Literary Marie

July 19, 2011

Tumblr Style Tuesday

Love my annual cruises, but this right here? Is a rocky ride.

This is art.

Looking for me? You can find me in my book sanctuary.

July 18, 2011

News You Can Use about Borders - Part 5

Borders Group will close the remaining 399 stores and cut approximately 10,700 employees. Liquidation can begin as soon as this Friday. Borders is expected to go out of business by the end of September.

If you've kept up with my reporting of Borders, you know this is not a surprise. The writing's been on the wall and it was only a matter of time. Very sad news for bookhearts who frequent Borders stores. **slides down wall and hugs self**

Sources: Huffington Post and Media Bistro

July 17, 2011

Series Sunday: Teeny Templeton

Series Sunday is a new bookish meme hosted by yours truly, Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

Read an installment of a series.
Post a review/recommendation on your blog, FB, Twitter, Goodreads, or Shelfari pages.
Share your review/recommendation by posting the link in the comments section below.
Include the title, author, and name of the series so that other Series Sunday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists.

My Series Sunday pick is Gone with a Handsomer Man, the first book in the Teeny Templeton series by Michael Lee West. The heroine in this debut mystery is Teeny Templeton, a pastry chef who catches her fiance playing badminton with a couple of naked skanks in the backyard. What is Teeny's reaction? To throw peaches. But she is immediately arrested for this crime and hit with a restraining order. A few days later, the cheating fiance is murdered and Teeny is the prime suspect.

An ex-boyfriend-now-lawyer represents her and tries to clear her name. Meanwhile, Teeny must find a place to live, find a job, prove her innocence, and confront feelings from the past.

This is the first book I've read by Michael Lee West. Where have I been?! She is a great writer and storyteller. The suspense held my attention when I wasn't laughing at the funny moments. There are unexpected twists in the story involving characters that kept me turning the pages. My favorites include Coop O'Malley, the man she's loved her whole life; Sir, the bulldog that owns Teeny; and the pink Spencer-Jackson house. There are also unique recipes within the story and in the back matter such as Lavendar Shortbread, Espresso Steak Rub, and Fried Green Tomato Salad with Cornbread Croutons. Nom nom nom!

If you're looking for mystery, a little bit of romance, southern charm, and humor then this is it! I recommend reading Gone with a Handsomer Man. It is the best book of this spring/summer. And the cover is quite eye-catching.

Stay updated on www.teenytempleton.blogspot.com and check back here for reviews of the others in the series (A Teeny Bit of Trouble - Spring 2012 and Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Spring 2013). Be sure to watch the trailers below:

Title: Gone with a Handsomer Man
Author: Michael Lee West
Published: April 2011
Pages: 342
Edition: Hardcover
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

July 15, 2011

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a new bookish meme hosted by yours truly, Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

Grab your current read(s).
Share the first line(s).
Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists.

"All I ever wanted in life was true love, a set of copper cookware, and the perfect recipe for red velvet cake. The last thing I wanted was to end up on Charleston's six o'clock news, accused of murder and a slew of other crimes."

~ Gone with a Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West

July 14, 2011

Am I Dreaming? Pinch Me.

Have you ever felt like you were cursed in love? Did you ever feel like love was too good to be true? Ever uttered the words, "Pinch me. I'm dreaming" before?

Lily's mother and grandmother tried to warn her. They tried to protect her from the curse. "Never marry a man unless he's short, bald, fat, stupid, and treats you badly." But Lily didn't listen. She married Gogo, a handsome pediatrician whom she loved. On their honeymoon, Lily is so peaceful and overjoyed that she can't believe this is reality. She asks Gogo to pinch her just to be sure this isn't a dream. The instant he pinches her, Lily is transported to a different dimension. She's instantly single, back in her old house, and Gogo is not her husband anymore. He isn't even a doctor in this alternate life. He's a thin, tired looking salesman unhappily married to a college sweetheart. This is a nightmare! This is the family curse taking hold. Lily scrambles to try and make everything right again.

Adena Halpern has quite the imagination. Her stories are fresh, unique, entertaining, and light fun reading. The characters are well developed and lovable. I found myself rooting for Lily and true love with Gogo. It was the perfect choice for lounging by the pool in the sunshine. And the cover is oh so adorable!

Pinch Me is available July 19. Add it to your wish list or pre-order your copy by clicking the picture above or the link below. Thanks to the publisher for sending me an advance copy. I really enjoyed it, and hope my bookhearts do too.

Title: Pinch Me
Author: Adena Halpern
Published: July 2011
Pages: 265 pages
Edition: ARC
Rating: ♥♥♥♡

July 13, 2011

You Get a Baby! And You Get a Baby!

**in my best Oprah voice** You get a baby! And you get a baby!

Okay, so the title of this post may be too lighthearted for the story line of this book, but you get the drift. Then Came You is about four women who are entwined through surrogacy, egg donorship, and motherhood. Jules Wildgren is a Princeton senior. With the income from donating her eggs, she plans to save her father from drug and alcohol addiction by placing him in rehab. Annie Barrow is married to her high school sweetheart and has two boys. They are struggling with her husband's salary. As her financial contribution to the household, she agrees to be a surrogate. India Bishop changed her identity and started a new life. She's now 38 years old (really 43 years old), married to a rich man, and trying to have a baby. After three failed attempts at pregnancy because of a blighted ovum, she turns to modern day technology for a solution. Bettina is her suspicious stepdaughter. She's convinced her father's new wife, India, is a fraud. The Princeton Fertility Clinic, Inc. connects the ladies and so the story unfolds.

I really enjoyed Then Came You, even more than Weiner's last couple novels. Maybe because I could relate to the subject matter. I loved how the characters were connected. It really is only a few degrees of separation. Each woman's personality unfolded in a paced manner due to the format. The chapters alternate by a different woman narrating. I usually don't like books with so many narrators, but it was very easy to follow. This great read for the summer just released yesterday, so download or purchase your hard copy now.