Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone.

I am guesting posting today...

Today I am honored to be guest posting at Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf for her and Paper Cut Reviews Feast of Screams event.

I have only met Lucy from Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf recently and I consider her a dear friend so I was truly honored when she allowed me to do this for her. So if you haven't checked out her blog yet you really should and the same with Paper Cuts.

Happy Halloween Everyone.

(Meme) On My Wishlist

Its been awhile since I have done a On My Wishlist post and I thought today would be a good day to showcase a book that I have been drooling over for a little while now.

I absolutely love the cover of the book. Its very simple but mysterious. I really want to read this book and can't wait for it come out. Sadly the release date is only February 2012 so its going to feel like forever before the book is released.

About the Book:
Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

Doesn't that sound so amazing?

Be sure to check out  http://www.sarawilsonetienne.com/ site.


On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City. I always love going to her site because its fantastic. She has an amazing blog and I have been introduced to so many great books and they have been added to my every growing wishlists.

If you interested in knowing more about this meme or are curious to know what Book Chick City and others have added to their wish list be sure to go over to http://www.bookchickcity.com/.

(Guest Post) Author Robert Orfali

Title: Death with Dignity: The Case for Legalizing Physician-Assisted Dying and Euthanasia

Author: Robert Orfali

Pub Date: April 2011

Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc
Pages: 254

About the Book:
In Death with Dignity, Robert Orfali makes a compelling case for legalized physician-assisted dying. Using the latest data from Oregon and the Netherlands, he puts a fresh new slant on perennial debate topics such as "slippery slopes," "the integrity of medicine," and "sanctity of life." His engaging writing style brings clarity to these issues. The content is thought-provoking; the arguments are well-researched, air-tight, and original.

This extraordinary book provides an in-depth look at how we die in America today. It examines the shortcomings of our end-of-life system. You'll learn about terminal torture in hospital ICUs and about the alternatives: hospice and palliative care. With laser-sharp focus, Orfali scrutinizes the good, the bad, and the ugly. He provides an insightful critique of the practice of palliative sedation. The book makes a strong case that assisted dying complements hospice. By providing both, Oregon now has the best palliative-care system in America. Reading this book, above all, may help you or someone you care about navigate this strange landscape we call "end of life." It can be your gentle and informed guide to "a good death" in the age of hospice and high-tech medical intervention.

About the Author:

Robert Orfali, the guru of client/server systems in the early days of Silicon Valley, co-authored three best-selling books that demystified the complexity of these mission-critical systems and made them understandable to a whole new generation of programmers. The books sold over a million copies. In this book, Death With Dignity: The Case for Legalizing Physician-Assisted Dying and Euthanasia, Robert uses his analytical skills to deconstruct the most complex system he has yet encountered: our modern end-of-life system. He wrote this book after helping his soulmate and coauthor, Jeri, navigate her death from ovarian cancer in 2009. The deep emotions Robert felt allowed him to look at how we die from a different perspective, another angle. Robert also wrote Grieving a Soulmate.

I haven't read this book but I thought it deserved to he highlighted. I am honored to have the author, Robert Orfali stop by to do a guest post for me. Thanks so much Robert for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this for me.

Q:  Most people don’t want to die and don’t plan for it. Most people won’t even have entertained the idea of a DNR (do not resuscitate) order in case their heart stops beating.  It is a natural instinct for people to want to fight harder to live, and physicians have taken the oath to save lives. When medical care offers all these life-prolonging treatments, at what point would someone introduce a conversation with their doctor that they want to die?

RO: You are so right. Most of us prefer to avoid the topic of death. We live in a death-denying culture. However, denial can have some serious ramifications. Closing our eyes and letting the system follow its course could easily land us intubated in an ICU at the end of our lives. To prevent this outcome, we need to protect ourselves and understand our choices. And, we need to think about it while we still can. Typically, it means having several conversations about death and dying. This is especially important for the chronically ill. It could make the difference between having a relatively “good death” and a very “bad death.” The sad fact is that dying in the age of chronic disease is an extremely complicated process that involves a lot of anguish, pain, and suffering akin to torture. The lucky few will go suddenly. But the remaining 80% will not leave life the way they would have liked to: “at home and without needless suffering.”

Ironically, some politicians called these conversations death panels, and they campaigned against having them funded by Medicare. It seems that they do not want us to have any control over how we die.  It seems that even discussing the topic is taboo. Most doctors would also prefer not to discuss the topic. Why? It’s very emotional and complicated. To do it justice would require hours of discussions with the patient. Doctors are trained to heal, not to discuss death. They are taught to fight the disease with everything in their arsenal; there is no surrender. So they would rather initiate another treatment than deal with the existential issues of dying. Continuing the treatments also protects doctors against malpractice lawsuits.

Even though insurance does not pay for these consultations, we must have these discussions to understand what our options are. In my book, I tell you about three death-related conversations you must initiate over a period of time: How do I protect myself? When do I stop fighting? Where will I die?  In states where physician-assisted dying is legal, you can have one more conversation: How will I die?

The first conversation is straightforward and practical: it’s about writing an advance directive and choosing your health-care proxy. The next two are blurrier; in the book I use my wife Jeri’s conversations to demonstrate the issues.  The bottom line is that we have two health-care systems in America today: modern medicine and hospice. (Palliative care is mostly associated with hospice, but it also has pockets within the medical system.) In the age of slow dying and chronic illnesses, we need both systems. The ICU works well for us, most of the time. It does what it was designed to do: it is a superb illness-fighting machine. Hospice is also a superb system; it provides outstanding end-of-life care for the dying (except for terminal sedation and hence the need for assisted dying, as allowed in Oregon). So, we are lucky to have two systems that work: each one superb in the function it was designed to perform. In the book I make the case that assisted dying complements hospice.  By providing both, Oregon has the best palliative care system in America.  
 
So what’s the problem? The problem is that we live in a death-denying culture that makes it very hard to transition from one system to the next when the right time arrives. We, and our doctors, have a very hard time accepting death. Consequently, most of us won’t make the transition in time. We will end up dying in the ICU—a modern torture chamber for the dying. As Dr. George Lundberg describes it: “A sophisticated hospital is the last place you want to be when terminally ill. Once you’re in the hospital setting, you’re trapped. The staff owns you, and they will do those terrible things they have been trained to do to prolong life, no matter how artificially or hopelessly.”

Ironically, moving to hospice sooner may prolong our lives. In a recent study, the mean survival was 29 days longer for hospice patients than similar patients who did not choose hospice. In another study, patients with terminal lung cancer who began receiving palliative care immediately upon diagnosis not only were happier, more mobile, and in less pain as the end neared, but they also lived nearly three months longer.

The ICU was never designed to help us die; it was designed to fight disease to the end. We want our illness-fighting machine to continue doing what it does best. Instead of changing the ICU, we must change our death-denying attitude. We need to better understand the end-of-life hospice option so that we can die in peace. In other words, we must have the second and third conversations that help us make the transition to hospice care at the right time (i.e., before we end up in the ICU end-of-life torture chamber).

Sadly, the fourth conversation—how will I die?— was not an option for Jeri. Physician-assisted dying was not legal in Hawaii at the time she died. In the book, I cover this missing but very important conversation.  Let me explain what makes it so important.  In Oregon and the Netherlands requesting assisted dying initiates a final and explicit conversation about how the patient would like to die. It allows patients, doctors, palliative care specialists, and family members to conduct an open discussion.  It’s a therapeutic narrative that attempts to restore some order and coherence in the face of the forthcoming onslaught that is death. It openly deals with questions that are seldom discussed in our death-denying culture. For the first time, it provides an official venue where a terminally-ill patient can ask questions such as: How much will I suffer? How will my pain be treated? How much of myself will I lose along the way? What help do I need? What help is available? How will I die? There are many more such questions. Of course, physician-assisted dying must be legalized for such an open conversation to take place.

Sorry for my long-winded answer, but our end-of-life system is very complicated terrain.  Most of us will die in small steps. We’ll find ourselves navigating through a labyrinth of confusing end-of-life choices.  My book is about how to navigate the maze.  It can serve as a gentle and informed guide to “a good death” in the age of hospice and high-tech medical intervention. To help get the word out, I made the e-book available for only $0.99, which is as close to free as Amazon allows. Reading about death won’t kill you.  However, not understanding your choices at the end can have some very serious ramifications.  In this case, it really pays to be an informed consumer.

You can check out the other tour stops and what others are saying for Death with Dignity by clicking on the title of the book.

To purchase the book you can visit http://www.amazon.com/. You can buy it in paperback and on your kindle.

Thanks Robert and Pump Up Your Book for allowing me to be a part of this tour.

(Review) The Joy of Spooking: Unearthly Asylum

Title: The Joy of Spooking: Unearthly Asylum (book 2)
Author: P.J Bracegirdle
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: August 2010 (hardcover) August 2011(paperback)
Pages: 320

Source: From my own personal library.

About the Book:

Joy Wells is fascinated by the strange noises coming from the old Spooking Asylum. She knows all about the famous legends that surround the place and is certain that she is hearing the guns of long-dead soldiers. But what if something more contemporary—and truly ghastly—is going on? When Joy's pet frog, Fizz, gets away, Joy travels through the town's old sewers looking for him, only to emerge above ground—inside the locked gates of the asylum. There, she uncovers a trail of greed and madness guaranteed to thrill her horror-loving heart!

This is the second book in The Joy of Spooking series and all I have to say is WOW!

I am always a little apprehensive when I start to read a second book in a series because I always worry that the second book won't be as good as the first but in this case I had nothing to worry about because this book was just as great as the first one if not a little bit better.

This is the second book in The Joy of Spooking trilogy. The first book is Fiendish Deeds and the third book is Sinister Scenes. (I will be reviewing Sinister Scenes this week)

I should start off by saying that you don't need to read the first book in the series to read this one but if you are like me you will probably want to read it just so you know more about the characters and the history behind the book.

Joy is not like the other girls who live in Darlington. She is the complete opposite of them and this is why I love the character so much. As the book opens up we see a slight change in Joy and I think that has to do with the fact that her brother, Bryon has a friend and I think deep down Joy would love to have a real friend and not just her per frog.  This change has worried her mother because in her eyes Joy isn't like other girls. The other girls like to do girl stuff where as Joy would rather do the opposite. Her mother decides to take her to see a psychiatrist which basically didn't prove much but it let her mother know that everything was perfectly fine.

Joy is still obsessed with her favorite author E.A Peugeot and is still determined to prove that he had actually lived in Spooking and that all his stories are based around Spooking although it seems that the E.A Peugeot society begs to differ and there is proof he actually lived somewhere else and that his stories are based on that town. Although I don't think so because there is too many similarities. Will Joy be able to prove this theory that he actually lived there and that its all about Spooking?

We once again get to see Mr. Phipps and if you remember he is the mayor's assistant and this time around he is still up to no good and is now eyeing the Spooking mental asylum. He thinks that if he can get the asylum  and if he can turn it into a luxurious spa things will be good. Although he soon realizes that more is going on behind the gates of the asylum and is determined to find out what is going on no matter who gets hurt in the process.

This time around we got to see a little bit more background into Mr Phipps and the reason he seems to be so bitter and revengeful. I liked having that little bit added. I think it added to the story and the character.

Before long Joy is added into the mix with her brother and friend, Poppy. No one knows what goes on behind the gates of the asylum but its peaked every ones attention. When Joy's pet frog goes missing and ends up on the other side of the gates, Joy quickly sets a a rescue Fizz mission and stumbles into the mix of things. Will they be able to get out of there alive before its too late?

I started off not liking Mr Phipps but by the time the book was almost finished I ws growing to like him. Yes you can see throughout the course of the book its all about him and him making a name for himself but when push comes to shove and his friend needed him he was there and even though it was to late to save his friend he made sure that Joy got out of there safely.

I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to share it with others. This was a super quick read and I was constantly sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. This is another page turner and a fantastic middle grade book that I think boys and girls would both enjoy and the bonus part is that he is a Canadian (local) author.
I am dying to read the third book and I think I will be sad to see the series wrap up but I am looking forward to reading Paul's future books.

(Review) Blood Wounds

 Title: Blood Wounds
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Pub Date: September 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 256

Source: I received this from the publisher for my review.

About the Book:

Blood can both wound and heal...

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? But as Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she also keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear apart all she holds dear.

Susan Beth Pfeffer is no stranger to young adult fiction. She has written over seventy books. I have never read anything by Susan until now and I am pleasantly surprised and I am curious about her other books.

I knew this was going to be one book that I would have to take my time to read because it was a pretty intense story. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to read or what to expect. I really enjoyed the fact that they added some back ground story to the story and it all seemed to flow perfectly.

Willa is your typical teenager (from the outside looking in). She lives with her mother, step father and two step sisters. They seem to have a loving and caring relationship except Willa has a secret that no one really knows about and that is she cuts herself. Its not something she does all the time only when she gets stressed.

In the blink of an eye Willa's world is turned upside down when her mother's friend, Faye calls and leaves a frantic message for her. When Willa tries to call her mother, she can't be reached before long the Police show up and are questioning Willa. Willa realizes that there is more to the story then meets the eye and that live as she knows it is about to change.

When Willa was a young child her mother and her ran away from him and she never really knew why or if she did she kept those memories hidden. The only father she has ever really known was Jack her step father. Willa quickly learns that her real father is a murderer and has killed his wife and children and is now making his way to Willa and her mother. Now this is where I have to say I have an issue with the book because I thought there might have been more of a story line there but there wasn't because it just seemed like they were protected by the police for a very short time.

We also learn that Willa is really isn't happy with her family situation because she has two step sisters who get what ever they want at a drop of a hat and this is mainly due to their mother being rich and poor Willa is basically scrapping by and doing without because no one really seems to care about her or what she would like and I think this also one of the reasons she cuts.

Willa is never one to rock the boat but when she decides she wants to attend her siblings funeral it seems to upset everyone but Willa is determined to go and when she does she uncovers some hidden secrets that no one wants to relive. Willa also begins to remember some things from her past that she has forgotten and i think wishes she wouldn't have remembered. I think uncovering this was good for Willa because before the book ended she became a stronger person and was willing to speak her mind no matter what anyone said or how they felt.

I have to admit I was left with alot of unanswered questions.

Thanks to Thomas Allen and Sons for sending me this book to review.

The Mailbox Post (actually is the week of bought books)

Its hard to believe its that time of the week when you get to see what books came to my door this past week. Is it just me or does it seem like the days are flying by? I am looking at the calendar and just realized that we are the end of October. This is actually the last full week left of the month.

Before showing you the books I should tell you that the host for In My Mailbox is Kristi from The Story Siren and Mailbox Monday was orginally hosted by Marcia from A Girl and her Books and then she decided to put Mailbox Monday on a blog tour so this month's host is Serena from Savvy Verse and Wit. So be sure to check out their blogs.


(Sorry for some reason it looks like I recorded this vlog at night but it wasn't.)

So the books mentioned in this vlog are:
Scholastic Book Club Order:
-Pokedex Pokemon Black/White Version
-Thea Stilton Big Trouble in the Big Apple
-Bad Kitty meets the baby by Nick Bruel
-Creepella Von Cacklefur: The Thirteen Ghosts
-Creepella Von Cacklefur: Meet me in Horrorwood
-Geronimo Stilton: The Amazing Voyage book 3 in The Kingdom of Fantasy series

The next 12 books were in a pack and it was a really good price for them, and it was much cheaper ordering this way then buying them indiviually.
#34 Geronimo Stilton, Secret Agent
#35 A very Merr Christmas
#36 Geronimo's Valentine
#37 The Race Across America
# 38 A Fabumouse School Adventure
#39 Singing Sensation
#40The Karate Mouse
#41Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro
#42 The pericular pumpkin thief
#43 I'm not a supermouse!
#44The Giant Diamon Robbery
#45 Save the White Whale

In the vlog I think I mentioned that #46 The Haunted Castle was part of that 12 pack but it wasn't.

Went to chapters and bought:
-The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
-Eve by Anna Carey

From The Kids Can Press night:
-tote bag (bought this)
-assorted bookmarks
-Emily's Piano by Charlotte Gingras and Illustrated by Stephane Jorisch
-My Dad and Me by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Illustrated by Susan Mitchell
-What Elephant? by Genevieve Cote

The following wasn't mentioned in the vlog because I recorded the vlog Friday afternoon.

Then yesterday (Saturday) I got to meet up with Tina from Bookshipper for breakfast and we exchanged items (she got a ton of magazine, a book and a comic book) and I got:

-The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steivfater (which I will be reviewing for her)
-Yellow Mini by Lori Weber (I am going to Lori's book launch this coming Thursday)
-November's Issue of Reader's Digest

Thanks so much Tina it was great to see you and your Star Trek boot.

Early in the week, Michael was given the following books from a neighbor and not pictured was an Archie comic that he gave to Tina.

 The books in the picture in case you can't see the titles are:
-cam jansen and the mystery of flight 54
-The berenstein bears and the drug free zone
-help i'm trapped in the principal's body
-arthur and the cootie catcher
-two times the fun (beverly clearly)
-les sens, comment ca marche?
-dogs and puppies
-dinosaur friends Trisha
-dinosaur friends Bronty
-humpback whales
-a pod of gray whales

So this is what I got last week, what about you?

Since I love my tote bag so much I am going to show it again. Have a great week everyone.

An awesome evening with Kids Can Press



 You might remember me mentioning last week that I got invited to attend Kids Can Press, Meet The Creators Night that was being held at a local indie children's bookstore, Babar Books.

Well I went and it was alot of fun althought I have to say I felt a little out of place because it seemed like everyone I spoke with was a librarian. It turned out to be a really nice evening. I got to see a local author who I recently met at his book signing recently and that was Paul Bracegirdle who is the author of the The Joy of Spooking books. It was so nice to see you again Paul.

One of the great things about this event was being introduced to authors and illustrators that I didn't know about that are actually local to me and I have to say that is a bit of shame because I think local authors and illustrators need to be recognized just as much as anyone.

Some of the local authors and illustrators that were there was:
-Stephane Jorisch
-Susan Mitchell
-Janice Nadeau
-Isabelle Arsenault
-Genevieve Cote

Genevieve Cote and me with her book What Elephant?

I am sure I am forgetting some people and if I am I apologize. Please let me know and I will add you to the list. I would have taken more photos but for some reason it felt a little awkward considering I was the only non librarian there.

So here is some of the books I bought and had signed:


This was signed to Michael from Susan Mitchell.



Genevieve did this illustration for Michael and signed it to him. Its too cute isn't it?

Stephane signed and drew this piano illustration for Michael.

So just before leaving I spotted this cute little tote bag and I had to buy it. Isn't it cute? Its quite big as well. I was thinking of perhaps getting authors to sign it at future events what do you think?

So after buying the above stuff I spotted some bookmarks that you could take so I grabbed some of them to use as future give aways later on. I think they are all great and I see quite a few for books I have never heard of. I have to admit I absolutely love the book mark that is on your far left of the little girl.


Thanks Babar Books for hosting this awesome event and thanks to Kids Can Press for coming to introduce us to some local authors and illustrators.

My next event will be Lori Weber's launch party for her newest ya book Yellow Mini at Babar Books next Thursday night.

(Author Interview) Kristine Grayson

Today I am honored to have Kristine Grayson stop by the blog for a Q&A. Thanks so much Kristine for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this for me and my readers.

I have been lucky enough to read both of Kristine's latest books.

Wickedly Charming came out in April of 2011 and Utterly Charming just came out this month. I also found out that Sourcebooks is going to reissue two of her books coming out next year in 2012. Both were fantastic books that I loved reading and if you like reading a little romance with a modern day twist on classic fairy tales then this is the author and books for you.

So without further hesitation here is my interview with Kristine Grayson.

Cindy:  What is your favorite fairy tale and why?

KG: My favorite fairy tale is the Little Mermaid.  I love the story in the original—with the sad ending and all. I have no idea why. I have always loved the story, however, and might use it someday for one of my tales.

Cindy: The Little Mermaid is one of my favorites too. Who is your favorite Prince Charming and why?

KG: I should say that it’s Sleeping Beauty’s Prince Charming, since this interview celebrates the release of Utterly Charming, which features this particular Prince Charming. But honestly, my favorite is Cinderella’s Prince Charming. Even in the fairy tale, the man is a romantic. He searches for the woman he loves and he doesn’t care who she is or how she was raised. He doesn’t secretly discover that she was a princess or something like that. He just loves her for who she is.  I made him the hero of Wickedly Charming, and a book lover, because I think that simply adds to the romance.

Cindy: For me when I think about Prince Charming the first one that always comes to mind its Cinderella's Prince Charming and for the reason's you have mentioned. Why did you decide to give the classic fairy tale a modern twist?

KG: Sadly, when I write, I don’t decide anything. The stories just happen. I think I’ve always had a twisted view of fairy tales. I wanted to know why instead of the lessons being imparted. So it’s a reflection of my contrary nature, I guess.

Cindy: Are you working on anything new?

KG: I just finished the next in the Charming series. This one, Charming Blue, features Bluebeard as my hero—yes, that Bluebeard (you see him in cameo in Wickedly Charming)—and it’s set in Los Angeles. It’s…not what you’d expect, which I guess is par for the course for me.

Cindy: Will you be writing any more fairy tale books?

KG: Oh, yes. You can’t stop this imagination. Not only am I doing the Charming series for Sourcebooks, but sometime in 2012, WMG Publishing will publish the first in the Once Upon A Crime mysteries, set in the same fairy tale universe, only with mysteries as the focus instead of a romance.  Plus I’ve already done one story about Grace and Imperia, the daughters of Prince Charming and Cinderella, and I plan to do more.

Thanks for asking!

Oh Kristine I can't wait to read your other books. They sound really good and I am so happy that Sourcebooks is going to be reissuing yout Charming series. I absolutely love them.

About the author:
Kristine Grayson has written seven paranormal romances. Her first, Utterly Charming, received the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award. She also writes science fiction and fantasy under her real name, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and mystery as Kris Nelscott. She's married to her very own Prince Charming, writer Dean Wesley Smith, and lives with him on the beautiful Oregon Coast.

You can check out the Kristine Grayson's blog.



Thanks so much to Sourcebooks for arranging this interview and making it possible and thanks so much to Kristine for taking the time out of her busy schedule to do this interview for me. I love when I get the chance to interview authors of books I love so much.

Q&A with author Henry Mosquera & A Give Away

You might remember that I recenly reviewed Sleeper's Run and I really enjoyed it. After I sent my review link to the rep she contacted me with the opportunity to do a Q&A with Henry and I jumped at the chance to do it.

So please let me welcome Henry to Cindy's Love of Books.

About the author:

Henry Mosquera is a writer and artist born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He attended the University of Miami, Florida, where he obtained a double major in Graphic Design and Film. He enjoys researching his novels, including gaining first-hand knowledge of some of his characters’ skills. Henry currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, dog and cat. Sleeper’s Run is his first novel. www.sleepers-run.com

To start off, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?  How did
you become interested in writing suspense novels?

Henry: Of course. I’m a writer and artist born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. I
studied film and graphic design at University of Miami. I'm married and
currently work as a freelance graphic artist in Los Angeles.
I became interested in writing thrillers because I like to tell stories, no
matter the medium. It could be through film, books, graphic novels, video
games; I just enjoy creating. I love the genre and I had been playing with a
few ideas in my mind, which I thought would make for a great novel. So, I
rolled up my sleeves and almost four years later I find myself as an author.

Can you tell us a little about your novel, Sleeper's Run?

Henry: "Sleeper's Run" is about Eric Caine, a self-destructive War on Terror
veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. A chance encounter
helps him straighten out his life and find a new job that takes him back to
Venezuela, the country of his childhood (Eric is half-American and half-Venezuelan). Once there, he gets tangled up in an international conspiracy that threatens the very future of the government. Eric has to outwit a team of assassins while trying to uncover the truth in a world in which nothing is what it seems.

What inspired you to write Sleeper's Run?  How much research was involved
in the writing?

Henry: The book was inspired by a combination of things: a few ideas I had to write
a thriller, the current political situation in Venezuela, and a interest in
history and global matters.

Research was extensive as the novel is based on non-fiction sources; even the
more farfetched elements. Books, articles and documentaries became the basis
of the research. I also used my knowledge of certain topics like martial
arts, traveling, the military, etc. Not satisfied with that, I went the extra
yard and took urban survival classes, flying lessons, weapons training and a
few other helpful skills. Whenever possible I picked the brains of people
who either teach or experience things related to the story. It was a fun,
educational and eye-opening process.

Can you share with us any projects that you are currently working on or
plans for the future? What can fans expect next from you?

Henry: Currently, I'm devoted to promoting "Sleeper's Run." I do have a few novels
I'm working on in different genres, but they are taking a backseat for the
moment. My plan is to keep creating; you give me a medium and I'll give you
a story. I have so many things I'd like to do, but they all depend on the
opportunities I encounter in the future.

What are your favorite authors? Novels?

Henry: My favorite authors right now: Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Carlos Ruiz Zafón,
Frederick Forsyth and John le Carré.

A few of my favorite novels: Shogun, Treasure Island, The Brief Wondrous
life of Oscar Wao, The Day of the Jackal, Six Days of the Condor, The Spy
Who Came in From the Cold, The Queen of the South, the Captain Alatriste
saga, The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, Dracula, The Alchemist,
World War Z and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Today I am lucky to have one copy of Sleeper's Run to give to one lucky reader of mine.

So for some reason the form isn't working so if you would like to enter this contest please leave me with a comment about why you would love to read this book with your email address.

Contest runs from today, October 20th to Thursday October 27th.

Good luck everyone.

(Review) The Popularity Rules

 Title: The Popularity Rules
Author: Abby McDonald
Pub Date: October 2011
Pages: 480
Publisher:Sourcebooks Landmark

Source: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher for my review.

About the Book:

The meek don’t inherit a thing. Nice girls win nothing but regret. Virtue is wholly overrated.

If you don’t do it, some other girl will.

Kat Elliot has spent her life fighting against phony schmoozing—and it’s led her nowhere. A rebellious music journalist, Kat is down on her dreams when her ex–best friend Lauren swishes back into town. Ten years ago, Lauren dumped Kat for high school gold: popularity. Now Lauren wants to make amends by teaching Kat the secret to her success: The Popularity Rules, a decades-old rule book that transformed Lauren that fateful summer.

Broke and desperate, Kat reluctantly agrees to a total makeover—what does she have to lose? She’s gotten nowhere on her own. Maybe becoming someone new is just what she needs.

This is Abby McDonald's second adult book that I have recently read. Her first one is The Liberation of Alice Love. She is the author of several young adult books and I have to admit that I have them sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I am hoping to read them very soon.

Before I get to my review of the book, I have to share with you that i actually got my quote on her website. You can see it here: http://abbymcdonald.com/review-round-up. Thank you so much Abby I loved The Liberation of Alice Love and I have to say that I think I loved this one just as much.

When I was offered to read and review this I quickly sent the email with a yes please I would love to read this. I have had the book for awhile now but only recently allowed myself to read it. I knew if I read it right away that I would want to gush about it. So when I picked up the book I made sure that it would be during the week when I knew I wouldn't be interrupted so on a recent cold and rainy day I picked it up to read and read it I did. I barely put the book down and managed to read it in a few hours.

WOW! I love the book and I feel as though I got to live vicariously through Kate while I read this book. I like the cover. This is one thing I love about Sourcebooks is that the cover of the advance readers copy is always the same as the finished copy.

I love reading chick lit and even more so when its from the UK. Not quite sure why that is, perhaps its knowing that the author is from the UK that does it for me. I mean who wouldn't love to go and be in the UK? That is my go to destination one day. I absolutely love the UK and anything to do with the UK.

Each chapter starts off with a "If you want to be popular rule" and some of these rules are so funny. The one common thing in this whole book is if you want to be popular you basically have to be a bitch because nice girls don't get anywhere. Honestly I kind of think that is true in some weird way. Each chapters tips were basically told like it is and it related to the story that followed.

I think Kate is very relatable character and she wasn't so far fetched. I have to admit that I am probably a Kate and I could relate to her throughout the course of the book. Growing up Kate was always trying to fit in but it was always a struggle (which is for some many people). We see this with Kate.

Growing up she had a resentment for her then best friend, Lauren. It seemed like the summer that Lauren went away to camp she came back a whole new person and dumped Kate like yesterday's trash with no real explanation. That effected Kate.

Then just when it appears the whole world is crashing down around Kate (she has just gotten fired from her job, she has no money, she is going to be kicked out of her apartment etc) in walks Lauren. You know this won't be good news for Kate. Lauren offers to take Kate under her wing with offering her what she has. A life of getting everything and anything.

Kate figures what does she have to loose? Seriously if you were down and out and someone offered you a place to live (expense and rent free), showed you the ropes and bought you nice things, wouldn't you jump at the chance to find out how to get it all on your own? I know I would.

As the book progresses Kate learns alot about herself. What its like to struggle for things and what its like to get things given to you.

I loved Ash at the beginning and so wanted the relationship between him and Kate to develop more. Not sure what it was that made me love him so much. They both had great chemistry and then later in the book I just wanted to throttle him. I think Kate handle the situation very well and I probably wouldn't have done the same thing.

I think if you like chick lit you will enjoy this.

I am dying to read Abby's young adult books and I know any future adult books will be read and devoured.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for contacting me about this book and thanks to Abby for writing such a fantastic book.

(First Wild Card Tour) The "What's For Dinner?" Solution

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kathi Lipp

and the book:

The "What's for Dinner?" Solution

Harvest House Publishers (October 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Karri | Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathi Lipp is a busy conference and retreat speaker, currently speaking each year to thousands of women throughout the United States. She is the author of The Husband Project and The Marriage Project and has had articles published in several magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman and Discipleship Journal. Kathi and her husband, Roger, live in California and are the parents of four teenagers and young adults.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

For many women, dread turns to panic around 4:00 in the afternoon. That’s when they have to answer that age-old question, “What’s for dinner?” Many resort to another supermarket rotisserie chicken or—worse yet—ordering dinner through a drive-thru intercom.

In The “What’s for Dinner” Solution, popular author and speaker Kathi Lipp provides a full-kitchen approach for getting dinner on the table every night. After putting her 21-day plan into action, women will

* save time—with bulk shopping and cooking
* save money—no more last-minute phone calls to the delivery pizza place
* save their sanity—forget the last-minute scramble every night and know what they’re having for dinner

The book includes real recipes from real women, a quick guide to planning meals for a month, the best shopping strategies for saving time and money, and tips on the best ways to use a slow cooker, freezer, and pantry.

With Kathi’s book in hand, there’s no more need to hit the panic button.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (October 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736938370
ISBN-13: 978-0736938372

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Girl Meets Kitchen, or Not

Necessarily a Love Story

“Happy and successful cooking doesn’t rely only on know-how;
it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.”

Georges Blanc, from Ma Cuisine des Saisons


I was not the kind of kid who grew up at my mom’s knee, helping her chop carrots for Sunday night’s chicken soup. I never really helped with any meal preparation, preferring to turn my attention in the kitchen to baking. There was always some social event with friends or a youth group party where I needed to bring brownies. The one memorable time I tried to make instant potatoes? Instead of the specified one-quarter tablespoon of salt, I used a quarter cup salt. That incident happened over twenty-five years ago, and I have yet to stop hearing about it from my loving and encouraging family.

Suffice to say, I was a bit ill-prepared for the cooking adventures that lay ahead as I lived on my own for the first time. And to complicate matters? My first apartment was in Uji, Japan, approximately seven thousand miles from my mother’s loving embrace and her pot-roast recipe (as if I could afford beef in Japan).

The recipe cards were stacked against me. No cooking skills to speak of, living in a foreign land where most of the time I couldn’t identify what I was eating much less figure out how it was prepared, a kitchen the size of my coat closet back home, and an oven so small it made me long for the Easy-Bake one of my childhood.

I was terrified going to the supermarket without an escort and a translator. I didn’t speak the language (as a short-term missionary teaching conversational English, speaking Japanese was actually a disadvantage in my job), and as unfamiliar as I was with food shopping in the U.S., shopping in Uji was like watching a foreign movie without subtitles and then having to write a paper on the plot.

Oh, and eating out? So not an option. While my cooking skills were limited, my food budget was near nonexistent.

A few things were easy to recognize. The bread in Japan was amazing. It was buttery and flaky and perfect. And there was some really lovely cheese and ham. So, for the first three months of exploring this exotic new culture, I ate ham and cheese sandwiches every single night for dinner.

As I started to get to know some of my students and coworkers better, I had this urge to invite them over to hang out with me. But I had a sneaking suspicion they would want to be fed. I knew that my students would love some authentic American dishes. The question was, Who would I get to cook them?

Another short-term missionary, Diana, had a cookbook called More-With-Less. This wonderful little book produced by the Mennonite community had tons of recipes that used simple ingredients most cooks would have in their kitchen. While I didn’t have a lot of pantry staples in my four-story walk-up, I was now armed with a grocery list as well as an English-to-Japanese dictionary for my trips to the store.

I started to look for simple things I could make: salads, sandwiches, curries, and mini-pizzas out of English muffins and ketchup. (I promise, my culinary skills and taste have gotten better over the years.) As I grew braver in all things cuisine, I started to ask my mom to send some of my favorite recipes from back home.

In fact, when I threw a Christmas celebration with my friend Spenser in my micro-sized apartment, we managed to make a fondue-potless version of my mom’s Pizza Fondue. Shopping for the ingredients proved challenging, even for Spenser who spoke near-fluent Japanese. After several attempts to translate cornstarch into the native language (One would think corn + starch = cornstarch, right? Wrong. It’s pronounced korunstarcha.), we headed back to my kitchen and made one of the best meals I have ever eaten—lots of tomato sauce, some ground beef, loads of cheese, and just the right amount of korunstarcha.

Pizza Fondue
(Connie Richerson)

½ lb. ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 10½-oz. cans pizza sauce (I use marinara sauce)

1 T. cornstarch (or korunstarcha, if you prefer)

1½ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. garlic powder

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 loaf French bread

Brown the ground beef and onion; drain. Put meat, sauce, cornstarch, and spices in fondue pot. When cooked and bubbly, add cheese. Spear crusty French bread cubes, then dip and swirl in fondue. This is also delicious with breadsticks. Serves 4 to 6.

From that point on, I was hooked on collecting my favorite recipes. I bought my own copy of More-With-Less when I got back to the States, and when I got married a few months later, I received my very first copy of everyone’s favorite red-and-white-plaid Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, with every recipe an emerging home cook could want.

I think most of us home cooks have a similar story to tell. OK, you probably didn’t have your first significant cooking experience in Uji, Japan, but I bet the first few times you got dinner on the table all on your own, you might as well have been in a different country.

Maybe your mom had you peeling potatoes before you could walk. Maybe you have a rich heritage of recipes passed down from your grandmother. None of our cooking histories are going to look the same, but we do have one thing in common: We all need to get dinner on the table.

I am not a professional cook. Tom Colicchio will never be critiquing my braised kale and chocolate with bacon foam on Top Chef. But over the past twenty years I have put dinner on the table almost every single night. And while my family still likes a pizza from the neighborhood shop, our kids who have left home really look forward to coming back for a home-cooked meal.

That is all the reward I need.

Why This Book?

So, you discovered my deep dark secret—I’m not a professional chef. I don’t have my own show on Food Network, my own brand of spatulas, and I’m not going to be appearing on any morning show making a frittata for Kathie Lee Gifford.

Still, I’m required to feed our large family almost daily. So when I come across a cookbook, I have an unnatural need to own it. I’m always looking for new recipes to keep dinner interesting at our house. I have an entire bookshelf in my kitchen for my ever-growing collection.

But to be honest with you, most of the money I’ve spent on those cookbooks could have been better spent on a good set of knives or a heavy iron skillet.

I have found that most cookbooks are aimed at the fantasy life many of us aspire to—entertaining regularly, having unusual and exotic ingredients on hand, and hours and hours in the kitchen to create these masterpieces, from scratch.

And then there is my reality. Yes, sometimes I like to spend a Saturday afternoon cooking up a big feast for friends and family. But most days? I want to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table quickly.

My test when I’m purchasing new cookbooks? I flip to a half dozen or so recipes throughout the book and ask myself, Can I imagine cooking this recipe in the next couple of weeks? If most of the recipes fail the test, the book stays at the store.

I want the reality. I want dinner on the table every night without being seduced by pictures of stylist-arranged food that—let’s be honest—I’m never going to prepare.

While those books offer up a lot of grilled-chicken-in-a-peanut-sauce-in-the-sky dreams, I need some reality. It’s not just about the recipe; it’s about all the aspects of getting dinner on the table.

By the end of this book, my hope for you is that you will be able to:

save time, money, and energy when it comes to
preparing meals
have less stress when it comes to shopping
get your kitchen prepared for battle
learn some stress-free ways to get dinner on the table
get out of your cooking rut
This book is all about the process, the how of getting dinner on the table. It reflects the collective wisdom of hundreds of women who don’t have prep cooks or a crew of interns trying out new recipes. We are the women who spend a significant part of our days thinking about, shopping for, and preparing dinner. And all these wise, wonderful women are going to show you a better way to get dinner on the table no matter what your cooking background or skill level.

This is the book I wish I’d had when I first started cooking, as well as when I was raising my brood of pint-sized food critics.

Don’t worry, there will be plenty of recipes. We all love to find that one recipe that is going to become a family favorite! But this book has much more than that. My hope is that you will be able to use the recipes you already have, the ones in this book, and the new ones you find along the way to set a big, bountiful table for your family.

If you are looking for the perfect gift for the teenager that is going into college/university or moving out on their own then I have to suggest this great little book because not only will it get them prepared but it will also allow them to get organized, teach them how to shop, and to cook some simple meals. I would have loved to have gotten this when I first moved out on my own.

I think Kathi did a fantastic job with this book because everything is explain plain and simple. Kathi even has chapters in the book on how to organize your kitchen (I have a tiny kitchen so having someone provide me with some info is always helpful), your pantry (this came in handy because it always feels like my pantry has way too much stuff in there and with this technique I felt like it was more managable and I twecked it to our family liking), your tools (is it just me or does it seem like we have to have all kinds of gadgets in the kitchen?), your food and your recipes. This might sound overwhelming for such a little book but its not because really we want to be in and out of the kitchen as soon as possible especially if you are a mom with a busy schedule and not spend hours upon hours preparing meals.

I know for me whenever I make something its gotta be done in less that an hour. Kathi gave me the solution to that and its prepare in advance so that I am not making multiple trips to the grocery store. Plus no book would be complete without some recipes and there are quite a few provided in this book. Which are really good because these recipes are great for freezing (so if I happen to see items on sale I can always make it in advance and freeze it and just pull it out whenever I need it) and there was also some for the slow cooker which is a favorite of mine to use in the colder weather.

One of the recipes I have made and made several versions of since getting this book to review is:

Garden Pasta
8 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
8 oz of dried angel hair pasta cooked **
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Combine tomatoes and garlic in a saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes and then set aside. Toss pasta with butter and basil. Stir in tomatoes and serve with parmesan cheese.

** I have tried all different kinds of pasta.

I am looking forward to trying more of the recipes in this book. I also should mention that I made the recipe that was mentioned above.

Loose Button/Luxe Box October

In September I got an email telling me about Loose Button . I quickly checked out the site and instantly signed up. I didn't qualify for the September Luxe Box so I had to wait a whole month and let me just say it was so hard but today I got my very first Luxe Box.

What is Luxe Box?

Luxe Box is a monthly subscription service that delivers 4-5 deluxe-sized beauty samples to your doorstep in a chic box. The samples range from skincare and makeup to fragrance, body, and haircare.

How much does it cost?

Monthly its $12 + sales tax (you pay per month)
Quarterly its $36 + sales tax (you pay every three months)
Yearly its $120 + sales tax (you pay once a year)

Currently its only available to Canada.

So please watch my vlog to see what I got this month in my Luxe Box.


The box has changed and honestly I kind of like the previous boxes. Although as I was watching this vlog I came up with an idea of what I can do with the boxes. Stay tuned for that.

What was inside the box:
-$25 off your $75 or more purchase from dealuxe.ca
-October edition info card. (Its a little introduction and welcome note along with the product info of the samples they sent)

The inside of the box is wrapped in black tissue paper with a little sticker that says Made For Cindy M. (yea they got my name wrong. I hope that this won't happen the next time)

So once I opened the package I was greeted by 5 samples. The samples include:
-Lise Watier Flash lift Radiance Vial. I got a 1ml vial. The full size would be 7x1ml vials for $27
-Moroccan Oil Light . I got a 25ml glass bottle. The full size would be 100ml for $40
-Pur Minerals mineral glow. I got a 3.4g. The full size would be 12g for $24
-Olay Professional Pro-X eye restoration complex. I am not sure the size of my sample but the full size would be 15ml for $60
-Chloe eau de parfume. The size I got was 5ml and the full size would be 50ml for $90

These prices are in Canadian.

Of all the products that were sent I think I am excited to try the Pur Minerals and the Pro X. Check back for upcoming reviews on these products. I am thinking of posting them on the weekends.

I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at the samples and the only thing that I am not sure I will use would be the Moroccan Oil and thats because its meant for light colored hair and as you clearly see I am not light colored.
I will probably keep my subscription for a few more months to see what other different products they send. So check back next month for my review on the November Luxe Box.

I will be attending an Awesome Event this week

I recently got an email from this awesome little bookstore (Livres Babar) telling me about this fantastic event they will be hosting.

Kids Can Press presents Meet the Creaters Night.

I was trying to find out who would be coming and I can't seem to find anything apart from what it says that it will be Montreal authors and illustators.

If you happen to be going please let me know as I will be going.

Check back Friday when I will post about the event.

The Mailbox Post & Books Bought

Its that time of the week again when you get to take a peek into my mailbox this week. Can you believe that we are actually into the middle of the month already?  Wow the time is going by so fast.

Anyways it was a short mail week here in Canada because Monday was our Thanksgiving so that meant no mail delivery. There is no vlog this week because I really didn't get much.  As you can see.

So this week I got nothing for review and I got one book that I bought a few weeks ago. The book I bought was Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep. This is her first book in the series. Since I bought it through Book depository they included that cute bookmark. I bought this because I recently won Jennifer's second book, Kiss of Frost.

I also got a nice little envelope from Jessica Spotswood that included some signed bookmarks and some stickers. This is another book I am anxious to read. Thank you Jessica for this little package. I love the boomarks.

The host for In My Mailbox is Kristi from The Story Siren and Mailbox Monday was orginally hosted by Marcia from A Girl and her Books and then she decided to put Mailbox Monday on a blog tour so this month's host is Serena from Savvy Verse and Wit. So be sure to check out there blogs.

(Review) Sleeper's Run

 Title: Sleeper's Run
Author: Henry Mosquera
Pub Date: July 2011
Pages: 350
Publisher: Oddity Media LLC

Source: I received a signed copy of the book from Booktrib to read and review for my stop on the tour.

About the book:
War on Terror veteran Eric Caine awakes in a hospital with no recollection of his arrival or the events leading up to it. “Mr. Caine, your employer has filed a missing person report on you. That was eight days ago. Since then, no one has had any idea of your whereabouts,” says Doctor Goldman after Eric gains consciousness.

Found wandering the streets of Miami speaking Arabic with no memory of the car accident that left him there, Eric is alone on a one-way road to self-destruction.

Suffering from PTSD and trying to piece the past few days together, Eric makes his way to a bar where a chance encounter begins a series of events, restoring the equilibrium in his life. When his new job relocates him to Venezuela – the land of his childhood – things take an ominous turn as a catastrophic event threatens his own stability and the stability of the country. Now Eric must escape an elite team of CIA assassins as he tries to uncover an international conspiracy in which nothing is what it seems.

All I have to say is wow! I was pleasantly surprised by the book and how much I really enjoyed it. Its fast paced and it literally sucks you in from the get go. I actually managed to read this in a day and a half and trust me when I say I had a hard time putting it down and really wanted to stay up to read it until I finished it but I couldn't. Those are my kind of books when it sucks you in and you can't put it down.

I have to say that I could actually see this being made as a movie because I think it would be fantastic on the big screen. Henry's writing is perfect with just enough description to make you feel like its real.

Okay so now on with the book. The books main character is Eric Caine he is a veteren. He is young and is suffering from PTSD. He served his country as a paramedic in the war and is struggling to copy with what he has seen. This was insightful because I guess not being around that we don't realize how our men and women feel when they come back. They have seen things that we can only dream about.

For Eric not only is have PTSD a problem for him and dealing with that but he is also suffering from having no memory of what happened before he woke up in a hospital room. He doesn't remember the car accident. Eric is basically a time bomb waiting to go off. He is a very destructive man and people are quick to say its PTSD. Eric is basically fighting and drinking his life away.

Thankfully for Eric its being at the right place at the right time that almost saves him or was it all a huge set up? Eric walks into his local bar for a drink and starts talking to a guy and before long some frat boys walk in and a huge fight ensues. You know this won't end good and thats right it doesn't because Eric wakes  up in jail. Thankfully he isn't arrested but told to get help and is handed a business card. Its the guy he was talking to at the bar before the fight.

Not to long after getting out of jail Eric calls Tony to thank him and before Eric can blink his life is changing,. Tony has hooked him up with a high paying job and is traveling for business so after being hired. The first stop on this new job is to his old home land in Venezuela to work in the office there.

Not being there very long Eric quickly realizes that something is up. He realizes he is being followed, his phone is tapped and his computer is hacked. Is this just a normal kind of thing or is there more to this then meets the eye?

This is were I have to stop because I will spoil the book. I loved the book and would highly recommend it if you like the fast paced books. Looking forward to reading future books by Henry.

Thanks again to Book Trib for allowing me to take part in this book tour.

(Review) Shut Out

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Pages: 288
Publisher: Poppy
Pub Date: September 2011

Source: I recieved a copy of this book for my honest review.

About the book:
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

This is Kody's second book. Her first book The DUFF was one I had to get last year at BEA and I was really lucky to have gotten it and read it on the train ride home and I really enjoyed it. So I was really happy that the buzz I heard about the book before hand lived up to its reputation.

So, when I heard that Kody had this book coming out I quickly added to my wishlist and was really happy when it came in the mail. Kody did not disappoint. I read this book rather quickly and enjoyed it.

I should start off by saying that this is a stand alone book and is no way related to The Duff.

Lately I have been reading alot of stories about a retelling with a modern twist and this book falls into that category. This is the retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a classic Greek play about Lysistrata and her attempt to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women of the warring nations to withhold sex from their husbands in order to force peace negotiations and eventually the men give in and it ends.  I have to admit that I have never read this play and I have to admit I am kind of curious now.

So how does this relate to the book you ask? Well, we all know that schools have rivals with other schools but Hamilton High is different because they have rivals within the school. The boys soccer and football team are at each other. This has been going on for ten years now and its being passed down from generation to generation and it seems that this time both will stop at nothing to win.

Enter Lissa. She is the girlfriend of Randy and he is on the quarterback of the football time and she is getting fed up with not being Randy's top choice and competing for his attention because he seems to be obsessed with getting revenge on the soccer team. Realizing that they only way to get through to these boys is to without hold sex. Lissa rallies the other girlfriends and they all pledge to not do anything in hopes that it will end the rivalry. The girls think that this strike will be over before it even begins because well boys will be boys right? Wrong!

This seems to bring the girls closer together and new and old friendships are forming. As for the boys it takes them awhile to figure out what is going on but once they do they try everything to get the girls attention apart from ending the rivalry that is.

Right off I have to say that Lissa's boyfriend, Randy bothered me and he just seemed to rub me the wrong way. Not sure what it was at first, if it was because he put his rivalry before Lissa or that he basically could care less about her but after what he did at the dance I realized then that he was a jerk and was happy she found out about him when she did.

I have to admit its been awhile since I had a book guy crush and right from the moment he entered the picture I knew I would love Cash and I did. He was so sweet and flirty that I actually loved him and wished I was in Lissa's place. They had chemistry from the get go and you had to see where it would go and end.

I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to reading more of Kody's upcoming books.

You can follow Kody Keplinger's Blog and on her site.

Thanks to Hachette Canada for sending me this book.