Chick-Lit Plus Blog Tour: This Tangeled Thing Called Love by: Marie Astor Excerpt

“By the way, I missed you at the Metro opening.” Lindsay remarked after the waitress had taken their orders.

“Yeah, sorry about that – David wanted to leave early.”

“Too bad – it would have been nice to get a picture of the two of you and maybe a couple of quotes from David Lawson.” When pronouncing David’s name, Lindsay titled back her head and pushed up her nose. 

“Knock it off – David is not like that at all.”

“Fine, maybe he’s not, but I wouldn’t know since Mr. Lawson never seems to have time for your friends.”

Claire shrugged. “He’s been working so much lately – he really wants to prove himself at the office.”

“Oh, please! Give me a break – he is the owner’s son. I’d say he’s got the way pretty much paved for him.”

“David wants everyone to know that he’d earned his position.” Claire sighed. “You don’t really like David, do you?”

“It’s irrelevant whether I like him or not – I’m not the one dating him.”

“But you’re my best friend – your opinion is important to me.”

“Mine, not Amber’s?”

“You’re both my best friends.” Claire sighed with exasperation – ever since middle school, they had been an inseparable trio: Amber, Lindsay and Claire, and the silent rivalry between Amber and Lindsay dated equally far back. Amber was outgoing and bossy, Lindsay was witty and practical, and Claire was thoughtful and caring - the balance between the two. It was hard to say just what exactly united the three friends: maybe it was that each had the qualities the other one lacked, but suffice it to say, their friendship had taken them through childhood, adolescence and college to the world of adulthood.

“Yeah, I know. I just don’t trust Amber’s choice of men for you, that’s all. After all, she’s the one who set you up with David, right?”

“She introduced us, yes. David is her client.”

“Exactly, and Amber could make one believe that the devil is a saint if she were his PR agent.”

“David is not a devil – he is sweet and charming.”

“Hey, I’m not the one you need to convince of your boyfriend’s virtues. Like I said, if you’re happy, I’m happy for you. But something is telling me there’s trouble in paradise.”

To visit the rest of the stops on this tour and to enter to win the prizes shown above please visit: http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/07/this-tangled-thing-called-love-by-marie.html

Author Bio:

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Lucky Charm, On the Rim of Love, This Tangled Thing Called Love, romantic suspense novel, To Catch a Bad Guy, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window. Marie Astor is also the author of young adult fantasy adventure novel, Transadonia: Silverboard Rider.

If you would like to find out more about Marie’s books, please visit Marie at her website: www.marieastor.com.

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Astor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Books by Marie Astor:

To Catch a Bad Guy: http://www.amazon.com/To-Catch-Bad-Guy-ebook/dp/B008W1L5IA/ref=la_B004EBDX9Q_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1344820115&sr=1-5

This Tangled Thing Called Love: http://www.amazon.com/This-Tangled-Thing-Called-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344820073&sr=8-1&keywords=marie+astor

Lucky Charm: http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

On the Rim of Love: http://www.amazon.com/On-Rim-Love-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

Transadonia: Silverboard Rider: http://www.amazon.com/Transadonia-Silverboard-Fantasy-Adventure-ebook/dp/B008WF1Y78/ref=la_B004EBDX9Q_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1344820130&sr=1-6

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Beautiful Lies by: Jessica Warman

Goodreads Summary: 

Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins-so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself? Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see-and everything they are told-suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller.



My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Books dealing with psychological issues and stories that really play with your mind have always drawn me in, and this book was probably one of the best books in that regard! Everything you thought was real was a farce, and everytime you thought you had a grasp on the story, the whole plot flipped upside down. I've heard nothing but great things about Jessica Warmans' writing, and this being the first book i've read from her, I can see why. Her writing style is fluid and captivating, and while this book was over 400 pages I flew through it pretty quickly, and didn't want the story to end.

My only gripe with this book was that a lot of questions were left unanswered, and all the secrets that were unearthed when "Alice" was missing never really came to light as to why they were kept secret from her sister. This book raises a TON of questions, but I felt like at the end some of the strings were left untied.

Overall though, this story was unique and gripping. I wouldn't really clasify this book as a thriller, because it's not frightening, at least I didn't think it was. Parts are spooky and erie, but if you do want to classify it as a thriller it is thrilling in the respect that you'll be kept at the edge of your seat, and are headed for a bumpy ride with this book. Thank God I have another Jessica Warman book sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, because I don't think it's going to be much longer until i'm craving another story like this.

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Book Review: Something Like Normal by: Trish Doller

Goodreads Summary:  


When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.






My Review:

ReadingNook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Having some good friends that served in the army in Iraq/Afganistan, I knew I wanted to read this book, although it was a ficitonal take on the devastation that they had to deal with day in and day out, I feel like the episodes that Travis went through were very real to what veterens go through when they get home from such a tramatic experience.

I love that the book was told from Travis's perspective and not from an outsiders point of view. I loved Travis's character and I loved Harper as well, the only character I had a problem with was Travis's younger brother who point-blank was a selfish pain in the ass.

I think anyone who's had to say goodbye to someone overseas in the military will enjoy this book, and I think it's important to understand the trama that veterens go through upon coming home from the military. I don't think anyone can truly understand what they go through overseas fighting for their countries and their lives unless they've been there, but I felt like this was a good look into the life of someone post-war.

Chick-Lit Plus Blog Tours: Fatty Patty By: Kathleen Irene Paterka

Goodreads Summary: 

Small towns, long memories. Everyone in the exclusive summer resort of James Bay, Michigan remembers FATTY PATTY, the chubby little girl with the round face and wild red curls. All grown up now, Patty Perreault teaches at the same elementary school where the painful playground memories still taunt her. She hasn’t forgotten the cruel nickname—plus she still hasn’t lost those extra pounds. Convinced her weight is the biggest reason why she’s a four time loser in the semi-finals for Teacher of the Year, Patty resolves to make some changes in her body and her life.

Sam Curtis, an overweight accountant she meets at the community pool, swims into Patty’s life with romance on his mind. But as their friendship grows, Patty finds it hard to see beyond his extra pounds. She’s torn as Sam refuses to deal with his own overweight issues. Her heart tells her one thing, but her eyes see another. She’s not interested in an overweight boyfriend. When it comes to winning the Grand Prize in life and love, Patty has some hard lessons to learn. Will she be able to confront her fears about the kind of woman she yearns to be? Will she be able to put down the fork and give her heart a try?



My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Fatty Patty was surely a fun and addictive read. Patty has dealt with being overweight her whole life, and with having a twin sister who is slim and beautiful has always kept her in the shadows, but things start to heat up when Patty starts getting attention from two seperate men; Sam who's quickly becoming her best friend, and Nick who normally would have never paid her any mind, is now showing her a ton of attention. This was a quick read, and I did find myself picking it up to read it quite frequently, but I had a lot of problems with Patty. I felt like for someone who was overweight she was totally shallow and hypocritical, she constantly judged Sam because of his weight, but yet was overweight herself. I myself am overweight and when I was in the dating world, I never wrote people off for being overweight, because I knew how that felt, and didn't like it. She also was so nieve to the point that I wanted to smack her. Did she honestly really think that Nick was crazy about her? I just found it so far-fetched in that respect. Although I didn't like Patty's character I still enjoyed the story, and found the romance to move the story along for me. I also like that the story was written about a main character that was overweight, but do wish that it wasn't such a central focus of the story. I feel like the main characters of chick-lit books are usually skinny, and beautiful, and I like that Patty was "flawed" and not perfect. I just wish Patty herself wasn't so judgemental. If your looking for a light, fun, quick read then Fatty Patty is just that, It dosen't have any deep issues (which is a good thing sometimes) and was hard to put down because I wanted to see what ended up happening with the characters, and although I didn't LOVE Patty's character I was still invested in her relationships enough to want to know who she ended up with and what ended up happening.

Author Bio:

Kathleen Irene Paterka fell in love with writing (and food) at a very young age. By the time she graduated high school, she’d completed her first manuscript and she weighed 300 lbs. Though the extra pounds have long since disappeared, Kathleen still carries the emotional scars of being a former fatty. FATTY PATTY was born from the cruel teasing she endured on the school playground. Kathleen is the author of numerous novels which embrace universal themes of home, family life and love, including the Women's Fiction series, "The James Bay Novels". Kathleen is the resident staff writer for Castle Farms, a world renowned castle listed on the National Historic Register, and co-author of the non-fiction book FOR THE LOVE OF A CASTLE, published in 2012. Having lived and studied abroad, Kathleen's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Michigan University. She and her husband live in the beautiful north country of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Kathleen loves hearing from readers. You can contact her via her website at http://www.

kathleenirenepaterka.comor follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
KathleenIrenePaterka.

Connect with Kathleen!

My website: http://www.

kathleenirenepaterka.com

Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

KathleenIrenePaterka

Buy the Book!

Amazon.com : http://www.amazon.com/Fatty-

Patty-James-Novel-ebook/dp/
B0081FPIF8

Barnes & Noble.com:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

w/fatty-patty-kathleen-irene-
paterka/1110600969

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/

books/view/158308

Bout of Books Readathon 5.0 Goals

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.  It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 13th and runs through Sunday, August 19th in whatever time zone you are in.  Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week.  There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional.  For all Bout of Books 5.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 5.0 team

My Personal Goals:

Complete: 

-Being Lara by: Lola Jaye (currently reading; on pg. 212 of 303) 

-Velveteen by: Daniel Marks (currently reading on pg. 175 of 464)

Read:

- A Season of Eden by: Jennifer Laurens (0/234)

-The Summer I Turned Pretty by: Jenny Han (0/276)

- The Grasshopper King by: David Stanley (0/196)

-Beautiful Lies by: Jessica Warman (164/422) updated 8/16

Book Review: The Last Policeman by: Ben Winters

Goodreads Summary: 




What's the point of solving murders if we're all going to die soon, anyway? 

Hank Palace, a homicide detective in Concord, New Hampshire, asks this question every day. 

Most people have stopped doing whatever it is they did before the asteroid 2011L47J hovered into view. Stopped selling real estate; stopped working at hospitals; stopped slinging hash or driving cabs or trading high-yield securities. A lot of folks spend their days on bended knee, praying to Jesus or Allah or whoever they think might save them. Others have gone the other way, roaming the streets, enjoying what pleasures they can before the grand finale. Government services are beginning to slip into disarray, crops are left to rot. 

When it first appeared, 2011L47J was just a speck, somewhere beyond Jupiter's orbit. By mid-October it revealed itself to be seven kilometers in diameter, and on a crash course with the Earth. Now it's March, and sometime in September, 2011L47J will slam into our planet and kill half the population immediately, and most of the rest in the miserable decades that follow.

All of humanity now, every person in the world--we're like a bunch of little kids, in deep, deep trouble, just waiting till our dad gets home. So what do I do while I wait? I work. 

Today, Hank Palace is working the case of Peter Zell, an insurance man who has comitted suicide. To his fellow police officers, it's just one more death-by-hanging in a city that sees a dozen of suicides every week. But Palace senses something wrong. There's something odd about the crime scene. Something off. Palace becomes convinced that it's murder. And he's the only one who cares.

What's the difference, Palace? We're all gonna die soon, anyway.

As Palace digs deeper, we are drawn into his world. We meet his sister Nico and her screwup boyfriend, Derek, who are trying to beam S.O.S messages into outer space; we meet Erik Littlejohn, a "spiritual advisor" helping his clients through these difficult times. Palace's investigation plays out under the long shadow of 2011L47J, forcing everyone in the book -- and those reading it-- to confront hard questions way beyond "whodunnit." What basis does civilization rest upon? What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?




My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Hank Palace is not amoungst the norm when he finds out the world is going to end due to an asteriod hitting earth within the next six months. The norm all abandon their jobs and spend what time they have left with their families and living out their dreams. Hank is a police officer and although the world is ending, the crime has not stopped, and he refuses to abandon his job of protecting his community. In fact, he's consumed with solving a murder, that is being said to be a suicide, but Hank believes otherwise, he believes it was cold-blooded murder.

I loved Bedbugs by Ben Winters, and in fact it was one of my favorite books of last year, so that being said I had extremely high expectations of this book going into it, and I think because I built it up so much it fell a bit flat for me. I was really hoping the end of the world/post-apoctolyptic aspect was going to be the main focus, but instead I felt like it was more about Hank solving the mystery behind the suicide/murder.

That being said, I'm still a huge fan of Ben Winters writing, his writing style is phenomenal, and although this book wasn't really my cup of tea, I know for the right reader this could be a five-star book. His writing draws you in, and for those that like true-crime/mystery novels, I think you would love this book.