Kill Two Byrds

"You only get one strike in this game." ~ pg. 61

Oftentimes, it is the small details that grab my attention when considering to read a book. In this instance, it was the book cover. How can I not be curious about a man holding a gun to another man that appears to be digging a grave? Then I open the book to start reading and notice that every chapter heading has a watermark of a palm tree. I heart palm trees and instantly thought of my second home Miami! Low and behold, the story takes place in South Florida. So despite my full reading schedule, I made time to read Kill Two Byrds.

Bernard Byrd returns from an overseas 120-day deployment to find two letters summoning him home. Due to a tragedy that occurred there years ago, he is not excited about the homecoming. The first letter is from a woman named Kayla claiming to have been a friend of Bernard's late uncle. The second letter is from the executor of his uncle's estate and advising of a will. His uncle was penniless so Bernard is sure this is a mistake. He heads home to straighten it out but finds things that don't make sense. Bernard and Kayla team up to find out the truth and discover deadly secrets of Uncle Marvin's life.

Authors write better from experience. I can tell that Steven Lockett is a mystery fan. This is his first novel and he did a great job capturing the reader and unfolding the mystery while creating suspense. The main character was also likeable so I actually cared whether he solved the mystery. Can't go wrong with these elements! Kill Two Byrds has my stamp of recommendation. I look forward to reading more from this author soon. In the meantime, I'll stay updated on his new blog about writing. Visit http://stevenlockett.com/ for more info.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the author for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Kill Two Byrds
Author: Steven Lockett
Published: September 2013
Pages: 197
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

Tequila Mockingbird

"To pay proper homage to the world's greatest stories and storytellers, we've carefully crafted a library's worth of literature-inspired cocktails. Scholarly sips for word nerds, if you will—and the people who love them." ~ pg. 13

Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist is a clever tribute that should be displayed on every bookheart's bar or coffee table. It is the perfect cocktail book for the literary obsessed! Over 60 drink recipes are named after classic novels. The book also includes drinking games, special gulps for guys, bar bites (appetizers), a glossary and illustrations. Charm your guests by trying a few of these cocktails during your next book club meeting or holiday gathering.

• Are You There God? It's Me, Margarita
• Bridget Jones's Daiquiri
• The Last of the Mojitos
• Romeo and Julep
• The Cooler Purple
• Olives 'n' Twist
• Lord of the Mai-Tais
• The Deviled Egg Wears Prada

Title: Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist
Author:  Tim Federle
Published: April 2013
Pages: 190
Edition: eBook and Hardcover
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
 
 

Series Sunday: S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared

(S.E.C.R.E.T. #2)

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

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared, the second book in the S.E.C.R.E.T. series by L. Marie Adeline. Cassie has been initiated into a secret erotic organization that helps women experience sexual fantasies. She is now a guide and assists the recruiting committee. Dauphine is an inductee that wants to get her sexy back. With the help of Cassie and S.E.C.R.E.T., she experiences steps to reignite the flame.

"...ensure that all sexual fantasies are: Safe, Erotic, Compelling, Romantic, Ecstatic, Transformative" ~ pg. 26

I first picked this series because of the author's name. I enjoyed the first book enough to pick up this sequel. However, I am not sure if I will continue to follow this series. S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared still celebrated a woman's sexual independence and discovery but it was just blah reading. The members and participants of the exclusive organization are interesting but not quite enough to tell a bookheart, "You have GOT to read this!" No, it doesn't have that spark of enthusiasm. It is just okay.

Title: S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared
Author: L. Marie Adeline
Published: October 2013
Pages: 231
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥


 

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by 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.

"Apart from life, a strong constitution, and an abiding connection to the Thembu royal house, the only thing my father bestowed upon me at birth was a name, Rolihlahla. In Xhosa, Rolihlahla literally means 'pulling the branch of a tree,' but its colloquial meaning more accurately would be 'troublemaker.' I do not believe that names are destiny or that my father somehow divined my future, but in later years, friends and relatives would ascribe to my birth name the many storms I have both caused and weathered. My more familiar English or Christian name was not given to me until my first day of school. But I am getting ahead of myself."

~ Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

The book that inspired the movie starring Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela - in theaters now. Watch the movie trailer below:

 

The Tao of Martha

  
"Yet my dirty little secret is that the place seems immaculate because I shove everything into cabinets, drawers, and closets to keep it looking that way." ~ pg. 12

The once bitter, pretty fat, lazy Jen shares another journey of her life with readers in new memoir The Tao of Martha. She challenges herself to a yearlong quest of living life according to the advice of Martha Stewart.

Sound boring? Did you crack a smile? Does the summary sound the least bit funny? I have been a fan of Jen Lancaster since the very beginning. I love her stories of self-improvement. But this new release of organization=happiness missed the mark. It is missing the famous footnotes that have become Jen's writing style. It is not as witty. It was difficult for me to finish reading because all the while it gave the vibe, "I'm writing this book to fulfill a publishing obligation."

The Tao of Martha is my least liked memoir of Jen Lancaster's. Ordinary essays replaced the usual funny anecdotes. Maybe it was because I do not relate to Martha Stewart and believe she is over-hyped; therefore, I did not understand Jen's fascination with emulating Martha's lifestyle. The Drawer of Shame, I get. Amen, sister! But taking up boring-ass hobbies like knitting? No, thanks.

Title: The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING, or Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog
Author: Jen Lancaster
Published: June 2013
Pages: 343
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥

 

The Awesome Girl's Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men

"When you're searching for true love, you had best take every invitation you get, because for all you know, somebody's handing you an Invitation to Extraordinary." ~ pg. 1

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter was a great novel movement complete with t-shirts, online pajama parties, book club meetings and fandom. Ever since its phenomenon, I have waited for a follow-up novel. Alas—well kind of. Instead of focusing on our beloved main character from before (Davie), The Awesome Girl's Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men focuses on four new women who are encouraged to read Davie's general relationship advice book.

The four friends are unique in their own way but want the same thing: a better love life. Thursday wants to stop having one-month-stands and settle down with a steady boyfriend. Sharita is holding out hope for black love. Risa hasn't gotten over The One and Tammy struggles to accept love.

Will this new novel start a movement like 32 Candles? Probably not. Will you pick up dating tips that are strategically placed between the pages? Most likely. Learning a thing or two while enjoying a fictional story makes reading this book worth it. I either knew someone who reminded me of the characters or could personally relate to some characteristics of the four women's dating habits. I am sure you'll see yourself or a friend within the 400+ pages and be anxious to see if the women get that Molly Ringwald ending we want for ourselves.

Side Shelf Note: I read TAGGTDEM in one sitting partly because it was good but moreso because I was reading via Kindle for Mac platform and desperately wanted to finish reading from a big screen. I begrudgingly had to download the Kindle edition because it was not available on NOOK. This is my only complaint because availability is important as an avid reader and chick on-the-go.

If you fell in love with Ernessa T. Carter's writing the first go-round, you will like TAGGTDEM. Although Davie plays a minor character, her advice is throughout the book. Grab a cocktail, your highlighter, and dive in reading!

Title: The Awesome Girl's Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men
Author: Ernessa T. Carter
Published: September 2013
Pages: 436
Edition: eBook (Kindle Edition)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

NEW Flowers in the Attic Movie

Book 1979

Movie 1987

Flowers in the Attic is a psychological film that first aired in 1987 based on the 1979 novel by V.C. Andrews. The new adaptation will air on Lifetime network on January 18, 2014. In the film, a mother locks her four children in an attic leaving them to be abused by their grandmother. The two oldest children develop romantic feelings for each other and have an incestuous relationship. Watch the exclusive movie trailer below.

It has been well over ten years since I originally read Flowers in the Attic. I plan to re-read it before the movie remake airs. The original film was poorly received and had a lot of differences when compared to the book. Director Deborah Chow tells Entertainment Weekly the new script is faithful to the book. We'll see. Check back here for my movie review in late January.