Review: Fiery Girls

I’ve been reading Heather Wardell’s novels for a long, long time. And even though I adore everything she writes, Fiery Girls still sat on my TBR for an embarrassingly long time. It was released in March 2021 and I only got around to reading it in June 2022 (and, you know, am reviewing it now because of schoolwork!). Oops! This was Wardell’s first historical fiction. It was a solid effort and was one I enjoyed reading.

Here's the book’s description:

Two young immigrant women. One historic strike. And the fire that changed America.
In 1909, shy sixteen-year-old Rosie Lehrer is sent to New York City to earn money for her family’s emigration from Russia. She will, but she also longs to make her mark on the world before her parents arrive and marry her to a suitable Jewish man. Could she somehow become one of the passionate and articulate “fiery girls” of her garment workers’ union?
Maria Cirrito, spoiled and confident at sixteen, lands at Ellis Island a few weeks later. She’s supposed to spend four years earning American wages then return home to Italy with her new-found wealth to make her family’s lives better. But the boy she loves has promised, with only a little coaxing, to follow her to America and marry her. So she plans to stay forever. With him.
Rosie and Maria meet and become friends during the “Uprising of the 20,000” garment workers’ strike, and they’re working together at the Triangle Waist Company on March 25, 1911 when a discarded cigarette sets the factory ablaze. 146 people die that day, and even those who survive will be changed forever.

While I did really enjoy this story, and had it read quickly because I was so invested, it had some flaws. I struggled with the dual narration and, to some extent, the characters themselves. Something about the two girls just never full clicked for me. Did I have issues with my own contemporary views being pushed onto historical characters? Maybe. Would it have been better if it was only told from one perspective? Perhaps. Having two different immigrant experiences was interesting from a historical point of view but for the storyline and plot? Not sure. (How many more questions can I ask and answer myself? Let's see!)

The historical event the novel explores is not a happy one. It was actually really tough to read the chapters on the fire, as well as the time immediately leading up to it and the aftermath. Wardell doesn’t pull any punches and it’s a gut wrenching, emotional experience reading as the factory caught fire. As hard as it was to read, I’m glad to have learned more about the fire and the circumstances leading up to it, like the unions and fight for rights.

From a historical fiction perspective (and you all know I love me some historical fiction), Fiery Girls is a major winner. It explores a main topic (the Triangle Waist Company fire) I didn’t know anything about as well as giving me more background on some side topics I was only somewhat familiar with (immigration, working conditions, women’s rights). Heather Wardell remains a favourite of mine and I’m looking forward to what she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Menopause Support Group

It's been a couple of years since I've read one of Heather Wardell's novels which is so unreal to me as I had been devouring her novels ever since I came across her books way back in 2011. Her first book, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo (review here), set me on a path that has now seen me read eleven of her novels. Plus, I've met Heather a number of times now and she is a wonderful human. Her latest novel is The Menopause Support Group and it's reminded me why I love Wardell's novels and why I've pushed her titles on almost everyone I know.

Here's the synopsis:

Three women, one menopause support group, and a whole lot of hot flashes.

Emily's perfect plan for becoming a mommy in her twenties has just been shattered by a cancer-removing hysterectomy, and her anger is all-consuming.

Michelle's been laser-focused on getting a promotion... until early menopause (at thirty-nine??) hit her hard last year. Now that she can't have a baby, she's obsessed with them. And also with getting that promotion.

Sixty-four-years-young Brenda takes care of everyone, whether they want her to or not. She's actually finished with menopause, but she's faking symptoms so she won't lose the group and the opportunities for "helping" others it provides.

The three of them and their fellow group members work through career crises, marriage disasters, and the world's worst birthday celebration as they learn together what it means to be a woman in menopause and beyond.

When a novel is told in multiple perspectives, it's inevitable you're going to feel more drawn to one character over the other(s). For me, I was more into Michelle's story. It doesn't mean Emily and Brenda's stories were any less interesting, it was just Michelle that I wanted to get back to every time the perspective switched.

Speaking of perspective, each chapter changes character and each is told in first person. It was a bit jarring at first because you're essentially bopping from brain to brain and the three women were so different. But after awhile, I didn't even notice because I was so into the story. 

The whole menopause storyline was interesting to me. I'm in my early 30s and no longer live at home or near family so no one's around to really give me any insight into what's to come in a couple of decades. It's not something I've been researching (I'm still very fixed on the whole not having a baby thing) so to read a novel with three very different women experiencing menopause? I really liked it. It's also an example of how reading can make you much more empathetic and allow you to "experience" different things.

This is very much a story where the characters are going on an emotional journey. Michelle, Emily, and Brenda are dealing with a lot of serious issues - and not just the menopause. Michelle is in a very sexist work environment and fighting like hell for a promotion she deserves. Emily has wanted children her entire life and now she has to completely reevaluate her life. And Brenda has become stuck in her life and hasn't realized how she's changed and how overbearing she's become. This means that none of them are at a good spot when we first meet them and their personalities and decisions may grate on the reader ever so slightly. But I think that's just because you know there's a good person under there and you already know you want to be rooting for them to figure out a better path forward out of this hellish spot they find themselves in. It's a really uplifting story as you read as the women grow and, seemingly against all odds, become friends.

While The Menopause Support Group is technically part of Heather Wardell's Toronto series, you can read it as a standalone. They all exist in the same universe so you'll find Easter Eggs that relate back to other stories - I especially liked that Steel restaurant popped up. Wardell tells the most interesting and wonderful stories that are full of heart and I definitely think you should read this one - and all of her others.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Read Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

I've read a lot of books in my life. That means I've read quite a few books from the same author. I've only been keeping track on Goodreads for the past few years though so I'm not sure how accurate this week's list actually is. It was actually quite a surprise to see which authors I've read the most from!

Janet Evanovich 

34+ 

My first response to this was "Seriously?!?" Never would have guessed she was my top read author. I've read 21 of her Stephanie Plum books (I've decided I'm not going to read another until the series is done...I'm so bored with it!), maybe 3 of the Between the Numbers books, I think all 6 of the Full series, 1 of the Lizzy & Diesel series (or was it 2?), 3 of the Fox and O'Hare series (ooh, there's a fourth one coming!). and a handful of others. Holy crapola.

Meg Cabot

20?

I've probably read at least 6 Princess Diaries books (I'm going to work on a reread since I want to be totally up to date by the time I get to the latest, Royal Wedding, which I got at BEA.), both All-American Girl books, most of the Vanished/1-800-Where-R-You series, most of the Mediator series, maybe 3 of her teen standalone books, both of the Insatiable books, the 3 Queen of Babble books, and I think just 2 of the Boy series.

Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham 

15 or 16 

I've read the Shopaholic books and all of her standalones but I actually can't remember how many of the Madeline Wickham books I've read and since they're the same person I decided to combine them.

Joanne Fluke 

16

I was surprised by this one, too! Her Hannah Swensen series is a lot of fun. My sister has most of them so I've been able to read all of her copies!

Sarah Dessen 

12

I've read every single one of her books and will read every single other book she publishes.

Nora Roberts 

10

She's my go-to when I need a good, sweet, and entertaining romance! 10 sounds like a lot but she's written approximately a bazillion.

Heather Wardell 

10

I freaking  love Heather and her books. I'm actually a little glad that I'm behind on her books - she has 17 published right now - because it means I have so many more to catch up on. And she's a speedy writer so there will be 18, 19, 20 soon enough!

Laura Ingalls Wilder 

9

I adored the Little House books when I was a kid! I'm looking forward to rereading them soon.

J.K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith

9

I haven't read the entirety of Rowling's other Potter books (Fantastic Beasts, etc.) so I'm not counting them. But the 7 Potter books add up, plus I've read both of the books she's written as Galbraith (can't wait for the next one).

Emily Giffin 

8

And I actually own all of them, too! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Trying to come up with ten favourite authors is quite the daunting task, let me tell you. I had to include two sub-categories because, let's face it, it's pretty much impossible to come up with just ten. My process was to list the ones that came to me right off the top of my head and then went through my five star rated books on Goodreads. I also kind of love that every single author, all thirteen of them, are women. Sure, I've read some amazing books by male authors but there aren't any that are on my autobuy list (though Kevin Kwan comes close...I cannot wait until China Rich Girlfriend is released). It's also no surprise that many of the authors on this list are ones that I've met. Though, on the flip side, there's one author who I used to list on my favourites but I no longer will since I saw her in person. (Any guesses?) I'm sure I'm missing a few but these authors are always recommended and dearly loved. Who are your favourite authors? Which ones are on your autobuy list?

My Favourite Ladies
Sarah Dessen
No one should be surprised that Dessen tops my list. She is an amazing writer, I've loved her since I was in my teens, and she's just an absolute sweetheart. I'm counting down the days until Saint Anything is released!! Definitely an autobuy author.

Rainbow Rowell
I've loved both Rowell's adult and young adult books, which is important, but I also found her to be amazing in person when I met her a few years ago.

Jennifer Weiner
I've been reading Weiner for years and have always found her books smart and engaging. Meeting her last year cemented my love for her because she is one amazing woman.

Heather Wardell
Heather was one of the first indie authors I read and now, many years later, I consider her a friend. (Hopefully that's not presumptuous...) Not only does she write amazing novels but she is also great at connecting with her readers.

Meredith Schorr
I've loved all of Meredith's books and she's another author who I like to consider a friend (she's offered to make sure I don't get lost in NYC when I'm there for BEA next month...that's a friend!) She also wins a ton of points for writing an awesome book about a chick lit blogger, appropriately called Blogger Girl, that is one of my all time favourites.

K.A. Tucker
Tucker's stories completely suck me in. They have interesting characters who you're immediately invested in. Plus, when I met her at a signing last year she saw my name and knew what my Twitter and Instagram was (it helps that my name is so unique!). She's definitely my favourite New Adult author.

Gayle Forman
I first read Just One Day and Just One Year and fell in love with Forman's writing. The love sort of lessened when I read If I Stay and Where She Went. I just didn't connect with that story. I decided to try her latest, I Was Here, and fell in love all over again. I also met her at the Toronto International Book Fair last year and she was really nice!

Catherine McKenzie
McKenzie is on my autobuy list as well. She's written so many amazing novels, though Arranged is by far my favourite. I haven't met her yet but I'd absolutely love to.

Beth Kendrick
I fell in love with Kendrick's books when I read Second Time Around and have thoroughly enjoyed all of the others of hers that I've read. Happily, I still have a few from her backlist still to read to tide me over until she releases a new one.

Stephanie Perkins
I freaking love Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and Isla and the Happily Ever After. Plus, the book of short holiday stories she edited, My True Love Gave to Me, was absolutely amazing (plus it featured authors like Rowell and Forman). I like that Perkins seems so real and awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Dearly Departed Authors
Lucy Maud Montgomery
I've been rereading the Anne of Green Gables series and I'm remembering how much I loved them when I was younger. The books and writing are just so delightful!

Jane Austen
I admit that it can sometimes be difficult to read Austen but her stories are intelligent and entertaining...she's a lot funnier than a lot of people give her credit for.

The Ultimate Queen of Authors
J.K. Rowling
Do I really need to explain this one? Harry Potter is my all time favourite and Rowling herself is one awesome lady.

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favourite Chick Lit

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

I'm a chick lit fan. I have been for years and I have no problem using the term. But, in the interest of being inclusive (who says dudes can't read chick lit?) I've considered using the term rom-com more often. After all, chick flicks are now marketed as romantic comedies. And the romance plus the comedy is exactly why I love these kinds of books. I've read a lot of them over the years so narrowing my favourites list down to ten was a HUGE challenge. Most of the books are on the funnier side but there are a few that might be considered more women's fiction. Either way, they're my favourites! Hopefully I've shared some new titles with you and that you'll give this genre a chance, if you haven't already! What's your favourite genre?

Blogger Girl - Meredith Schorr (review)

I will tell every single chick lit fan that they must read this book. I love love love it. Partially because it's about a chick lit book blogger but also because it's just an amazing book. I also love Meredith's first novel, Just Friends with Benefits. 

Go Small or Go Home - Heather Wardell (review)

Really, this could be every Heather Wardell book. I adore them all. And I doubly adore that she's Canadian and her books are set in Toronto. If you want to check them out, her first, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo is free on all ebook outlets! (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Kobo, Nook). Read it!

Arranged – Catherine McKenzie (review)

Once again, I love every single one of Catherine's books but Arranged is my favourite. It's so clever and all around awesome.

Second Time Around – Beth Kendrick (review)

This story starts out kind of heavy but it's a really great book. I loved it (and Nearlyweds) so much that I've bought every single one of Kendrick's books published since then (there are three, with a fourth coming out soon). 

Love the One You're With – Emily Giffin

It seems like Giffin fans are pretty split on their favourite book but I love this one. I also really liked her last one, Where We Belong (review), and have high hopes for her upcoming book, The One and Only. Can't wait to get to my ARC! 

Breaking the Rules - Cat Lavoie (review)

The thing I love about Cat's debut novel is that it takes a typical chick lit story (boy and girl friends realize they have romantic feelings for each other) and takes it in a completely unexpected direction. Her second novel, Zoey and the Moment of Zen is just as awesome.

Winter Wonderland – Belinda Jones (review)

The setting of this novel plays a huge part in why I love it so much. It's set during Quebec's Carnival. I've never been but it's on my list of things to do...eventually. It's also a really fun story featuring a travel writer (one of my favourite types of characters to read about). 

Sugar Spun Sister - Anna Garner (review)

I love all of Anna's books (which include the ones she writes under Libby Mercer) because she writes some of the best characters. I always want to be friends with them. I chose to feature this one because it takes the typical sweet shop story and switches it up. The friends in this series own an ice cream shop! What's not to love?

Finding Lucas - Samantha Stroh Bailey (review)

This book puts the comedy in romantic comedy. I couldn't believe some of the things the characters get up to and it was so much fun to read. I can't wait for Sam's next book!

The Runaway Princess – Hester Browne (review)

I call this book The Princess Diaries for grown-ups. The story is a little different but it has the same feel of the Princess books and movies. I was so incredibly and pleasantly surprised when I read this book and think all chick lit and princess lovers should read it. 

Favourites with Heather Wardell

I started this "favourites" feature because I wanted a way for readers to get to know the authors attending BookBuzz Toronto, an event I'm helping with. I hope you enjoy learning a little more about these amazing women and I hope you can attend the event! Learn more about BookBuzz Toronto here.

First up is author Heather Wardell. She's the author of thirteen novels, twelve of which are included in her Toronto series. You can download her first novel, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, for free! (And you should...it's excellent!)

About Heather... 

Growing up, I was an avid (rabid?) reader. I am a natural speed reader, regularly clocked at about 1200 wpm (I read Harry Potter 5 in just under three hours), and always have several books on the go, nearly all in e-book form on my Kindle.

I have always made up stories in my head, but never considered becoming a writer. Instead, I intended to be a high school music teacher. I was sidetracked by my enjoyment of my psychology courses in university, and ended up with a psychology degree with a concentration in computer science.

This took me to a major Canadian bank as a software developer. I stayed there for just over four years, and then went back to school to become an elementary school teacher. After four years teaching elementary school computer science, I took up the National Novel Writing Month challenge and attempted to write a novel in a month.

I succeeded, and the first draft of "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" was the result. I realized I love writing. I left teaching, and I haven't looked back since!

In my non-writing time, I read, run, swim, crochet, take care of my 55 gallon aquarium and my cat Trinity, and play drums and clarinet. Generally not all at once.

Favourites...

Movie - Hot Fuzz (brilliantly filmed, a great story, and hilarious)

Chick flick - Bridget Jones's Diary

Alcoholic beverage - pina colada

Warm beverage - whole-milk latte (just espresso and milk - delicious!)

Junk food - dark chocolate, the darker the better

Dessert - 'hof dessert' (not sure of spelling!) - this was apparently the favorite of some Danish king and my half-Danish mother serves it every year at Christmas - baked meringues topped with whipped cream and melted chocolate. SO GOOD. Insanely rich. Wouldn't be Christmas without it.

Store - Chapters-Indigo (or Barnes and Noble when I'm in the States)

Travel destination - New York City, specifically Manhattan - there's an energy there I feel nowhere else! I spent a month there in 2012 and two weeks in 2013 and I would move there in a heartbeat.

Ice cream flavour - mint chocolate chip

Author - Marian Keyes

Song - Jason Aldean's "Only Way I Know" - such a great "head down and get 'er done" message, plus I love singing along and copying his country twang

Band - Meat Loaf - I love his over-the-top energy and the way he does his own thing

Animal - given that my first book is "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" and every book since has included the words 'polar bear' at least once, I'd have to say... squirrel. (Blogger note: This totally cracked me up! Heather, you are too funny!)

Book boyfriend - the guy (whose name I've forgotten!) from Sophie Kinsella's "Remember Me". Such a great book and such a sweet guy!

Connect with Heather...

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Review: Finding My Happy Pace

I've mentioned several times on the blog that I'm a huge fan of Heather Wardell. I've loved every single one of her books and Finding My Happy Pace was no exception. I've been trying to catch up on her novels but she's just such a fast writer and I have a bazillion other books to read so I'm still behind. I've also gotten myself out of order! She has a Toronto Series that's not really a true series but some of her previous characters appear or are mentioned in subsequent books. Since I've already read the next book in the series, I'm now only behind by three books. Not bad!

Here's the synopsis of Finding My Happy Pace:

If thirty-year-old Megan were any more of a doormat, she'd have footprints on her back. She helps anyone and everyone, no matter the cost to herself, and she's always been that way. Even the thought of withholding her assistance makes her feel sick. Worse, it makes her feel like she's a bad person, selfish and unkind. She takes up running purely to avoid gaining weight, but as she trains with her cute but heartbroken coach Andrew she becomes more able to do things she'd never thought she could, both physically and emotionally. The day before she runs her first marathon, though, her best friend's demands result in the biggest challenge yet to her developing assertiveness and Megan must decide: cave in as she always has before or stick to her new-found 'happy pace' in running and life.

Usually I give Heather's books a five star rating on Goodreads because I adore them so much. This time, though, I couldn't quite justify it. I loved the story but I hated how much of a doormat Megan was. Because of that annoyance I couldn't quite love it as much as I'd like. It was tough because I really did like Megan and she's a great person and character but reading about how she constantly gave into her so-called BFF and her mother was frustrating. Oh, and speaking of her mother...the family dynamics in this one drove me up the wall. Though it's a testament to Heather's writing that I felt as frustrated as I did. Sure, I was constantly yelling at Megan to stand up for herself but I could also see exactly why it was so difficult.

I'm so happy that Andrew featured prominently in this novel. He was in Planning to Live (funnily enough, the only other book of Heather's that I gave four stars to. You can read my review here) and I always wondered what he got up to afterwards. It was great to see that he was trying to move on with his life and was open to, well, opening up to someone else. It's hard to say too much without giving away the ending of Planning to Live! He's a great guy, though, and I'm really happy he and Megan were able to connect.

I really liked the marathon/running aspect of this novel. I always think that Heather has really interesting and unique ideas and activities for her main characters. Training for a marathon isn't a very unique thing, you're right, but I don't think I've personally read any novels about it before. It was interesting and made me think about my running obsessed friend, Heidi. We all tease her but I'm also so incredibly proud of her for being so dedicated and running so many races. This line made me think of her and made me giggle:

Once again, Heather Wardell delivers a winner with Finding My Happy Pace. It's not my favourite of hers but I think everyone would enjoy it. I can't wait to move onto her next one! Hopefully I'll be all caught up by the end of the year!

Happy reading :)

A Bunch of Mini Reviews

Welcome to my first batch of mini reviews! My friend Natalie over at Browsing Bookshelves does a version of this called Ten Second Reviews and I've "stolen" her idea. I have so many reviews I wanted to write so I could acknowledge the books I read but I lacked a lot of time to do full reviews. I hope you enjoy them!

The Second Assistant - Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
This was one of those early chick lit novels (it was released in 2004) that I had been meaning to read for years but just never got around to it. I saw it at my local library and decided to give it a shot. The novel follows Lizzie as she leaves her political job behind and moves to Hollywood to work as a second assistant to an agent. I found it to be a cross between Lauren Weisberger's novels The Devil Wears Prada (full disclosure: I have yet to read the book but I do love the movie) and Everyone Worth Knowing. I had to keep reminding myself to stop comparing it to her books because just because I read/watched those first doesn't mean that this one wasn't as good. This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger so I really need to get back to the library to get The First Assistant. I had fun reading The Second Assistant and think other chick lit lovers would enjoy this one too.

Best Friends Forever - Jennifer Weiner
I love Jennifer Weiner so when I was looking for an audiobook (my very first audiobook!) for a road trip to Ottawa I was happy to find Best Friends Forever on my library's shelf. My drive was about six hours each way so I wanted to make sure I got a book I knew I'd like and one that would be long enough to last for the majority of my drive. Well. I have a bone to pick with my library. I knew to check to see if it was abridged or not, I'm not totally new. However, the part of the jacket/case that said it was abridged was cut off and I didn't realize it was adapted for audio until it was finished. And I still had four hours of driving ahead of me. Le sigh. Anyway. That's not really the point. The point is that this was a great read, er, listen. It had a serious plot (check out the Goodreads page to get an in depth synopsis) that discussed weight issues, assault, friendships, mental illness, and infidelity. I was invested in the characters, especially Addie, and wanted everything to work out for them. Apparently I really wanted to read this one because I discovered a hard copy on my shelf a week later that I bought at a book sale last year. *Facepalm* Final verdict of this novel: read it. It was a good one.

A Life That Fits - Heather Wardell
I also love Heather Wardell. I have read eight of her twelve novels and I have loved every single one of them. I've put this book in my mini review pile because I'm running out of ways to gush about her books but still wanted to acknowledge this great novel. Alex was an interesting character and one that I enjoyed learning about. I was invested in her attempt to change her life after her boyfriend of fourteen years walks out on her. Romance is never the main focus of Wardell's novels but almost always plays a large role. The romance in this one is probably one of my favourites. It was both sweet and steamy and I was rooting for the couple. One of the things I love about Wardell's novels are the cameos that pop up in each one. I've been bopping around her list so I hadn't realized that I should have already known some of the characters in All At Sea, which I read last October. If you haven't yet tried Wardell's novels I cannot recommend them enough. They're all just so amazing and well written stories. Bonus: her first, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo is free at all ebook retailers (check out Kobo, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.com). You can't lose. Trust me!

Mini Review: Live Out Loud

Once again, Heather Wardell has given me a fabulous read! Live Out Loud was a great, thought provoking, and emotional novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here's the synopsis:

Amy's a hobbyist songwriter with big dreams, but not the usual 'making it as a musician' kind. No, Amy wants to honor her late best friend by finally starting the support center for teenage girls they'd dreamed of when they were just girls themselves. She doesn't know where to start, but when one of her songs becomes an overnight internet sensation she sees a quick path to the money she'll need to make the center a reality.
As white-hot pop sensation Misty Will, Amy finds a whole new world opening to her and realizes she loves being on stage holding an audience spellbound. She also loves how her young fans look up to her and draw strength from her songs, but of course they don't know the awful thing she did after her friend died and how badly she could have used a support center herself. She knows, though, and also knows that she simply has to leave her new pop princess identity behind and become Amy the center director as she's dreamed of for eight years.
Doesn't she?

This is the sixth book in Heather's Toronto Series and I really like that this series isn't a typical one. All the books take place in Toronto (or with characters from the city who happen to be on vacation) but the main characters change in each book. What's fun is that sometimes characters from previous novels make brief appearances in following books. For example, the main couple from Stir Until Thoroughly Confused (Mary and Kegan, who I loved) show up Live Out Loud. I was annoyed at myself because I accidentally read this one before book five, A Life That Fits (I think I got confused by the Ls and the fact that I didn't have the list in front of me when I started this one on my Kobo). It doesn't really matter in the long run, but I didn't know if any characters from book five showed up in book six.

This is more of an observation than anything else, but when I was reading this novel, I was sort of picturing Amy as similar to Katy Perry. Perry is also pop-y and appeals to young girls but has a bit of a serious side as well, just as Amy does. Of course, the bright coloured wigs and costumes Amy-as-Misty wears further set the comparison in my head!

Like all of Wardell's novels, Live Out Loud was a balance of sweet and fun, and serious and inspirational. Amy had some tough decisions to make throughout this novel - Who should she sign with? Should she stay with her boyfriend? Should she keep being Misty? I saw this novel as a "follow your heart" kind of story and I really enjoyed it. If you still haven't picked up any of Heather Wardell's books (even after me bugging you to every time I review one of her novels), get to it. She's a great writer who always tells a wonderful story and I can't wait to dive into her next book.

PS In case you're wondering about all the mini reviews you've been seeing (and may continue to see...) - I'm way behind on reviews due to a lack of downtime for writing since I started my internship. I'm getting a TON of reading done on my commute but the reviewing part has fallen by the wayside. I'm hoping to get my act together soon so expect some more reviews in the next little while!

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Authors in X Genre

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

This week we're all listing our favourite authors in a particular genre. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I picked chick lit. I love those kinds of fun, sweet, and sometimes serious, books. I don't often do these lists in order of favourite but this week I started writing down the chick lit authors that came to to mind and this is how they appeared. There are also MANY more that I'd love to list. I probably should have listed more of my indie faves but consider this a list of authors to choose if you're just getting into chick lit. :)

Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating in this week's rewind!

1. Emily Giffin

2. Sophie Kinsella

3. Carole Matthews

4. Jennifer Weiner

5. Heather Wardell

6. Cecelia Ahern

7. Beth Kendrick

8. Talli Roland

9. Meg Cabot

10. Sheila O'Flanagan

What genre is your favourite? Who are your favourite authors?

Happy reading :)

Just Finished: All At Sea

It should come to no surprise to regular readers of this blog that I love Heather Wardell and all of her novels.  I was more than happy to agree to review her latest, All At Sea. As usual, her novel didn't disappoint! I devoured this book in three sittings...er...well, two sittings and one gym workout! It was one of those books that I couldn't wait to finish but I also didn't want it to end. Hallmark of a good story!

Here's the synopsis:

Melissa and Owen met on New Years' Eve and he proposed on Valentine's Day. Now it's March, and they're about to set sail on a two-week Caribbean cruise - and get married on the last day at sea. Though their relationship's moving fast, Melissa's wanted to be married for years and she knows the smart stable Owen is a great catch so she's sure they'll be fine.

At least, she's sure until she meets his brothers on the cruise and discovers she's dated both of them: Austin, the fun-loving flirt whose kisses still haunt her dreams, and Nicholas, the sweet horror movie fan whose lack of ambition upset her in ways she still doesn't understand.

Melissa expected to spend tons of time onboard with her fiancé, but he instead spends nearly his every waking moment in the casino displaying a previously unseen love of gambling. This surprise, and the time she spends with Nicholas and with Austin, makes her question everything she thought she wanted.

Her relationship with Owen was just fine before, but suddenly 'just fine' doesn't seem good enough to keep a marriage alive for a lifetime. Melissa has two weeks to decide: stay with Owen or jump ship.

As per usual, Heather created some exceptional characters. I was so invested in Melissa's story and was so worried about how things would turn out. Would she go through with the wedding? Would she be true to herself? It actually felt like I was going through this right along with her. That is how emotionally involved I was.

I also loved her friends. Wendy and Mark were so funny and so cute together. Wendy knew just what to do for Melissa when she wasn't sure herself and knew she couldn't keep quiet when her best friend was in such turmoil. I also thought that Austin was hilarious. I'm realllly hoping Heather decides to write a book that features him sometime in the near future :) All of the supporting characters really added to my enjoyment of this novel.

What made this book a little more fun for me was being able to recall my own time on a cruise ship. My sister and I went on our very first cruise in February and had a great time. I thought about where the quiet pool was on our ship, as well as the casino (no, we didn't go in there), and the towel animals that were left in our room. I just found that it was nice to have a personal experience with a cruise to help me enjoy the story just a little bit more. Not that you can't enjoy it if you've never been on a cruise! It just heightened the fun of it for me :)

Side note: I love that Heather was able to get the words "polar bear" into a novel that takes place on a cruise ship. She makes sure to slip it in in every one of her books and I love finding it!

Read All At Sea...seriously. It's wonderful. If you really want to get hooked, go back to the beginning of Heather's Toronto Series and read Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo (bonus - you can get it for free for your ereader! Click that link to get it for your Kindle). Characters from one book pop up in another and you'll enjoy the novels more fully if you understand the backstories. Heather has ten novels released now and I've read six of them. I wish I had the time to cuddle up with the remaining four over the Thanksgiving weekend (which, by the way, is this weekend for myself and my fellow Canadian readers). If only life didn't get in the way of reading time... :)

Happy reading and happy Thanksgiving!

O Canada!

Happy Canada Day to all my lovely Canadian readers!

In honour of our country's birth I've decided to do a (very) little round up of some Canadian authors because, as Indigo puts it on their Pinterest board, the world needs more Canada.

Whenever anyone asks me about Canadian literature my first answer is always Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I adore Anne. In fact, I even had an Anne doll when I was growing up...and a picture...and bookmark...and little ceramic container with her straw hat as the lid...and...well, the list could go on and on. If I remember correctly, there was one summer when I was in my very early teens when I decided to read every single Anne book in one summer (that's 8 books in all, by the by). What can I say? The little red headed orphan grabbed me and I loved reading about her. I've seen the movie with Megan Follows numerous times and I've even seen a play. Sadly, I have yet to get to Prince Edward Island to see Green Gables but it's on my unofficial bucket list.

A more current Canadian author I'm absolutely in love with is Catherine McKenzie. She's written three novels so far - Spin, Arranged, and Forgotten (links lead to my reviews). Her books don't necessarily take place in Canada but the fact that she's from this great country (Montreal, to be precise) is pretty fantastic. Her books are now released in the US as well so American readers can now enjoy the awesomeness that are McKenzie's novels.

Through my blogging and challenge participation I've come across two fabulous Canadian chick lit authors - Kathleen Kole and Heather Wardell. My favourite of Kole's is definitely her latest - Favorable Conditions (review is here) and I haven't read a Wardell novel that I haven't liked. I am eagerly awaiting what both wonderful ladies come up with next.

There are so many other Canadian authors out there but I admit that I have not read nearly enough Canadian literature. Perhaps I'll make it a Canada Day Resolution to read more novels by authors from this great country. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Canada Day (or Sunday for those of you who aren't celebrating this particular holiday) filled with reading, sun, and fireworks.

Just Finished: Planning to Live

First off I have to admit that this has been a ridiculously hard post to write. It’s been a work in progress since about a week after I finished Planning to Live back in April. Why was it such a difficult book to review? It’s not because it wasn’t good. I don’t think Heather Wardell is capable of writing a book I don’t like.  It’s because of the ending. I know things can’t be sunshine and roses all the time but I had a hard time dealing with the conclusion of Rhiannon’s story. Do I think you should read it? Absolutely. Do I think others will have a hard time with the ending? Most likely. I’ll keep this review brief but I encourage you to go read it yourself (you can buy it here, here, or here).

Here’s the synopsis:

Determined to lose weight for her best friend's wedding, goal-obsessed Rhiannon flees her parents' Christmas Day feast to avoid overeating but her car skids off the deserted road into a tree. Trapped and bleeding, with her cell phone out of reach, she struggles to escape, and to accept that she's spent her whole life planning but hasn't ever really lived. Will she get the chance to change that?

Through emails back and forth with Heather I learned that many others have struggled with reviewing this book as well. She even told me that she wanted to have the ending be different but couldn’t think of a way to have what we all wanted but still have a good ending. I get it. I really do. But I’m still sad.

I am happy, however, to find out that Andrew will be making an appearance in Heather’s latest, Finding My Happy Pace. I enjoyed what I read of him in this book and look forward to learning more about him.

Rhiannon’s story was  both uplifting and devastating. She struggled with many things – her weight and the death of her fiancé being the main ones – but she never wanted to give up on life. It was interesting to read about her issues and see how the people closest to her tried to help.

I liked how the story was written. Rhiannon would think back to something, there would be a flashback, and then she would reflect on what happened. It was nice to see how she reacted as the event/issue/conversation was happening and also to see how she felt about it later. Well done.

I can’t really say too much else so I’ll just repeat myself – read this book. It was well worth my time and made me think about my own life a little bit too. Planning to Live will find itself among some of my favourites and Heather Wardell is still firmly in place as one of my favourite authors.

Happy reading :)

Armchair BEA: Best of 2012

Design Credit:
Emily's Reading Room

It's Day 2 of Armchair BEA!

Today we're sharing either some of our favourite books so far this year, and/or the books being promoted at BEA that we hope will end up among our favourites for the year. I decided to focus on seven books I've read this year (and not necessarily ones that were published in 2012) that I've really enjoyed. "Why seven?" you ask? Because 5 was too few and 10 was too many. :)

A visual representation of some of my faves!

Blank Slate Kate - Heather Wardell. Published November 2011. Read January 2012. Review.
Heather Wardell never ever disappoints. This is one of her latest novels and was full of excellent twists and turns and was a wonderful story. Think The Vow but better!

I've Got Your Number - Sophie Kinsella. Published February 2012. Read February 2012. Review.
While I didn't LOVE Kinsella's latest novel, I still enjoyed reading it. It was amusing and cute and I had fun diving into it.

The D Word - Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. Published May 2011. Read March 2012. Review.
The ladies at Chick Lit is not Dead are not only great bloggers but excellent authors as well. Good story, multiple perspectives, and an all around great novel.

Favorable Conditions - Kathleen Kole. Published December 2011. Read March 2012. Review.
This is Kole's third novel and by far my favourite of the three. I loved it because it was written in such a way that I was able to connect with the main character even though she was at a completely different stage in life (divorced and with two kids in college). Great read.

How to Eat a Cupcake - Meg Donohue. Published March 2012. Read March 2012. Review (for Novel Escapes).
How can you go wrong with a title like that? Answer: you can't. This book was fantastic and had a much deeper storyline that one may expect from a sweet title like this. Definitely a must read.

Forgotten- Catherine McKenzie. Published May 2012. Read April 2012. Review.
Catherine McKenzie is one of my favourite authors so I was anxiously awaiting her third novel. It didn't disappoint! Interesting and unique storyline and great characters. I'm hoping for a sequel that focuses on the main character's best friend!

The Tall Book: A Celebration of Life from on High - Arianne Cohen. Published June 2009. Read April 2012. Review.
I was drawn to this one because I'm 6'. I wasn't sure what to expect but I ended up getting an amusing and informative look into the world of talls. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and encourage all my fellow talls to read it as well!

Fun observation: 3 of the 7 authors are Canadian! (Wardell, Kole, and McKenzie) I'm a proud Canuck and love finding amazing Canadian authors.

Hope you enjoyed the glimpse into some of the great books I've read this year. Make sure you head on over to the main link up page to check out all the other posts! Come back tomorrow for another Armchair BEA post - a positive "real life" experience with books.

Author Guest Post: Heather Wardell

This is the third and final instalment of Heather Wardell week! Today Heather has kindly written a guest post for Books Etc. In this post she talks about the research she did for Blank Slate Kate (check out my review here and the interview I did with Heather here). Once I read what she had to say I realized why I enjoyed this amnesia story over all the others I read - Heather's story is much more realistic. I hope you enjoy this guest post as much as I did! Thanks for writing this post, Heather, as well as allowing me to take part in this week's blog blitz! (PS this is the 100th post for my blog! I can't believe it. Thank you to all my readers for sticking with me. :) Couldn't do this without you!)

A huge part of who we are is our memories. If amnesia takes your past from you, are you really the same person? This is part of what I wanted to explore in "Blank Slate Kate". To do that, of course, I needed to learn about amnesia. 


There are two basic kinds of amnesia. In 'anterograde amnesia', you can't remember things going forward after whatever event caused the amnesia because those things are no longer able to be transferred into your long-term memory. For example, you might not remember what you had for breakfast today, but you would remember events that happened in your past before the amnesia began. 


My book focuses on 'retrograde amnesia', what most people think of when they hear 'amnesia', in which you forget your past. The memories may actually still be stored (which is why amnesia sufferers are often shown pictures and people from their past in the hopes those things will trigger the memories) but they can no longer be accessed.  


Our brains are amazingly complex, and it's not always clear precisely what caused a particular person's amnesia. The most common causes I found in my research, though, were: 


Head injuries 
I found several cases of people being struck in the head during a car accident or even by a soccer ball and losing access to their memories for some period of time. Usually these people do recover within a few months as the brain heals, although often without the memories of the incident that caused the amnesia, but there are exceptions. Scott Bolzan (http://thebolzans.com/) slipped and fell in a bathroom and lost all of the memories of his life save for a few fragments of his childhood. Benjaman Kyle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjaman_Kyle) was found in the parking lot of a Burger King in 2004 with no significant memories, unable even to recognize his own face in the mirror. Amazingly, despite an immense amount of publicity his real identity is still unknown, and he calls himself Benjaman Kyle (to go with of the initials of Burger King where he was found). 


Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) 
This controversial treatment is used for cases of extreme depression or mania. Electrodes are applied to the scalp of a patient under general anaesthetic then enough electricity is sent through the skull to light a light bulb. The current lasts only a fraction of a second. The patient awakens from the anaesthetic confused and with no memory of events around the treatment but with no damage to long-term memories.  
At least, that's what's supposed to happen. Throughout my work on "Blank Slate Kate" I was haunted by the stories I read, especially the one about the 55-year-old woman who lost thirty years of her life, including all memories of her children and her marriage to her now-late husband, to ECT. Even eleven years after the treatment, she had regained none of those memories. As if that weren't bad enough, she'd also lost all memories of the career for which she'd trained (psychiatric nursing, ironically) and could no longer work. She did win a judgment against the hospital, but what kind of money would be enough to compensate you for thirty years of your life? ($631,000 is what she won. I'm quite sure she'd rather have her career and memories.) 


Alcohol or drug abuse 
Taken in sufficient quantities, both alcohol and various drugs can cause tremendous brain damage in all areas, and of course memory can be affected as well. Both memory storage and retrieval can be interfered with by these substances, the precise kind and degree of damage depending on what substance and how much of it. The "I blacked out last night" drinking binge is an example of this kind of amnesia. A dramatic and traumatic event Soldiers who've seen particularly horrific things, victims of child abuse, and survivors of terrorist acts often can't recall the events around the incident. Sometimes the amnesia is specific to that event and sometimes all memories are affected. Many people have experienced this on a smaller scale. Have you ever been involved in a car accident or a robbery and not been able to remember what happened afterward? I once tripped over a sidewalk and had a spectacular fall during a training run (which I immortalized in "Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many" - might as well use my disasters for my books!) and I can clearly see the dog of the man who stopped to help me up but in my memory the man's face is utterly blank other than his sunglasses. I'm quite sure he had features but even later that same day I couldn't recall anything about him. Essentially, my brain was focused on other things ("Are we okay?" "Anything hurt?") and didn't bother to record the details of my helper. 


Treating amnesia of course depends on why the memories were lost in the first place. If drugs or alcohol are the cause, then removing those might eventually let the brain recover enough that the memories are restored. Psychotherapy can help, especially in cases brought on by a traumatic event, and so can showing patients people and things from their past to aid in recall. Naturally, if the memories were not stored at all, then there can be no recovery. 
If the amnesia can be completely or partially overcome, it's usually the case that the older memories come back first and then the more recent ones. My research didn't entirely reveal the reason for this, although I suspect it's about how firmly recorded a memory is and how many times you've recalled and thought about it. Your newer memories haven't been encoded as deeply because they're still new and you haven't thought about them as much. 


Entire careers are built around studying amnesia and memory, and I've definitely simplified things both here and in "Blank Slate Kate". But I've done my best not to be inaccurate in my science and I hope I've succeeded.  I also hope that you've enjoyed this post and that if you don't already have my free-to-download "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" (http://www.heatherwardell.com/polarbear.shtml) you'll remember to pick it up. :) 


Thanks to Kaley for letting me share my research with you! And if you have any comments or questions about amnesia (which I'll do my best to answer although I'm not a doctor!) or anything else, feel free to post them!

Author Interview: Heather Wardell

It's Day #2 of 3 of the Week of Heather Wardell! It's the Blank Slate Kate blog blitz this week and I've already reviewed it (check out my review here). Now we're onto the interview portion of the week! Heather was kind enough to answer some questions I thought up...even though she told me I was evil for making her think :) She thought hard and came up with some amazing answers. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Stay tuned for a guest post from Heather later this week!

A big thank you to Heather for taking the time to answer these questions for Books Etc.!

Books Etc.: How do you come up with your story ideas? 

Heather Wardell: They come to me in many different ways. Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many (free this week on Kindle!) came from a moment where I saw a TV commercial for "Survivor" and thought how much worse the experience of being on Survivor would be if your fellow castaways were all your exes. Live Out Loud was originally sparked by wondering what a woman who believed she had created her masterpiece, the work she'd been put on earth to make, would do next. The book itself didn't end up being about that but that's where I started.
While most of the books start with a random thing I saw or heard, or a question I want to answer for myself (like "is there a right amount of selfishness?" which I'm exploring in a current work-in-progress), I also keep a list of ideas and interesting phrases that I use when I need a little inspiration. In the early stages of Blank Slate Kate I checked that list and found a line like "I woke up next to him and couldn't remember his name." I don't remember adding that to the list but I was probably thinking of a one-night-stand situation. When I saw it, though, it occurred to me that if the next line was "I couldn't remember my own name" there could be something interesting going on, and the book evolved out of that.


BE: There are many amnesia stories out there. How did you try to make Blank Slate Kate different?


Most of the novels I found involved what I call 'convenient amnesia' - the heroine forgets all the bad stuff when she doesn't need it then remembers everything at the exact moment she needs to know who her handsome hero really is. I did research on amnesia (some of which I'll reveal here in my guest post on Thursday) and learned that the retrieval of lost memories is almost never that clean and easy. Many sufferers of serious amnesia in fact don't ever regain everything they've lost. I wanted Kate's attempts to rediscover her identity to be realistic, and the ultimate cause of her amnesia is also realistic based on my research. (I never aim to write a textbook but I do think it's better to have at least a little fact in my fiction. :)

BE: You have to name a lot of characters in Blank Slate Kate - real names, new identities, potential baby names. How do you come up with your character's names?

I used to look at the books on the shelves in my writing room and steal authors' names, but I've used pretty much all of those! My current favorite method is the US Government census website. I figure out the approximate year in which a character is born and then go look at the top 1000 names for that year. So far, I've never failed to find one there that works for me.
The name just has to feel right to me. If it doesn't seem to suit the character I'm building, it will change. Amy in Live Out Loudwas Mindy for a while but it never really clicked with me so I kept looking until I found Amethyst and nicknamed her Amy.
I do not usually use the names of people I know, although Jen in Go Small or Go Home and Stir Until Thoroughly Confusedwas named after my cousin-in-law and shares her spirit and attitude. (I asked first. :) While these aren't people names, the seven women on the opposing team in Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many are all named after golden retrievers my parents own or have owned. (If you need a cuteness fix, check out their dogs at http://www.setherwood.com)

BE: What's your least favourite thing about being an author?

When I don't feel motivated. I love my characters and their stories and yet there are days I just can't seem to get myself into my chair to work. Over the years (I've been writing full-time since 2005) I have gotten better at handling this, usually by leaving the apartment and going to Starbucks instead. I always work well there. It does my waistline no favors but at least I get my writing done. :)

BE: What about your favourite thing?

Just about everything else. :) I love when I reread something and think, "Really? That came from my fingertips on the keyboard?" I love getting a flash of brilliance for a book in the shower or while driving -  it's such a neat feeling, not at all like I'm thinking things up but like they're appearing for me like gifts from above. I love getting email from readers (http://www.heatherwardell.com/contact.shtml if you'd like to send me one! :). And I love all the cool people I've met because I'm an author, such as lovely bloggers like you! :) (Aw. But it's true!)

BE: You're known for revisiting characters in your books and I love that. Did you start doing that consciously or did it just happen?

I love the way you worded this because it lets me answer like this: Kegan from Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo did it. :) When I was working on Go Small or Go Home, I sent my main characters Tess and Forrest to a restaurant. Since Forrest is a hockey player I figured they'd go to a sports bar, but that didn't feel right. I then realized he might not want to be surrounded by sports fans who would criticize his playing. So they had to go somewhere else. Before I knew it, they were at Kegan's restaurant and it turned out Forrest knew Kegan since he'd played hockey with Kegan's brother. It amused me and my early readers to have Kegan reappear, and I just kept doing it because it still amuses me and also because it helps to build a sense of the books' "world" continuing through time.

BE: On the same line, and purely to satisfy my own curiosity, in Blank Slate Kate do Ryan and Kate go to Magma? Or is it just a regular old restaurant that they go to (and then leave before eating but take the bread...love that scene!)?

Good job! It is most definitely Magma, the restaurant that opened in Stir Until Thoroughly Confused. :) I don't want to always have my characters going to the same two restaurants, since there are lots of options in Toronto, but in this case it felt like the right thing to do. (And I'm glad you love that scene - it was one of those 'flash of brilliance' things I mentioned above and it's probably my second-favorite moment in the book. First favorite being a tie between the beginning and the ending. :)

BE: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read as much and as widely as you can, because you'll get a stronger sense of what you do and don't like in a book.
Write your first drafts as fast as you can, because you can't edit a blank page so you need to get the story out where you can see what you've got. (They always seem MUCH prettier in my head than on the page in first draft. :) On the same note, do not compare your first drafts to anyone's finished work, including your own. In my early planning notes for nearly all of my books is a lament on how crappy this idea seems compared to the beauty of the previous book (the notes for which, of course, have the same lament about ITS previous book). Don't do this to yourself. :) My husband tells me that I am my own most important reader, and it's such a great concept. You absolutely have to write what you love. If your most important reader doesn't like the book, it's not right. Make sure you love it, and there will be other people who do too. (Related: don't try to write to "the market". You can't hit a bullseye on a moving target. Write what you love and it will find its readers.) Listen to yourself. Over the years I've come to recognize what I call "the oogh": a cold sick feeling just under my ribs when I go off-track in a book. When I feel it, I backtrack and figure out where it's gone wrong. I have never yet been led astray by the oogh and some of the best moments in my books have come from following it in a completely different direction than I'd intended to go. However your version of "the oogh" manifests, learn it and listen for it. I do outline my books, and that helps me tremendously, but I'm always willing to change the outline if the oogh demands it. (I feel compelled to add, "Don't worry if you sound insane" to my advice for authors. :) Creativity is a strange and weird thing, and if being a little strange and weird makes it flow better I am fine with seeming a little odd. :)

BE: What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?

I read, of course: 114 books last year and I'm gunning for 120 this year. I play clarinet, and two years ago I started playing drums and am in the pit orchestra for the musical "Fame" in February. (I have to drum along to a rap. I am, to put it mildly, not a rapper. This is a challenge. :) I love crocheting and spend most of my evenings cuddling the cat and crocheting and watching as my husband plays video games. (Sometimes I read at the same time. :) (And I also like to overuse smilies, apparently!)

BE: And finally, a look to the future. I know you're always working on something - what can we expect from you in the next little while? 

I have three books in progress at the moment, so they all have codenames so I don't get confused. Flying Squirrel, currently in second draft, is about a doormat of a woman who develops inner and outer strength via the marathon. Gemstone, finished in first draft and awaiting its turn to be edited, features an Internet columnist undertaking a project to be "good to herself" for thirty days and realizing she has no idea what truly counts as good. In Hippo, currently in first draft, a woman arrives on what's to be her wedding cruise only to realize she's dated both her fiance's brothers and still has feelings for them both. My intent is to release all three of these books in 2012, and I'd love to also do a fourth if I can manage it! Thank you so much, Kaley! :) I'm honored that you gave me a space to ramble, and I'll be checking in between writing sessions to see if any of your readers have questions or comments for me.