The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell

Historical Fiction Novella

Do you enjoy reading historical fiction? Then The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell may be the next read you'll want to read for yourself!

The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell is a historical novella approximately 55 pages in length that I downloaded to my Kindle for Free from Amazon. 

Here's a blurb about The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell from Amazon:

Beatrice Debord has assumed a male pseudonym in her correspondence with famous botanist, Henry Burbank. When, impressed and intrigued by her knowledge and reticence, he seeks out his correspondent, Beatrice is forced to invent a series of lies for the fictional Mr. Allenham’s whereabouts. A clean regency romance in the vein of Georgette Heyer.

Below is my honest review of The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell. 

I enjoy reading historical fiction and enjoyed the premise of The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell. I also thought the cover art/design for The Female Correspondent was nicely done. I did enjoy reading The Female Correspondent very much even if I did find it a bit predictable... It was only a matter of time before Henry Burbank discovers that the Beatrice Debord has been the one sending him botanical information. Of course, Mr. Burbank is furious with Miss Debord for lying to him, but in the end they become romantically involved.

I didn't much care for Beatrice Debord's brother John, nor his wife, Clara... Both of them seemed so stereotypical of what you'd think people were like a couple of centuries ago. Other than that, The Female Correspondent was a pleasant read.

I am giving The Female Correspondent by Eva Deverell a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

First Night by Lauren Blakely

Erotica Novella

I have been on a reading rampage the past 63 hours and read 6 eReads in a short amount of time!! One of the eReads that I've read in the past 63 hours, was First Night by Lauren Blakely.

First Night by Lauren Blakely is a super HOT and very SEXY erotica novella approximately 53 pages in length. I was able to download this eRead to my Kindle from Amazon's website for FREE! Below is my honest review of First Night by Lauren Blakely.

First off, I loved just about everything about First Night by Lauren Blakely. The cover of this erotica novella is awesome and Lauren Blakely's writing is superb! I thought Lauren Blakely's writing was crisp, engaging, fast paced and fun to the last word. I like the characters of both Julia and Clay immensely and the story line itself very much. So, if you're into super hot and very sexy erotica novellas, then I think First Night by Lauren Blakely is the one for you.

The following is a plot summary for First Night by Lauren Blakely from Amazon's website:

It was only supposed to be one night…

When the sinfully handsome man walks into her bar in San Francisco, Julia Bell simply wants a break from the troubles that keep chasing her. That escape comes in the form of sexy, confident and commanding Clay Nichols, who captivates her mind AND turns her inside out with pleasure. The attraction is electric and they share one scorchingly hot night together, but they also discover there is more than just off-the-charts chemistry; the connection between them runs deep. Clay never thought he’d return to New York with this woman still on his mind. But he can’t get her out of his system, and he needs more of her…He wants more than just the first night…

 I am giving First Night by Lauren Blakely a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!

Career Lessons From Comic Books

I read an article through Forbes Magazine titled Nine Career Lessons I Learned From Comic Books by Bruce Kasanoff. In his article, Kasanoff writes: 

Forget 300-page business books. In reality, comic books contain all the insights you need to have a spectacular career.

Unlike “business strategy” tomes, comic book wisdom is packed into the fewest words possible. Translation: if you give me two minutes, I can save you a lot of time…

Click on the above link to read Bruce Kasanoff's 9 career lessons he learned from comic books. 

Bookstore Tourism --- 66 Bookstores on Route 66!!

I discovered a fabulous article through Shelf Awareness titled 66 Bookstores on Route 66 by Paula Lane and Dasha Minyukova. In their article, Lane and Minyukova write:

It's arguably the most famous road in the world. Route 66 - just saying those words makes you want to hit the road. But did you know there are many wonderful used bookstores along the way from Chicago to Los Angeles? We have plotted the ultimate bibliophile's road trip where you can visit 66 bricks and mortar used bookstores - who all sell on the AbeBooks marketplace - while driving from the shores of Lake Michigan to the beaches of Santa Monica. We are talking about two thousand miles and hundreds of thousands of books. It's a booklover's paradise - and worth the trip for that alone. Some folks travel for culinary adventures, some travel for landmarks and museums, but bibliophiles travel for the finest in literary offerings. It's called Bookstore Tourism, and yes - there's a book about it.

The bookstores we've featured vary in size, and range from quintessential neighborhood used bookstores to specialists dedicated to subjects like children's books, history, mysteries, architecture, theology, alternative religions and cooking. Get your motor running, head out on the highway and discover some amazing used and rare bookshops in America's heartland.

Click on the top link to see which 66 bookstores made the list.

Wow, Bookstore Tourism is my idea of a unique vacation!! Especially for book lovers like myself. I wonder if I could persuade my husband that this should be our next vacation/travel journey?? He loves books, bookstores and indulging me on my bookish related quests.... But a vacation around Bookstore Tourism, I'm not so sure he'd go for.

What do you think about the idea of Bookstore Tourism? Would you travel along Route 66 and visit several of the bookstores listed in the above article? I like the idea myself. Not only would I be able to visit several indie bookstores, but I also like the idea of leisurely driving across the USA and seeing the landscape that makes up our my great nation. 

Additionally, I like the notion of stopping by and visiting various cities/towns along the way that I may never visit otherwise if I wasn't driving cross country. Of course, I wouldn't want to make the journey alone. It would be more fun to have someone like minded individual sharing the experience with me. I also wouldn't want to make the journey during the winter months either.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Genius by Jesse Kellerman

I listened to the unabridged audio version of The Genius by Jesse Kellerman and narrated by Kirby Heyborn.

This is the 1st novel by Jesse Kellerman that I've read or listened for that matter. I have, however, heard Kirby Heyborn narrate a novel before and he is a terrific narrator... I really like how Kirby Heyborn narrates The Genius as well.

As far as The Genius goes,  I like the way the story unfolds. For the most part, The Genius is told through the first person narration of Ethan Muller... But in various sections interspersed throughout The Genius, we learn the back story of Ethan Muller's family history through present day and these sections are not told to us by Ethan Muller's character. There are some pretty deep dark family secrets that we learn about regarding the Muller family. 

As far as the characters go, I actually liked the character of Ethan Muller. Also, the more I learned about Victor Cracke and his mother, the more I felt sad for their plight and mistreatment.... It's difficult to go into the specifics without giving away plot details for those that haven't read this novel.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending of The Genius. I wish it hadn't ended the way it did... I felt it ended rather abruptly. Again, I don't want to give away any spoilers about the ending of The Genius. I just a bit more had been flushed out.

The following is the publisher's summary from Audible:

The sinister and provocative thriller from crime writing's freshest new voice.

Ethan Muller is struggling to establish his reputation as a dealer in the cut-throat world of contemporary art, when he stumbles onto a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: in a decaying New York slum, an elderly tenant named Victor Cracke has disappeared, leaving behind a staggeringly large trove of original artwork. Nobody can say anything for certain about Cracke, except that he came and went in solitude for nearly forty years, his genius hidden and unacknowledged. All that is about to change.

So what if, strictly speaking, the art doesn't belong to Ethan? He can sell it - and he does just that, mounting a wildly successful show. Buyers clamor. Critics sing. Museums are interested, and Ethan's photo looks great in The New York Times. Then things go to hell....

I am giving The Genius a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday Finds #85

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

Last weekend, my hubby and I attended the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California!! We had a blast attending this two day event... And, YES, I walked away with some books!! I actually came away with ONLY seven books from the Bay Area Book Festival, which is a major miracle in and of itself as I am severely addicted to adding more books to my already overflowing personal collection of books.

Here's what I added to my ever growing collection this week:

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

My hubby and I heard Judy Blume speak this past Saturday evening and she signed copies of her new adult novel after the event had ended. It was really fun hearing her speak. I only wish that she could have personalized the book to me and that I could have posed to have my picture taken with her... But there were way too many people there waiting to have their book signed by Judy Blume to have that done.

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart

My hubby and I also heard authors Amy Stewart and Adam Rogers speak at a free lecture about the science of booze while we were at the Bay Area Book Festival. The irony is that neither my hubby or myself drink booze!! 

I am a fan of Amy Stewart's writing. I read both Wicked Bugs and Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart and loved reading them both immensely. So, I had to hear Ms. Stewart speak and have her sign a copy of her nonfiction book The Drunken Botanist. I also have a picture of me with Amy Stewart as well.

Denton Little's Deathdate by Lance Rubin

Okay, I also picked up the above young adult novel, which is also signed by the the author. I've heard rave reviews of Denton Little's Deathdate. I am looking forward to reading it.

I also picked up the following four, free, used books being given away the Bay Area Book Festival:

The Murdered House by Pierre Magnan
The Book of the Seven Delights by Betina Krahn

The Book of True Desires by Betina Krahn

Light In Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz

Plus, I received a copy of Casino Royale by Ian Fleming from a Bookcrosser in the UK!

I also received two free book from Goodreads First Reads giveaway program:

The Secrets of Blood and Bone by Rebecca Alexander
American Mojo: Lost and Found by Peter D. Kiernan

So, which books did you add to your reading wishlist or 'to be read' pile this week?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

The 10 Best Books Set In Orange County, California

I've spent roughly two thirds of my life living in Southern California... So, when I stumbled across an article on the OC Register's website titled, 10 best books set in Orange County. Did we get it right? Peter Larsen, I could resist checking out the book titles that made the list. In the above article, Larsen writes the following:

A young outsider travels to Huntington Beach and finds salvation but also danger in the local surf scene.

An upwardly mobile family in a gated community in south Orange County comes undone, leaving a Latina maid to hold the pieces together.

An ex-cop in Newport Beach investigates his sister’s murder, following a trail that leads to unexpected places.

These Orange County stories could be fact but in this case they’re fiction, plots from a few of our list of the top 10 novels or short story collections set in Orange County.

To my surprise, I discovered that I haven't read any of the book titles mentioned on this list of books. I am intrigued and find myself wanting to read a few of the ones mentioned.

Click on above link to see which books set in Orange County California made the top ten list.

2015 Bay Area Book Festival

Last weekend was the inaugural Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California. My husband and I only attended part of the festivities at the Bay Area Book Festival last weekend.... What we did see and do while we were there was awesome! I am so grateful that we went to this fabulous literary event.

Several streets were blocked off to cars in Berkeley during the Bay Area Book Festival and streets were lined with different booths. Some booths were filled with various book publishers, bookstores selling books, writer's groups, authors signing their books, food vendors, and so on. 

Plus, there were lots of free indoor and outdoor author speaking events for children, teens, and adults, which made for an awesome weekend of literary fun for people of all ages. 

I also enjoyed that the Bay Area Book Festival was conveniently  located in downtown Berkeley, so we were able to ride BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) into Berkeley verses driving and dealing with the hassle of finding parking during this busy two day event. 

Outdoor areas for families with children to sit and hangout.

Some of my favorite highlights of our time spent at the Bay Area Book Festival are as follow:

1. The Lacuna Project --- 50,000 FREE used books were given away to the public during the Bay Area Book Festival. What a fabulous idea to create an outdoor art installation that doubles as an outdoor library!?!? I thought the Lacuna was absolutely fabulous and loved that it connected the public at large with books to take home and read!

I happened to take home four free used books during our visit to the Lacuna. Because we came to the Bay Area Book Festival on BART, there were only so many books I could hand carry around the book festival with me during the day and then carry back home with us, which is probably a good thing as I already have more books to read than I can possibly read in a lifetime.

2. Attending the Judy Blume event at the Berkeley Community Center on Saturday, June 6th. Click on link to read my experience about hearing/seeing Judy Blume speak. It was a wonderful and lively event that I am so glad that we didn't miss out on as I now have a sign copy of Ms. Blume's new novel for adults titled, In The Unlikely Event.

3. My husband and I also attended the Science of Booze, a free lecture, featuring authors Amy Stewart (The Drunken Botanist) and Adam Rogers (Proof). After the lecture Amy Stewart signed a copy of The Drunken Botanist for me. 

The irony here is that my husband and I do not drink booze at all. I am, however, a huge fan of Amy Stewart's writing. I've read Amy Stewart's nonfiction books, Wicked Plants and Wicked Bugs, and found them both to be fabulous. So, now of course, I look forward to reading The Drunken Botanist. 

As a side note, I'd made a post earlier this year listing the ten authors I'd like to meet in person at a literary/books signing event and Amy Stewart was one of the authors I wanted to meet!!

Me (left) with author, Amy Stewart, at the Bay Area Book Festival!!

I missed many of the free lectures during our time spent at the Bay Area Book Festival... It was too beautiful of a day to spend most of our time indoors during our few hours at the Bay Area on Sunday, June 7th. Next year, my husband and l have to plan better and spend both full days at the Bay Area Book Festival.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

A Very Special Evening with the Remarkable Judy Blume

Judy Blume sigining copies of her new novel!

Last weekend was the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California. The Bay Area Book Festival was a fantastic two day event taking place on both Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th.

I was thrilled to learn that legendary author, Judy Blume, would be spending the evening of Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the Berkeley Community Center from 7pm-9pm and interviewed by Walter Mayes! 

Since the Bay Area Book Festival had several authors speaking and signing books at their event that write books for children, young adults or adults, I thought that Judy Blume was the perfect single author to have speak at a single one night event because she has written books for all three age groups.

Of course, in my excitement, I bought tickets for my husband and I to see Judy Blume speak at the Bay Area Book Festival. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening hearing Ms. Blume discuss her writing career and her new novel for adults titled, In the Unlikely Event. 

During the course of the evening, I learned that Judy Blume has been writing now for 46 years!!  Wow, isn't that fabulous?!? I didn't know that she'd been writing for that long... By the way, I also learned during the course of the Blume's speaking engagement, that she is 77 years old. She looks fabulous and really young for her age... I would have never guess that she was in her seventies at all. Ms. Blume is so vivacious and she seems like such a fun person you'd like to get to know.

Judy Blume being interviewed by Walter Mayes on stage

After about an hour of speaking, Ms. Blume signed copies of her new novel, In The Unlikely Event. I was thrilled to have my copy of her new novel signed that evening. I only wish that I was able to have my picture taken with Judy Blume as well as having her personalizing my copy of her new book for me. Unfortunately, because there were so many attendees that evening, she didn't time to do either task. 

All in all, it was a wonderful evening and I am glad that we saw Judy Blume!! 

Check out the following NPR link to hear Judy Blume talk about her new novel In The Unlikely Event. 

I will be making another post of my time spent at the Bay Area Book Festival shortly. So, until my next post, happy reading!