Need a ride? - Anywhere but Here by Jenny Gardiner

I really enjoyed Anywhere but Here by Jenny Gardiner. The plot is original - even if a bit far-fetched - and you can't help but cheer Mary Kate on in her pursuit of freedom and happiness after discovering her history (I wanted to do physical harm to her douchebag husband). Her handsome hitchhiker is an interesting character, mysterious and unfailingly kind - what's not to like when you have those qualities in a hero, right? I was sucked in and had to know what would happen next, which is definitely the way I want to feel when reading a book.

I have a bone (pun intended) to pick with the characters, though...


**SPOILER** How could you forget about the dog you'd just rescued? I was having fun on this improbable journey until I had to spend the last few pages wondering what had happened to him. And then to find out he was fine, but the characters had forgotten about him? Okay, I'll admit it, I was really ticked off. **END SPOILER**


Rant aside (and it's a personal thing - I am a huge animal lover! I would rather run over my neighbor than their cat any day) :-) Anywhere but Here was a fun read and I definitely recommend to my fellow Chick-Lit lovers! And for only $2.99 on Amazon, it's definitely worth the read. Try it and let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

J'adore - Sleeping with Paris by Juliette Sobanet

What are our twenties for? In my opinion - growing up. Charlotte Summers, the heroine of Juliette Sobanet's Sleeping with Paris, does a lot of growing up within the pages of this book. I really enjoyed sharing her journey - her heartaches, her triumphs, her path to self discovery.

Not everyone will appreciate the choices Charlotte makes after discovering her fiance has been cheating on her and she decides to try "dating like a man," but I found them to be real, true reactions to a horrible situation. I appreciated her flaws almost more than I appreciated her virtues. And at twenty-something, I probably would have spilled every dirty detail of my rebound from hell all over the internet as well. **Not recommending doing something so foolish, just saying** - - Yes, Charlotte resonated with me ;-).

I really enjoyed the peripheral characters too - with their well-defined roles and personalities, they added a lot of fun and drama to the story.

And, it's also obvious that Juliette Sobanet knows a little bit about France (okay, that was sarcasm)... she knows more than a little - the streets of Paris pop from the pages as if you were there, smelling the cigarette being smoked by an overly-thin Parisian. I've never been, so Sleeping with Paris was like a mini European vacation.

Overall, this was a wonderful story about the mistakes we make and how fate can sometimes intervene when we finally get our heads on straight. Currently $2.99 on Amazon for Kindle, there is simply no reason not to add Sleeping with Paris to your "must read" pile.

Amusez vous bien!

~Heidi

It put a spell on me - Opal Fire by Barbra Annino

Okay, I'm a sucker for books about witches... spells and charms and mystical powers - and who doesn't love an adorable familiar? Well, Opal Fire, Stacy Justice Mystery Book One by Barbra Annino quenched my witchy thirst with a vengeance! Fantastic main character - great writing - LOVE Thor - interesting characters - the list goes on and on.

Making it even more fabulous is that this is the first in a series! I love series! I love series about witches! Add in a mystery, suspense, a wee bit of romance and plenty of witchy attitude, and it's hours of mystical enjoyment for me!!! I loved this book.

Now, those of you who know my reading tastes will realize that my favorite genres are polar opposite of literary fiction. I like to be entertained! I definitely don't want to weep. And, I'm a chick... so books that many consider Chick-Lit are my long-time friends. Opal Fire definitely fits this category. Have I said how much I enjoyed it? And I'm already chomping at the, hmm, cauldron? broomstick? to immerse myself in the next Stacy Justice Mystery - Bloodstone. So fun! So me! Yay!

Currently $3.99 on Amazon (or free to Amazon Prime members), this is a must read for those of you whose reading tastes mirror my own. Enjoy it!

Happy Witchy Reading!

~Heidi

Couldn't Put it Down - Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz

Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz was simply a wonderful, fun, humorous, romantic, engaging, and consuming read. Okay, so one of my secret (or not so secret now, I guess) guilty little pleasures is reality television. Yes, I am addicted to The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and even  Jersey Shore. * Hangs head in shame* It's kind of embarrassing actually, but there you have it. So, to find a book that is all about the behind the scenes fun, mayhem and theatrics from the point of view of Abby, a reality show producer, was something I couldn't pass up.

What made the story even more fun was realizing the authors are actually producers of reality TV! No wonder everything was so realistic, and hilariously detailed. Like the title says, I couldn't put this book down. The  "reality" of reality TV is more fun than the shows themselves! And Unscripted isn't just about Abby's job, there are fantastic side stories and characters that are so fun and vivid you'll feel like they're your friends, too.

While not necessarily a standard romance (which is really refreshing), there is a romantic element to Unscripted - and just like on TV, I want more. I don't even know if a sequel would be possible, or if one is already in the works, but can you hear me?  I want more! Not that Unscripted leaves you hanging, but the world while you're in it is just so captivating... it's hard to let go when you finish that last page.

I'm sure from reading the bios at the end of the book that the authors have a million more stories to tell, now I just have to be patient and wait for them to finish spinning the tales ;-). Currently on sale for $4.61 on Amazon, Unscripted  by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz is a must read!

Happy Reading!

~Heidi

Books I Loved - Blame it on the Fame by Tracie Banister

My apologies - I've been MIA since the holidays. But, in celebration of Valentine's Day and things I love, I'm back with a bunch of books I've read recently that you just have to pick up! By the way, I despise Valentine's Day... it's a silly, made up holiday in my opinion, but that's not going to stop me from using it as an excuse to share these fabulous reads with you.

Okay, now for the gushing review (and I am going to gush a little because I really enjoyed this book). Tracie Banister's Blame it on the Fame is a fantastic look inside the lives of Oscar contenders vying for the same award. And when I say inside, I mean all the behind the scenes dirt is aired. What I found most incredible about this book was how the characters seemed real in my mind. Fact and fiction was interwoven so well it was difficult to determine where one left off and the other began.

I also have to give kudos to Tracie for the amazing amount of research that had to have gone into the process of bringing Blame it on the Fame to market. Details and histories and locations, all vivid and ringing with expertise. Now, I am sure there are going to be some who wonder why a fictional book about a bunch of Oscar contenders has resonated with me, when I don't even enjoy watching the Oscars... and, okay, you probably didn't know that before, but now you do - I think award shows are superfluous. Do these people really need umpteen ego boosters throughout the year to tell them how amazing their ability to pretend to be someone else (for millions of dollars, I might add) is?

But... this story really is that good. I guess it's that "aha!" moment when you're reading, and thinking, "I bet that's how it really is." Seriously, you'll feel like you're reading a memoir. Interesting, captivating and very well written! Blame it on the Fame is available for the ridiculously low price of $1.99 on Amazon. Buy this book - you won't be disappointed.

Happy Reading!

~Heidi