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: ♥♥♥♡

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Literary Marie's Tuesday Teaser:

"I tell people that the best part of being older is the wisdom that comes with it. Truthfully, that's bullshit." 

~ p. 1, 29 by Adena Halpern

From Bestseller to Box Office

There are so many books coming to the big screen. Here are a few that I'm looking forward to. What books turned to film are you anxious to see?

Something Borrowed opened in theaters yesterday, May 6. I am uber excited to see this movie, as it is one of my all-time favorite books. If the movie does really well, then the sequel Something Blue will start shooting. To contribute to its opening weekend box office numbers, I planned to see it either last night or today. Unfortunately, I'm overbooked and won't have the time, but I made plans with a friend to see it next Saturday. Tell your friends, read the book, and go see the chick flick too. You'll even spot the author in the film since Emily Giffin has a cameo. Watch the trailer here.

Adena Halpern, author of 29: A Novel, tweeted great news yesterday. Twentieth Century Fox chose Ellen Rapoport to pen the adaptation of 29: A Novel. It is such a cute story of a 75-year-old woman who wishes to be 29 years old again. Be careful what you wish for because hers came true. Read my review here.

Bestseller, The Help, is a much anticipated film starring Viola Davis, Aunjanue Ellis and Cicely Tyson. It takes place in Mississippi during the 1960s. Young white socialite Skeeter returns from college and decides to write a book about the influential black women who took care of southern families. The black maids fear retribution for working on such a book, but still decide to help hoping their experiences will help change segregation. Much to the small town's dismay, Skeeter develops a friendship with two maids. Check out the movie trailer below.

On a related side note, a woman named Ablene Cooper is suing the author, Kathryn Stockett, for $75,000 in damages claiming she was the basis for the character Aibileen Clark. Ms. Cooper worked as a maid for the author's brother. Both women have a gold tooth. Both women lost a son. A lot of coincidences in my opinion. Kathryn's own brother, Robert Stockett III, agrees! Despite the similarities between real-life Ablene Cooper and fictional character Aibileen Clark, the author maintains that The Help is a work of fiction only. I'll know something if a real-life Minny (the other maid) comes out of the woodwork. It'll be interesting to see how the lawsuit turns out.

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.

"Never marry a man unless he's short, bald, fat, stupid, and treats you badly."

~ Pinch Me by Adena Halpern

Be Careful What You Wish For

We all know the cliché. Be careful what you wish for; it just might come true.

On Ellie’s 75^th birthday, she blew out the candles and made a wish. She wished to be 29 years old for just one day. It was silly and wishful thinking. Who knew such a wish could really come true? The next morning she woke up in a younger body. No blurry eyes. No hard hearing. No saggy breasts. No wrinkled neck. Before her in the mirror stood a gorgeous younger version.

After the realization that her wish actually came true, Ellie set out to do all the things she wished she had done. It was the perfect time to take back any regrets, be young again, fall in love with a soul mate, and just have fun. As her day went on, I wasn’t as excited though. I expected her to do more, but it was just an ordinary day in the life of an average 29-year-old. So will she turn back old? Or make another birthday wish to stay 29 forever?

I wouldn’t recommend for a book club or as a stand-alone read. It uses no brain cells whatsoever. Don’t waste your summer reading lengthy, deep novels. Read 29. It is perfect for a silly, light summer read.

Author Adena Halpern is funny and imaginative. I knew I’d like this cute book when I realized she was the author of Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown. It’s creative and explored an idea that women contemplate at least once in their lives. What if I could be young again?

So, here is something to think about. What age would you return to and why?

Rating: ♥♥♥