Karen's Adventures in Cooking & Eating...

My Word(s) for 2016

For the past two years I’ve chosen a word rather than a resolution for the new year. There’s none of that pass/fail pressure of a concrete resolution and I like the idea of a word shaping my life going forward. I feel like it lasts longer than a resolution. For me anyway – you do you! lol

I chose LAUGH for 2014 and DISCONNECT in 2015 and they both made such a large impact in all aspects of my life.

This year I’m choosing a few words but they all kind of work together and I’m carrying over that DISCONNECT because it saved my sanity in 2015. I barely heard about any drama llama.

So drumroll please…..my words for 2016 are…

Simplify
~ I’m not someone who wants or buys a lot to begin with but as I get older I find that the constant quest for *things* is endless and I don’t need or use about 90% of it. In fact I end up giving most of it away after it sits on a shelf or in the closet for a few years. So this year I want to try to scale back to trying to only buy things I’ll use or need. Or at least reduce my impulse purchases. I already fell off the wagon a bit with this one with the after Christmas sales. Oops. But it was before the new year and I’m determined to use everything I bought!

Organize
~ Connected to Simplify. I want to go through my closets, garage, attic etc and clear out what I’m not using, donate/reorganize or USE it! This applies to clothes, crafting supplies, books (in particular cookbooks and cooking magazines).

Create
~ I’m not particulary crafty or creative but one of the things I really enjoyed this past year was Picmonkey. I designed (& redesigned – sorry) my blog as I waded my way through a blogging slump. So now I have a bit of a crafting bug.

I want to try my hand at book crafts as a way of using up those piles of ARC’s. I want to get back to gardening – something I used to love, and would like to organize my blogging space using things I already have around the house. I also want to cook more and find a way to incorporate that into my blogging. Everything seems more fun when I can share it!

And I want all of those to be fun and something that enhances my daily life – long term - not a goal to be met.

You can check out the My One Word website if you want to know more or get help choosing a word.
What are your hopes, resolutions or words for 2016?

And HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!!

Guest Post: Five Songs That Helped Shape My Heroes by Tammara Webber

I've asked my favorite authors to join me all this month to celebrate my 6th year Blogoversary. My last guest to help me close out the celebration is Tammara Webber.

Tammara contacted me in my early blogging days to review her self published, YA book - Between the Lines. I accepted and the rest is history as they say. She's always been professional, kind and generous. Not to mention one of the most talented writers I've had the pleasure to read. Her novels examine real life issues with honest portrayals of flawed teens and *new adults* but always manages to give the reader a well earned romance and HEA. She is a must read - auto buy author for me.

That wonderful experience has influenced how I've blogged ever since. I'm always willing to give a new author a try and not turn my nose down at self or small press authors. One of the best things to happen in blogging is to discover your next favorite author! That's exactly what happened to me with Tammara. She's the BEST!

Also, if you're a fan of the Contours of the Heart series - there's a little treat at the bottom of Tammara's post....we find out her next hero!

---

Five Songs That Helped Shape My Heroes – Tammara Webber

At times an author needs absolute silence to write. In my case, composing dialogue requires the sort of quiet only found with earplugs. So I’m more likely to listen to a current manuscript’s playlist while driving, cooking, or taking a walk. I obsess over character development, work through plot blocks, and stumble over turning point epiphanies about central themes during these non-writing moments, and each novel’s playlist—carefully cultivated from the story’s conception until I write the last sentence—can effect essential details of the storyline, including the hero.

*** 

As my first heroine struggled with her fear of following the life and career she really wanted, my first hero, Graham Douglas, struggled with his fear of wanting her. His apprehension made sense—once the reader knew it—but that boy deserved an HEA, and he wasn’t going to get one without making himself vulnerable and risking his heart. Just Say Yes by Snow Patrol signified his moment of truth, when he realized everything he wanted from the girl he’d fallen for. I may have discovered my repeat: one button with this track.

Reid Alexander was the ultimate redemption project. When I wrote Between the Lines, I had no intention of redeeming this anti-hero—but he had a pigheaded desire to be a better man, and saving him became a challenge I couldn’t ignore. I just had to find a girl who saw through his celebrity arrogance to the emotionally destitute man who needed someone in his life to see his potential. Enter Dori: dedicated do-gooder and inveterate non-fangirl. Anywhere But Here by SafetySuit was the track on replay for Reid inspiration while I wrote Good For You.

Lucas Maxfield was tormented by misplaced guilt. He’d shut himself off from any chance of emotional connection until Jacqueline came crashing into his life, in need of his protection and support. He couldn’t turn away from her, or from his own intense need for her. What surprised me most about their relationship, however, was the gentleness of their fall despite the violence they’d each endured. I discovered Hardliners by Holcombe Waller just before I began writing Easy. Tender and haunting, it became one of my all-time favorite tracks the first time I heard it, and it was the perfect expression of Lucas’s feelings about Jacqueline.

Boyce Wynn grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas, so I listened to lots of mood-setting country music while writing Sweet. The alt-country band Green River Ordinance (from my hometown of Fort Worth) gets an honorable mention for holding ten tracks out of forty on my playlist, but it was Who I Am With You by Chris Young (released just after I’d turned in final edits for Breakable) that kept Boyce’s voice in my ear. The lyrics articulated his adoration for the girl he’d loved since childhood, and every time it played, all I could hear was Boyce’s drawled,  “C’mon now. Tell our story. You know you want to.”

My current work in progress, a spinoff from Easy, owes its hero’s initial development to a deep track on a popular album. The identity of my shadowy hero may not have been clear to me when I began contemplating this story, but I knew my heroine inside out. Erin McIntyre was a loyal, empathetic BFF to Jacqueline in Easy, but where all else was concerned she was a firecracker—energetic, independent, flitting from one interest to another, never settling down or falling hard for anyone. When I heard Sam Hunt’s Make You Miss Me, I knew the type of man who would eventually be her match. Coming in 2016, get ready to meet Aaron Maat—the man determined to be Erin’s exception.

---

About Tammara:

I write contemporary, romantic, coming-of-age fiction (Young Adult and New Adult). An international andNew York Times bestselling author with books translated into 24 languages, I'm represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. Please contact DGLM regarding any rights requests.

I'm a hopeful romantic who adores novels with happy endings, because there are enough sad endings in real life. Before writing full time, I was an undergraduate academic advisor, economics tutor, planetarium office manager, radiology call center rep, and the palest person to ever work at a tanning salon. I married my high school sweetheart, and I'm Mom to three adult kids and four very immature cats.

    

Buy the books!

CONTOURS OF THE HEART^® series

Easy 

Breakable 

Sweet

BETWEEN THE LINES series

Between the Lines

Where You Are

Good For You

Here Without You

Books are available (paper, ebook and audio) from: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |IndieBound | Books-a-Million | Wordery | Book Depository | Audible

Review: The Fix Up (First Impressions #1) by Tawna Fenske

Uncovering this sexy geek's charm is easy. Keeping her hands off of him is impossible.

While he may look like the love child of a movie starlet and an NFL linebacker, Ben Langley has the people skills of a half-drowned porcupine. Why socialize when there are chemistry labs and bad sci-fi flicks? If he has any hope of taking the helm as CEO of the family business, Ben needs an image makeover. Pronto.

Enter Holly Colvin, owner of First Impressions public relations and branding firm, and the woman who just saved Ben from the clutches of an over-attentive sales clerk. Holly's rebranded hundreds of companies in her career, but she's never rebranded a person. The guy clearly needs help, though, and she's just the woman for the job.

With the clock ticking for them both, Holly and Ben face off over wardrobe malfunctions and business jargon that sounds a lot sexier than it should. But can Holly make Ben into the man he thinks he should be without losing the man she's starting to love? ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:

I’ve always enjoyed Fenske’s romances. They’re on the lighter side with plenty of humor thrown in. The Fix Up was another fun read and nice start to the new First Impressions series.

Ben is the brains behind Langley Industries, working in the chemistry lab, until his father pushes him into the CEO role of the family business. Unfortunately, Ben’s nerdy, shy side isn’t compatible with his father’s sexist, alpha, schmoozing style of doing business.

Ben hires Holly, owner of PR branding firm, First Impressions, to bolster his leadership skills for a big presentation that will prove Ben is ready to take over his father’s position as CEA.

Sparks fly, geek foreplay ensues, as Ben and Holly try (& mostly fail) to keep their relationship professional. Holly, more than Ben, tries to resist after a disastrous marriage to a controlling man who wanted her to stay home, be his trophy wife and make babies and has left her in danger of losing her company.

The main conflict is Holly’s fear of turning Ben into the alpha man that she’s trying to steer clear of. To be honest, I couldn’t see how Ben was even remotely alpha. I understood her hesitation in general, but teaching Ben public speaking skills or how to make eye contact while speaking are just general business skills – hardly the mark of an alpha man out to control your life.

Most of Holly’s hesitance due to her past experiences was explained and resolved on her own without any big talk with Ben which felt kind of odd and Fenske could have cut down on about 1/2 of the double entendres and there still would have been too many.

But meh – minor quibble to an otherwise cute romance with a nice hero. Yay for nice heroes!

Review: Slamdunked by Love (One-on-One #2) by Jamie Wesley

Revenge is supposed to be sweet…

Caitlin Monroe is ready to confront her past. Years ago, her father ditched her mother for the NBA, leaving her pregnant and alone. Now he’s a big-shot coach, and Caitlin’s ready to take the so-called “family man” down. But on her way to the team gala, her car dies, and it’s her father’s sexy new star player who comes to her rescue.

Brady Hudson wants nothing more than to put his past behind him and concentrate on winning the championship for his new team. But when he finds himself the recipient of unwanted attention—attention that could destroy his career—he introduces the beautiful woman he saved on the side of the road as his "girlfriend."

Brady needs to focus on his job. And Caitlin isn’t about to date an athlete whose career is riding on her father—though he is a convenient way to get the dirt she needs. But sometimes love has other ideas, and it’s not long before their pretend relationship becomes a liability neither can resist. ~ Goodreads 

Source: e-arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Review:

Caitlin and Brady have a fun *meet cute* moment early on in Slamdunked. Although Brady is supposedly an arrogant NBA basketball player and playboy, I liked him immediately. He is arrogant (I would say confidant) as far as his playing skills go but it was portrayed as a flaw and a central theme to be addressed in the story and I liked that. He's cocky - but nice and Caitlin is strong enough to stand up to him.

Caitlin is on a mission to humiliate her birth father for abandoning her family when she was young. Unfortunately, that mission interferes with the growing attraction she feels to Brady – since he’s also Brady’s coach.

Both Brady and Caitlin have major trust issues but start to build a friendship as well as a romance. I really liked these two together. They’re smart, funny, sexy but It definitely wasn’t all about the sex.

Slamdunked is just as much about Brady learning to share the spotlight with his teammates as it is about the romance and to tell the truth – I may have liked that storyline more. A lot of romances take place within the sporting world but don’t really bother with team dynamics past the dude bro back slaps and locker room talk but Brady’s interactions with his teammates made me really interested in the game – which I normally could care less about.

As much as I liked the romance and both Brady and Caitlin, I was disappointed in the latter at times. She knew the betrayals Brady had dealt with in the past and still stayed on her path to destroy her father, even if it would crush Brady. I get her motivation, and of course she has character growth, but that was borderline cruel and if I were Brady I would have made her grovel a bit more. But it all works out and I was satisfied with the conclusion.

Despite that one quibble about Caitlin, I would recommend this one for readers who enjoy lighter, sports themed romances. This was a fun one!

Guest post: How to Beat Writer’s Block by Alexandra Diaz & Giveaway!

I’ve been celebrating my 6th year blogoversary all month by asking my favorite author’s to stop by the blog with 5 of their favorite book-ish things.

Today I’ve invited Alexndra Diaz. Her book, Of All the Stupid Things, was the very first book I reviewed on the blog. And Alexandra was also the first author I ever met in person and she could not have been any nicer.

So let me hand it off to Alexandra and her tips for beating writer’s block. I know quite a few of my followers are also aspiring writers. Enjoy!

---

How to Beat Writer's Block (with or without a stick)

You can run and you can hide, but sooner or later most writers will hit the brick wall and think, whine, moan, bitch, or cry, "What can I write now? I don't know what to do." If you wait for inspiration to strike or the muse to move you, you're likely never to finish anything. Which means, if you hit a writer's block, you're just going to have to barge through until you get to the other side.

"But how?" you think, whine, moan, bitch, or cry.

"Ahhh," I say as if this never happens to me and I'm not really just procrastinating, "Well..."

1) Take a hike. Seriously. But go without human companions (canines companions however are highly encouraged!). Pick a trail you know well and won't get lost. Think or speak to yourself (it's perfectly OK to talk to and even answer yourself out loud. Artistic license, own it!) about your story or characters. Think about what a character would do/say about a certain situation. Get into that character's head to learn how he/she ticks. As you're walking, let yourself get lost in your fictional world, forgetting about everyday life. Chances are, you'll come up with some new ideas or insights for your work. Amazing what some fresh air can do!

2) Write it out. In a journal, computer (new document), or a scrap of paper (I like using the back side of computer paper). Write out a problem you're having in your writing and continue from there, whatever comes to your mind. My notes often look a bit like this: "I don't know what to do with this character. He's a bit two-dimensional but he does bring comic relief. Maybe if I give him a horse named Max that will spice things up..." Don't even worry about writing in full sentences or making sense. These notes are for you only. I find that in my head, problems can go around in a perpetual loop and nothing gets resolved but when I write out my thoughts, things suddenly become clearer and the possibilities become endless. This is definitely my most used trick!

3) Skip it. When you get to a point in your story where you don't know how to get a character from here to there and nothing seems to work, leave it and start the story up from the point you do know what's going to happen. Instead of fixating on the problem, sometimes a distraction is what you need to solve the problem, or even realize there is no problem. However, I recommend sticking with the same story/novel. If you're stuck and move to a different novel, chances are you'll never return to the first one and no one likes a partial novel.

4) Think outside the box. Word-web, great for blackboards, whiteboard, or large sheets of paper.. Start with a word or concept (particularly one that's giving you trouble) in the center and then from that word, link/write everything you can that think associates with that word/phrase around the first word, and then write words that associate with the other word and the next word until you have a large tangled web of words and ideas surrounding the first word that show what can be done with a single word or concept. This is great for people who think in nonlinear forms.

5) Instead of fixing the problem, sometimes you just have to delete it. Now, I don't mean truly delete, gone forever. I'm a big believer of keeping all kinds of writing/works in progress, even the not so good parts. But sometimes an awkward scene can keep us from moving forward. Take a section that's not working, save it to an external drive or email it to yourself, and then delete it from your regular computer. Now, ask yourself if you really needed it. If the answer's yes, then start rewriting it. I know this sounds like a lot of work to rewrite a scene but think of how much time you're saving instead of over-agonizing not knowing how to make it good. As you're rewriting your section, you'll remember to include the good things that worked before, but will bring new angles and fresh ideas to your scene which will make it stronger and more likely to work better.

Now, you have no excuse to write and FINISH instead of waiting for the reluctant muse to make an appearance. But of course, if you're like me, beating writer's block is nothing compared to procrastination...ooh, look! Someone posted a new quiz online!



Alexandra Diaz is a Cuban-American spending her time between Bath, England, Santa Fe, NM, and the rest of the world. She has an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University and has led various workshops since she was fourteen. As a result of being homeschooled for most of high school, she’s fascinated by teenage school life and the drama that occurs in those quarters. One of the reasons she writes is to experience life in someone else’s shoes. She is a “jenny of all trades” having worked as a nanny, teacher, film extra, tour guide, and dairy goat judge (seriously) among several other jobs. In addition to traversing the world, she enjoys hiking, swing dancing, and performing circus arts. Website | Twitter | Facebook

---

Of All the Stupid Things recently got a revamp with a new title – When We Were - and cover. There were only a few minor changes so my original review should still apply.


Previously published as OF ALL THE STUPID THINGS, this coming of age novel is a 2011 ALA Rainbow List Book and a 2011 New Mexico Book Award Finalist.

No one messes with Whitney Blaire or her friends, which is why she can’t help but let it slip that someone spotted Tara’s boyfriend making out with one of the guy cheerleaders.

Even after spending hours training for her marathon, down-to-earth Tara can’t outrun the rumors about the boyfriend she thought was perfect.

Pinkie, the rock and “Big Sister” of their inseparable group, just wants things to stay exactly the way they are…

…but that’s not possible when new-girl Riley arrives in school and changes everything.

Suddenly Tara starts to feel things she’s never felt before—for anyone—while Whitney Blaire tries to convince her that this new girl is Trouble. Meanwhile, Pinkie’s world begins to crumble as she begins to suspect that the friends she depends on are not the girls she thought she knew. Can friendship survive when all the rules are broken? ~ Goodreads


* There’s a giveaway going on for a copy at Book Bird Fiction if you’re interested.

And…. I’m really looking forward to Alexandra’s 2016 release - Good Girls Don’t Lie. Described as a “YA Mexican- American Juno.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Giveaway!

To celebrate my 6 year Blogoversary - I'm giving away a bag of goodies. Just enter below or on any of the 6 author guest post throughout the month of December. (It will be the same rafflecopter form so you only need to enter once)

Sorry US only - I do have an international book giveaway going on right now - link in sidebar!

Gift bag includes a journal, bookmarks, magnets, sticker, pin and one mug of your choice ($15 value) from Bookworm Boutique

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentleman #2) by K.J. Charles

K. J. Charles turns up the heat in her new Society of Gentlemen novel, as two lovers face off in a sensual duel that challenges their deepest beliefs.

Silas Mason has no illusions about himself. He’s not lovable, or even likable. He’s an overbearing idealist, a Radical bookseller and pamphleteer who lives for revolution . . . and for Wednesday nights. Every week he meets anonymously with the same man, in whom Silas has discovered the ideal meld of intellectual companionship and absolute obedience to his sexual commands. But unbeknownst to Silas, his closest friend is also his greatest enemy, with the power to see him hanged—or spare his life.

A loyal, well-born gentleman official, Dominic Frey is torn apart by his affair with Silas. By the light of day, he cannot fathom the intoxicating lust that drives him to meet with the Radical week after week. In the bedroom, everything else falls away. Their needs match, and they are united by sympathy for each other’s deepest vulnerabilities. But when Silas’s politics earn him a death sentence, desire clashes with duty, and Dominic finds himself doing everything he can to save the man who stole his heart. ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:
Gah! It’s always the books I love the most that leave me flailing and tongue tied.

I enjoyed the first book in Society of Gentleman series, A Fashionable Intelligence, ( & the Charles stand alone M/M Historical Romance, Think of England) but A Seditious Affair is my absolute favorite by this author so far.

She always does a great job combining historical details with sexual tension, excellent supporting characters and a touch of humor. In A Seditious Affair she’s cranked all that up x’s 100 and this book was an absolute page turner.

Silas, a cranky bookseller and political radical has been meeting with Dominic, a high born, who works at the Home Office, hunting down those who seek to overturn the government, for a secret, passionate affair for a year. They suspect that they have different politics and have high spirited discussions but never exchange names or personal information, until the outside world invades and forces them to make tough choices and decide if theirs is just an illicit affair to work out a kink or more.

Ok – so first – the kink. Dominic likes D/s, rough sex and to be shamed. This is not my thing and I rarely enjoy that dynamic. I feel like whatever two consenting adults do is fine – but I don’t often enjoy reading about it because it always feels one sided, we don’t learn about the dom as much as the sub & the relationship doesn’t seem to exist outside the bedroom.

However, K.J. Charles wrote this SO beautifully. The opening chapter was a bit explicit and harsh but there are these little details that show caring and affection between the two men. While Silas gives into Dominic’s needs, pushes him even – he always gives him a way out and looks for cues so he pushed too far.

And Silas’s boundaries are respected as well. There are certain things he won’t do and Dominic respects and is sensitive to that. Silas, at times, wants to be gentle with Dominic and show affection and kindness – something NOT part of Dominic’s kink but Silas finds a way that gives both men what they need and it’s one of my favorite scenes from the book.

I guess what I’m saying is the sex is actually important to the plot in this case but their relationship goes well beyond the bedroom. They have long talks, work through problems verbally and not just sexually. I believe in these two - as friends and more.

Oh the angst! Once they discover they are on other sides of the law they need to make a choice and it’s not an easy one to turn your back on everything you believe in and they might not even want to. Again, the politics are written just as brilliantly. I found myself thinking how relevant Dominic and Silas’s arguments were to today’s politics and the way we discuss differences in policy. I think we could all learn something from the way Silas and Dominic resolve their issues.

A Seditious Affair is not a fluffy read but it is a story you can really sink your teeth into. It’s complex, sensual, raw and gosh darn it – SUPER romantic. It’s one of my favorite reads of 2015.

If you like this type of read then I also highly recommend a contemporary M/M with similar gritty themes of romance and politics & also another top 2015 read of mine - Playing to Win (Glascow Lads, #2) by Avery Cockburn

Guest post & giveaway with Jeri Smith-Ready: My 5 Things list is my 5 favorite foods to get me through a day of writing.

Yesterday was my official 6 year blogoversary!! I MADE IT! lol

My favorite authors are joining me all this month to talk about their favorite book-ish things.

ICYMI: Amy Jo Cousins and Laura Florand’s posts.

And don’t forget about the fun giveaway of book-ish swag and mug at the end of this post. 

***

Today my guest author is Jeri Smith-Ready. Without her there wouldn’t even be a For What It’s Worth blog. After binging on Twilight (isn’t that how most of us started?), then the Sookie Stackhouse series, I was looking for another, fresher take, on vampires and found it with Jeri’s WVMP Radio Vampire series.

Then I decided to binge read everything she wrote up to that point and read her adult romantic fantasy Aspect of Crow trilogy and that pretty much cemented her as my favorite author. 

It was then that I decided to start blogging to share my love of lesser known authors and voila! Here’s my blog!

I wrote my very first author email to Jeri and we’ve become real life friends ever since. I adore her and she’s been a great friend and inspiration to me. 

And of course, there's popular YA Shade series and Team Kilt - where I've made so many lifelong friends thanks to Jeri's dedication to her fans.

(my assorted JSR book swag I've collected over the years)

Enough gushing...Jeri's here to share her 5 favorite foods that get her through a day of writing.

***

Happy Blog-versary, Karen! Thanks for all the time and energy you give to bring readers and authors together.

My 5 Things list is my 5 favorite foods to get me through a day of writing.

I start with breakfast (the most important meal of the day and one that should be repeated as often as possible throughout the day) and continue through lunch, snacks, and dinner.

Breakfast: “Elvis burritos"

-Take a flour tortilla, heat it in the microwave 20 seconds with a damp paper towel over it to soften it up.

-Spread peanut butter over the tortilla, leaving a one-inch border around the edge

-Lay 3/4 of a banana atop the peanut butter. Flip banana over so that the PB covers both sides.

-sprinkle granola or crunchy cereal on the banana (the PB coating will make the granola stick to the banana and therefore cover it evenly).

-roll up tortilla, put damp paper towel back over it, and microwave on reheat for ~30 seconds. You can also add honey or maple syrup if you like your Elvis burrito sweeter.

Lunch/snack:

Ripe avocado on toast. Fat is good for the brain! I like avocados that are so ripe their flesh can be spread like butter.

Snack:

For some reason “finger foods”—foods that require manipulation—help me think. So if I’m stuck on a plot point, I’ll get a bowl of pistachios (if I’m feeling healthy) or a few Peel & Eat Twizzlers.

Drink:

Lots and lots of water. Also good for the brain! Water helps with delivery of neurotransmitters and hormones and gets rid of neurotoxins. Apparently if you are only 1% dehydrated, your brain’s cognitive functions decrease by 5%. That’s crazy!

Easy emergency dinner:

Penne pasta tossed with with olive and nutritional yeast. Now, I think "nutritional yeast” is the worst name ever, marketing-wise, so in our house the stuff is called Golden Flaky B-12 Nom Bombz.

During the final minute of the pasta cooking, I throw in frozen spinach or kale into the boiling water to blanch. Super easy, super yummy, super nutritious. A wonderful comfort food.

OK, it’s 10pm and now I’m hungry after making this list. Guess I’ll go to bed, since the sooner I sleep, the sooner I can get up and have another Elvis Burrito.

Thanks again, Karen!

***

Jeri Smith-Ready has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. A steady stream of caffeine has resulted in twelve published novels for teens and adults, including RT Reviewers Choice-winning fantasy Eyes of Crow; as well as the PRISM award-winning Wicked Game and Shade. Her latest is the YA contemporary novel This Side of Salvation (April 2014), which Booklist called a "smart, unpredictable, and well-rounded tale" in its starred review.

Jeri lives in the rolling hills of Maryland with her husband and two cats, who often play tag-team "sit in the author's lap and keep her from writing." (The cats, that is, not the husband. Though actually...) When not writing, she's either out running or onTwitter.

***

Giveaway!

To celebrate my 6 year Blogoversary - I'm giving away a bag of goodies. Just enter below or on any of the 6 author guest post throughout the month of December. (It will be the same rafflecopter form so you only need to enter once)

Sorry US only - I do have an international book giveaway going on right now - link in sidebar!

Gift bag includes a journal, bookmarks, magnets, sticker, pin and one mug of your choice ($15 value) from Bookworm Boutique

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Reviews: Burning Bright & Wish Come True

Tis the season, fa la la la la and all that. I love reading holiday novellas to get me into the holiday spirit.

The next two books are holiday themed anthologies that were kind of hit or miss so I’m just going to talk about the stories I did like from each book.

Source: Both books purchased



This December, take a break from dreidel spinning, gelt winning, and latke eating to experience the joy of Chanukah. When you fall in love during the Festival of Lights, the world burns a whole lot brighter. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: 

Miracle by Megan Hart 
It’s definitely not love at first sight for Amanda and her cute but mysterious new neighbor, Ben. Can a Chanukah miracle show them that getting off on the wrong foot doesn’t mean they can’t walk the same road?

~ I loved this story! Gorgeous writing and conflict. Miracle ended on the perfect HFN note but could have easily been a full length novel as Ben navigates his way from his life as an Orthodox Jew to the more secular world and romance with Amanda. 5 stars

I can see why everyone raves about Hart’s writing now and can’t wait to read more of this author.

All I Got by KK Hendin
All Tamar expected from her Israel vacation was time to hang out with one of her besties and to act like a tourist, cheesy t-shirt and all, in her two favorite cities. She definitely was not expecting to fall for Avi, a handsome soldier who’s more than she ever dreamed.

~ KK Hendin was another new to me author and this was a fantastic story set in Israel and steeped in tradition and culture. I have to admit that it was a somewhat difficult read at times since I didn't understand many of the words or phrases but I also found it an educational experience and a way to learn about something new to me. 4 stars

*The other two stories, A Dose of Gelt by Jennifer Gracen and A Home for Chanukah by Stacey Agdern, were fine but didn’t stand out to me and both had a few editing issues. 3 stars



First love. Young love. Holiday love...
Wish Come True is a collection of contemporary, new adult, holiday short stories by some of our favorite authors! ~ Goodreads

My thoughts:

Mr Perfect's Christmas by Joanna Chambers
Sam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?

~ This had a fun Christmas feel to it. Awkward holiday office party with inappropriate, drunk, flirty co-workers and gag gifts. Sam and Nick had just enough conflict at first to make the romance interesting with a nice resolution that made you believe in their HEA. 4 stars

Just Like Heaven by Suki Fleet
One rainy night in December, David helps a busker with pretty eyes get his stolen money back. He doesn’t imagine the strong attraction he feels is mutual. But after overcoming his shyness, David discovers Jess is definitely interested.

~ This was an odd little story at first – I wasn’t sure where it was going but it ended up being a nice holiday romance about two men who take a chance and risks their hearts.

*A Very English Christmas by Keira Andrews, The Christmas Ship by Amy Jo Cousins, Not Your Grandfather's Magic by Kaje Harper, Bottle Boys by Anyta Sunday were all pretty good but also a little awkward as far as story flow and writing style.

Review: A Midnight Clear (Fly Me To the Moon #2) by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

Annapolis, Maryland, 1948

Frances Dumfries is the perfect admiral’s daughter. She runs the household, hosts the parties, and never falls for the midshipmen surrounding her. Having fun or putting herself first is definitely not on her schedule. And she doesn’t want anyone—particularly not a man too handsome and kind for his own good—to point that out.

Midshipman Joe Reynolds sympathizes: ever since he tumbled headlong into love with Frances, life hasn’t been much fun. With only so much time until he ships out from the Naval Academy, he’s racing the clock, and her refusal to give him a second look, to secure her affection. But this sailor isn’t surrendering in the campaign to win her heart.

Torn between duty and selfishness, it will take a Christmas miracle to show Frances and Joe that love is rare, precious… and worth fighting for. ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Review:
The Fly Me To the Moon series has been one of my favorite series/author discoveries of 2015. The first book, Star Dust, blew me away with that old school romantic feel in a setting,1960’s era space program, that was completely original and one that lends all kinds of interesting conflict.

Frances and Joe were supporting characters in Star Dust but this is their *how we met* novella and it’s just so…so…romantic.

Frances is the daughter of an Admiral and there is no shortage of midshipman trying to woo her to further their naval career. She’s also taken on all the duties of an Admiral’s wife after her mother’s death. She doesn’t want anything to do with Joe when he first starts popping up in her life.

But Joe is persistent! What a sweetie. He knows that Frances doesn’t do anything for herself and tries to give her a piece of happiness, even if that might mean he doesn’t get the girl in the end. He’s selfless, over the moon in love and very, very good at wooing the girl. He had me swooning with his thoughtful gifts and declarations of love.

This one is a freebie! (Kindle) It’s novella length and set in 40’s Annapolis, so it predates the first book by 14 years but it’s a good way to sample the series and writing and stands alone.

Guest Post & Giveaway: Laura Florand - Five Favorite Things to Do in Paris

 
It’s my 6 year Blogoversary on December 15th and I’ve asked 6 of my favorite authors to stop by this month and share 5 book-ish things.

In case you missed it - the first author guest post was 5 TV Shows I've Binge-Watched While Writing Amy Jo Cousins

---

Today’s guest is Laura Florand, author of the Amour et Chocolat and La Vie en Roses series. I don’t think I can adequately express how much her books mean to me. They transport me to faraway places and allow me to fall in love again and again. No one is allowed to bother me when I have a Luara Florand book to read!

Her writing is simply gorgeous and as a blogger, I've always found her to be a wonderful, generous and professional author to work with.

I’m so happy to have Laura at the blog today talking about her favorite 5 things to do while in Paris –a place near and dear to her heart and the backdrop of several of her books.

I also loved these two powerful blog posts about Paris written by Laura about Paris. here & here

Five Favorite Things to Do in Paris
1. Start down a street in a quarter you like and turn the wrong way.
Don’t try to find yourself for a while. You can always pull out your GPS later. Or maybe even speak to a stranger to ask for directions.

2. Go into the most beautiful pastry shop you see and pick out the most beautiful dessert in the window or the one with the most unusual flavors.

Then eat it. And enjoy every bite.

3. Rent inline skates or a push scooter and go skating along the Seine after dark.
Start at Notre-Dame and go all the way to the Trocadéro. Start on the Left Bank and switch to the right around, perhaps, the Pont Neuf or the Louvre. Stop at Trocadéro, on the esplanade above the fountains, and wait for the change of the next hour, when the Eiffel Tower starts to glitter. It’s the perfect viewing spot.

4. Pick a quarter of Paris that no one ever talks about, that doesn’t hold a single one of your top 10 monuments and museums to see.

Then go explore it.

5. Go to the Louvre and try to avoid the crowds.
Really. Wherever most people are going, go the opposite way. Make it a game to go toward the emptiest places. See where you end up.

6. Have some chocolate!

Okay, that’s more than five things, but really…you should.

---

About Laura Florand
Laura Florand burst on the contemporary romance scene in 2012 with her award-winning Amour et Chocolat series. Since then, her books have appeared in ten languages, been named among the Best Books of the Year by Library Journal, RT Book Reviews, and Barnes & Noble, received the RT Seal of Excellence and starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, and been recommended by NPR, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. In 2015, NPR gave her the enormous honor of naming her Chocolate Kiss to its list of the Top 100 Romances of all time.

After a Fulbright year in Tahiti and backpacking everywhere from New Zealand to Greece, and several years living in Madrid and Paris, Laura now teaches Romance Studies at Duke University. Contrary to popular opinion, this means she primarily teaches French language and culture and does a great deal of research on French gastronomy, particularly chocolate. For more information, please see her Website | Facebook | Twitter


Ruthless.
That was what they said about Damien Rosier. Handsome. Wealthy. Powerful. Merciless. No one messed with his family, because to do so they would have to get through him. No one thought he had a heart. Not even the woman he gave his to.

Cynical.
That was what they said about Jasmin Bianchi. A top perfumer of her generation, Jess had achieved  commercial success by growing a protective shell over a tender heart. The one time she cracked it open to let Damien in, he crushed it—after a night of unbelievable passion.

Lovers.
That one magical night couldn’t survive the harsh light of dawn. When Jess woke up to discover the man in bed beside her had stolen her company, she fled.

Enemies.
Now she’s come to the south of France with a threat to his family heritage. If he wants to reclaim both it and the woman who walked away from him, he’s going to have to fight as dirty as only Damien can.

But Jess knows how to fight dirty, too. And these days, she has nothing left to lose.
Certainly not her heart. ~ Goodreads

---

Giveaway!

To celebrate my 6 year Blogoversary - I'm giving away a bag of goodies. Just enter below or on any of the 6 author guest post throughout the month of December. (It will be the same rafflecopter form so you only need to enter once)

Sorry US only - I do have an international book giveaway going on right now - link in sidebar!

Gift bag includes a journal, bookmarks, magnets, sticker, pin and one mug of your choice ($15 value) from Bookworm Boutique

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Leonardo da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart? ~ Goodreads


Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:
I adore Bennett’s Arcadia Bell, Urban Fantasy series. In no small part due to her portrayal of Jupe, the teenage son of Cady Bell’s boyfriend. I don’t like kids in my adult books but Jupe totally won me over. So the idea that Bennett wrote a full length novel with teens, for teens – welp – I’m all over that!

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart was a delightful story that felt like a throwback to old school YA, where coming of age themes like lust and independence are explored without all of the over the top angst but with much needed updates like sex positivity and diversity.

Both Bex and Jack are smart and kind of odd ducks. Bex looks like Wednesday Addams and draws anatomically correct body parts - for fun - and hopes to do it professionally & Jack is a not very good Buddhist/vegetarian that dresses like a rockabilly. But they aren't YA cutesy or pretentious and I loved how they both knew what they wanted out of life. I could be friends with them. They definitely weren’t perfect and made mistakes but they were truly good kids, trying to do the right thing even if it wasn’t always in the right way.

It was a quieter story than I was expecting but the characters were so sweet and original and the inclusion of actual, responsible parents and family life made it stand out from the rest.

I really hope Bennett decides to write more YA or even NA. She has a wonderful, unique voice.

I don’t usually spotlight alternate UK covers but this one is gorgeous and even has a different title so I wanted my UK readers to know it’s the same book.
Both covers and titles are perfect for this story – just in different ways.

Music: Joywave–Destruction

Hang in there until the .16 second mark for the song to really begin…

Joywave VEVO | Website

Review: Status Update (#gaymers #1) by Annabeth Albert

Adrian Gottlieb is winning at life. He's a successful video game designer with everything a man could ask for, including a warm comfy ride to Denver and a date for his sister's wedding. But he finds himself in need of a total reboot when he's left stranded at a snowy campground in Utah. Holiday plans? Epic fail.

That is until Noah Walters offers him shelter for the night and a reluctant cross-country ride. Nothing about the ultraconservative geoarchaeologist should attract Adrian, but once he discovers Noah's hidden love for video games, the two connect on a new level. Soon, a quiet but undeniable chemistry sparks.

Something doesn't add up, though. As the miles accumulate and time runs out, Noah must face the most difficult choice of his life. Meanwhile, Adrian must decide whether he's ready to level up. Is their relationship status worth fighting for, or has this game ended before it's even begun? ~ Goodreads


Source: e-arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Review:
I adore Albert's Portland Heat series and I highly recommend her books to readers who might be new to the M/M genre. They're always sweet, romantic and tug at your heartstrings. Status Update is no exception and is my new favorite book by this author.

Adrian and Noah are fantastic and real. They come together during odd, and sometimes awkwardly adorable circumstances but have major obstacles to overcome and I liked how Albert didn't rush the solutions. Although the road trip atmosphere speeds up the initial romance, the book actually takes place over a longer span of time, allowing the relationship to develop into something more substantial.

Status Update was full of swoony romantic moments but it also tackled more serious issues and took a more nuanced approach. For example, Adrian was already out and had a great support system so his view on it being more difficult for Noah to do the same often seemed pushy. But knowing more about Adrian’s background, I could see how he needed to protect himself and demand love and respect for himself in the relationship. For his part, Noah had to reconcile his faith – which was also tied to his career – and his sexuality. I felt like both sides were valid and Albert let both characters work through their issues on their own time frame.

Geeky gamers, road trips, dogs, family - this book has it all. I really loved this one!

Review: Dreamer’s Pool (Blackthorn & Grim #1) by Juliet Marillier

Award-winning author Juliet Marillier "weaves magic, mythology, and folklore into every sentence on the page" (The Book Smugglers). Now she begins an all-new and enchanting series that will transport readers to a magical vision of ancient Ireland...

In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. 

Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais. He knows her only from a portrait and sweetly poetic correspondence that have convinced him Flidais is his destined true love. But Oran discovers letters can lie. For although his intended exactly resembles her portrait, her brutality upon arrival proves she is nothing like the sensitive woman of the letters.

With the strategic marriage imminent, Oran sees no way out of his dilemma. Word has spread that Blackthorn possesses a remarkable gift for solving knotty problems, so the prince asks her for help. To save Oran from his treacherous nuptials, Blackthorn and Grim will need all their resources: courage, ingenuity, leaps of deduction, and more than a little magic. ~ Goodreads

Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review:

I usually steer clear of fantasy and the fae in my reading but so many of my friends recommended this series I decided to give it a try and I’m happy I did.

Dreamer’s Pool is fantasy but the emphasis is on character development rather than overblown details of things like blades of grass, skies and obscure languages. Marillier is descriptive enough to plunge you into a world that feels *other* but never goes so far that you need a flow chart to keep track of the whole thing.

The same goes for the fae. They are there, you know no good can come from dealing with the them, but, at least for now, they are in the periphery, influencing Blackthorn’s future, but never to the point that you feel she isn’t also acting on her own – making her own choices. And I have to admit, I’m kind of intrigued by the fae and what their intentions are in this case.

Now onto the best part of Dreamer’s Pool.

Blackthorn and Grim. They were both held in a prison for almost a year. They’ve seen each other at their absolute worst - abused and broken. They aren’t really friends at all but Grim has taken to keeping a protective eye on Blackthorn.

When Blackthorn is given an opportunity from the fae to escape (with strings of course – because FAE!) she finds herself obligated to let Grim tag along. Their completely platonic relationship was a joy to read.

Blackthorn is very bitter young woman, bent on vengeance. But she’s also a healer, in debt to the fae. Those two things are often hard for her to reconcile but Grim is a constant presence, bringing honesty and devotion to her, without crowding or pushing her into doing anything she isn't ready for. 

Grim….oh poor Grim. He’s just so big, awkward and sweet. And lost. After years in prison he needs to be near people – whereas Blackthorn wants to be alone.

I loved watching them develop a tentative friendship that allows them both bend a little to help each other survive their trauma. They’re both so broken that it’s difficult for them to trust, form bonds or friendships but somehow, slowly, they let each other in. Again – this is pure friendship – zero romance.

Blackthorn is obligated to help anyone who asks for it and gets drawn into the mystery of the Dreamer’s Pool, forcing her to work with a young prince named Oran. It was nice to read about a prince who wasn’t an arrogant jerk, who wants to be a good leader and find true love but I have to say – his pov chapters were blah in comparison to Blackthorn and Grim’s.

If you’re looking for a new fantasy series with folklore/magic/mythology elements but is much stronger and focused on long term character arc development than big action sequences – then this might be the series for you. If you’re read and enjoyed Anne Bishop’s Others series - this is very similar.

December Pick Your Book Giveaway!

This is the last giveaway of the year guys!

Winner can choose any ONE book (up to $15 value) that was released during 2015

The winner will be announced on January 1st on this post - on the rafflecopter form - and notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond or I will pick another winner. 

International entries OK as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

To enter – fill out the Rafflecopter form and answer the question – What was your favorite book of 2015?

Extra Entries:
All *optional* and NOT required. Do as few or as many as you would like. (follow links are in the sidebar)

+1 follow me on Bloglovin
+1 follow me on Twitter - @teamsheltie
+1 Tweet about the giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway