Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (February 14, 2012 by The Dial Press)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

I’ve lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!! 

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her ‘happy ever after’ begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect! 

Well, perfect except the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. 

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents… she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

YES, YES, YES! Finally Sophie Kinsella has a new book coming out! Kinsella is one of the authors that helped me discover my love of chick lit, so needless to say, when she writes a book, I’m all over it. This one sounds full of Kinsella’s trademark humor and I can’t wait to read it!

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard (February 7, 2012 by HarperTeen)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it. 

If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a minute, it’s pretty clear that I’m obsessed with Sara Shepard and her amazing, mysterious PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and THE LYING GAME series. While I didn’t LOVE the previous book in this series, I’m hoping that this one brings back that mystery I’ve come to expect from Shepard.

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Today, I’m pleased to welcome debut author Erin Duffy to the blog! Erin is the author of BOND GIRL, which comes out tomorrow! I’m in the middle of reading this book right now and I absolutely LOVE it. 

Well, it’s not so much that I forgot, but that the rules simply no longer apply. I feel bad for mothers who worked so hard to teach their children proper manners and etiquette only to watch the world of finance undo all those lessons in ten days or less of work. Outside the office is one thing, but inside, there is absolutely no room for much of anything you learned in kindergarten. Allow to me provide you a few brief examples.

1. Say please and thank you. This one actually makes me laugh. On Wall Street, please and thank you  are replaced with “do it” and “now.” Saying please and thank you implies you are asking a favor and that you are grateful when you receive it. Save the pleasantries for the outside world. There’s no room for them here.

2. It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice. Well that sure as hell ain’t true. It’s actually, “it’s important to be nice but it’s more nice to be important.” No one here is vying for the Corporate Mr. Congeniality title. Where is this mythical place where all coworkers are nice to each other? Do you follow the Yellow Brick Road to get there and then hang a right at Narnia? If any of you have directions, please send them over. I’d really like to see this place.

3. Share everything. The only things people on Wall Street believe in sharing are free food and Town Cars. We are a highly possessive bunch; what’s mine is mine and you better not come near it or I will rip your arms off and beat you with them. The worst violation of Wall Street rules is trying to “share” someone else’s accounts. I shutter just thinking about it.

4. Wash your hands before you eat. I’m sorry, but that would require leaving the desk basically once every hour. We eat all day long while we work. Unless you want to stretch the definition of wash to “lick the barbeque sauce off your fingers before you pick up the phone,” this one is probably a goner too.

5. Apologize. Wait, if I say I’m sorry does that I mean I am admitting I was wrong? The only way you are likely to get an apology is if someone accidentally knocks you down in the hallway or spills hot coffee all over your lap. Even then, there will probably be some blame placed on you for not watching where you were going and not wearing heat resistant pants.

6: Take naps. Four words for you, “sleep when you’re dead.” Sorry Ms. O’Connell. You were a wonderful kindergarten teacher, and you certainly tried your best, but you’re no match for Wall Street.

Thanks so much, Erin! To learn more about BOND GIRL, please click here.

In My Mailbox, started by Kristi from The Story Siren is an awesome weekly meme to post what books we’ve received this week; whether it was sent for review from a publisher, purchased at a book store, borrowed from the library, or won from a giveaway.

All of this week’s books are from my amazing library’s book sale. So many awesome titles! And by the way…stay tuned for a SLOPPY FIRSTS giveaway since I accidentally bought this book even though I already have a copy!

From book sale

A Royal Match by Tyne O’Connell

Babyland by Holly Chamberlin

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Thanks For The Memories by Cecilia Ahern

What’s in your mailbox today?

Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Goodreads Summary:

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, 
pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, 
push, 
push, 
push, 
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

What I Thought:

Lauren Oliver has done it again! I know it seems silly to start a book review talking about the ending of the book, but let’s start there. THE ENDING OF THIS BOOK. Oh my goodness. I can’t even write about it. I knew something big was coming…but I never expected THAT. My jaw literally dropped and I kept flipping praying that there would be another chapter, or SOMETHING to grab onto, even though I definitely knew better. If anything, Lauren Oliver has perfect the art of the cliffhanger. And the ending of PANDEMONIUM? The ultimate cliffhanger. Perhaps even moreso than DELIRIUM.

Okay, but back to the beginning of the book. Needless to say, I was thrilled with the lovely Tara sent me an ARC of the book. I immediately dove in and started reading and was a little shocked when I couldn’t get into the book. After all, this is the sequel to DELIRIUM, my absolute favorite book of 2011. Still, for the first hundred pages or so, I trudged along, praying that the action would pick up. I should have known that it would, and somewhere around page 150, I was sucked in and stayed up late into the night to finish the book.

I was disappointed that it took me so long to get into the book, but after finishing and thinking back on it, I realized that Oliver was giving plenty of background information about Lena’s life in the wilds to help readers understand why she acts the way she does and to help set up scenes for later in the book. I didn’t appreciate the slowness of the first half of the book while reading, but I think if I were to read the book again, I might appreciate those details that I may have skimmed over the first time.

Speaking of Lena’s life in the wilds, those were some of my least favorite scenes, even though I understand how important they are to the overall story. Even though I didn’t love reading these scenes, I enjoyed meeting some new and important characters like Raven and Tack. I love how they sort of took on the role of parents to Lena; it was nice to see Lena have someone to look up to and emulate as she adjusted to her new life in the wilds.

My favorite part of this book was Lena’s character development. Since the first book, Lena has definitely grown and changed! In the first book, she is a bit meek, following the rules of the society and slowly begins to change throughout the book. But in PANDEMONIUM, Lena is FIERCE. Her entire demeanor has changed, and it’s obvious that she’s been hardened by her time in the wilds. I absolutely loved seeing this side of Lena.

Another aspect of PANDEMONIUM that I really enjoyed was the introduction of a new male character, Julian. At first, I was staunchly against Julian. I missed Alex, and didn’t want any other male in the picture for Lena. However, without spoiling anything, I will say that I definitely warmed up to this new character throughout the book.

The second half of this book is full of the action I came to know and love after reading DELIRIUM. I was literally on the edge of my seat, holding my breath with knots in my stomach for several chapters in this book. There is so much suspense in this book, and so many scary scenes. I kept trying to imagine what life would be like if we lived in Lena’s world right now, and it’s definitely frightening to think about.

Even though I feel so lucky to have had the chance to read this book early, I’m a little sad because now I have to wait all the more longer to get my hands on the final book in the trilogy!

4/5

Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe (January 24, 2012 by Disney Hyperion)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you’re dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn’t?

As you likely know, I am absolutely crazy for dystopian novels, and this one seems like one I should not miss! I like the idea that those infected with the disease blab their secrets. I’m sure this will be a very interesting read!

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Crossed
Author: Ally Condie
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Goodreads Summary:

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky – taken by the Society to his certain death – only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander – who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart – change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

What I Thought:

This is going to be a difficult book to review.

When CROSSED came out back in November, I excitedly put my name on the reserve list at the library. I avoided reading any and all reviews I came across on blogs because I wanted to read this book with absolutely no idea of what was to come. And then I patiently waited until almost the end of December before I finally got a copy of the book in my anxious little hands. When I finally got my copy, I began to read…and was sorely disappointed.

You see, I was VERY excited for this book. After reading and loving MATCHED last year, I had high hopes for CROSSED. I fell in love with Cassia’s world, and even more in love with her two suitors, Ky and Xander. I struggled right alongside her as she chose between the two men and between a comfortable yet unsatisfying life or a dangerous, but life filled with love.

In my review of MATCHED, I talked about how the first book in a dystopian trilogy can afford to move a bit slower, can pace the reader and leave them wanting more in books 2 and 3. If anything, MATCHED kept my attention while CROSSED slowed to an almost complete stop.

My biggest problem with CROSSED was how slowly the plot moved along. To be completely blunt, this book bored me. It took me more than three weeks to make my way through (which is very rare for me) and I found myself no longer caring about Cassia, Ky or Xander. In fact, I found myself getting frustrated that I couldn’t get into this book, especially since I really wanted to love it. When I think back to what happened throughout this book, the only thing I can really come up with is that our main characters wandered around a cave searching for The Rising (which is still as elusive as it was in book 1) for more than 200 pages.

This book is told in alternating chapters from both Cassia and Ky’s perspective, something that absolutely set this book apart from the first book. While I thought I might enjoy getting to know Ky more, I actually found myself skimming through his chapters, hoping to get to Cassia’s sooner. I became attached to Cassia after reading the first book, and still saw Ky as a secondary character, not as the person driving the entire story. However, even though I wasn’t a fan of the alternating viewpoints, I was able to appreciate Condie’s skills in developing two completely different voices, and doing so really well.

The one redeeming quality in CROSSED is that despite plot and pacing issues, Ally Condie writes beautiful prose. I continued to be impressed by her writing style throughout the book. The woman can write…and that gives me hope for book 3.

CROSSED lacked the suspense and excitement that kept me intrigued and interested in MATCHED. I will give the final book in this trilogy a chance, if only because I think Ally Condie writes beautifully and I know that something more has to happen in the final book. Plus, now I’m invested in the series, and I still want to see how it concludes!

1.5/5

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my BEST FRIENDS, OCCASIONAL ENEMIES audiobook giveaway!

The winner is…

*Amber from A Little Pink In The Cornfields*

Congratulations, Amber! Hope you love this audiobook as much as I did.

Stay tuned for more giveaways!

In My Mailbox, started by Kristi from The Story Siren is an awesome weekly meme to post what books we’ve received this week; whether it was sent for review from a publisher, purchased at a book store, borrowed from the library, or won from a giveaway.

Lots of great books to share this week! With my new audiobook addiction, I was super excited to receive three audiobooks in the mail, along with some other great review books.

Thank you Esther from Macmillan Audio, Julia from William Morrow and NetGalley!

For review

Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Home Front  audiobook by Kristin Hannah

Another Piece of My Heart audiobook by Jane Green

Cinder audiobook by Marissa Meyer

From NetGalley

Welcome Caller This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

New Girl by Paige Harbison

From the library

Crossed by Ally Condie

What’s in your mailbox today?

Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald (January 24, 2012 by Candlewick Press)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession – ahem, affection – is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie’s feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett’s constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to ’80s indie rock- all to no avail.

But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder – until he calls to say he’s fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she’s finally had enough. It’s time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized self help guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

This book sounds too cute! I love the idea of Sadie embarking on a journey to get over Garrett, but ends up learning more about herself in the process. It sounds like she’s definitely going to go on an adventure and I can’t wait to see who she meets along the way.

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies
Author: Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Narrated by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella)
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website (Lisa) | Author Website (Francesca)

*Scroll to the bottom to enter for a chance to win BEST FRIENDS, OCCASIONAL ENEMIES

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline and her daughter Francesca Serritella are the best of friends—99.9% of the time. They’re number one on each other’s speed dial and they tell each other everything—well, almost everything. They share shoes and clothes—except one very special green jacket, which almost caused a catfight.

In other words, they’re just like every mother and daughter in the world. Best friends, and occasional enemies. Now they’re dishing about it all—their lives, their relationship, and their carb count. 

Inspired by their weekly column, “Chick Wit” for The Philadelphia Inquirer, this book is one you’ll have to put down—just to stop laughing.

What I Thought:

It’s no secret that I absolutely adore Lisa Scottoline and her daughter Francesca Serritella. I raved about their first book together, MY NEST ISN’T EMPTY, IT JUST HAS MORE CLOSET SPACE and I recently recapped meeting them at a signing with my mom. So getting to LISTEN to them narrate their second book together? A true treat.

I reviewed my first audiobook over the summer, and with this being my second audiobook experience, I have to say, I’m hooked! Especially now that I have a bit of a longer commute, listening to an audiobook is so much nicer than flipping back and forth from radio station to radio station.

I love Scottoline and Serritella’s writing style anyway, but getting to actually hear them narrate the stories in their own voices absolutely made this book awesome. It was like being at one of their signings, but from the comfort of my car. If you’ve never been to one of their signings, it’s basically like a mini comed y show, and this audiobook was no exception. I found myself laughing out loud in the car on more than one occasion. I can’t stress enough how awesome it was to hear the actual authors read this book; it made the experience feel so much more real.

Also, like I mentioned in my review for their first book, I absolutely love the tone of these books. You really do feel as if you’re best friends with the authors just out for a drink and chatting. I love the way they make each reader feel like they’re family. The tone of this book is extremely conversational, a little bit sarcastic and full of heart.

All mom’s and daughters will relate to this book in some way. Even the title is very relatable. What girl doesn’t consider their mom a close friend, but at times an enemy? Hearing the way the two interact absolutely reminded me of the way my mom and I act together. It also made me want to go give my mom a hug. The columns told from Lisa’s perspective truly show how much she loves and cares for her daughter, and definitely reminds me of how much I know my mom loves me.

I was especially able to relate to daughter Francesca’s columns in the book because we’re very close in age. We’ve both recently graduated from college and are both trying to juggle career, friends and dating. Not all the columns are laugh out loud funny; some are downright heartfelt. My favorite column in the book is written by Francesca about getting your hopes up when starting to date someone. The column explores the way young women act when they meet someone they’re interested in, and I found myself nodding along the entire time she was reading.

I can’t wait to see what Lisa and Francesca come up with next!

Want to get a little taste of what the audiobook sounds like? Just click here to listen to a clip. AND, be sure to enter my giveaway to win your very own BEST FRIENDS, OCCASIONAL ENEMIES audiobook!

4.5/5

Audiobook review copy provided by publicist.

Enter the giveaway here:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s no secret that I’ve been in quite a blogging/reading slump the past few months. Part of it was because I was busy with the holidays, finishing one job and starting another, and becoming a puppy mommy, but part of it was simply because the thought of blogging didn’t excite me anymore. In fact, it made me downright tired. Even reading became a chore, and you know when reading becomes a chore that it’s time to take a break.

So that’s exactly what I did. I took a little bit of an unannounced and unplanned hiatus. I took time to figure out what I really want to get out of my blog, and to remember what made me love blogging in the first place. I came to the conclusion that I started to blog (and continue to love blogging) for three main reasons.

1. To share my love of what I’m reading with other bookworms.

2. To document my thoughts about books and life; to have a place where I can go back and remember how I felt during a certain time about a book or situation.

3. To meet other people who have similar interests; to be part of a community.

So, this year, I’m going back to the basics. Simplifying, if you will. Here are a few of the changes you may see around Cover to Cover:

-I will no longer be writing my own summaries for books I review. I know many bloggers have strong feelings about writing their own summaries (and believe me, I used to be one of them!) but I’ve realized that writing a summary usually takes me longer than writing the review itself. I dread writing summaries, and realized that there are official book summaries for a reason. Plus, I realize that when I read other people’s reviews, I generally skip over the summary portion and right to the review, so I’ll be focusing my efforts on writing reviews. I’ll now be using summaries from Goodreads.

-My reviews will likely be shorter. I spent a lot of time in 2011 trying to write beautiful, articulate book reviews. Each review took way longer than it should have to write. In 2012, I’m going to attempt to be much more concise and just flat-out share what I think, without trying to be too prose-y.

-I’ll be writing more about my personal life. I realize that first and foremost this is a blog about books and writing. But, this is also my little corner of the Internet, and I’d like to write more about my personal life and my goals and dreams. You’ve already seen some posts like this, and they were pretty well-received, so this year, I’ll be writing more personal posts. You’ll get to know a little bit more about the girl behind the blog.

See? Not so bad. Just a few small changes that I think will make a big difference in my approach to blogging. I’m so ready to take on 2012!

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Goodreads Summary:

When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then…break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go—and who she is willing to cross—to get what she wants.

What I Thought:

After featuring this book in a Waiting On Wednesday post a few months back, I was super excited when author Lynn Weingarten reached out to me and asked if I would like to review a copy of THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS. This book initially appealed to me because it sort of reminded me of my all-time favorite TV show Sabrina The Teenage Witch. I’m not normally a paranormal book fan, but the idea of having magical powers combined with the whole heartbreaker plot totally captured me.

While I had really high hopes for this book, it unfortunately took me awhile to get through. I was in a little bit of a reading slump throughout December, when I read this book, and while I wanted to love this book, it did take me some time to complete.

Normally, I’m a big fan of books with several characters, but for some reason, the characters in this book all blended together to me. Olivia, Liza and Gil, the three heartbreakers who approach Lucy with magic powers, all seemed the same to me. I never really felt like I got to know them individually, and therefore, I really didn’t feel like I cared about them. There were also a few male characters throughout the book, but again, I didn’t feel like I got to know them or care about them.

Despite not completely falling head over heels for this book, I really enjoyed Lucy as a main character and loved watching her grow and mature throughout the book. In the beginning of the book, she was reeling from an unexpected breakup, and let’s face it: we’ve all been there. I could relate to many of Lucy’s feelings and there were a few bits of dialogue that really stuck out to me regarding her thoughts about being dumped. After reading a few other reviews of this book, it seemed like other readers had a problem with Lucy and thought she was whiny and way too dependent on her ex-boyfriend, but try to put yourself in her shoes and remember what it was like to be in high school and completely mad for a guy who you thought could do no wrong. Of course, as adults, we can look at Lucy and think she’s acting pathetic and crazy, but when you really put yourself in her shoes, it was really easy for me to understand where she was coming from.

Despite loving or hating Lucy, it’s difficult to deny the fact that her transformation from the beginning of the story to the end is pretty remarkable. We see her regain her confidence and really learn to love herself. I love books where the main character truly transforms, and this book was no exception.

My favorite part of this book was the takeaway message: be confident and love yourself. Ultimately, even though Lucy had a little bit of magic, she discovered her confidence and really owned who she was. Teenagers and adults alike will relate to this story and learn an important lesson about respect, love and being proud of who you are.

3/5

Review copy provided by author.

Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

150 Pounds by Kate Rockland (January 17, 2012) by St. Martin’s Press

Check out this Goodreads summary:

 In the fast paced life of blogging, two women stand out: Alexis Allbright, of Skinny Chick, and Shoshana Weiner, who writes Fat and Fabulous. Both have over five million loyal readers. Both are hungry for success. But the similarities stop there. 

With over 100 pounds on the scale separating them, weight isn’t their only difference. Alexis is a loner who is so bitchy the only person who can stand her company is her gay best friend Billy. She gives neurotic New Yorkers a run for their money with her strict daily workout routine, and weighing of food. Shoshana is Alexis’s opposite. Living in Jersey with rowdy roommates, she is someone who “collects friends,” as her mother puts it; and treasures a life of expanding circles…and waistlines.

When both appear as panelists on a popular talk show, their lives intersect in ways neither could have imagined. In turns comedic, heartwarming–and familiar to any woman who’s ever stepped on a scale–Alexis and Shoshana realize they have far more in common than either could have possibly imagined, and more importantly, something to offer. 

I need to get my hands on a copy of this book AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I absolutely love the idea of this book; two completely different women who find similarities where they never expected. Plus, I really enjoy books that deal with weight issues, and this book seems to have that and so much more. I also like that this book is about two bloggers! Something we can all definitely relate to.

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a minute, you’ve likely learned that I’m obsessed with goals; brainstorming, arranging them in a neat, tidy list and then (hopefully) accomplishing them.

In 2011, I set some pretty ambitious goals…and somewhere in the midst of the year, I got BURNED OUT. You see, I set the bar way too high. I definitely bit off more than I could chew, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. In fact, in 2011, I learned that sometimes it’s better to take a step back and appreciate the moment without worrying about crossing items off a list.

Even though I didn’t reach all of my 2011 goals, I still had an amazing year filled with accomplishments that I am incredibly proud of:

-I went from never running a day in my life to running a 5K. Since then, I’ve run seven 5K’s.

-I lost 30 pounds (now closer to 35), discovered my passion for running and Zumba and learned to love my body.

-I purchased my first car.

-I left my job in healthcare PR and accepted a position in travel/tourism marketing and communications. The job is great so far, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

So, in 2012, I only have a few goals. I’m keeping things simple, and setting smaller, attainable goals throughout the year. Because after all, even though the New Year is a nice time to set goals and make resolutions, I want to constantly challenge myself to become better year-round.

I’ve broken down my 2012 goals into four major areas in my life:

Personal

-Make more time for friends and family.

-Relax and trust that good things will happen when they are supposed to happen.

Professional

-Do well, learn and grow as much as possible in my new job. So far, I absolutely love travel/tourism and can see myself really growing and finding my niche in this area of communications. I want to do an amazing job at work and learn as much as I can about the field.

-Continue to stay involved in the PR community through leadership roles in the Philadelphia Public Relations Association and the Public Relations Society of America.

-Keep blogging, freelancing and developing my personal brand.

Health/Fitness

-Complete the Broad Street Run on May 6, 2012. 10 miles. I can do this.

Financial

-Pay more attention to the way I’m spending my money and spend money smartly.

-Create a budget. Sometime in the next year or so, I’d like to move into my own place, so budgeting and spending my money wisely will definitely help me figure out when and how I can do that.

What are some of your 2012 goals? Do you set goals for the new year or do you believe in setting goals year-round?

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your day is filled with family, delicious food, fun presents and lots of love.

Per tradition, this is the 2011 Lawlor family Christmas card. We went with a beach theme this year and had the amazing Rachel from Hello Gorgeous Photography shoot the family over the summer during our vacation in Ocean City, NJ.

In My Mailbox, startedby Kristi from The Story Siren is an awesome weekly meme to post what books we’ve received this week; whether it was sent for review from a publisher, purchased at a book store, borrowed from the library, or won from a giveaway.

I’ve been a very bad blogger lately…I most definitely would be on Santa’s naughty book blogger list. BUT, I have a few very good reasons that I’ve been MIA. You’ll have to watch the vlog below to find out why AND to meet a very special new addition to our family. I think you’re going to like him. Oh, and I think you’re going to LOVE the books I have to share this week.

From Tara:

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

For review:

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella audiobook

From NetGalley:

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally.

What’s in your mailbox today?

Today, I’m participating in Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. This event highlights the upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

Today, I am waiting for…

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (January 3, 2012 by Simon Pulse)

Adorable cover and lovely title…this seems like the perfect book to cuddle up with near the fireplace on a snowy night.

Check out this Goodreads summary:

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been. 

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done. 

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…. 

I haven’t read Ockler’s other books yet, but this one seriously just sounds amazing. The perfect winter read. Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Earlier this week, I had the chance to hear from two fantastic authors and mother/daughter duo, Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella. You may remember these lovely ladies from last year when I interviewed Francesca and reviewed their first book together MY NEST ISN’T EMPTY, IT JUST HAS MORE CLOSET SPACE.

Lisa has been writing books for more than twenty years and also writes a hilarious column called Chick Wit for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She and her daughter Francesca have now written two books together. The book they are currently promoting is called BEST FRIENDS, OCCASIONAL ENEMIES.

After hearing them speak last year, my mom and I knew we had to go to their next signing. My mom and I don’t read many of the same authors, so it’s so fun to share this with her. Especially since their two books they co-wrote are about the intricacies of a mother/daughter relationship.

Excited to hear from Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella

We got to the Barnes and Noble in Cherry Hill about fifteen minutes before the ladies were scheduled to speak and we were greeted by an absolutely packed house! We couldn’t get seats, so we stood toward the back.

Lisa and Francesca cracking up.

If you’ve never been to one of Lisa and Francesca’s signings before, it’s basically a mini comedy show. These two are SO hilarious and really play off of one another. They spoke for about 40 minutes and took lots of questions from the audience. One of the questions was about how often Lisa writes and she answered  that she writes seven days a week and shoots for at least 2,000 words a day.

Adorable dog.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Lisa Scottoline/Francesca Serritella signing unless they brought a few of their furry friends along. Their animals are the subject of many of their columns/book chapters so it was only fitting that they joined us at the signing. So cute!

My mom and I with Lisa and Francesca.

After waiting about a half hour in line, it was finally our turn to meet Lisa and Francesca! I introduced myself to Francesca and I was so impressed when she remembered me from the blog interview last year! They were both so sweet and down to earth.

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies

The signed book!

The signing was awesome and was a great excuse to spend some quality time with my own mom. Can’t wait to start reading the book!

Girls In White Dresses
Author: Jennifer Close
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Isabella, Mary and Lauren are three twenty-somethings navigating life in the real world after graduating from college. All are figuring out how to manage working full-time with maintaining some semblance of a social life and finding someone special to spend their time with. All are at the age where it feels like everyone they know is getting married. Every weekend is filled with bridal showers oohing and ahhing over kitchen supplies, bachelorette parties and weddings, weddings and more weddings.

After seeing this book on Goodreads and reading the summary, I was pumped to read this book simply because of its genre. I would consider this book what many are starting to call ‘new adult.’ This book features characters who have recently graduated from college and are navigating their first jobs, living on their own and new relationships. As many of you know, these are exactly the kinds of books I wish there were more of, so needless to say, I was excited to give this book a try.

GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES definitely did not disappoint. Jennifer Close expertly told this story with the right amount of humor and heart. Several of the stories were laugh out loud funny and others made my heart ache for the characters. GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES truly took me through an honest and realistic journey of life as a twenty-something; I was absolutely able to relate.

If you appreciate dry humor, you will likely love this book. The main characters in this book aren’t always happy and don’t always have the highest self-esteem, but they are pretty hilarious in the way they talk about their lives. These are the kinds of girls that I would want to be friends with; the kind of girls you’d want to invite over for a night of wine and gossip. I appreciated how realistic all of the characters in this book were.

One thing I didn’t like about the book was how difficult it was to keep track of the main characters. Even though the book mainly follows the lives of Isabella, Mary and Lauren, several other characters share their stories. I normally like books with multiple characters, but I found this one extremely difficult to follow and stay engaged with. However, after awhile, I stopped trying to figure out who was who, and settled in to just enjoy their stories. This certainly made my reading experience more enjoyable. Even though I didn’t like trying to keep track of multiple characters, I did like that all of the stories intertwined, as each character knew the others. It was fun getting to see some of the main characters take a backseat in a different woman’s story.

A few weeks after reading this book, I still can’t decide how I feel about the ending of the story. Without giving anything away, I struggle because I always love a happy ending, but I also appreciate an honest and realistic ending. This novel certainly wasn’t all happy, and we watched our main characters struggle. Even still, I have mixed feelings about the way this one ended.

More books like this one! Please! These are the kinds of book I, as a young adult, want to read. A few years out of college at the age of 23, I was able to relate to much of what the main characters in this book are going through. Looking forward to whatever Jennifer Close writes next!

4/5

Once again, this year I am participating in the 2012 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here are a few details and rules from Kristi’s blog:

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

• To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*

*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

RULES & GUIDELINES:

• You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. 
• Your blog must be written in English.
• Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:

• Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
• Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
• If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
• If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.