Audible Book Review: Finding Mr. Right by Emily Carmichael

This is a very light and easy listen.
Finding Mr. Right
Written by: Emily Carmichael
Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10-09-09
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Chick Lit, Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Finding Mr. Right is a heartwarming tale for romantics and animal lovers. Amy Cameron has had a run of incredibly bad luck. Her husband and best friend are murdered, together, because they were having an affair - then her house burns to the ground!
The last thing Amy needs is another man. But her deceased, traitorous, gal-pal is sent back to Earth to make up for her indiscretion and find Mr. Right for Amy. The only catch - she comes back as a ratty, little Welsh Corgi named Miss Piggy.
©1998 Emily Krokosz; (P)2001 Recorded Books, LLC

Review:
Amy is a nice woman who made the mistake of marrying and relying on the wrong man. It is hard enough to discover that your husband has been murdered, but even worse to learn he was with your best friend who was a female version of a ‘tom cat’. Things look bleak for Amy when her house burns down a short time later.

Amy is trying to recover from the pain of betrayal and loss. She is focused on making her own living as a freelance photographer, and rescuing an abandoned Welsh Corgi, rather than finding a man. She knows this newly rescued dog, dubbed Miss Piggy, has some strangely human mannerisms but she has no way of knowing that the dog is her traitorous best friend sent back to help Amy find “Mr. Right”.

Jeff is a veterinarian who has a laid back practice and enjoys volunteering at the local shelter. When Amy arrives at the shelter to foster a dog he is immediately interested in the understatedly attractive widow. He continues to make efforts to see Amy even with interference from the dog with rather strange behaviors.

Miss Piggy, who speaks in first person as Amy’s deceased friend, Lydia, has been assigned the task of finding the right new husband for Amy. Although disgruntled with the task, Lydia realizes that she must do her best or she may be stuck in this doggie body forever. Lydia doesn’t see any potential in Jeff with whom she had one boring date. Instead Lydia champions the interest of a successful, handsome, TV reporter who was a friend of Amy’s cheating husband.

This is a really fun story and easy listen. I enjoyed Jeff’s persistence to show Amy he would be a good and secure companion, unlike her first husband. I like how Amy’s character was able to grow beyond her past and the demeaning husband to expect more. I also enjoyed the mystery as it developed. Even though it was fairly obvious, it was still fun to watch Amy as she stepped into danger before completely piecing together all the connections.

The writing is solid and the switch from third person view to first person is well done and effectively used. The story is light and the dog view adds humor. Readers should be in the mood for light mystery and fun instead of expecting any great literature or thriller. I was in the right mood and would enjoy another book by this author when looking for a book of similar easy and light entertainment.

Audio Notes: I will admit that when I first stared listening I wasn’t sure if I would like the narration. Once I accepted that the narration fit well with Lydia’s selfish view of life it flowed well. I would be willing to try other audio books narrated by Barbara Rosenblat.

This book was from my own Audible Library as a selection from 11/2012. This qualifies for my Audio Book Challenge, the TBR Double Dog Dare and F in my Alphabet Challenge.

Audio Book Review: Snowbeard the Pirate and the Naughty List by Chip Huddleston

This is a delightfully fun listen with a bit of hope for naughty 'children' at Christmas time.

Snowbeard the Pirate and the Naughty List
by Chip Huddleston

From the Album Snowbeard the Pirate and the Naughty List

August 1, 2014 | Format: MP3

Genre: Humor
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

A funny, whimsical story for older children and adults, it is about Santa's younger brother who runs away to Florida and becomes a pirate.

Review:
This is just a light delight! As soon as it started I was reminded of The Night Before Christmas.  Of course Snowbeard the Pirate isn’t quite a nice as Santa and in fact he has been on the bottom of the naughty list. He has banned the most polite words - what I taught my children as the “magic words” - from his ship’s crew.

Then, one ‘eve of THE eve’ Santa arrives to embrace his brother, Kasper Kringle. Santa enlists his brother’s help to deliver stale fruitcake and a token gift to the all the ‘naughties’ on Santa’s list.

Snowbeard’s sleigh is Dreadnaught’s jolly boat pulled by eight sharks and “at the head for their beacon, they placed with great care, an angel fish nicked named “the Dentist’s nightmare”. And as he delivers the gifts he raids the icebox with a shout, not a “Ho, Ho’Ho” but “Yo, Ho, Ho...and a bottle of Yum”.

The story gives hope to even naughty children and acknowledges that sometimes we need to look at the circumstances and make an effort to help the "naughties" find where they can "fit in" and maybe stop their rebellious, naughty behavior. Along with the total humor, there is a little bit of scatological humor that is likely to get a few giggles from kids (and guys). I look forward to sharing this with my grandchildren, but as noted on the cover, it is a tale for "Pirates Ages 1-92".

Audio Notes: The author narrates this short work with a wonderful deep voice that fits the tale with swashbuckling glee. The only difficulty was that I had to turn the sound volume on full to hear properly (instead of my usual setting of 25). It is a wonderful listen though.

This audiobook was provided by the author for an honest review.

Audio Book Review: Dead Case in Deadwood: Deadwood Mystery, Book 3 by Ann Charles

An engaging, fun listening experience (but be prepared for some use of foul language).

Dead Case in Deadwood: Deadwood Mystery, Book 3

Written by: Ann Charles

Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer

Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins

Series: Deadwood Mysteries, Book 3

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:06-17-14

Publisher: Made for Succes

Genre: Mystery, Humor, Paranormal

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Click on book title for full description.
Publisher's Summary
"Nothing good ever happens at the butt-crack of dawn. No doubt, the headless corpse on the autopsy table in front of me would agree." – Violet Parker
Real estate agent Violet "Spooky" Parker stumbles upon a body-part theft ring at the local funeral parlor and suspects her caustic coworker has a hand in it - or maybe a foot. Can Violet discover what's in the crates that the crooks are sneaking out of the mortuary in the dark of night? Or will she end up in one of them herself - in pieces?
©2012 Ann Charles (P)2014 Made for Success

Review:
Violet Parker is a single mother working as a real estate agent where she is in competition with her sarcastic nemesis, Ray. Ray is sure that he will out perform “Blondie” to get her out of the office. Meanwhile Violet is sure that Ray and his friend, George, have some nefarious business going on over at the funeral home that George owns.

Violet has a history of stumbling into trouble that includes strange, as well as dangerous, circumstances The local police detective and fire chief are very familiar with finding her where she doesn’t belong. In this episode Violet has located a headless body on the ranch of one her customers which is delaying her sales efforts. While the police are investigating that grim situation she takes on another client who is new in town but asked specifically for her.

Cornelius is a strange, Lincoln-look alike, who wants to buy an old hotel. He is interested in the property because he is a “ghost whisperer’ who loves to restore haunted buildings! Violet doesn’t believe in ghosts and doesn’t want her associates, especially Ray, to realize how crazy Cornelius is. She agrees to visit the hotel with Cornelius so he can test the authenticity of the ghostly claims. She brings along her secret love interest, Doc, who not only believes in ghosts but can see and speak with them. Cornelius and Doc begin to think that Violet is some type of ghost conduit drawing in the spirits to the high-tech seance. Unfortunately one of the spirits she brings out is a demon-like version of the murderer she was involved with from a prior book.

There is a lot of humor in the bumbling investigations that Violet makes at the funeral parlor, dragging along her best friend and/or dirty “Old Man” Harvey, her client and Detective Cooper’s uncle. There is also a lot of sass in the characters and dialogue even if the writing includes quite a bit of cliches. The old and odd phrases have a very down home twist and tone that make them fun. I enjoyed the quirky characters and the twisted mysteries although only one mystery was solved while other investigations were left hanging. I was disturbed by the amount of unnecessary swear language which were a distraction for me.

I have a feeling this would be better if the stories are read in proper sequence. Too bad I realized only after I finished that I already own books one and two on Kindle. I was thinking I might not continue the series because the language hurts my soul – it makes me cringe. However I may go backwards and try book one sometime in the future to see if I can bypass the poor language easier in reading than in listening form.

Audio Notes: Caroline Shaffer does a very effective job with the narration. She captures the snarky humor and quirkiness of the characters. The narration made the story flow quickly and I recommend the book in audio for those who enjoy an engaging, fun listening experience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Opening lines:

Nothing good ever happens at the butt-crack of dawn.
No doubt, the headless corpse on the autopsy table in front of me would agree.

I received this title from the Publisher through AudioBook Jukebox for an honest review.

Book Review: Simply Irresistible by Kristine Grayson

This is a fun story with good characters- the nice ones and the evil ones.

Simply Irresistible

by Kristine Grayson

• File Size: 641 KB
• Print Length: 326 pages
• Publisher: WMG Publishing (March 3, 2011)
• ASIN: B004QZ9XYY

Genre: Paranormal Romance
My rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: March 3, 2011
Dexter Grant, the inspiration for the greatest superhero of all time, lives in reduced circumstances. Now he runs a pet store in Portland, Oregon, and privately calls himself a Kitten Superhero because he saves stray animals. He aspires to something greater, but his magic has been restricted—by the Fates.
The Fates, three women who control the magical universe. Only they’ve lost their position, and they’re on the run. They’ve turned to an old friend for help, but that friend is dead. Her niece, Vivian Kineally, runs her estate. Vivian, who doesn’t even know magic exists. Vivian, who loves comic books. Vivian, who also happens to be psychic.
The Fates steer Vivian to Dexter Grant. They want his help. He’s not willing to give it. But now that he’s met Vivian, he’s not willing to give her up either. Dexter Grant must save the Fates—and discover his own fate, all at the same time.
Book One of the Fates Trilogy.

Review:
Vivian is a physic who has always lived a bit apart because of her ability to read the thoughts of others. She has always struggled with her ‘gift’ because most people wouldn’t believe her or they would consider her a freak. Only her beloved Aunt Euginia, assured her it was okay to be different and it would work out. Aunt Eugenia had tried to get Vivian to visit her but Vivian was too busy being independent. Suddenly Aunt Eugenia is murdered and Vivian comes to Portland to administer her estate.

Vivian has boxes of books and papers Eugenia instructed her to read but, before she has time to look at them, Vivian's life is disrupted by frantic knocking. The Fates demand entrance to her apartment claiming they are being stalked and they need Vivian’s help. The Fates are distressed to discover that Vivian doesn’t know who they are and she hasn’t been mentored or prepared for her magical abilities. The Fates have given up their own magical powers and someone really is trying to get to them. There is no time for training but they have to call on Vivian’s skills telling her what to do to protect them, at least temporarily. They send Vivian off to find Dexter Grant who they hope will help them.

Dexter is a mage who has been warned and threatened by the Fates to the point that he lives a stoic, humble life, running a pet store to save stray animals instead of saving humans from bad guys like he would like to. He doesn’t understand why it is wrong to help especially since it wasn’t his fault that some young observers wrote comic stories about his superhero good deeds.

Dexter immediately senses that Vivian is ‘the one he has waited for’. He doesn’t really want to help the Fates but he does want the chance to keep Vivian around. That means getting the Fates out of her hair and then protecting Vivian by uncovering and stopping the evil mage who is seeking to kill the Fates. Dexter has a menagerie of animals to care for as well as hidden dwellings to be revealed.

I discovered quickly that this is a tongue-in-cheek, fun story. Vivian and Dexter are lovely, kind, generous characters and it is a turn of the tables to have the Fates powerless, helpless and pretty much clueless in a modern world setting. The vengeful mage and her bumbling son make for dastardly, nasty villains.

The story has plenty of action, suspense and humor to keep the reader engaged. The writing is an easy style making for a quick read. This story reminded me that I enjoy Kristine Grayson’s light style of mixing fantasy, mythical characters with modern day, real life characters. I would like to read more in this series especially since there are a few loose ends at the conclusion of book one.

I received this title for review as part of the Romance books from StoryBundle - a great bargain based on the five books I have read so far!

Book Review and Giveaway: These Boots Weren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson

This is a light bit of fluff -- easy reading but not really stirring or inspiring.
These Boots Weren't Made for Walking
by Melody Carlson

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; First Edition edition (June 19, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 1400073138
• ISBN-13: 978-1400073139

Genre: Christian Chick Lit
My Rating: 3.5 of 5.0 (See more positive reviews at Amazon link.)

Book Description
Publication Date: February 19, 2009
Willing to make the necessary sacrifices–even skipping the occasional latte–to ensure career success, 31-year-old Cassidy Cantrell “invests” in a chic pair of boots, certain they’ll make a spectacular impression and help seal the deal on a long-anticipated promotion from her Seattle employer.

But reality tromps all over her expectations. Cassie’s job is abruptly eliminated–and her love life obliterated, when her longtime boyfriend dumps her for a “friend.” Her self-esteem in tatters, Cassie limps home to the resort town she once so eagerly fled–only to find her recently divorced mother transformed into a gorgeous fifty-something babe with a thriving social life. Cassie wrestles with envy and apathy as she considers the dismal shape of her own physique and romantic prospects. What will it take for her to jump back into life and regain her stride?

This sassy and hilarious novel leads readers on a romp through the wilds of relationships, romance, career, and spirituality, revealing that, while God’s plans may look drastically different than our own, it’ll always be a perfect fit.

Review:
As one of the ladies in my book club declared: “Cassie is a mess!” She just spent hundreds of dollars on a pair of Valentino boots which look stunning, but are sorely lacking in comfort. She winces off to work where she anticipates a promotion only to be told that her entire division is being cut. To add to that injury, her fiancé belatedly shows up to announce that ‘we’re just not making it’ and leaves Cassie stunned to learn he is dating someone they met in their church singles group.

Cassie falls into a depression, locked in her apartment and overeating to combat her sadness. As she drifts in this morass funk, she learns that someone, her neighbor ‘friend’ she thinks, has stolen her brand new, unsigned credit card, and maxed it out. When she barges next door to challenge the girl, she discovers that Monica has abandoned the apartment to her live-in, dead-beat boyfriend, Will.

Since misery loves company Cassie and Will strike up an unlikely friendship. Cassie is surprised to learn that Will is actually a great chef and he decides to clean up his act and get a job. When job searching is unsuccessful for Cassie she decides to move back to her resort community home until she can get her feet back under her. She figures that she can comfort her mother who has had to deal with rejection the past year when Cassie’s father left her for a younger woman.

Cassie arrives home, still struggling with her weight gain and scrambled life, only to discover her mother has made herself over into a svelte, toned woman. Cassie doesn’t want to think of her mom as a ‘cougar’ but she totally resents her mother for getting her life together and ‘hanging out’ with a man that Cassie went to high school with.

Cassie continues to flounder while some old friends urge her to get back to church. Another friend encourages her to find a job that suits her passion. Will Cassie find a suitable job and, now that she is looking for a new marriage mate, will she find the right guy?

There are some funny moments in the book – our favorite being Cassie in a bear costume tumbling down the ski slope - ouch! There are a few spot-on tidbits of inspiration – like finding a job that suits your passion. And there is the message that we have to get to a point where we let go trying to fix things and allow God to work things out. Unfortunately, the good messages are buried in a mess of poor self image, depression, obsessive behaviors (overeating) and misplaced priorities (shopping for new clothes to look and feel better). Most of my ladies book club members felt this book was a mix of fluff and soap opera and mostly not our cup of tea.

However, now that I am writing the review, I see that these negative behaviors served the purpose of showing the mess Cassie was in and showing the only way out was to stop focusing on those negatives and allow God to work with the positives. Maybe are group just had a hard time relating to the depression that Cassie experienced so it overshadowed the “sassy and hilarious” parts of the story.

Although we weren’t going to purposefully choose another book by Ms. Carlson it turns out that our December read, which I purchased for the group over a year ago, is also by Ms. Carlson. So we will be giving her a second chance to inspire us and show why she was recently honored with a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award.

We picked this up to read for Ladies Book Club.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for my and another gently read copy:   TWO COPIES - TWO WINNERS.

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Book Review: The Halloween Collection From the Indie Eclective

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This is a fun collection and only marginally scary. See the smiling pumpkin?

THE HALLOWEEN COLLECTION FROM THE INDIE ECLECTIVE
M. Edward McNally (Author), Lizzy Ford (Author), Heather Marie Adkins (Author), PJ Jones (Author), Alan Nayes (Author), Julia Crane (Author), Shea MacLeod (Author), Talia Jager (Author), Jack Wallen (Author)

• File Size: 490 KB
• Print Length: 113 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LPGG0C

Genre: Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 6, 2011The Indie Eclective: What is it, who are they, and why can they spell neither “eclectic” nor “collective” correctly? The Indie Eclective is an ensemble of authors operating under the assumption that Readers like Good Books. The Halloween Collection showcases spooky reads from nine very different authors. Whether you enjoy light or dark paranormal, YA or adult-themed genres, there’s bound to be a story to suit your tastes. Thanks for reading!

Review:
It was fun to read these different stories and learn the tone of all new authors to me. I have written just a short sentence or two on each story - the print in orange. The two that are blocked in pale orange are my favorites and I may well seek to read more of those series. The collection is still free on Kindle and I recommend trying it. Some are more enjoyable than others but the full collection is entertaining and reads very quickly.


**Rhyn Trilogy: Origins, by Lizzy Ford: Gabriel's fate as an assassin seems set until he meets a courageous half-demon child named Rhyn, whose plight rekindles the humanity he thought he'd lost.  I liked Gabriel even as a harsh assassin for the Immortals. But I was pleased when he chose to help Rhyn.  I would like to read more from this series.

Ralphie the Special Werewolf by P.J. Jones: Ralphie doesn’t want to get snipped, but his pack is tired of watching him defile the sofa cushions. Now, he’s got to find a mate by Halloween night—or else.  This is a rather funny, and a bit crude, ‘doggy’ tale.

**Sunwalker's Kiss by Shéa MacLeod:  While searching for a magical bloodline, Sunwalker Jackson Keel discovers magic of a different kind. Jack was a Templar Knight but is now a Sunwalker, an Immortal who has come from hiding in the Dragon land. Amara has been accused of being a witch but Jack knows she is not...but she is something. When he realizes what he is more than willing to protect her against the evil man who seeks to kill her. I would like to read more in this saga too.

The Village of Those Who Touch The Dead by M. Edward McNally: "All obligations will be paid. There are no exceptions."  This is an interesting monster tale perhaps from Chinese legend. The endiing was not what I expected.

Haunting in OR 13, by Alan Nayes:  Halloween never frightened Sara McCaffe, until she stepped into Operating Room 13!  This one is a psychotic tale - is it dementia or a real haunted hospital?

To Taste of Shimmering Revenge by Jack Wallen: A vampire is awakened after four hundred years only to find his kind embarrassed and shamed by the rash of shimmery, hunky vampires on the big screen. His revenge will be sweet and tasty.  Ha- a Rip Van Winkle type story with a vampire waking to modern times that he can’t quite comprehend.

Magickal Vendetta by Heather Adkins - Revenge is a dish best served up in a pink saucepan for accident-prone blood witch, Gretchen.  By harnessing the power of Halloween, she hopes to break the bond with the soulmate who did her wrong.  This is a fun story of a witch who can’t seem to get her magic straight in spite of an expert mentor and a smart alike cat, Aura. As the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter her mate has been predestined. She wants to break the curse... except with his magickal kisses that might be more difficult than she thinks.

From the Keegan’s Chronicles series:  Haunted House by Julia Crane -  Keegan, Lauren, and Anna find much more than they bargained for during an innocent trip to a commercial haunted house.  Someone long dead awaits them on the second floor... Three girls start with fun in a haunted house but soon find a real ghost who needs help to leave this realm.

From the Gifted Teens series: Mind-Blower by Talia Jager - Kassia and Daxton’s romantic picnic is interrupted by the arrival of creatures bent on her destruction.  Will her powers fail her when she needs them most? A teen couple trying to enjoy a picnic need a little help. Although Kassia has a gift to kill demons and Daxton has strengths to help, they need some extra special help to escape from the demons when their numbers become almost overwhelming.

I read this for my Just For Fun October & Halloween Challenge.

Audio Book Review: Dying For You by MaryJanice Davidson

This collection of short stories will have you laughing out loud!
Dying for You
by MaryJanice Davidson

• Narrated by Devon Sorvari, Aimee Castle, Angela Gulner

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 7 hours
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Audible.com Release Date: August 7, 2012
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008U2QASG

Genre: Paranormal
My Rating:  4.25 of 5.0

Together for the first time, four devilishly entertaining novellas by the New York Times bestselling author prove that there’s not only life after death, but desire too…
The Fixer-Upper
Cathy’s new home is handsomely furnished—by an amorous male ghost. If only she had something she could…touch. Her neighbor may have a lousy personality, but he does have a perfect body. Now, spirit is about to meet flesh, to Cathy’s delight.
Paradise Bossed
While traveling in the Cayman Islands, Nikki loses her life in a tragic accident, but has no intention of cutting her vacation short. When a handsome male psychic is engaged to get a grip on Nikki’s spirit, he does more. He finds himself falling in love with her.
Driftwood
A Cape Cod werewolf agonizes over the death of a woman by his own paw. Well, to be fair, he never really killed her. She’s a vampire. Now she needs his help to kill the bloodsucker who turned her.
Witch Way
For centuries their families have been embroiled in a violent, irreversible feud. Today, can a witch and a witch-hunter find common ground...without killing each other first? Sometimes opposites do attract.

Review:
This entire collection is delightful fun.  I just wish it didn’t have such loose use of bad language.

The Fixer-Upper
Cathy’s new home is handsomely furnished—by an amorous male ghost. If only she had something she could…touch. Her neighbor may have a lousy personality, but he does have a perfect body. Now, spirit is about to meet flesh, to Cathy’s delight.  Read by Angela Gulner.

Cathy has worked hard and saved up to purchase her own home. She is thrilled to get a great place at a good price because it needs work. Cathy did not get to meet the seller as the transaction was handled through the seller’s attorney.

As Cathy begins to move in she spots her next door neighbor, Ken, working outside. He is shirtless and hunky...until he opens his mouth. Although his body is tempting his abrasive and swearing personality is a turn off.

Cathy discovers her house is haunted by a very gentlemanly ghost named Jack.  When the nasty neighbor suffers a near fatal accident in Cathy’s home, things become even more strange.  I can’t tell you what as it would be a spoiler but it is a delight to Cathy and the reader/listener.

Paradise Bossed
While traveling in the Cayman Islands, Nikki loses her life in a tragic accident, but has no intention of cutting her vacation short. When a handsome male psychic is engaged to get a grip on Nikki’s spirit, he does more. He finds himself falling in love with her. Read by Angela Gulner.

This story is connected to the first as Nikki is Cathy’s ‘best’ friend.  The odd relationship was explained in the first story that introduced the sexy and pushy Nikki. Now Nikki has come along to the Cayman Islands to be close to Cathy and her new husband on their honeymoon. (Yes that is odd but I said it was an odd relationship!)

When Nikki loses her life in an underwater accident Cathy is distraught. In order to convince Cathy to leave Nikki behind they must find Nikki’s body and help her ghostly spirit to move on.  A handsome male psychic is called in and the spirits become involved. He has to exorcize Nikki but he is reluctant to send her away. There will be a surprise ending for them both.

I thought this was the weakest of the stories and it would not have worked without the first short story. Oh - and if you like cheer-leading this has a bit of  funny, if uninspired, cheer-leading. It is still entertaining in its unique strange way.

Witch Way
For centuries their families have been embroiled in a violent, irreversible feud. Today, can a witch and a witch-hunter find common ground...without killing each other first? Sometimes opposites do attract. Read by Devon Sorvari.

This is another delightful tale (with bad language).  Rhia Goodman has just learned from her hippie parents (Flower and Power) that she is a witch-hunter from a long line of witch-hunters.  She must be trained to face the witch who will show up in two years.  Her mission is to kill the witch even though tradition is that she will be killed in the process.  That is just the cycle of things and her "destiny".

Chris is a witch who has spent his whole life defying his family history. He is a good witch who kills demons rather than summoning them.  He struggles with his rhyming spells (which are hilarious).  Chris believes that he and the current Goodman witch-hunter should be able to come to a peaceful arrangement rather than kill each other.

When Chris shows up a few years earlier than the appointed time, can he convince Rhia that he comes in peace before she kills him?  What fun there is in the physical attacks, counter spells and undeniable chemistry!

Driftwood
A Cape Cod werewolf agonizes over the death of a woman by his own paw. Well, to be fair, he never really killed her. She’s a vampire. Now she needs his help to kill the bloodsucker who turned her. Read by Aimee Castle.

Once again here is a fun story! Who says a werewolf and a vampire have to be enemies? Not in this story. These two loners, Burke and Serena, meet in an unusual circumstance and Serena is fairly antagonistic about the whole thing.  Burke’s persistence finally turns them into a pairing. But Serena won’t be able to enjoy her own happiness until she resolves her hatred against the vampire who killed her. She is surprised that Burke is willing to help her but what will happen when they meet the bad vampire? Can they succeed together?

OVERALL AND AUDIO Observations:
All four stories have wonderfully humorous elements. The characters are distinct and the plots unique. There are three narrators and they each do a wonderful job of timing that helps emphasize the humor. Angela Gulner particularly does a nice job with some snarky accents!

I highly recommend this story and audio - with the caution that it is liberally peppered with bad language.

I received this from Penguin Audio through Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review.

Book Review: Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson

This is a charming, old fashion tale of characters in an English village.

Miss Buncle's Book
by D.E. Stevenson

• File Size: 923 KB
• Print Length: 304 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (September 1, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007ZI00BO

Genre: Novel
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 1, 2012

Who Knew One Book Could Cause So Much Chaos?

Barbara Bunde is in a bind. Times are harsh, and Barbara's bank account has seen better days. Maybe she could sell a novel ... if she knew any stories. Stumped for ideas, Barbara draws inspiration from her fellow residents of Silverstream, the little English village she knows inside and out.

To her surprise, the novel is a smash. It's a good thing she wrote under a pseudonym, because the folks of Silverstream are in an uproar. But what really turns Miss Bunde's world around is this: what happens to the characters in her book starts happening to their real-life counterparts. Does life really imitate art?

A beloved author who has sold more than seven million books, D. E. Stevenson is at her best with Miss Buncle's Book, crafting a highly original and charming tale about what happens when people see themselves through someone else's eyes.

"Love it, love it, love it"

"There are no vampires, no faeries, no weird creatures, just a sweet story about real people living in a world I've always dreamed of."—Reader Review

Review:

Miss Buncle is a unremarkable young woman who lives in a quiet little English village.  Times are hard and her small dividends have dwindled so that she doesn’t have enough to cover bills. The only choices she thinks she has are to raise hens or write and sell a book.  She doesn’t know anything about chickens so she writes what she knows – she writes about the people in her village.

The first part of the book describes the day to day life of the village named Copperfield instead of its real name, Silverstream. She portrays the neighbors fairly accurately with foibles and quirks although she does give them different names that play on their true names.  The second half of the book she becomes creative and allows for fantasy to devise a future for several characters.  Miss Buncle submits the book as John Smith and is happily surprised when a publisher agrees to publish it. He doesn’t know if the book is simple or satiric but he found it engaging.

Miss Buncle is thrilled to get an advance and is cheered until her neighbors start to read the book. Some find it charming and laughable but certain ladies in the community become upset by their honest, but not always kind, portrayal.  They gather the neighbors together to try to figure out who the author is so they can chase him down and ‘horse whip’ him.  While she decides whether to reveal that she is the author, Miss Buncle watches as her neighbors begin to do things depicted in the book.

I’m not quite certain what year this is set in -- there are cars and phones -- but the book was originally published in 1936. So it is apparently a cozy, slower village time.  It isn’t a fast read but it is sweet and engaging and I loved some of the phrasing (see quotes below). It is enjoyable to follow the gentle Doctor and his wife, the new Vicar and the women who pursue him; it is fun to watch the cranky, snobbish women who don’t want to recognize who they really are and it is particularly lovely to watch Miss Buncle’s own transformation.

If you like a cozy warm caricature of life, try this sweet, easy story!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are examples of the laid back, charming phrases I liked:

“Lawks!” she exclaimed suddenly, looking up at the clock. “Look at the time, and the drawing room to be done yet—I’m behind , like a cow’s tail.”  Location 53.

“Dorcas, I could never give up writing now,” she said, incredulously (nor could she, the vice had got her firmly in its grip, as well ask a morphinomaniac to give up drugs). “You don’t know how exciting it is, Dorcas. It just sweeps you along and you’ve no idea of the time--” Location 2057.

 I received this through NetGalley to review for Sourcebooks.

I will add this to my New Author Challenge List.

Book Review: What in God's Name: A Novel by Simon Rich

Mixed feelings on this title - see full review. :-)
What in God's Name: A Novel
by Simon Rich

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books; First Edition first Printing edition (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316133736
ISBN-13: 978-0316133739
Genre: Comedy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Welcome to Heaven, Inc., the grossly mismanaged corporation in the sky. For as long as anyone can remember, the founder and CEO (known in some circles as "God") has been phoning it in. Lately, he's been spending most of his time on the golf course. And when he does show up at work, it's not to resolve wars or end famines, but to Google himself and read what humans have been blogging about him.

When God decides to retire (to pursue his lifelong dream of opening an Asian Fusion restaurant), he also decides to destroy Earth. His employees take the news in stride, except for Craig and Eliza, two underpaid angels in the lowly Department of Miracles. Unlike their boss, Craig and Eliza love their jobs - uncapping city fire hydrants on hot days, revealing lost keys in snow banks - and they refuse to accept that earth is going under.

The angels manage to strike a deal with their boss. He'll call off his Armageddon, if they can solve their toughest miracle yet: getting the two most socially awkward humans on the planet to fall in love. With doomsday fast approaching, and the humans ignoring every chance for happiness thrown their way, Craig and Eliza must move heaven and earth to rescue them - and the rest of us, too.

Review:

I do have mixed feelings about this book. I selected it to read as it seemed like a cute premise. However I had some trepidation about the tone of the novel and I should have paid more attention to that intuition.

I appreciated the dedication and drive of both Craig and Eliza, two angels who enjoy making little and big miracles that touch human lives. Although they are both mostly ‘nerdy’, their up- beat characters and their love and concern for human beings are endearing. They are certainly more likeable than the God portrayed by Mr. Simon as a bored executive who cares more about his favorite sports teams, his golf game and checking on his personal ratings then he does about humans and their dangers, sufferings or prayers. Another not so likeable character is Vince who is a rather harsh Arch Angel at God’s right side who sneers at the efforts of Craig and Eliza until they convince him to help them in their effort to save the world.

God has decided to “cancel” earth and open a restaurant. Craig and Eliza discover that God has ignored years of prayer requests that were carefully sorted in priority by Eliza. Craig convinces God to save the world if Craig can perform a miracle that fulfills one of the old prayers. Craig and Eliza have 30 days to bring Sam and Laura together. These two met in college and were attracted to each other but never connected. Now they only live six blocks apart but they are the equivalent of couch potatoes, rarely leaving their homes or socializing with the world outside of their own rooms. Craig and Eliza will have to do their greatest manipulation ever to pull off this miracle.

I have to acknowledge that the book is very funny.  It is also completely sacrilegious.  As I started reading I began to get uncomfortable with the tone and became more and more concerned that there would be little edifying about the book. Considering that I believe in an Amazing God, creator, savior and comforter, I had to feel hurt in my spirit at the portrayal in this book. I struggled through to the end in hopes that there would be a glimmer of redemption. Actually I was a bit calmer by the end as I decided to view the book as I might a complete fantasy.  I do think that there was a light of hope shown at the ending.  Unfortunately, God had little to do with the ultimate outcome and although the angels were the ones behind the positive movements it is not even clear if their influence or chance had the final impact.

I have to give the book a good rating for solid writing and entertaining humor. But I put a warning for other Christians that this one may not be something you want to read as it disappoints the inner spirit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A discussion between Craig as he introduces Eliza to her new job in the Miracles Department:

{Craig}  "Actually, the truth is...ninety-nine percent of the things that happen to humans are just crazy and random and serve no function whatsoever. ...
{Eliza}   "But the other one percent? Those are miracles, huh?"
Craig nodded.
"Well, hey!" she said. "That's something!"  Page 16

Thank you to Anna for providing this book from Reagan Arthur div of Hachette for review.

I will add this to my ARC and New Author challenge lists.

Happy Valentines! One-Line Humor on Marriage

I plan to post a review and giveaway a later today but until I get time to get that posted I thought you might like a chuckle or two! Our Sunday School teacher shared these great one liners on marriage and had us laughing out loud.

• Love is blind but marriage is a real eye-opener.
• There are two times a man doesn’t understand a woman, before marriage and after marriage.
• A successful husband is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.  A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
• Any married man should forget his mistakes because there is no use in two people remembering the same thing.
• Marriage is an institution where a man loses his Bachelor’s Degree and the woman gains her Masters.
• A husband said to his wife, “No, I don’t hate your relatives.  In fact, I like your mother-in-law better than I like mine.
• A little boy asked his father how much it cost to get married.  The father replied, “I don’t know, son, I’m still paying for it.”
• Don’t marry for money, you can borrow it cheaper.
• Every man should get married some time; after all, happiness is not the only thing in life.
• Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is a husband.
• Shared by Rodney Dangerfield: My wife and I were happy for twenty years.  Then we met.
• After a quarrel, a wife said to her husband, “You know, I was a fool when I married you.”  The husband replied, “Yes dear, but I was in love and didn’t notice.”
• I married Miss Right.  I just didn’t know that her first name was ‘Always.’
• Losing a wife can be a hard thing.  In my case, it was almost impossible at all.
•  Just think, if it weren’t for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults

Book Review and Giveaway: Miss Hildreth Wore Brown by Olivia deBelle Byrd

Treat yourself to these delightful 'bon bons' of Southern charm!

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Anecdotes of a Southern Belle 

by Olivia deBelle Byrd

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Morgan James Publishing (May 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600377483
• ISBN-13: 978-1600377488

      Genre: Humor
      My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

 

Book Description Publication Date: May 1, 2010
While Olivia deBelle Byrd was repeating one of her many Southern stories for the umpteenth time, her long-suffering husband looked at her with glazed over eyes and said,“Why don’t you write this stuff down?” Thus was born Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle. If the genesis for a book is to shut your wife up, I guess that’s as good as any.  On top of that, Olivia’s mother had burdened her with one of those Southern middle names kids love to make fun.  To see “deBelle” printed on the front of a book seemed vindication for all the childhood teasing.  With storytelling written in the finest Southern tradition from the soap operas of Chandler Street in the quaint town of Gainesville, Georgia, to a country store on the Alabama state line, Oliviade Belle Byrd delves with wit and amusement into the world of the Deep South with all its unique idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms.  The characters who dance across the pages range from Great-Aunt LottieMae, who is as “old-fashioned and opinionated as the day is long,” to Mrs. Brewton, who calls everyone “dahling” whether they are darling or not, to Isabella with her penchant for mint juleps and drama.  Humorous anecdotes from a Christmas coffee, where one can converse with a lady who has Christmas trees with blinking lights dangling from her ears, to Sunday church,where a mink coat is mistaken for possum, will delight Southerners and baffle many a non-Southerner. There is the proverbial Southern beauty pageant, where even a six-month-old can win a tiara, to a funeral faux pas of the iron clad Southern rule—one never wears white after Labor Day and, dear gussy, most certainly not to a funeral.  Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle is guaranteed to provide an afternoon of laugh-out-loud reading and hilarious enjoyment.

Review:  Ha - This is such a delight.
The wonderful thing about this book is that it oozes Southern charm which is quite distinct from northern arrogance.  Now I don’t agree that all the antidotes would be limited to a Southern lady... I can relate to many. I was raised up north but moved to Florida when I was 13 so you would think I might be a southerner. Then again... we lived in Broward and Palm Beach counties until a few years ago. That is more like the north than the south.

The author shares humorous tales with a Southern flair - sometimes genteel and sometimes feisty. She reaffirms that women, who know colors like teal and camel and share details when they talk together, are from Venus while men, who see blues and browns and speak “yes” and “sure”,  are from Mars.  She tells tales from a different generation, one that had to earn a car at college age. Compare this to her children’s generation where a child is given a car because ‘they are breathing at age 16'.  The south has their “characters” who are tough “eccentrics” by another name but sweeter I think. Ms. Byrd shares stories of several Southern "Characters."

There are delightful stories from childhood antics, weddings, funerals, fashion, and adventures with pets. My favorites were hilarious Southern problems while visiting in foreign places like New York and Boston! I had to really laugh at one of her anecdotes disparaging Christmas Sweaters as I am one of those ladies who loves to wear Christmas sweaters for three weeks in December!

This is an easy, fun read and I chuckled through a couple of quick chapters at a time. This would be a great book to pick up for those bloggers participating in the Southern Literature or Reading Challenge. It is also a wonderful choice to keep on a side table for a relaxing evening and it would make a lovely gift for a friend.

This book will go in Florida for my Where Are You Reading challenge; it will also be on the New Author list and ARC list.

Thank you to the gracious generosity of the author for the book to review and an extra copy for Giveaway.
I thought about giving my copy too but decided I wanted to keep it and share it with a local friend. :-)
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the print book:

1. Visit the author's site and tell me something of interest you found there and/OR  for two entries, leave a comment on the Guest Post to show warm hospitality to Ms. Byrd. :-).  One of these is required for entry.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3.  For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Six total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 27, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 28. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.