Review + Giveaway: Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir

When author Eliza Watson asked me to review her novel Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir I read the synopsis and was hooked by the first two words: event planner. After my undergrad I did a diploma in event management and have since planned a few events so I was interested to see what Samantha's life was like. The novel was enjoyable, if a little dramatic at times.

Here's the synopsis:

Event planner Samantha Hunter is prepared for a few challenges when escorting a group of good ole boy beer distributors to Paris, the city of haute cuisine and fine wines. However, she doesn’t foresee being passed up for a promotion because she is too professional and doesn’t knock back beers with her clients.
Her focus soon switches from landing the well-deserved promotion to finding her free-spirited sister, who lives in Paris and has disappeared, leaving behind family secrets to be uncovered. A sexy puppeteer helps Samantha search for clues to her sister’s whereabouts and teaches her to embrace her inner child. And a funeral-crashing psychic demonstrates the importance of living life to the fullest. It takes Samantha’s life spiraling out of control for her to finally get a life.

I know I was looking forward to reading this one because of the event planning aspect but I was happy that this didn't take centre stage. Samantha's not really working for the good majority of the book but it is clear from her personality that she's a planner. She's totally an A-type personality, which is great for event planners (and probably why I'm not actually working in events, haha), and is so focused on her work that she hasn't had a life. I don't think there are enough novels about planners and that's a bit of a shame. Yes, there are many wedding planner books but there are other options. I think this is an untapped source because, like weddings, event planning provides lots of built in drama. One of the first things I learned in school was that something always goes wrong! :)

There were a few things in the book that I felt could have been cut out. There was one unnecessary bit of drama around a situation that is not mentioned in the synopsis and I won't mention it either because it's a surprise in the book. (Confused yet?) Let's just say it involves two men and not knowing how they're involved in things. Moving on! There was also this crazy painter that was obsessed with getting paintings back from Libby and Samantha had to deal with him. I have no idea what the point of this was.

I liked that there was some intrigue in this novel. I think that, in part, helped the novel move along and made sure the story didn't stall or get boring. The family secrets that are uncovered were really interesting and it added more depth to the overall story. I'm really happy with how things turned out, family wise especially, for Samantha and Libby. I also liked that I didn't quite know how the story would end. I had some guesses but I really couldn't predict exactly what would happen.

Overall, Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir by Eliza Watson was enjoyable but there was sometimes too much excess to work through that the main story got a little lost. I'd still recommend this one to women's fiction lovers who are looking for a little something different.

Now, time for the info about the giveaway the title of this post references! Eliza has been kind enough to offer an autographed print copy of her book to a US/Canada winner or an ebook gifted from Amazon, B & N or Smashwords if the winner is international. Entry will be super duper easy. Just leave a comment and let me know why you'd want to travel to Paris (or your dream destination if Paris isn't your cup of tea) or what made you want to travel to Paris (if you're one of those lucky people who have visited). Make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. Since this review is part of a tour, I'll have the contest open until the last day - August 23rd. You'll have until midnight EST to enter. I've had some people have issues with comments before so if you're unable to comment, tweet me @KaleyS23 or send me an email books.etc.blogger AT gmail DOT com. Good luck!

*I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Congrats to Steph (from Steph the Bookworm) for winning the contest! Thanks to those you entered :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Gimme More!

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.

It's been almost a month since I've done a Top Ten Tuesday and when I saw this week's topic I knew it was time to get back in the game. The topic this week is: Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Had Sequels (they were complete stories but you just could have read more and more about these characters or set in that world). Every bookworm has had the feeling of "Whyyyyyyyyy is this oooooverrrrrrrrr?" once they've finished a great book (or series). I approached this topic by looking through my Goodreads read list and thinking about which story I wasn't ready to saw goodbye to. As it turns out I had different reasons for wanting more and I've given a quick line explaining each choice.

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

First, the obvious choices: Pride and Prejudice (or Persuasion) by Jane Austen because I wanted to know what happens after the happily ever after and Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (duh. I just can't get enough of this world).

Breaking the Rules - Cat Lavoie
Quite simply, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters.

The Bone Cage - Angie Abdou
What happened at the Olympics? What happened after? I want to know these things!

Forgotten - Catherine McKenzie
I really want a story about Stephanie, the main character's best friend.

Where We Belong - Emily Giffin
There's so much more that can be explored and I'm hoping Giffin does decide to write the sequel (which she's hinted at).

The Space Between Us - Jessica Martinez
I'd love to see how Amelia did in university and what her life was like and how her relationship with her sister was repaired.

The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy - Nora Roberts
Yes, this was a series but I was hit with such a strong "Nooo, don't make me leave this world and these characters!" after finishing The Perfect Hope, the final book.

The Single Girl's To-Do List - Lindsey Kelk
This one was just so much fun that I'd love to see what adventures happened next.

Elly in Bloom - Colleen Oakes
This is a bit of a cheat because there will be another book but I didn't know it when I finished this one! Elly grabbed me, unexpectedly, and I can't wait to see where her story goes.

Review: The Kissing Booth

I've said it a few times on this blog but I don't usually read young adult novels. I'm getting better and I'm not dismissing them as I once did. So, when I had the chance to read The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles I decided to give it a shot. It sounded like something I could like (contemporary YA is definitely my favourite) and, happily, I ended up enjoying the novel immensely.

Here's the synopsis:

A cool, sexy romance novel written by seventeen-year-old British sensation Beth Reekles.
Meet Rochelle “Elle” Evans: pretty, popular—and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile—and a total player.
When Elle decides to run a kissing booth at her school's Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer. This romance seems far from a fairy tale.
Is Elle headed for heartbreak or will she get her happily ever after?

Yes, you read that correctly. Author Beth Reekles was just seventeen when she published this book. I admit that I was skeptical because I had no idea what the writing would be like. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality, thank goodness. Now, this isn't the next literary masterpiece but it was solid and enjoyable.

What the synopsis fails to mention is that Noah is actually Elle's best friend's older brother. Elle and Lee, a male, are essentially twins (they were even born on the same day - how fun is that?) and have grown up together. Now, at almost seventeen, Elle's realizing that maybe the crazy crush she had on his brother wasn't so crazy. The fact that Noah is Lee's brother could have been so much worse than it was if it hadn't been for the fact that Reekles was incredibly clear that Elle and Lee were just friends. He has a girlfriend, she's (secretly) crushing on his brother, and they have a super tight, really familial bond. Yeah, they love each other but it's so obvious that they're not in love with each other. It might not sound like much but it really made a difference when reading this story. Their scenes were probably my favourite part of this book.

Now, I'm going to get on my soapbox for a brief moment. I'm not that far removed from being a teenager and I can remember what it's like to be seventeen. I'm also not a super judgemental prude. Teens can do whatever they want as long as they're being safe about it and Elle and her friends seemed to be pretty smart. Enter this exchange closer to the end of the book, page 349, when Elle and Lee are discussing the fact that Lee did not sleep with his girlfriend on the night of the big summer dance:

"Really? I thought you guys would've by now."
"So did I..." He shrugged. "But she said she wasn't ready, so I don't know, we'll just wait till she is."
"Aw!" I cooed. I tweaked his nose. "You're whipped, my friend."

I have a few problems with this. First of all, they'd only been dating about two months. That doesn't seem like a lot of time, especially when they're not even seventeen yet (which is my second issue). Third, finally, and my biggest problem...since when is waiting for your girlfriend or boyfriend to be ready for sex being whipped? Have I missed something in the last nine years since I was seventeen or what? Sure, Lee probably wants to do it but he's being considerate and doesn't seem to be forcing the issue. I may be reading way too much into the novel but it just irked me that this was the tone that was present throughout the book.

I feel like I should also note that Noah wasn't the best guy for Elle to get involved with. He was violent (but, as was said on numerous occasions, he never started the fights *rolls eyes*) and controlling. Think along the lines of Edward Cullen or Christian Grey. I admit that I was surprised that Elle, a definite good girl, would fall for that but she was able to hold her own against him (no, he never ever physically hurt her and everyone knew that wouldn't happen). If it wasn't for the bit of spunk Elle had or the way the novel ended (which I appreciated even if it wasn't a tied-in-a-perfect-bow ending), I don't think I would have been able to look past this issue.

I know my comments seem pretty negative but I think these are things people should be aware of before going into reading this book - especially if you're recommending it to a teen yourself. There's nothing scandalous in the novel and it could start good discussions but I know some parents are super careful about what their kids read. Anyway, yes, these points are not so great but I really did like reading this book.

If contemporary YA is your thing, you should check out The Kissing Booth. Beth Reekles has written an enjoyable novel that's so sweet. I enjoyed it so much that I actually read it in one sitting. There are definite issues with it but I don't regret spending an afternoon reading it. This novel is an absolutely perfect read for the summer.

*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, Random House of Canada, in exchange for an honest review.*

CLP Blog Tour: Between Friends

Today's my stop on the CLP Blog Tour for Between Friends by Amanda Cowen. I wanted to read this one because I'm always interested in the boy-and-girl-are-friends-and-realize-they're-in-love-with-each-other stories. While this book missed the mark on a few things, it was an overall enjoyable read.

Here's the synopsis:

The only way to have a friend is to be one…especially between the sheets…
When neurotically challenged and unlucky in love Megan Daniels, is propositioned by her life-long friend Ben Romano with a coin toss (heads, they sleep together, tails they don’t) the night before they are about to attend a destination wedding, she drunkenly accepts his challenge. But when Megan wakes up the next morning with a bad hang-over and Ben in her bed, she is more than mortified. It isn’t until the tropical heat begins to ignite emotions Megan never ever believed she could possibly have, that she starts to question if risking their friendship is the answer to finding true love.

I had a couple of issues with this novel. Some of the dialogue didn't feel right and there were several instances of too many adjectives and descriptions. I don't think it's just me but when I'm talking to someone, I'm usually using contractions (hell, I'm using them right now). You probably don't usually say "I will be there in twenty minutes", instead you'll use "I'll". I completely get using those when you're writing an essay or report but it doesn't really translate well to a novel. It doesn't flow. As for the descriptions, if I had to hear about the tight t-shirt over Ben's muscular chest one more time I may have tossed my kobo (gently, of course). The final thing that irked me was that I had no idea why Megan was (still) friends with Jessica, Stephanie, and Michelle. It didn't seem like they had anything in common except for being friends for years and I sometimes felt like Megan didn't even like them. The story wasn't really about her friends but I always appreciate a good cast of secondary characters and these ones just didn't do anything for me.

I did like the main plot of the story, though. I was able to get a good sense of Megan's emotions because of the way Cowen wrote. Sure, there were times I thought she was being an idiot and that she was totally clueless to how Ben actually felt about her, but I can understand that she was trying to navigate her way through an incredibly tricky situation. I was constantly rooting for her and Ben.

I liked that the book took place, for the most part, in Costa Rica. It added a little bit of exotic flavour to the overall novel. Now, I do admit that Costa Rica wouldn't be first on my list for a destination wedding but to each her own. The setting allowed for some entertaining and unique moments and I appreciated that.

Overall, I liked Between Friends but I think I could have loved it if the secondary characters weren't so ridiculous and the writing was polished just a bit more. Amanda Cowen wrote an entertaining novel and while I didn't love this one I will definitely check out what she writes next.

Taking it Off the Shelf: Already Home

Another month, another Taking It Off...the Shelf post! I started this feature because I have a TON of books on my bookshelves that have been neglected over the past few years. You can check out my description post here. This month I tacked Already Home by Susan Mallery. I've had this book on my shelf pretty much since the day it was released in March 2011. I was still a new blogger at that point and saw that one of the first bloggers I followed had read and liked it. I ordered it, received it, placed it on my shelf, moved it to a new city, and here I am, over two years later, finally reading it.

Here's the synopsis:

After nearly a decade as a sous-chef in a trendy eatery, Jenna is desperate for a change. She's supported her ex-husband's dreams for so long that she can't even remember her own. Until she sees a for-lease sign near her parents' home and envisions her very own cooking store. Her crash course in business is aided by a streetwise store manager and Jenna's adoptive mother. But just as she's gaining a foothold in her new life, in walk her birth parents—aging hippies on a quest to reconnect with their firstborn.
Now Jenna must figure out how to reconcile the free-spirited Serenity and Tom with her traditional parents, deal with her feelings for a new love interest and decide what to do about her ex's latest outrageous request. In the end, Jenna will find that there is no perfect family, only the people we love.

Even though I hadn't read the synopsis in ages, I got pretty much exactly what I was expecting with this book just from knowing Mallery's work and that this was published under a Harlequin imprint. There was some romance, some drama (actually, there was a lot more drama than I had anticipated), family issues, and career struggles. At times I felt like there were just too many threads to the story but everything ended up working out fairly well. But be warned - the ending is sad! If you're clever, you'll figure out where the story is going and will be a little bit prepared but it's still a hard ending to read.

I realized after I finished reading the book that I was more interested in Violet's story than Jenna's. "Who's Violet?" you ask? She's the "streetwise store manager" mentioned in the synopsis. She had more spunk and personality and her backstory seemed more prominent than Jenna's. Maybe it's just because I liked her more...though neither woman really hit the spot on my "I love these characters and want to be their friends"-o-metre. It could also be that Violet was more colourful (no pun...ok, yes, pun intended) and Jenna was kind of vanilla. Wouldn't you be more interested in the more colourful character?

Already Home was a nice read, one that's perfect for a summer weekend. Susan Mallery wrote a really heartfelt story about family and while I may not have adored this one I'm sure many others would really enjoy it.

Next month I've chosen to read By Invitation Only by Jodi Della Femina and Sheri McInnis. It was a toss up between that one and The Island by Elin Hilderbrand. I was torn because they have similar plot lines - weddings in beach destinations (Nantucket and the Hamptons) - but as I *think* I'd like Hilderbrand's more (I've enjoyed another of hers) I'll wait to read The Island.

Touring My Bookshelves: Shelf #4

This is it, my friends. The final bookshelf tour post. Realistically, I could keep going. I keep accumulating new books and will need to put them somewhere but I need to end the tour at some point, right? I'm currently job hunting and it's likely a move will probably be in our near future so maybe I'll do a quick post when/if I have my books arranged in a way that actually makes sense. We'll see. For now, I will show you the pictures of my newest bookshelf.

I bought this shelf a few months ago from good ol' IKEA because I had piles and piles of books just hanging out on my living room floor. Not a good scene. We put the shelf together and I promptly filled it almost to bursting. 

This shelf features the paperbacks that I want to read sooner rather than later. As well as my LEGO mini-figure collection. Series 10 has a librarian that I desperately want but I have yet to find her. Since taking this picture I've found another ball player and a paintball player. But these figures are not the point of this post! Back to the books! This shelf also holds the most books that I've actually purchased. Two at full price (but with gift cards), three bargain, two used, and one on sale. The rest were won, given as review copies (I've got ARCs and finished copies here), or gifted. Are any of your favourites on this shelf? 

This started out as my hardcover shelf but I had to expand it to hold a few paperbacks as well. I purchased one book on this shelf - Revenge Wears Prada - and it was bought with a gift card and it was about 50% off. I've already read three on here (Crazy Rich Asians, Studio Saint-Ex, and The Heist) and as much as I'd like to dive into Perdita next (it takes place near Georgian Bay which I grew up by), I think Trains and Lovers will have to be read first.

On the left of this shelf are my non-fiction reads (the majority of them from when I was doing my internship at Random House of Canada) and to the right are some of my not-yet-read YA. Yes, I do own some young adult titles! I bought a couple but the others are from the Ontario Blog Squad Meet-Up from last fall. My sister bought me Judging a Book by Its Lover for Christmas and I still haven't read it. Must change that soon.

The vast majority of these books are ones that I've already read. Also, can you tell that I love Sarah Dessen? I own ten of her eleven books. The only books I haven't read on this shelf are Creeps (which has been getting good reviews and is out soon, I think), Losing It (won this one and am looking forward to seeing what the deal is with it), and the Beautiful Creatures series (another set I won because I wanted to see what the hype was about). Some excellent books are on this shelf: Emily Giffin's, Life After Life, and the first two Enchanted, Inc. books by Shanna Swendson.

So there we have it. I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek at my bookshelves over the past several weeks!

Review: My Pen, My Voice

I want to be honest about two things right up front. 1. Author Vanessa Grillone is a fellow blogger, and friend, who I met while we were both interns at Random House of Canada. 2. I don't usually read poetry. I felt like these were two big things to get out of the way before starting the review of Grillone's work, My Pen, My Voice. Now that we've taken care of that, let's move onto the review!

Here's the summary of this collection:

Every girl has secrets. Every girl experiences things she is afraid to talk about. And every girl has her own outlet. For Vanessa Grillone, that outlet is writing."My Pen, My Voice" artfully records the trials and errors one girl endures in order to become an independent and strong young woman. Through a mixture of prose and poetry, Grillone digs into the heart of the often difficult teenage years, when emotions are high, changes are fast, and life is all-consuming.Grillone's entries encompass the turbulent range of teenage angst. From struggling to understand her need to go her own way to trying to come to terms with her frequent mood swings, her poems reveals with painful intimacy the confusion and heartbreak of growing up. Her vivid language and heartfelt words convey not only her honesty, but her fragility. With a keen eye for the human heart, "My Pen, My Voice" offers compelling compositions. Journey with Grillone on her path to self-discovery, one that ultimately offers insight into the female mind during its most fragile years

The way Grillone put this collection together was really interesting and, in my opinion, wise. The book was broken up into three parts and each piece was read in chronological order. Part One, "Emotions at an Awkward Age", was aptly titled. The poems start from age twelve and end at seventeen. I know I have poems from that time period that I wouldn't want anyone to read so I commend Vanessa on including these works. This was probably the hardest section for me to read because I think I wanted a different structure for some of the poems. That didn't mean they were bad poems. It's just that my non-verse reading brain wasn't used to the way the poems were written.

My favourite section was Part Three, "A New Chapter, A New Beginning". I'm sure part of that is because most of it is in prose, not poetry, but it's also because it felt more real to me. There were more feelings in this work instead of trying to conform to the structure of a poem.

What I really liked about this collection was that Vanessa's feelings came through on every page, in every piece. I felt her confusion, her heartbreak, her happiness. The honesty and realness is what makes this a compelling read.

I'm really glad I got the chance to read My Pen, My Voice by Vanessa Grillone. I had already known she was a real and heartfelt writer from reading her blog of the same name but being able to read her words in a book I could hold in my hands was a really great experience. If you like poetry and an honest, diary like approach to writing, definitely check this one out.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*