've done if your teen expresses interest in reading romance. And, is it different because he's a boy, or is it just different because for me it's not a hypothetical kid?

Review and Giveaway: Fortunate Harbor by Emilie Richards

Fortunate Harbor is the 2nd book in the Happiness Key series (the first book is Happiness Key). I don't usually like to start a series by skipping books, but I had no problems at all following the characters and events in this book.

There are several storylines going on in this book, and for the most part I enjoyed them.
The four main female characters in this series are: Tracy Deloche - a former "trophy wife" who's ex husband is in prison for real estate scams, she owns the five cottages on Happiness Key; Wanda Gray - a waitress who's married to a cop; Alice Brooks - a grandmother caring for her granddaughter, Olivia; and Janya Kapur - a newlywed who's mother frequently reminds her she wants grandchildren.

Tracy's ex-husband is out of jail and working his way back into her life; he claims he's turned over a new leaf and wants to make sure she's okay. Then, her boyfriend's ex-wife is getting in between Tracy and the boyfriend. Her job is getting stressful and she's having a hard time with her weight.

Wanda is let go from her job because she doesn't fit the "new, young look" the new restaurant owners are going for. She's well-known for her pies, and decides to start a pie shop but the bakery down the street is sabotaging her.

Janya and her husband, Rishi, have decided to start a family but so far haven't succeeded. Rishi starts staying late at work and their sex life is nonexistent, and Janya doesn't know why.

One of Wanda's co-workers, Dana Turner, has been living on the run, going from place to place and job to job with her almost-teenage daughter, Lizzie. Since they have a vacant rental cottage, the ladies invite Dana and Lizzie over for dinner and Tracy ends up offering to rent them the small cottage. Dana is very mistrustful of strangers and the other ladies want to find out why.

My Thoughts:
I have mixed feelings about this book.

I found Rishi's story a bit unbelievable, but at the same time I like how Janya grew from a timid wallflower to a stronger personality.

I also thought Dana's story was a bit far-fetched, but it definitely pulled at the heartstrings and I like how it all worked out.

Here's my real issue with this book: I think this is the part of the review wherein I disclose that I am a plus-sized woman, just so that's all up front. Throughout the book, various people tease Tracy about her weight, and you get the impression that she's carrying around a few extra pounds. One of the side stories involved weight loss, and Tracy's nutritionist told her she should lose 10-15 pounds. Just a few pages later, we learn *poor* Tracy has *ballooned* from a size 3 to a size 5!!! Really? A size 5? And we're supposed to sympathise with her? A size 5 is not even grown-up sizes, that's junior clothes. I was very unhappy with this part of the storyline. She's a size 5 and a 10-15 lb weight loss would be healthy? How tall is she, 4'3"?

Other than the weight thing, it was an enjoyable story. I enjoyed the mystery and getting to know the ladies. Even though they were from different backgrounds they were good friends and supported each other. I wish women in real life had these kinds of supportive friendships. I'd be interested to go back and read Happiness Key to see how they all met and read their previous adventures together.

I give Fortunate Harbor 3.5/5 stars.

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Giveaway:
Thanks to Alexandra at Planned Television Arts I have an ARC of Fortunate Harbor to give away. Leave a comment telling me you'd like to read this book - ends July 5. Must be a follower, US only.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Hey Chicago!

I can't really complain, as we've had some great authors come to the New Orleans area lately, but I must confess to a little of the green-eyed monster towards you Chicagoans ----> Rachel Vincent will be there June 25, 26, & 27th! If you miss her at one location you may be able to catch her at another locale :)

She'll be there with Carla Neggers, Gina Showalter, Susan Mallory, and Emilie Richards - what a fabulous group of authors! Here's the schedule:

I wonder how long it would take to drive from New Orleans to Chicago? I'd have to be back at work on Monday....that sounds like another speeding ticket waiting to happen. Oh, well.

Blogiversary Day 5: Giveaway - SIGNED copy of Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

About a month ago, I had the great fortune to send my kids off to Houston for a weekend with my parents. The first night they were gone, Sherrilyn Kenyon was in New Orleans for a book signing, so I was able to go! She was so, so sweet, and I love that she loves New Orleans! I am a big Dark Hunter/Were Hunter fan, and although I confess I haven't read this book YET, I am planning to do so soon. While I was at the book signing I picked up an extra copy of Infinity and had her sign it for my Blogiversary celebration!

From the author's site:
At 14, Nick Gautier is an average kid who runs with the wrong crowd. But on the night he decides to go straight and refuses to mug an innocent tourist, his crew turns on him and just as he thinks his life is over... a new one begins.

Kyrian of Thrace isn't just a vampire slayer, he's a Dark-Hunter and he introduces Nick to a world that he never imagined.

With new enemies who make his old ones look like wimps, Nick must either measure up or get sized for a body bag. It's kill or be killed and this kid who was born on the wrong side finds a strength inside him that he never knew existed.

Now if he can only find someone to help battle the demons that don't reside inside him.

**Note to Dark-Hunter fans
The Chronicles of Nick *is* Nick’s real and true past. There is a huge surprise (several actually) in the book that I don’t want to spoil, but when you read the book, everything you think is an inconsistency will make perfect sense to you. More than that, you will understand exactly why Nick is the way he is and why he continues to hate Acheron the way he does. But you have to be patient. All will be clear on May 25, 2010.

Nick’s series will run until it intersects with Night Pleasures and then Nick will have his own novel in the Dark-Hunter world.

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Want to win a SIGNED copy of Infinity?

Here's the deets:
Open to all but you MUST follow this blog.

Answer this question: If you were a vampire, what city would you chose to live in and why?

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Ends July 2 at midnight central time.