Review From Here

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By Tim Gleichner

About Pamela Samuels Young

Corporate attorney Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. Fed up with never seeing women or people of color depicted as savvy, hot shot attorneys in the legal thrillers she read, Pamela decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, Pamela accomplished her ambitious goal by rising at four in the morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing and even spending her vacation time glued to her laptop for ten or more hours a day.

The Essence magazine bestselling author now has four fast-paced legal thrillers to show for her efforts: Every Reasonable Doubt (BET Books, February 2006), In Firm Pursuit (Harlequin, January 2007), Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September 2008) and Buying Time (Goldman House Publishing, November 2009). New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel described Buying Time, Pamela’s first stand-alone novel, as a “deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais.”

Pamela has achieved a successful writing career while working as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for a large corporation in Southern California. Prior to that, she served as Employment Law Counsel for Raytheon Company and spent several years with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles. A former journalist, Pamela began her broadcasting career as a production assistant at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where she was quickly promoted to news writer. To escape the chilly Detroit winters, she returned home to Los Angeles and worked at KCBS-TV as a news writer and associate producer.

Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC, a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com.

Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of discrimination law, diversity, writing and pursuing your passion. She is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

My Review

I have to admit that this is the first legal thriller that I have read.  I tend to stick to mostly non-fiction, although my wife really pushed me to expand my reading horizons.  And, I am also a big fan of all the legal shows on tv so I thought that I would give this book a shot.  I am glad I did – not only was it mentally inticing, it read as if I was watching one of the shows I love so much only better.

This book is about Waverly Sloan – an attorney who has hit the lowest of the low and has actually been disbarred.  Everyone in his life seems to want something from him and now that he doesn’t have the financial means to provide like he has in the past he isn’t sure what he is going to do.  He is turned on to a quick money maker from an acquaintance of his and it seems like it might be the answer to his money woes.  But at what cost?

This book was a true page turner leaving me wanting more.  I would HIGHLY recommend it!

About Buying Time

Buying Time is a scandalous tale of blackmail, murder and betrayal, evoking John Grisham with a dash of Terry McMillan.

Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer. But just when he’s about to hit rock bottom, he stumbles upon a business with the potential to solve all of his problems.

In Waverly’s new line of work, he comes to the aid of people in desperate need of cash. But there’s a catch. His clients must be terminally ill and willing to sign over rights to their life insurance policies before they can collect a dime. Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars—including a hefty broker’s fee for himself—in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath.

The stakes get higher when Waverly brokers the policy of the cancer-stricken wife of Lawrence Erickson, a high-powered lawyer who’s bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General. When Waverly’s clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and Erickson—who has some skeletons of his own to hide—are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.

Soon, a determined federal prosecutor is hot on Waverly’s trail. But when the prosecutor’s own life begins to unravel, she finds herself on the run—with Waverly at her side.

About Gary Fong

Gary Fong is a world-renowned photographer, inventor and entrepreneur who has made multiple fortunes in business and real estate. From his inauspicious beginnings in a tiny, hairspray-saturated apartment that doubled as his parents’ wig studio, he went on to become, at a very young age, one of the world’s most successful wedding photographers. After making millions by revolutionizing an industry traditionally reserved for small businessmen, he “stumbled” upon serial successes in photo printing, software, real estate and camera accessories by making unconventional decisions based on his own quirky impulses. Gary has photographed celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, Paul McCartney and Ronald Reagan, invented and marketed the Lightsphere, and co-founded Pictage, which became the largest dedicated online digital/web solution in the United States and sold for $29 million.

His latest book  is The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life Without Really Trying.

You can visit his website at www.garyfongaccidentalmillionaire.com.

My Review

I have to admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I absolutely LOVED this book. Not only is there a great dose of humor, the path that has gotten Mr. Fong to the point he is today is one of the most engaging stories I have read.

Gary’s parents were immigrants and wanted nothing but the best for their only child. They struggled after Gary’s dad lost his job at Boeing and his mom took to styling and selling wigs, prepping them in their small 600 square foot apartment. Can you imagine everything in your home being covered with the lacquer emitted from hair spray? Gary knew by the age of 10 that he needed to take his life into his own hands.

Many of the aspects of this book are pulled from journals that Gary kept as a child and they are such a unique insight into a man who has truly lived up to his full potential. A keen business mind and the determination to try and make a career out of something that showed him a glimpse of success after college made Gary a millionaire.

This book is one that I would highly recommend – even though it is a work of non-fiction (which is not usually something that I would enjoy to be honest) the style of writing is extremely fluid and full of humor, intelligence, and the drive to succeed.

About The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life Without Even Trying

The Accidental Millionaire is the memoir of Gary Fong, would-be slacker who revolutionized wedding photography, inventor of popular photography aids, entrepreneur, contrarian, bon vivant and a man who really, really didn’t want to become a doctor. A first-generation Chinese-American, Gary was raised in one of Los Angeles’ least-desirable neighborhoods and was forced to deal—in his own quirky and often very funny way—with the burdens of poverty, crime and his parents’ relentless aspirations. These issues almost overwhelmed him until he had a dramatic epiphany. Spotting a bumper sticker that read “Since I gave up hope, I feel much better,” Gary promptly did just that.

He stopped trying and started succeeding. At turns hilarious, insightful and instructive, The Accidental Millionaire is Horatio Alger-meets-David Sedaris. Turning the traditional self-help principles upside down, The Accidental Millionaire disdains the goal-oriented approaches of traditional self-help philosophies. Sometimes not knowing where you are going is the best possible way to get there.

About A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

For months, Cass has heard her best friend, Julia, whisper about a secret project. When Julia dies in a car accident, her drama friends decide to bring the project—a musical called Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad—to fruition. But Cass isn’t a drama person. She can’t take a summer of painting sets, and she won’t spend long hours with Heather, the girl who made her miserable all through middle school and has somehow landed the leading role. So Cass takes off. In alternating chapters, she spends the first part of summer on a cross-country bike trip and the rest swallowing her pride, making props, and—of all things—falling for Heather.

This is a story of the breadth of love. Of the depth of friendship. And of the most hilarious musical one quiet suburb has ever seen.

My Review

I was really excited to read this book as it was my first by the author. I thought that the title was extremely unique and thought the story sounded like it had a lot of potential. To be honest this book was just ok for me. There were parts of the book that I really enjoyed and some parts that I felt were totally unbelievable. Let me elaborate.

Cass and Julia are best friends and have been for what seems like forever. They share everything together even though they are extremely different. Cass is a math whiz and Julia is into the theater but somehow they make it all work. Even after Julia starts dating, she still makes time for Cass and Cass is just happy to see her friend so happy. But, then tragedy strikes. Julia is killed in a car accident leaving Oliver’s house (her boyfriend) and the whole dynamic of the group of friends changes. Was Julia the only thing that Cass had in common with the rest of the theater people? Will Julia’s super secret project “Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad”, a musical that she had been working on before she died, become a reality? And how can Cass get past the fact that not only has she lost her best friend but the star of the play is Heather, a true enemy of hers from the past?

The overall tone of this book was one that I did enjoy. I loved how the author alternated the chapters between THEN and NOW so you could see how things progressed for Cass throughout. The emotion that is felt by Cass was mostly believable as well. But, the interaction between Cass and the rest of the theater people seemed a little overdone. Either they were really friends or they weren’t and sometimes I just wasn’t sure. And what parent in their right mind would allow their 16 year old to bike thousands of miles with the ashes of their dead best friend just to fulfill a trip that they had planned? That was totally unbelievable! She was sleeping in a tent on the side of the road with only a credit card for emergencies, some money she had saved up, and a cell phone. And, she didn’t even talk to her parents on a daily basis. This just didn’t seem like anything that would ever happen, or if it would it is the type of parent that should be reported to Social Services.

Overall I would recommend this book because I do feel that the writing was strong. I just think that parts of it could have been improved upon.

Thanks to Around the World ARC Tours for allowing me to be part of this book tour!

Product Details

Paperback: 290 pages
Publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback; 1st Thus. edition (May 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385341008
ISBN-13: 978-0385341004

About The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

January 1946: writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

My Review

What more can I say about this book? Except pick it up and read it. Is it the greatest book you will ever read? I personally don’t think so, But and easy read with a wonderful story and characters is what awaits you as you open up the pages.

This book is written as a series of letters between author Juliet Ashton and the members of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (with Juliet’s publisher, some friends and her boyfriend thrown in for good measure). The German invasion after the war is over and the members of the society are trying to get their lives back together when one of their members decides to write to Juliet to tell her of a book he came across that once belonged to her. This begins a story that unfolds through each life of the member of the society, and how Juliet reacts to their letters.

Extremely well written and easy to read, this book will be hard to put down. Each character is extremely well written, even if they only have a small part in the book. And, to read what these people went through during the war makes me realize again how lucky I am to be an American, and too young to have lived through anything of this magnitude.

About Mary Ann Shaffer

Mary Ann Shaffer who passed away in February 2008, worked as an editor, librarian, and in bookshops. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was her first novel.

Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 291 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (October 13, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416989412

About Hush, Hush

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

My Review

I have been hearing about this book for quite some time and when I saw the cover I absolutely fell in love.  I think it is absolutely beautiful, and although I don’t judge a book by its cover, this one really was pulling at me.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that there is no way I can buy more books.  I receive books in the mail from publishers and for work so off the the library I went.  And, to my surprise this was in!  Granted, I had a short term loan on it (I must have just hit it at the right time) so home I went to get reading.  Less than 24 hours later I was done.

This is the story of Nora Grey.  Nora has been dealt some rough blows recently.  She lost her father less than a year ago which has led her mother to take a job that includes traveling, leaving Nora occasionally home alone.  This never used to bother her but she has been feeling a prescence, as if someone is watching her.  And not in a good way.

Thankfully she has Vee, her best friend, who she can confide in.  But, when her biology teacher decides to switch up the class seating assigment, she is no longer paired with Vee but with Patch, the new boy at the school.

There is something about Patch that attracts Nora, even though it is really the last thing she wants.  He is cocky but extremely sexy, in a bad boy way.  And he knows exactly what to say to get a rise out of her, emotionally and physically.  But, the more time she spends with him, the more she feel the attraction that she is so desparate to hide.

But, there is something that isn’t right about Patch.  When Vee is attacked trying to divert the attention of the person following Nora by making them think she was her, Nora knew that she had to be on her toes.  Was Patch to blame?  And, then there is Elliot, the new boy who was a suspect in a murder at his old school.  Is he really the nice guy she thought, or is he dangerous and the one who is trying to scare her?

After seeing Patch’s scars, Nora does some research but what she finds is unbelievable.  Could Patch possibly be an angel?  And is she crazy for even thinking it?  If he is, what is he doing here and why is he so interested in her?

Once again, I am in a YA mood and am SO glad that I read this book.  The author has a real grasp on how to write and each character down to Dabria was extremely well written.  I can’t wait for the sequel to this book.

About Becca Fitzpatrick

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she’s most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. HUSH, HUSH is her first novel. She lives in Colorado.

This is my first book read for the Four Month Challenge. For more information click here. I am not sure if I can use this book for multiple point levels, but if so it qualifies for:
5 points – Read a book just because you like the cover
10 points – Read a book by an author you’ve never read before and
10 points – Read a hardcover book

Happy reading!

Reading level: Young Adult
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545123275
ISBN-13: 978-0545123273

About Shiver

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human–or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My Review

Well, where do I begin? Let me first start out by saying that I was cautious when I picked up this book. Why? Because I am one of the few people in the entire world that was not thrilled with the “Twilight” series but I did read them all because I kept thinking they would get better. They didn’t..not in my opinion anyway. So, I picked this up with the same hesitation but I ended up really enjoying it.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some similarities. Sam and Grace are similar to Edward and Bella. Was this story entirely believable? Of course not. Was the writing and plot something that made you sit on the edge of your seat? Not in my opinion. But, the writing was good and I did enjoy the characters. I think my favorite was Beck, the lead wolf who bit Sam and helped raise him to become the man he is.

Sam and Grace met years earlier when she was pulled from the swing in her yard by a pack of wolves. After being bitten, one wolf stood his ground and saved her, a wolf with the most brilliant yellow eyes. From that day forward Grace has not feared the wolves but has been entranced by them, especially the yellow eyed wolf. The woods that border her house are home to these wolves every winter, and she can’t wait until she is able to see them every year.

Sam was bitten as a boy and now shares his human body with the wolf, who only comes out in the cold weather of fall and winter. He too feels a connection to the girl he saved, and watches her from the woods as often as he can. He enjoys being a wolf but there are issues with some of his packmates and their aggressive nature. Especially Shelby, the she-wolf who wants nothing more than to be his mate and lead the pack with him when the time comes.

Sam and Grace eventually meet (after an accident in the woods turns Sam human) and their connection is immediate. But, time is running out because a wolf’s lifespan is short and their ability to turn from human to wolf is limited as well. They try to get as much out of their time together, while trying to figure out why Grace was bitten and doesn’t change. Will time run out, or is there a cure that can help these two stay together?

Told from alternating points of view, this story held my interest and made me want to continue reading.

About Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater lives in Virginia with her husband and their two children. You can visit her online at www.maggiestiefvater.com.

About C.W. Gortner

C. W. Gortner, half-Spanish by birth, holds an M.F.A. in writing, with an emphasis on historical studies, from the New College of California and has taught university courses on women of power in the Renaissance. He was raised in Málaga, Spain, and now lives in California.

Acclaimed for his insight into his characters, he travels extensively to research his books. He has slept in a medieval Spanish castle, danced in a Tudor great hall, and explored library archives all over Europe. His debut historical novel The Last Queen gained international praise and has been translated into eight languages to date. His new novel, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, will be published on May 25, 2010. He is currently at work on The Princess Isabella, his third historical novel, and The Secret Lion, the first book in his Tudor thriller series,The Spymaster Chronicles. You can visit C. W. Gortner’s website at http://cwgortner.com/.

About The Confessions of Catherine de Medici

The truth is, none of us are innocent. We all have sins to confess.

So reveals Catherine de Medici in this brilliantly imagined novel about one of history’s most powerful and controversial women. To some she was the ruthless queen who led France into an era of savage violence. To others she was the passionate savior of the French monarchy. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter into the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power.

The last legitimate descendant of the illustrious Medici line, Catherine suffers the expulsion of her family from her native Florence and narrowly escapes death at the hands of an enraged mob. While still a teenager, she is betrothed to Henri, son of François I of France, and sent from Italy to an unfamiliar realm where she is overshadowed and humiliated by her husband’s lifelong mistress. Ever resilient, Catherine strives to create a role for herself through her patronage of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus and her own innate gift as a seer. But in her fortieth year, Catherine is widowed, left alone with six young children as regent of a kingdom torn apart by religious discord and the ambitions of a treacherous nobility.

Relying on her tenacity, wit, and uncanny gift for compromise, Catherine seizes power, intent on securing the throne for her sons. She allies herself with the enigmatic Protestant leader Coligny, with whom she shares an intimate secret, and implacably carves a path toward peace, unaware that her own dark fate looms before her—a fate that, if she is to save France, will demand the sacrifice of her ideals, her reputation, and the passion of her embattled heart.

From the fairy-tale châteaux of the Loire Valley to the battlefields of the wars of religion to the mob-filled streets of Paris, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is the extraordinary untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

My Review

I have found a new appreciation for historical fiction. In the past books like these would NEVER be on my TBR pile, as a matter of fact I wouldn’t even consider reading them. But, C.W. changed that for me when I read “The Last Queen” so I will be forever grateful. He opened up a new world for me, a world that I have come to love. So, when I had the opportunity to review “The Confessions of Catherine de Medici” I literally jumped at the chance. And, I was certainly not disappointed.

I have to admit that I knew absolutely nothing about Catherine de Medici before reading this. To imagine that yet another queen lived a life full of deceit, doubt, dismissal, and very little to look forward to is very sad. Catherine was used as a pawn by her Uncle, a pawn to help him gain favor in Italy and bind Italy and France together. Although she faired well with the King, her husband had no desire to be with her. Why would he when he already had a mistress that gave him everything he could want? Well, actually, not everything. Seeing as how his older brother was sick and he was next in line for the thrown, it was important that Catherine and Henri have heirs.

How does a woman compete when her husband is so devoted to his mistress? Catherine wasn’t sure in the beginning, but as this wonderful novel progresses you see the strength that eventually empowers Catherine to make many decisions that were not only difficult but heartbreaking as well.

I really feel as if I can’t do this book justice in doing a review. To even begin to tell you the depth that C.W. goes to to tell this fabulous tale, I would have to write a book myself. Just suffice it to say that this book flows from beginning to end in such a way that you have to pry yourself away. And, even though this is a work of fiction, the way that it is written had me convinced that this is the life that Catherine lead.

I usually don’t like to rate a book but feel that if it deserves 5 stars there is no harm in saying so. And this book certainly does. A must read.

About The Stolen Child

I am a changeling–a word that describes within its own name what we are bound and intended to do. We kidnap a human child and replace him or her with one of our own. . . .”

The double story of Henry Day begins in 1949, when he is kidnapped at age seven by a band of wild childlike beings who live in an ancient, secret community in the forest. The changelings rename their captive Aniday and he becomes, like them, unaging and stuck in time. They leave one of their own to take his place, an imposter who must try–with varying success–to hide his true identity from the Day family. As the changeling Henry grows up, he is haunted by glimpses of his lost double and by vague memories of his own childhood a century earlier. Narrated in turns by Henry and Aniday, The Stolen Child follows them as their lives converge, driven by their obsessive search for who they were before they changed places in the world.

Moving from a realistic setting in small-town America deep into the forest of humankind’s most basic desires and fears, this remarkable novel is a haunting fable about identity and the illusory innocence of childhood.

My Review

I KNOW that I am in the minority but I really couldn’t get into this book. I mean I COULD NOT. I read over 100 pages and I just didn’t feel that the story grabbed me. I follow a rule about how much of a book I read before I put it down and I even went farther with this one. Why? Because it has gotten so many good reviews and I felt like I should give it a chance.

The premise of the story is great – a “changeling” or hobgoblin swaps lives with a 7 year old boy. Swap isn’t really the right word as the boy is stolen and the hobgoblin takes his place. The narrator tells the story alternating between the “new Henry Day” and Aniday, the name the hobgoblins have given the the new boy.

I felt that the writing was fine, I just thought the plot lacked the umph it needed.

Have you read it? I’d love to know your thoughts.

Giveaway Details

I have decided that I am no longer keeping books that I won’t read again or are paperback. This is both. It is a large paperback if that makes any sense. This giveaway will end on Sunday so hurry up. Here is how to enter:

+1 entry for leaving a comment
+1 entry for tweeting about it (leave link please)
+1 entry for posting about it on any other social blogs (leave link for each)
+10 for blogging about it (leave link)

Good luck!

Have a great Tuesday!

About Sarah Addison Allen

Sarah Addison Allen is the New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. She was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, where she is currently at work on her next novel. You can visit Sarah Addison Allen’s website at www.sarahaddisonallen.com.

My Thoughts

After reading “The Sugar Queen” by Sarah Addison Allen, I couldn’t wait to be drawn into her enchanted world again. So, when I had the opportunity to review “The Girl Who Chased the Moon” I jumped at the opportunity. To say that this book held my interest would be an understatement. This author has a way of telling a story that makes you feel as if you are there, in this case sitting back with a delicious piece of cake made by Julia Winterson, just waiting to see what happens next.

Emily Benedict comes to Mullaby, North Carolina to stay with her Grandfather Vance, after her mother passes away. The strange thing is, Emily has never been here and has never met her Grandfather. In fact, she knows nothing about her mothers past but she is about to learn in a quick way. Her mother has left many enemies behind in Mullaby due to an incident that happened when she was much younger. What could her mother possibly have done to cause the town to hate her so much? And why does Emily feel so drawn to Win Coffey, the boy whose family was most affected by her mothers actions?

This book is full of a magical force that will have you reading into the wee hours of the night. You will be drawn to each of the characters, and fascinated by each of the characters as they are developed. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read another book by ts fabulous author. She blends fairy tale type magic, with real life, to leave the reader fascinated by the story and wanting more.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)

About The Girl Who Chased the Moon

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world…no matter how out of place they feel.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life.

Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily’s growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby’s most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she’s found so far are more questions.

Is there really a ghost dancing in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love?

In this town of lovable misfits, maybe the right answer is the one that just feels…different.

Read the Reviews of Sarah’s Novels

(For Garden Spells)
“Spellbindingly charming, Allen’s impressively accomplished debut novel will bewitch fans of Alice Hoffman and Laura Esquivel, as her entrancing brand of magic realism nimbly blends the evanescent desires of hopeless romantics with the inherent wariness of those who have been hurt once too often.” –Booklist (Starred review)

“In a lifetime of reading, there are a few novels that are especially precious and unforgettable…This first novel by Sarah Addison Allen is to be added to that short list.” –-Stephen Richmond, Newton, MA

(For The Sugar Queen)

“A wonderful, highly-recommended book! I truly wish the author could write faster, as it was over far too soon.” –S. Cave, Puyallup, WA

“…a great story, a fast read…” –Busy Bookworm Reviews

About the Book

All her life, Zenovia has struggled with the burden of caring for her schizophrenic mother, Audrey, alone. Until one day, God seems to offer support in the form of two members of a church called the Brethren of the Sacrifice, who knock at the women’s door preaching an unconventional version of the Gospel. Despite having questions, Zenovia agrees to join the church along with her mother. Soon afterward, Audrey stops taking her medication when fellow churchgoers deem her illness a demonic possession. Unable to watch her mother’s mental deterioration, Zenovia flees town, only to receive a fateful phone call several years later telling her of her mother’s suicide. Heartbroken, Zenovia must now make a soul-altering choice: accept “God’s will,” or return home to confront the demons she’s worked so hard to leave behind….

My Review

Zenovia’s life has been more like caretaker than teenager. The only child of a single parent suffering with schizophrenia she has seen the demons that her mother has struggled with more times than she cares to think about. But, she has been on the correct dose of medication and their life (besides being poor) seems to be ok. Zenovia is preparing for her graduation and college and is really looking forward to a great future.

One day there is a knock on the door and it is members of a church called Brethren of Sacrifice. Her mother invites them in and is excited about the propect of starting a new church. But, this church is much different than other churches they have been to…not necessarily in a good way. Audrey is happy and has met the man of her dreams (she has “visions” and saw him years ago so knows he is the one) and Zenovia is initially happy as well. A new circle of friends, a step-dad that truly seems to love her mother, what could be bad about that?

Things take a turn for the worse when the church convinces Audrey that she doesn’t need her medication – all she needs is faith in the Lord to help heal her. Add this to a mistake that Zenovia makes (and a major breach of the rules of the church) and things go downhill fast. Zenovia decides to leave, unable to live down her shame and the pschosis that has once again claimed its hold on her mother.

Will she ever be able to go back or is her future to be without the friends and family she thought she knew?

This was a very enjoyable book, but helped me realize this is part of the reason I am not religious. An eye opener, and the author has a real talent for keeping the reader engaged throughout.

About the Author

Tiffany L. Warren, is an author, playwright, songwriter, mother and wife. Her debut novel What a Sista Should Do, was released in June of 2005 and has ministered to over 50,000 readers. Her second book, Farther than I Meant to Go, Longer than I Meant to Stay was a national bestseller. In 2006, Tiffany and her husband, Brent, founded Warren Productions and released their first gospel musical. What a Sista Should Do – The Stage Play debuted in Cleveland, OH at the famed Allen Theatre.

Tiffany is also the visionary behind the Faith and Fiction Fellowship tour. Presently, the authors have visited groups in Atlanta, Houston, New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Charlotte.