Jessica Lawlor

Running Down Broad Street: My Journey to Philadelphia’s Iconic 10-Mile Run

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:07:11 +0000

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”

This time one year ago, I couldn’t run one block without getting short of breath and giving up. I was 35 pounds heavier, dissatisfied with my body, but most of all, disappointed with myself. After graduating from Temple University in May 2010 and accepting a full-time job working in public relations, too many long work days, hours spent sitting at a desk and unhealthy eating habits led to me packing on the pounds until I decided I needed to make a serious change.

At the recommendation of a runner friend, I decided to download the Couch25K program on my iPod, never planning to run a 5K, but simply wanting to learn to run and try a new exercise. Midway through the program, I was so amazed at how much I had already improved, and cautiously registered for my first 5K. I completed that 5K in March 2011, and found myself hooked on running, but never thought I’d surpass the 3.1 mile distance of a 5K.

Last year, on the day of the Broad Street Run, Philadelphia’s well-known 10-mile race down Broad Street, I was driving on I-95 and saw runners heading under the overpass making their way to the finish line. At that moment, I was struck with the desire to do something I never thought I would do before- run 10 miles with 30,000 other people. I quietly set the goal, but didn’t dare speak it out loud, unsure of if one year later, I’d be able to run 10 miles.

But from that moment on, as I headed out for my daily runs and completed six more 5K races, I dreamt of Broad Street. I envisioned myself crossing the finish line.

And when the day came to register for the race, I nervously sat at my computer, determined to claim a spot. When I received my registration confirmation email on February 14 (a very happy Valentine’s Day present, indeed, for this single girl) the training began.

For the past three months, I’ve stuck to a strict training plan, running four times a week and completing long runs and training races on the weekend. Last weekend, I ran 9 miles and was amazed at how much progress I’ve made and how surprisingly prepared I feel to run 10 miles in just a few days.

I can’t wait to run down such an iconic Philadelphia street, through the campus I called home for four years, through the city I’ve fallen in love with, past the stadiums I’ve cheered for our city’s teams at and across the finish line where one year of sweat, hard work and determination will culminate in accomplishment.

I’m doing the Broad Street Run for the girl who could barely make it through the mandatory mile run in high school.

I’m doing the Broad Street Run for the girl who dreaded clothing store fitting rooms, unhappy with what she saw in the mirror.

But most importantly, I’m doing the Broad Street Run because now, I CAN. I’m doing this run for the incredible sense of pride and accomplishment I know I’ll feel when I cross that finish line on May 6 and am rewarded with that sweet finisher medal around my neck.

While my story may not be extraordinary or unique, it is proof that it’s possible to reclaim your health and happiness, and accomplish goals you may once have thought unreachable.

Author Guest Post: BOOK PUBLICITY: The Truth Behind the Myth or: How Not To Lose Your Mind When You Find Out Book PR is DIY or Not At All

Jessica Lawlor — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:01:44 +0000

Today, I’m pleased to welcome debut author Meredith Zeitlin to the blog! Meredith is the author of FRESHMAN YEAR & OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS which came out on March 1.

Remember that episode of “Sex and the City,” the one where Carrie gets a book deal and the book is put together in about two months and then it comes out and the publisher throws her a HUGE fancy party organized by Anthony the fabulous party planner? Samantha gets a facial peel and has to wear a crazy bee-keeper hat? There’s a cupcake tower?

I bet you thought that’s how book publishing works. Or maybe you didn’t, because you don’t believe everything you see on TV.

I totally did.

Then I got a book deal. It took four very long years just to get a release date confirmed, which I hadn’t anticipated. But then I thought: Surely, this is when the PR machine starts up! Soon there will be posters in every bookstore in town! I wonder what theme I should have for my party?

Nope.

The truth is – and I don’t think this was always the truth, but it sure is now – if you want people to hear about your book, you’d better tell them about it yourself. You want a website? Make one. Book trailer? Ditto. Party? I don’t think I have to tell you that a cupcake tower is not par for the course.

And so, you have to figure out what – and how much – to do. There’s no Idiot’s Guide to Book PR, unfortunately (at least, I couldn’t find one). I’m very lucky to have some resourceful and knowledgeable friends. I found a terrific web designer who was willing to work on a limited budget. My amazing friend in LA helped me make an incredible book trailer, which I never could’ve done if she hadn’t called in favors from her fancy Hollywood friends – people I am so, so grateful to for their help.
So then you have stuff to show. Who to show it to?!

I decided… everyone.

That means sending so many emails – to everyone you can think of! – that you think your wrist is going to fall off, and possibly the entire right side of your body. It takes hours and days. I’m fortunate to have the kind of job that afforded me the time to do it, but that didn’t make it any easier.

Then you have to deal with the responses. I got a lot – which was fantastic, and what I wanted. But I had no idea how long it would take to sift through them. And then I had to answer them! (I’m still answering them!) And I’m happy to do it, but if I had known…

The point is, what you need is TIME and TENACITY. The publisher isn’t going to do this stuff for you unless you’re JK Rowling, and if you’re her, you don’t need the help anyway. A fine Catch-22, isn’t it? If you want someone to buy your book, you have to get everyone you know to start talking about it. It’s work. It’s a full-time job. It’s fun and it’s frustrating and boring and exciting and necessary.

You can do it… but you have to want to. You have to REALLY want to. You have to stay home every night and do the work. More work than you put into writing the book, probably. Or at least it seems that way.

Please don’t get me wrong – I am very, very grateful to my publisher for buying the book and giving it a beautiful cover and making it exist. That would not have happened without them, no question about it. But realizing that getting people to buy the beautiful book would be my job… was surprising. A surmountable problem – but not a small one.

Don’t even get me started on the party. So far I’ve got a guest list and a name for a signature cocktail. Wanna come? BRING FOOD!

Thanks so much, Meredith! To learn more about FRESHMAN YEAR & OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS, click here.

Author Guest Post: The Writing That REALLY Sells Your Book by Dana Sitar

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:01:20 +0000

Today, I am SO excited to welcome freelance journalist and author, Dana Sitar to the blog. Dana is here today to talk about a topic that is near and dear to my heart: marketing. More specifically, how authors can market their books to ensure that it gets picked up and read by those who will love it most. Take it away, Dana…

You’ve written a masterpiece, and you want to let people know about it. It’s time to pull out that dirty word that so many artists despise: Marketing. But, as an author, you’re in luck. You already possess in your arsenal a vital and greatly-underestimated marketing tool: The ability to write well.Once your book is published, it is more writing that will help you attract readers. Whether you’re self-published or working with a publisher, you can utilize the skills you already have to help promote your book. You just need to understand where to put them to use.

Author bio and Book description. This is the traditional copywriting required for your book. You’ll need a book description of various lengths, and a short and long bio. Use your bio to show your expertise in your niche and to explain to readers why you are qualified to write the book. For non-fiction, describe the problem you’re addressing and why this book is the best answer to that problem. For fiction, draw readers in with the most compelling part of your story. The key for both is to be specific: Get readers so interested just from a brief description of you and your book that they have to read more.

Email Announcements to friends and family, co-workers, work contacts, your newsletter and blog subscribers*, book bloggers, and any other contacts you think will be interested in checking out your book and sharing it with their networks. You should compose a different email for different groups, varying the tone depending on your relationship with the recipients. Be personal and respectful with these. Having someone’s email address, in many cases, means having permission to market to them, which means a great deal of trust. Don’t lose that trust by sending 1) generic and overly-promotional emails, or 2) way too many emails.

*If you don’t already have a blog and a newsletter, I recommend you start both! Start with a blog, which will allow you to slowly build a
platform of readers who can get to know you and your writing. A newsletter allows you to capture email addresses and to connect in a new forum with your most dedicated readers.

Press Releases. A press release for a book launch can be tricky. The mere publication of a book is not usually compelling enough to make it to print. Focus instead on a newsworthy event or issue that you can tie your book to. Will there be events to promote your book in various areas? Does your book address an issue that a newspaper or magazine would want to cover? Was the journey of researching, writing, and publishing the book unique enough to make a news story?

Guest Posts and Q&A’s for other blogs. A blog tour is a great way to get in front of a ton of new audiences for free. This might be one of the most time-consuming of your promotional tasks, but it is also one of the best ways to build your platform. Find blogs that attract the types of readers who will want your book, and don’t be afraid to reach out to bloggers with a bigger following than you! By writing a post that adds value to someone else’s blog and educates readers, you are again setting yourself up as an expert in your niche. Plus, brand-new readers get a sneak-peek at you and your writing without any cost – a great opportunity to build trust right off the bat.

Social Media Content. So many great marketing opportunities are lost because writers are not capitalizing on their skills to craft compelling social media messages. Even in a 140-character Tweet, you can tell followers a lot about your book. Get creative. Don’t waste that opportunity by just listing a title and a buy link.

Your social media profiles are also one of the best places to show readers who you are, and why you’re qualified to write your book. Be personal and clever. Interact. And – most important – share content that offers value to your followers. Share useful information and articles you read that relate to the topic of your book. If readers are already turning to your Twitter feed for information in your niche, they’ll probably be eager to buy your book on the topic.

Dana Sitar is a freelance journalist and author of the ongoing memoir series This Artists’ Life. She shares writing tips and anecdotes at her blog by.dana.sitar. Follow Dana on Twitter.

In My Mailbox (55)

Jessica Lawlor — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:01:05 +0000

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.

From the library:

Ruthless by Sara Shepard: Finally got my hands on a copy of the latest Pretty Little Liars novel! So excited to read this one.

I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler: Read this last week (review to come) but oh my goodness. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so hard reading a book.

Home Front by Kristin Hannah: I also have this in audiobook form (plan on listening during my upcoming trip to Jamaica!) but I also grabbed it at the library for my mom to read. I love the cover! The colors are gorgeous.

What’s in your mailbox today?

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Jessica Lawlor — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:37:58 +0000

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
-Dr. Seuss

Author Interview: Ellen Meister

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:01:27 +0000

Today, I have a very special interview with Ellen Meister, author of the book THE OTHER LIFE. Welcome Ellen!

I think we’ve all dreamed of what life would be like had we made a different decision at one point or another. What made you decide to write a book with this very plot?

It’s true that everyone ponders “What if?” at some point, but for a mother of a child with a disability, it’s a question fraught with a huge tangle of emotional complications. What if you had the chance do it all over again? Would you choose an entirely different path? What would that mean for you, for your child? However hypothetical, it’s not even easy to distinguish where line might be between a loving decision and a selfish one. So it was natural for me to want to explore this in a book. But the germ of the idea for THE OTHER LIFE came to me when I was thinking about the fact that I got to escape into a fictional world each day when I sat down and went to work. It made me wonder what would happen if a woman like me had the ultimate escape—a literal portal to the life she would have had if she had made other choices.,

You took a bit of a risk combining a contemporary women’s fiction novel with a slight paranormal twist. What made you decide to take that risk?

It was a risk! I honestly had no idea if I could pull it off. But the concept had grabbed me and I knew I had to at least give it a try. And so, after thinking about the concept for two years, I sat down and wrote the first chapter to see if I could find a way to make it work. My goal was to write a very grounded story with an element of magical realism, so I needed to steer clear of leading the reader down a science fiction or even a paranormal path. Once I found the right balance to achieve that, I was on my way.

All women can likely see a bit of Quinn in themselves. How did you create the character Quinn?

Thank you! From the beginning, I saw Quinn as the product of her upbringing. As the daughter of a mentally ill mother, she became a caregiver by default, and had a hard time letting that go. I think a lot of women are brought up to see themselves in this role. For Quinn, it’s turned up a few notches.

Can you share a bit about your writing process? How long did it take you to finish writing and revising THE OTHER LIFE?

As I mentioned, I thought about the idea for this novel for a very long time. I knew there was something there, but it wasn’t until I understood that Quinn’s mother was dead in one life and alive in another that I knew I had a book. My process involves writing reams of notes—some of it quite stream-of-consciousness. I open a Word document, and start asking myself questions about the characters and the story, and I simply type every idea that comes to mind. Before long, the answers reveal themselves. From there I shape the outline and write the scenes. In the case of THE OTHER LIFE, once I started the actual writing it took about a year to finish and revise.

Tell me a bit about your journey to publication.

My journey began with a nearly tragic amount of procrastination. I put off pursuing my dream of writing a novel for decades. But once I finally woke up, faced my own mortality, and realized I didn’t want to shuffle off this mortal coil without having reached for my dream, I sat down and wrote my first book. It took two years, and almost all the work was done between the hours of 5 am and 7 am, before my family awoke. From there it took 9 months and dozens of rejections before I found a wonderful agent who was in love with my book. Two rewrites and about 6 months later, I had a book contract with a major publisher. It took another two years for that debut novel, SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA, to appear in bookstores.

To learn more about Ellen Meister and THE OTHER LIFE, please click here.

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:01:41 +0000

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…

Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lundquist (March 20 by Aladdin Mix)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

Calliope Meadow Anderson wishes her life could be more of a fairy tale—just like the stories she writes. Her best friend, Ellen, is acting weird, her parent’s marriage is falling apart, and to top things off, she found out she needs hideously large and geeky glasses.

But Callie soon learns they aren’t just any glasses—they are magical and let her read people’s thoughts. For the first time ever she’s answering all the questions right in math class, and gets a glimpse of what goes through people’s minds all day, including what Ellen—and her longtime crush—really think of her.

As if dealing with these crazy glasses weren’t enough, Callie tries out for the lead in her school’s production of Cinderella and actually gets the part. Instead, Callie chooses to let Ellen have the lead and be Ellen’s understudy—just like she has done for their entire friendship.

Add in a new girl who has something to hide, a secret admirer, a best friend stealer who isn’t what she seems, and Callie’s year just went from ordinary to extraordinary.

I don’t read TOO many middle grade novels, but this one is seriously calling out to me! I absolutely love the premise of the book, and Callie seems like she’s going to be an adorable main character. Definitely can’t wait to read this book.

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Broke My Heart A Little

Jessica Lawlor — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:01:11 +0000

Today, I’m participating in The Broke and Bookish’sweekly feature Top Ten Tuesday. The team at The Broke and Bookish have declared that they are going anti-Valentine’s Day this year and designated today’s topic:

Top Ten Books That Broke My Heart A Little

1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver: The end of this book? Holy cliffhanger and tears…

2. Cross Currents by John Shors: A book about the earthquake and tsunami in Thailand? With more than 230,000 deaths from one terrible natural disaster, it honestly doesn’t get much more sad than this.

3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: UGH. I almost get teary-eyed just THINKING about this book. I remember sobbing while reading this one…

4. All The Things You Are by Courtney Sheinmel: In this book, a pre-teenager deals with some pretty heavy family stuff, and my heart went out to her.

5. Wish by Alexandra Bullen: I adored this book, but it made me so sad that Olivia lost her twin, her other half, even if she was able to get closure throughout the course of this book.

6. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver: This book made me C-R-Y my little eyes out. I described it as “beautifully haunting” and I don’t think I can sum it up any better than that.

7. Skinny by Diana Spechler: This one deals with eating disorders and trying to find the line between too thin and healthy.

8. Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty: Jessica and Marcus Flutie apart in this book? Heartbreaking.

9. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson: The final note from Ginny’s aunt got me a little choked up, I have to admit.

10. Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal: Sigh. Scenes from this book brought me right back to the very moment when my first real relationship ended. Definitely a tearjerker.

What are some books you’ve read that have tugged at your heartstrings?

Book Review: Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:51 +0000

Bond Girl
Author: Erin Duffy
Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Goodreads Summary:

When other little girls were dreaming about becoming doctors or lawyers, Alex Garrett set her sights on conquering the high-powered world of Wall Street. And though she’s prepared to fight her way into an elitist boys’ club, or duck the occasional errant football, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head when she’s relegated to a kiddie-size folding chair with her new moniker—Girlie—inscribed in Wite-Out across the back.

No matter. She’s determined to make it in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street’s most esteemed brokerage firms. Keeping her eyes on the prize, the low Girlie on the totem pole will endure whatever comes her way—whether trekking to the Bronx for a $1,000 wheel of Parmesan cheese; discovering a secretary’s secret Friday night slumber/dance party in the conference room; fielding a constant barrage of “friendly” practical jokes; learning the ropes from Chick, her unpredictable, slightly scary, loyalty-demanding boss; babysitting a colleague while he consumes the contents of a vending machine on a $28,000 bet; or eluding the advances of a corporate stalker who’s also one of the firm’s biggest clients.

Ignoring her friends’ pleas to quit, Alex excels (while learning how to roll with the punches and laugh at herself) and soon advances from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate. Suddenly, she’s addressed by her real name, and the impenetrable boys’ club has transformed into forty older brothers and one possible boyfriend. Then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is forced to choose between sticking with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster or kicking off her Jimmy Choos and running for higher ground.

What I Thought:

BOND GIRL came into my life at the perfect time. I was in a serious reading slump, and I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when I picked up this book. Described as “The Devil Wears Prada” but instead of fashion, finance, I found it hard to believe that this book was going to be exciting. But oh, I was SO wrong. So very wrong.

I tore through BOND GIRL in just a few days, often staying up late into the night to get in a few more pages. It was extremely easy to get lost in Alex’s world. Because to be completely honest? Alex’s world absolutely FASCINATED me. I loved watching this somewhat shy, recent college grad get thrusted into the big, bad (and scary) world of finance.

The setting of this book, Alex’s Wall Street office, was one of the things that made me absolutely fall in love with this book. From the guys on the ‘floor’ who called her ‘Girlie’ to the fact that she wasn’t even given a desk until six months into her job, I found the tiny nuances of life on Wall Street fascinating. I grew to love the guys Alex worked with and laughed out loud at some of the silly things that happened on a daily basis in Alex’s job.

While this book made me laugh and also shake my head at some of the ridiculous things Alex was forced to do in her job, it also brought up some pretty important points that made me think. First off, this book reminded me that there is still inequality in the workplace. It may be 2012, but men and women are still not held to the same standards when it comes to work. In this book, Alex literally has to prove herself time and time again to cement her place on the trading floor. She has to become one of the guys, and do as the guys say, to move forward in her career. But on a more serious note, she also deals with sexual harassment, which should NEVER be allowed or accepted in the workplace, or anywhere else.

Throughout the book, I grew to really appreciate the relationship between Alex and her boss Chick. Chick is difficult to deal with in the beginning of the book, but it’s easy to tell that with time, he really appreciates Alex’s brains and efforts, and becomes something of a mentor to her. It was fun to watch the relationship develop between the two, and some of my favorite scenes in the book involved Chick really taking Alex under his wing.

I often lament that there aren’t enough books for twenty-somethings. This book is the perfect example of what I would LOVE to see more of. In the beginning of this book, Alex is fresh out of college and struggling with all of the things that most young professionals are facing. I adored this book because I was able to relate to Alex and all of the things she was going through from succeeding in her first job, to moving into her first apartment to dealing with dating.

One of my favorite things about this book is that the author, Erin Duffy, actually worked on Wall Street! This book takes bits and pieces of things she experiences (dramatized for fiction, obviously) but gives a real glimpse into what life in finance is like. I loved how fast-paced this read was; I couldn’t put it down because I was so lost on Alex’s fascinating world. If you’re a twenty-something, relatively new professional looking for a fun and entertaining read, you will absolutely love BOND GIRL. I promise.

*Bonus* I was lucky enough to host author Eric Duffy for a fabulously hilarious guest post a few weeks ago. Be sure to check it out here.

5/5

Review copy provided by publicist.

In My Mailbox (54)

Jessica Lawlor — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:01:47 +0000

For Review:

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin: SO excited about this one! I already started it and it’s super cute.

Perfect On Paper by Janet Goss: Stay tuned for a Q and A with author Janet Goss.

Vampire’s Kiss by Veronica Wolff: This was unsolicited and not my type of book at all. Plus, it’s the second book in a series and I’ve never read the first? Confusing. But, if you’re interested in reading it, let me know in the comments and I’ll send it to you so it gets some love, even though it’s not for me!

From NetGalley:

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman: Gorgeous cover and love that this takes place at the Jersey shore.

What’s in your mailbox today?

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:01:40 +0000

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…

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler (March 6, 2012 by Simon Pulse)

Check out this Goodreads summary:

Gabby Gardiner wakes up in a hospital bed looking like a cautionary ad for drunk driving—and without a single memory of the accident that landed her there. But what she can recall, in frank and sardonic detail, is the year leading up to the crash.

As Gabby describes her transformation from Invisible Girl to Trendy Girl Who Dates Billy Nash (aka Most Desirable Boy Ever), she is left wondering: Why is Billy suddenly distancing himself from her? What do her classmates know that Gabby does not? Who exactly was in the car that night? And why has Gabby been left to take the fall?

As she peels back the layers of her life, Gabby begins to realize that her climb up the status ladder has been as intoxicating as it has been morally complex…and that nothing about her life is what she has imagined it to be.

This book sounds absolutely incredible…early reviews are all extremely positive too! This sounds like it’s going to be a very eye-opening read. I love reading about transformations and Gabby clearly has an extreme one in WHERE IT BEGAN.

What are you anxiously waiting for this Wednesday?

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:38 +0000

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?

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:01:26 +0000

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?

Author Guest Post: Everything I learned in Kindergarten I Forgot on Wall Street by Erin Duffy

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:01:02 +0000

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 (53)

Jessica Lawlor — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:01:27 +0000

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?

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Jessica Lawlor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:04:15 +0000

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

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:01:25 +0000

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?

Book Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Jessica Lawlor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

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

And The Winner Is…

Jessica Lawlor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:21:44 +0000

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 (52)

Jessica Lawlor — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:01:49 +0000

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?

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:59:18 +0000

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?

Audiobook Review and GIVEAWAY: Best Friends, Occasional Enemies by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella

Jessica Lawlor — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:01:27 +0000

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

Simplifying In 2012

Jessica Lawlor — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:56:59 +0000

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!

Book Review: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten

Jessica Lawlor — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:01:29 +0000

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.

Waiting On Wednesday

Jessica Lawlor — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:01:34 +0000

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?