My Book and My Coffee: January 2013

Welcome to “The Book Reviewer Is IN”.

The Book Reviewer is IN - Book Meme / Feature

So what is this feature? Basically, I wanted to feature or showcase books / eBooks / novels that I have ACCEPTED for review, and the ones that I have lined-up to read from my TBR pile (purchased from bookstore, Amazon, etc). And I wanted to create my own, so here it is. This is somehow inspired by Books, Biscuits, and Tea’s “Showcase Sunday”. The owner of the blog is Vicky, and she’s really nice.

This book meme / feature can be weekly, monthly or everyday (if you want). Anyone can participate. Want to join? Visit The Book Reviewer is IN page to know more. Remember, if you have posted your own "The Book Reviewer is IN" feature / meme, make sure that you submit your link below. It will be fun!

Accepted Books / eBooks for Review:

The Bachelor Farmers by Brenda Sorrels

The Book Reviewer is IN: The Bachelor Farmers by Brenda Sorrels

Set in northern Minnesota in the winter of 1919, THE BACHELOR FARMERS tells a story of two Norwegian brothers who learn the meaning of love from a most unlikely source.

Hans and Jon, the youngest of four immigrant brothers, have just inherited land from their recently deceased father and set out to develop it, thus perpetuating the family dream of success in America. When Jon learns that the husband of Mahal, a beautiful half-breed, Ojibwa woman, has been injured on their property and cannot work, he hires her to be their personal cook.

Under the eye of his disapproving brother, Jon finds himself falling in love, but when a terrible blizzard blows into town without warning, the three of them must deal with the consequences and make decisions that will ultimately reshape their lives in profound and unimaginable ways.

THE BACHELOR FARMERS takes us into a world where true meaning and healing are found in the complexity of human relationships and in the choices that are made in the face of adversity.

~~~~~~~

Until There Was You by Jessica Scott

From the author of Because of You comes an all-new contemporary eBook romance. He plays by the rules, she's not afraid to break them. Now these two strong-willed Army captains will prove that opposites attract . . .

A by-the-book captain with a West Point background, Captain Evan Loehr refuses to mix business with pleasure--except for an unguarded instance years ago when he succumbed to the deep sensuality of redheaded beauty Claire Montoya. From that moment on, though, Evan has been at odds with her, through two deployments to Iraq and back again. But when he is asked to train a team prepping for combat alongside Claire, battle-worn Evan is in for the fight of his life.

Strong, gutsy, and loyal, Captain Claire Montoya has worked hard to earn the rank on her chest. In Evan, Claire sees a rigid officer who puts the rules before everything else--including his people. When the mission forces them together, Claire soon discovers that there is more to Evan than meets the eye. He's more than the rank on his chest; he's a man with dark secrets and deep longings. For all their differences, Evan and Claire share two crucial passions: their country and each other.

~~~~~~~

Bone Wires by Michael Shean

In the wasteland of commercial culture that is future America, police are operated not by government but by private companies. In Seattle, that role is filled by Civil Protection, and Daniel Gray is a detective in Homicide Solutions. What used to be considered an important – even glamorous – department for public police is very different for the corporate species, and Gray finds himself stuck in a dead end job.

That is, until the Spine Thief arrives.

When a serial killer begins harvesting the spinal tissue of corporate employees all over the city, Detective Gray finds himself plunged into the first truly major case of his career. Caught in a dangerous mix of murder, betrayal and conflicting corporate interest, Gray will find himself not only matching wits with a diabolical murderer but grappling with his growing doubt toward his employers in the dawning months of the American tricentennial. A thrilling mystery set in the same world as the Wonderland Cycle, Bone Wires is a grim trip into the streets of the empty future.

~~~~~~~

Only In Her Dreams (The Oneiroi Book 1) by Christina McKnight

When Lucessa Sarcona awakes from a recurring dream, she has no idea her life is about to be turned upside down. A stranger, familiar to her dreams, shows up in the flesh, and Lucessa knows she’s either crazy or experiencing something not of this world.

A war ensues between three demigod brothers. One, trained to rule Erebos, is violently replaced. One forced to return to his homeland and lead the dream-gods of the Oneiroi. And one is charged with the impossible task of protecting Lucessa. How is she linked to the Oneiroi? Why do two brothers seek to keep her hidden and protected? And how does another plan to use her against the two demigods who love her?

Will Lucessa’s dream man have the courage to claim her as his own or will he bow to the command of another, forsaking the one he loves?

Only in Her Dreams is a modern spin on a Greek legend--the new direction of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, moving from angels, demons, vampires, and witches and toward the realm of demigods.

Happy New Year to all.. It's not too late to say that, right? :D I know I've been short with review posts. This is because I had to prioritize some family stuff. Anyway, hopefully, this 2013, I can read and review more books. And I mean moooooorreeee! I am still out of the country - on vacation. But I will be back (hopefully) in the middle of February. Anyway, what do you think of these books? They are awesome, huh? They are certainly lined-up and I am very excited to read them. At the moment, I am still 'devouring' Chris Redding's Incendiary. How about you? What are you reading at the moment? :D Let me know in the comments. And oh, if you want to join this feature / meme, please feel free to do so :D The more, the merrier!

Ara of My Book and My Coffee

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Title: What the Dog Ate
Author: Jackie Bouchard
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Form: Kindle edition

Book Description: What the Dog Ate

Book Review: What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

Amazon: What the Dog Ate Kindle edition

Amazon: What the Dog Ate Paperback

Smashwords: What the Dog Ate

The vet handed Maggie Baxter a plastic specimen bag containing a pair of size-tiny lavender thong panties extracted from her dog; but they were not hers. Or rather, they were hers now since she'd just paid $734 to have Dr. Carter surgically remove them from Kona's gut.

This is how Maggie Baxter, a practical, rule-following accountant, discovers that her husband of seventeen years is cheating on her. All her meticulous life plans are crushed. When he leaves her for the other woman, Maggie and her the-world-is-my-smorgasbord chocolate Lab, Kona, are left to put their lives back together. As Maggie begins to develop a Plan B for her life, she decides to be more like Kona. No, she's not going to sniff crotches and eat everything that isn't nailed down; rather she'll try to approach life with more ball-chasing abandon. Finding herself in situations where she begins to go through her usual over-analysis of the pros and cons, she stops and instead asks herself: What would Kona do? With Kona as her guru, Maggie begins her quest for tail-wagging joy.

Book Review ~ What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

Clever title. Reading the book made me want to be loved by Kona, too. Lovely read. - Ara of My Book and My Coffee

The first chapter did pique my interest a lot already. And I kinda liked the way it was written. But then somewhere in the middle, I wondered where the story would lead. Like Maggie, the protagonist, I was clueless. She was clueless on where her life is going and what she should do next. Me, I was clueless on where the author wanted this story to go. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This isn’t one of the mystery or suspense novels out there but I think that it’s a good thing if the reader doesn’t always know what the main character’s next step is.

Again, the title is really clever and that alone made me really excited. Instantly, I wanted to read the book. So when the author sent me a review copy, I was really thankful – and I am forever grateful. The story is about Maggie, what her dog ate, her divorce and whatever is next for her. Maggie’s character is certainly relatable. One more thing I’ve noticed about her is that she is very reasonable as well. As a reader, you’ll feel her pain about the struggles she had to endure (like the divorce, starting all over - with her life and if possible, with another partner in life). That’s tough. I can certainly understand her dilemma. It’s a good thing that she has her family and that she was able to make new friends after the divorce. Family and friends that will make her want to try again. And maybe more. *hint hint* And of course, she has Kona. The ever cute Labrador, that from what I’ve come to imagine, makes Maggie sane and crazy – and not always at the same time. I do love dogs even though I don’t have a dog of my own. My mom has a dark brown Labrador (like Kona) that is just pure adorable and loves to eat and play with the snow a lot.

I have to say though that I have mixed feelings about this book. Although I enjoyed reading it, there were some scenarios that I really didn’t care about because I felt that the book will do fine without them.

The book’s ending was good but I felt that it needed more fireworks. I think the author went for the responsible and reasonable way to end the book which is okay. But again, it’s just me. I expected more fireworks – I think Maggie deserves to have that. Also, I wanted that spark that will want me to imagine what will happen next even after the book has ended.

About the Author:

Photo courtesy of JackieBouchard.com

Jackie was born in Southern California and lived there until she and a friend got the crazy idea to move to Bermuda. It turned out to not be such a crazy idea after all since she met her husband there. After Bermuda, Jackie and her husband moved to Canada, then to the east coast of the US, and ultimately back to San Diego, where they now live with their rescue pup, Rita.

Jackie used to be trapped in the hamster wheel of corporate America, but she was bitten by the writing bug and ultimately managed to escape. Jackie loves: reading, writing, and, yes, even 'rithmetic (seriously, algebra rocks), professional cycling, margaritas, dogs in general, her crazy rescue pup specifically, and her hubby. (Not in that order.) Jackie dislikes: writing about herself in the third person. Her work has been published in “San Diego CityBeat” and the San Diego Writers, Ink's anthology, “A Year in Ink, Vol. 3.” “What The Dog Ate” is her first novel.

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Hello lovelies! I am so happy to introduce Matthew Turner, author of Beyond Parallel, to you all :) Get to know Matthew Turner, a little bit about his book, and the usual random questions that are really good to know about.

Before we start the author interview, let me show you the cover artwork of his book, Beyond Parallel.

I definitely love the cover! :)

Ara: Hi Matthew! Welcome! I take that you’re busy, busy, busy this month since it is the release of your new book, Beyond Parallel. I’m so happy that you are able to join us today for a short interview. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Matthew: Hi, thanks for having me. My name is Matthew Turner and I’m a writer. I’ve been writing for several years now, but it’s only been in the last couple that I’ve taken it to the next level.

The end result of this is Beyond Parallel, my debut novel that launches on the 8th January.

As well as fiction, I write non-fiction, too. I’m currently working on a new project called The Successful Mistake, as well blogging most days on my website, TurndogMillionaire.com

Ara: Interesting! And you are, indeed, busy! So, you write both Fiction and Non-Fiction books. Is one easier than the other?

Matthew: Good question. I’ve only just begun my first non-fiction project, but I feel it might be an easier process than writing fiction. Writing a novel is so precise. You have to consider the reader on so many levels and create a world that takes their imagination with it.

Non-fiction is more about the content, and the information on offer. It’s not to say the story isn’t important, but it’s less of an art form. This, in some ways, makes it easier, although if you ask me in a year’s time I may sing a different tune.

However, my current non-fiction project will take a long time and is very time intrusive. All in all, they are both completely different species. Like most things, they have the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Ara: Let’s talk about Beyond Parallel. I’ve learned that you started writing this in 2006 – after a heart wrenching breakup. Now, I don’t want to pry… (but it looks like I’m going to anyway), are you still friends with that girl? Does she know about Beyond Parallel? :)

Matthew: No we’re not, our time together was a complex one, and it ultimately made it impossible to remain friends. We tried, and who knows what the future holds, but at this stage in my life it’s nice to look back on.

And she does know, yes. We share many mutual friends so I believe it’s made its way through the grapevine. I’m not sure how she will take it overall. I’m sure she’ll love some parts and hate others. Saying that, I’m not sure if she’ll ever read it. I would imagine it would be hard to do so.

Ara: I would think so, too. Relationships, sometimes, are really complicated and it’s just a matter of how we deal with it – during and after. Well, I wish you both well.

I’ve read the book’s description and I have to say, I’m rather excited to learn more about Bella and Clark. And that particular ‘what if’ moment. The suspense is killing me, actually. Could you tell us a little bit more about the two characters (Bella and Clark)?

Matthew: The idea of what if has always fascinated me. I wanted to build the foundations of Beyond Parallel around this, and push Bella and Clark in the middle of it.

They are quite different from each other. Bella loves to love and is a real old fashioned romantic. Whereas Clark is terrified of commitment and has spent most of his life avoiding it. However, they both share a great deal of common ground, too. Their entire lives are ahead of them and they want to achieve so much. The problem with this is that much of it contradicts one another.

They are ultimately trying to find a balance where happiness can be found, and as I’m sure most young twenty-somethings appreciate, this is far from easy.

Ara: Hmmm.. They sound amazing! Let’s talk about the concept of ‘what if’. Most of us are probably familiar with that kind of moment, the ‘what if’ moment. I mean, there were circumstances in my life that I did wonder ‘what if’… What if I didn’t do this.. or that.. instead of this. Something like that. And I understand that Beyond Parallel clings to ‘what if’. What inspired you with that concept? Is it just the break up? Or something else?

Matthew: I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of what if, but it was the breakup that really brought it into fruition. For months I spent my time wondering about what might have been had I chosen differently, and it made me consider other moments in my life, too.

How I met my best friend, the jobs that I’ve had, the good times and the bad…

All I could think about were all the lives I could have lived. Life, when you think about it, is one giant butterfly effect, and it doesn’t only hinge on your decision, but others, too. In a way we’re all connected, and the decisions other people make determine so much about who we become. It’s bloody terrifying and amazing all in one.

Ara: I agree with you. I tend to see it that way sometimes as well. That we are somehow connected. So, what’s your biggest ‘what if’?

Matthew: My life is a montage of what ifs, so it’s hard to choose just one. I suppose it’s the breakup in 2006 that I think about the most, though. For instance, I wouldn’t be doing this interview right now that is for sure.

Beyond Parallel had one muse, and without her it wouldn’t have been written. I think 2006 was a big year for me and set some rather significant wheels in motion. I have no idea where I would be if I had said yes to her, but I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Ara: Wow… Well, you know what? I’m even more excited to read your book now. Not because I want to get a glimpse of what you may have experienced but knowing that it sorta came from some place real, I would imagine that it will make the story more relatable. Matthew, before we end the interview, I have some random questions for you. I hope you choose to answer them. I think it will be fun! :D

I have to ask. Coffee, sweet tea or hot cocoa?

Matthew: Black coffee! No sugar, no milk, and plenty strong

Ara: If you have to choose one fiction book as your absolute favorite, which book will it be? It’s a tough question :) But if you had to choose one, which book will it be?

Matthew: It is tough, but it’s between The Great Gatsby and Perks Of Being A Wallflower - I know, I cheated

Ara: Hah! Finally, who is your favorite ‘friend’ from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.?

Matthew: Hmmm, good question. I used to love Rachel growing up (ultimate crush), but now when I re-watch them I’m drawn to Monica. So I suppose it’s a toss-up between those two.

Ara: Oh, I love them both. This is actually a hard question for me. I’m an ultimate F.R.I.E.N.D.S fan and I love them all. I can’t choose just one. :) Thank you for your time today, Matthew! It’s really great to have you here @ My Book and My Coffee.

More about Matthew Turner:

Matthew Turner is a young writer from Yorkshire, England. He writes both Fiction & Non-Fiction, but his latest project is Beyond Parallel, a coming-of-age novel that focusses on two young twenty-somethings.

After years of playing with the idea of writing, he decided to take things seriously in 2010. He took his four year old manuscript and ripped it apart; refining it, editing, and learning until the final copy was ready. That time is now!

As well as writing, Matthew acts as a consultant, speaker, and coach to fellow writers and entrepreneurs. With a passion for storytelling and creating brands with soul, he finds himself working with innovative, 21st-century minds.

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Book Review ~ What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

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