Meeting the Author Rebecca Strong

This month we read Who Is Mr. Plutin? by Rebecca Strong. Since this month had school starting and a lot of changes, a few of us didn't quite finish the book. But, with kids now at school, we are all hoping to have it completed soon.

So, we talked with Rebecca Strong over Skype. She has a beautiful, subtle Russian accent, and an array of stories to tell from her well-traveled life. She explained that she came up with the concept of the story when, after years living abroad, she returned to Russia and found herself a little confused by the changes that had occurred since she left not long after the fall of the Soviet Union. So, she devised the concept of a Russian woman waking up lost and confused in St. Petersburg and how she overcomes the struggle.

We learned that there will be a sequel, and we're quite excited to see that when it comes out. We also discovered that Rebecca Strong writes non-fiction under her normal name, since Rebecca Strong is a pen name. We will be checking those out!

Mostly, we enjoyed listening to Rebecca's stories about her travels and experiences in foreign lands. She's definitely an interesting person to hear speak, with so many wonderful tales to tell.


This month we will be reading Deceptive Cadence.

Team Reviews of Who Is Mr. Plutin? by Rebecca Strong

From Goodreads:
Yesterday Vika Serkova was in New York, eating takeout alone in her closet-sized apartment. Today she wakes up with a wedding ring on her finger, next to a man who claims to be her husband. In a designer flat in St Petersburg, Russia. Huh?

Her new reality is full of surprises. She owns only stilettos but can’t take a step in them without falling. People around her seem to think she’s lived in Russia her entire life. Her daily routine includes thousand-dollar spa visits with caviar and Dom Pérignon. And her husband is a handsome oligarch who buys her jewelry without any occasion. This new Russian life seems to be as different from the old American life as two countries’ views on Crimea. 

Has reality blown a fuse? Vika won’t worry about it now that she is a living Cinderella story. At least not until her husband drops an ultimate bomb about why she’s forgotten everything, about the work she does with her father, and about her current assignment for the Russian President. The assignment, which, as she discovers a day later, sets her against her husband in a conspiracy big enough to cost them not only their Breguets but very possibly their lives. To save herself and the family she is beginning to remember Vika needs to fool them into defecting. A perfect plan but only if she can manage it with her Russian memory MIA and her opponents set on destroying each other even before Vika’s manicure dries.

Fun and fast-paced, WHO IS MR. PLUTIN? is set in modern day St. Petersburg, Russia where your chances in life are only as good as the car you drive, the clothes you wear, and the people you stay away from.

Team Reviews:

Katie:
What a fantastic book! From the very first page I was completely hooked. Vika has such a wonderful voice, and as a reader, following her discovery of who she is after the hypnosis wiped her memories is mesmerizing. There are so many twists and turns, intrigues, complications, the book kept me turning page after page to find out what was going on.
Each character has their own agendas, and their personal twists and interactions with Vika are fantastic. Vika's conflict between her husband and father is truly a difficult one, and shows her strength and courage.
I loved this book so much that when it ended I literally said "no!" out loud, and flicked through for just a hint of more. I just Loved it! 

Jackie G:
Interesting political plot

Interesting behind the scenes spy story. I wonder how often hypnosis is used in the spy world? Russia is an interesting setting.

Team Reviews of Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren

From Goodreads:
A popular, young royal couple can't produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them. 

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

Team Reviews:
Katie:
This is a fun, light read. It has a cute romance, but also has a powerful message that comes through in the second half of the books.

A couple of nit-picky things first: I felt like the political system was poorly set up. It came across like an Americanized presidential system, rather than a monarchy. With the countries supposed origins in England, moving away from the three tier parliamentary system, especially while still in Europe where this system grew to be the major political set up for Monarchies, felt off. 
Also, all the Australian references bordered on offensive with how cliche and stereotyped they were.
There were parts that were so cheesy I literally cringed.
Those things aside!
The story itself is kind of two stories coming together as one. In the beginning you have a great romance, well written, with a solid voice, even a little cheesy at times. The writing is good, with some telling, but not enough to be distracting.
Then the second part hits. The pace is... it feels like I'm skimming over things. Hatty and John are married, and suddenly their relationship is no longer important. Yes, she's struggling with concerns about infertility, but I have fertility issues, and although my husband frustrated me at times with his lack of understanding, our relationship remained central to our lives. The writing here didn't help it; it's almost like a different author stepped in to take over. The scenes became very clinical and moved in the blink of an eye. It was like I'd start reading a scene that I wanted to move me, and it ended a second later. I don't want to criticize, because the topic is something that's near and dear to me and I believe should be discussed, but the execution came up short in places. 
Then Hattie hit rock bottom and the writing and pace returned to how good it was in the beginning. It's probably debut author "jitters." But the last portion of the book definitely improved.
I will admit, going in I was very concerned about how the succession would be handled with throwing adoption in the works, since an adopted child cannot be next in line. Without giving out spoilers, Wren handled this very well, and I appreciated it enormously.

Quote that says it all for me:
To tell the truth, it was a punch in the gut... By rote, I squashed my grief, longing, and heartache, making them compact enough to bury in the recesses of my heart.
And:
Another punch. The grief threatened to erupt, but I suppressed it. At least... I wouldn't have to watch her body bloom into fertile fullness... But my line of thinking wasn't about them; it was all about self-preservation.

Those quotes are pretty much the anthem of infertile/limited fertility women. I have felt EXACTLY THIS while struggling through my own limits and fight with my body to conceive baby #2, and I've seen so many women I love feeling exactly this. I've seen it in their eyes when other women seem to glance at their husbands and fall pregnant. When teenagers fall pregnant. It's this deep pain that tears at the heart and makes it impossible to even LOOK at a pregnant woman without the pain resurfacing, or hear a pregnancy announcement and have to hide to cry your eyes out.

All up, this was an enjoyable read with a message that should definitely be talked about more. I wouldn't call it a "clean read" as there is some sex scenes, but they're not explicit, but rather tastefully handled.

I recommend it to all women, especially those who know someone who is struggling with having children, not just those in the throws of infertility.

Jackie G:
Easy read
This book reads like a fairy tale dream I would have as a little girl. Tegan has expanded on that idea and brought a very real problem that many people struggle with everyday to light. A very good easy reading book that will help to educate you on infertility.

Meeting the Author: Tegan Wren

This month we trialed a new meeting time on a Wednesday rather than Saturday. Since we have a lot of young mothers in the group, children and family time were clashing, plus a lot of us want to get out of the house during the week so we don't go crazy! At first I was worried no one would show up, but we actually picked three new people! So I'm excited to say we will be doing Wednesday meetings now.

Today, we had the privilege of speaking to Tegan Wren about her novel, and our book of the month, Inconceivable!

Will there be a sequel? Well, it looks like it! Tegan is apparently brainstorming a sequel right now!
Tegan drew a lot of Hattie's experiences from her own with the infertility, although she explained her husband never struggled with supporting her like John did Hattie! Tegan has found happiness with adoption, and we are happy for her too! We're all mommies, so we know how wonderful children are in all varieties.
We discussed how Hattie gave up her education to marry John. Tegan asked us about this because she has had negative feedback about it, but we all believed it wasn't a big deal. A husband is someone to share life with, an education is always there when you're ready to go back to it. Sometimes sacrifices are for the better in the long run. We each explain how we made some kind of sacrifice to marry, and none of us regret it. I know I myself gave up my own degree and moved across an ocean to marry, but I don't regret it because I have a wonderful family and I can finish my degree when I'm ready. We felt Hattie didn't lose anything for making a similar choice.
We touched on the political system and how it felt more congressional rather than parliamentary, which only bothered little Aussie raised under parliamentary system me haha!
All up, Tegan was a delight to talk to, and we're all glad to hear about plans for a sequel.

Next month, our chosen book is:

Meeting the Author Sharon Bayliss

Today we got to speak with Sharon Bayliss, author of our read this month, Destruction. Personally, I'm a huge Bayliss fan and have read all her books, so I was pretty excited about this.
Sharon had her cute boys "helping" her out, which as moms we appreciated!
Sharon shared some great insight with us, like how she originally planned to tell the story through Amanda's perspective, but ultimately David took over, which worked out better in the end because he doesn't come across as the ultimate bad guy, which, understandably, Amanda's perspective would portray.
We discussed favorite scenes, asked about certain scenes, and had great questions which are totally spoiler-y so I'm not going to share!
We did agree that Patrick is our favorite character and Sharon's not allowed to hurt him, or kill him. There was some threats... But we all agreed that he's just the nice guy that deserves to win and be happy in the end. Crazy family and all...

Sharon was lovely to talk to, and we had a really positive experience, and are snapping up book 2 and the recently released book 3.

Our book for this month is Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren. We will be meeting on the second Wednesday of the month now, instead of the Saturday, in hopes that more of our group and possibly some new people, can make it.

Team Reviews of Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

From Goodreads:
David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. 

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. 

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.

***We're still waiting on a few members to post reviews due to the craziness of summer. Thank you for your patience!***

Team Reviews:

Katie:
***Full Disclosure: I was the Acquiring Editor for this book***

Sharon is an awesome storyteller. What I love most about this book is that the characters are so alive and even kind of nuts. They are dark wizards that want to be good, and so struggle with all their might to be good.

Destruction follows David, husband of Amanda, and father of teenagers Jude, Patrick, and Emmy. It's starts when David is called to tell him his long lost children, Xavier and Evangeline, have been found, but their mother, Crystal, has been murdered. He is to take custody of the two teens, that his wife knows nothing about.
When he brings them home, the expected hell breaks loose when his wife is furious about his affair from years before, and their children are furious at his betrayal. But the two new siblings reveal something about them which they didn't know; they are all dark wizards and witches.
The children all start acting out and using their new found powers recklessly.

Jackie G:
When I first started this book I was very confused. I got about 2/3 of the way through and said I was done. Being one to not give up I decided to give the book another try. I started over at the beginning and I am glad I did.
This is a family that has gone through a lot. I really enjoyed the book. I am glad that I did not give up. I recommend this book to all who have an open mind as to what a family is. Good read. 

Meeting the Author Katie Hamstead

This month we read Princess of Tyrone by Katie Hamstead. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

We talked about Apolline the most. Everyone loved how strong she was, but still had a sense of naivety since she'd lived a sheltered life on her isolated planet. Despite her sheltered existence, she was strong, brave, and independent.

We enjoyed how in the end Apolline and Allard worked together to conquer their opposition. It wasn't about one giving way to the other, but it was a team effort, using both their strengths to get through.

The side characters were fun and interesting too. Some secrets about the fairies may have been spilled, and also the future of the store keeper Charlie.

We discussed how each book features one of the seven deadly sins as a source of dark magic, the book titles for all seven books were revealed and explained that they create a palindrome format.

We briefly talked about the books to come, and that book 2, featuring Hansel and Gretel, is in the pipeline in edits.

Swag was handed out for the book; stickers and postcards. Left over swag was put out and other swag that I have accumulated.

We followed up by talking about sequels of the books we've already read. Some have their sequels out, some have sequels coming out soon. We showed recent covers, including one that follows our selection for this month.


On that note, this month we are reading Destruction by Sharon Bayliss.

Team Reviews: Princess of Tyrone by Katie Hamstead

From Goodreads:
Apolline is happy hunting magical creatures on her pirate infested outer-perimeter planet. She is a fantastic shot, and doesn’t flinch at the blood and guts of her kills. Never once did she consider she could be the missing Princess of Tyrone. 

All her life, she has heard the story of the Princess, cursed to sleep for eternity, unless her betrothed, the Prince of Oran, gave her true love’s kiss. Although Apolline knows she is betrothed, she thinks her fairy guardians arranged it out of ignorance of human ways. The thought she could be a princess is inconceivable.

Then Allard appears. Handsome, charming—but he’s not hers to have. He’s betrothed, too. Her guardians warn her against her new found friendship, but she and Allard meet in secret anyway. Despite her rough exterior, he sees beyond her gun-slinging bravado, and their love blossoms.

But the deadline for the sleeping curse is approaching. If Apolline falls in love with the wrong person, she could end up sleeping forever. 

A quirky, adventurous retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with a less than princess-ly princess!

Team Reviews:

Katie:
Since it's my book, I haven't written a review! That would be weird. But I will say...
Note: This is a clean read. If you want sex, you won't find it here.
Princess of Tyrone was so fun to write. Apolline really came to life for me, and each of the characters is so vibrant. I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing, because that's my goal with this puppy, to make you smile!
Apolline will return in book 5 with Allard and Nathaniel, but until then I hope you enjoy meeting Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, and Cinderella aka Cytheria with Miriam and Bryanna.

Emily:
I loved this story. The main character was completely different from the princesses we know. I loved the twists, the way Katie took a well known fairy tale and transformed it was amazing. It was a fun read and I am looking forward to more stories like it.

Suzi:
This was a great retell of the sleeping beauty fairy tale, with many twists. Apolline lives on the planet Mish with three fairies, who teach her to hunt better than most. She is supposed to marry a prince when she is 21 but has no idea who he is. She is a very independent young woman and when faced with danger does not run!! Great book and looking forward to the rest of the series!!

Jackie G:
Great book! Can't wait for the next one.

Meeting the Author Rena Rockford

So we talked with Rena after a few technical glitches! We all thoroughly enjoyed this books, and had plenty of questions after the open ending we were left with! We were all happy to hear there is a sequel in the works, and it's in fact a planned trilogy! Yay! When it will be available we don't know, but we will be keeping our eyes open for it.
Rena explained that she's been writing since she was a child, but stopped during college. Once she got back into the game, she wrote a series which she queried, and decided to try to write something different. She first queried this book with this title in Pitcharama and ended up signing with Curiosity Quills because of it.
She made the creatures humanoid as a way to help this age old legends something that could live and hide among us. She explained the she pictured the dragon's scales being similar to bird feathers which need to be preened regularly, and because the MC wasn't aware of her dragon state, her acne became a side effect of not preening. So in the next book, her acne should be ore controlled, but she will still use makeup as a means to "hide" herself. She also said the asthma seemed like a logical choice for fire breathing.
We tried our hardest to get details for the next books from Rena, but she was great at grinning and not giving out spoilers!
We have all added, (some even bought) Rena's most recent release, Of Pens and Swords to our TBR pile as we anxiously await the next book in this fun series.
The general consensus: WE NEED MORE FUN READS!!!

Book swag!

Next month's read, thanks to the hubby, is my own Princess of Tyrone.

Team Reviews of Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon by Rena Rocford

From Goodreads:
Allyson fights acne, not trolls. As an inhaler-carrying member of the asthma society, she just wants to meet the father who turned her mother into a paranoid, move-across-the-nation freak. Now she’s trying to fit in at yet another school, but for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, Beth. When Allyson accidentally spits fire at kidnappers in the mall, she realizes why her father isn’t in the picture: she’s half dragon. Her acne? Emerging scales. Her asthma? The side effects of her dragon’s fire breath. Instead of freaking out, unflappable Beth reveals her own troll heritage and explains how things work with the supernatural creatures hiding within the modern world of smartphones and skyscrapers.

When trolls kidnap a unicorn, Beth gets blamed. Allyson is determined to prove Beth’s innocence and keep her friend off the unicorn chopping block. When they start looking for the kidnappers, they get a call from the last person they expect: Allyson’s father. He tries to warn them off, but he’s been put under a spell by the kidnappers to keep the victims from escaping. Nothing short of death can stop him. Now Allyson must choose between killing the father she’s always dreamed of, or letting her best friend die for a crime she didn’t commit.

Our Reviews:
Katie:

I first saw this in the Pitcharama contest run by Aussie Owned and Read. It intrigued me back then, and so I waited for this release eagerly. This story didn't disappoint! Action packed, full of adventure, friendship, and a sassy heroine, this novel with an extremely long title that really grabs your attention, has the makings of a fun read for anyone seeking something for pure pleasure. Allyson was an absolute delight to follow as she rushed through a steep learning curve. She reacted naturally, and often humorously to the situations thrust upon her, and with a heart full of fierce loyalty. A clean read I'd definitely recommend!

Emily:
I loved this book. The title has you thinking it's going to be a fun fantasy book about a teenager finding herself and the secret she possesses, it's so much more. I was hooked from the beginning and I am so ready to see what happens next. I loved the characters, the story, the writing. I was very impressed but this awesome book.

Suzi:
I thought this was a very well written book. Allyson is a teenager who moves around a lot. She is finally at a school where she has a friend and then she finds out who she really is. Her mom has kept a really big secret from her, her whole life and it changes everything she ever believed was real. It would be nice to know what happens to her appearance after she is able to fully turn into a dragon. Like does she still have severe acne and have to use all the makeup still? Overall, it was a fun read that keeps you guessing through the whole thing. I am interested it what will happen next.

Jackie G:
This book started off very slow for me. But then, it took off. I really enjoyed this book. Who would have ever thought acne and asthma could be signs of something greater. This girl has had quite a life. Her mother has kept a very big secret from her. She never realized the reason for so much moving. I would recommend this for anyone. I am hoping that the story continues with future books. Very well done.

Meeting the Author Krystal Wade

Today we had the privilege of skyping with author and Blaze Pub founder, Krystal Wade. After convincing my child to stop dancing in front of the camera, we asked Krystal about the inspiration for her novel that we read; Asleep.

Krystal explained that she enjoys the weird and the creepy, and likes to write these twisted tales. Fairy tale spins are something she started with Charming so she has continued with this novel. She also explained she drew elements from her own youth to bring the characters and story to life (But, no she never went to an asylum!)

We talked about how the cover came to be, and the lovely Phillip and his confusing plot line (No spoilers!) how sad a certain death was, and why the doctor was doing what he was doing to Rose.

We then talked about travelling, because who doesn't want to travel?? Specifically Europe...

And we talked about her newly founded publishing company, Blaze Publishing. Krystal explained that the name came from a combination of the passion for "trail blazing" while hiking, and their dog named "Blaze." She then gave us an overview of upcoming titles for the publisher which all sound exciting and fun.

We finally wrapped things up and said goodbyes, Everyone received bookmarks and badges (above) to take home.

We then set our date and time for our next meeting and selected our next read. And here it is:

Join us next month to see our thoughts on the book and our chat with Rena Rockford!

Team Reviews of Asleep by Krystal Wade

From Goodreads:

"To cure fear, you must use fear." 

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be. 




Our Reviews:
Katie:
How can I wrap my head around what I want to say about this book. The twists and turns definitely had me wondering throughout the entire book. I'm afraid if I say too much, I'll give out spoilers unintentionally.
Rose isn't exactly what I'd describe as likable, but considering the situation, I don't think likability is important to the story. She's made some bad choices, and ended up at the wrong end of the stick. Throughout the book she undergoes a great deal of growth, which gave me the desire to root for her.
Phillip is great, right from the beginning. He figures everything out and works his hardest to help Rose through. Despite their awful circumstances, he slots in as the perfect hero in her plight.
Although this is technically a "fairy tale" retelling, there isn't much of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty involved, so don't expect that at all. It's very raw, and there are parts that are truly sad. It's a psychological story, as you watch the people around Rose mess with her head. But she fights back, refusing to believe the lies.
I saw several things coming, but not the conclusion, Again, no spoilers!
I'd consider it a clean read, in the sense that there's no sex or explicit violence. It does leave you wondering, what is going on? though, as almost archaic treatments are implemented.

Jackie G:
For me this was a very dark and troubling book. I think for the subject of this book though it should be expected. Mental illness troubles have always been a little misunderstood. I am glad I read it . I am enjoying being exposed to different types of writing.

Suzi:
This is not usually the kind of book I read and I found it extremely difficult to read. It kind of all just mashed together, it would have been nice if there was some distinct way to tell when she was "dreaming/remembering" things that happened and when she was in present time. It was really hard to follow and enjoy.

Emily:
From the moment I started reading I connected with the main character. There is a level of understanding I think each person can relate to when reading this book. From the first chapter I was hooked and by the end I was so emotionally attached to the characters. The author has an amazing way of writing. She grabs you and keeps you guessing to the end. I loved this book.


***Thank you to Blaze Pub for giving us the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest reviews***

Meeting the Author Ann M. Noser

This month we read How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser, and Skyped her in for our meeting.
The discussion we had was about the weather, because Ann is lucky enough to live where it's still nice and cold and we're all jealous!

But! About the book. We all love the cover. Everyone agreed that the cover is a perfect fit for the content, and that the title is so fun and eye catching. We all loved how Emma developed and learned from each of the guys, and discussed how weird the skin suit was, in a funny way!
Ann told us that the University campus is a location she's familiar with because her dad worked there etc, so the setting is very real, which was what made it so easy to picture while reading.
She explained that the story was inspired by several things; the story of a student who drowned in the river that her dad was deeply affected by, a close friend who died that affected her, and also the Smiley Face killings that are legendary in that area.
We also had a great chat about traveling with babies, and Ann and I got on a tangent about publication, haha!

Swag!!!

Our book club thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet Ann and read her book, and we are eagerly awaiting the release of book two in March.


Next meeting will be March 12th and we will be talking with Krystal Wade about her new novel; Asleep, that we have had the privilege to get as ARCs!

Team Reviews of How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser

From Goodreads:
College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice: “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”. But when cute Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.

Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back. Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell. The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury. As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he isn’t the only one…

Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a young man determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand…at first. More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows. Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.

Inspired by the controversial Smiley Face Murders, HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS will appeal to the secret powers hidden deep within each of us.

Our Reviews:
Katie:
Talk about all the feels! When I first met Mike, before he died, I soon decided I didn't WANT him to die. This is really early on, so I'm not giving out spoilers. So when he did, I was so sad! But meeting him, getting to know him a but made his death and the events that follow, believable.
Poor Emma. What a crazy series of events she faces in this book. She starts out reserved, kind of beaten down from her high school days and lacking in confidence. But as the book progresses, she changes and grows with each of the lessons the guys unwittingly teach her... some wittingly teach her too. Although she starts out thinking everyone hates her, she learns it's not true. Yes, Mike's brother blames her for his death, but although again she thinks everyone does, it's really just him.
Chrissy I want to beat over the head. Just saying. And Abby is a doll.
But each of the guys you develop a connection with. Each one has his own unique thoughts, feelings and situation he has to take care of, and Emma's there to assist them all, whether she wants to be or not.
All up, a great all around read. I loved it from start to finish, especially all the guys and how well rounded and believable they were. I'm anxious for the next book! 

Suzi:
This was an interesting read. It is about a girl, Emma who is in college, which is a difficult time all on it's own, but then you add in the fact that she brings guys back from the dead, and it gets crazy. She has the rare opportunity to help these guys, with some twists, find some closure. While she is on this journey, with each guy, you get to see Emma grow herself and find the confidence she lost in high school, and meet some fun characters along the way. Fun read!

Jackie G:
This was a very interesting book. Bringing people back from the dead? To have lived such a sheltered life and then go away to college is a hard thing to do. Then having to deal with males around you dying and finding you have the ability to bring them back to life. That is a lot for a any one. I got a little confused at some points in the book. I need to pay more attention to what I am reading. This is one of my first ventures in to YA books. Over all I would recommend it to others.

Kristy:
You know that a book is really good when you are still thinking about it long after you have finished it. I thought this was a very unique read that included a gamut of emotions. I found my self laughing at Jake's antics, feeling sad for Mike and his unfinished business, surprised with Steve's news, and loving Bernard for his concern for his wife. I'm quite excited and curious to read book number 2. Thanks for taking me on a fun ride, Ann. I look forward to reading more of your work! P.S. Thank you for keeping it clean. You have proven good writing does not have to include horrible language or sex scenes! 

Emily:
I completely enjoyed this book. I got so attached to the characters and their stories. It has an equal amount of romance, drama, and comedy. There are some fantastic plot twists that really bring the stories together. I'm so excited for the next book.

Meeting the Author: Leigh Statham

We had our first author Skype in for our meeting this weekend. We had the great privilege to meet Leigh Statham, the author of the book we read in December. (See reviews for our thoughts on the book.)
We gathered around, had great food, and some laughs.
Leigh skyped in with us so we could discuss her novel: The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl

For some, this was an introduction to steam punk, so there were questions about what inspired Statham to write in this genre, especially since it's a twist of her ancestor's story with the  "Daughters of the King" program in France.
The general consensus was that this is a fun read, and a easy, and pleasant introduction to steam punk. Everyone loved the main character, Marguerite, and enjoyed her character arc as she grew from a spoiled girl, to a strong woman.
I gave out bookmarks for everyone, which had little clockwork grasshoppers on them, that go so well with the book.

We are now anxiously awaiting the release of the sequel in October.

After we finished talking with Leigh, discussed how to write reviews, set up a Goodreads account,  selected next month's title. We are all so excited to be able to read more in our busy lives! So please come back to see our reviews for How to Date Dead Guys and our meeting with author Ann M. Noser.

Team Reviews of The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl

From Goodreads:
Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th-century French girls can only dream of: money, designer dresses, suitors, and a secure future. Except she can’t quite commit to a life of dull luxury and she suspects she may be falling for her best friend Claude, a common smithy in the family's steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him and test her suspicions of love—only the trip proves to be more harrowing than she anticipated. Love, adventure, and restitution await her if she can survive the voyage.

Based on the true story of The Daughters of the King, Louis the XIV’s social program to settle the wilds of Canada with women of noble birth, Marguerite’s steampunk adventure follows in the footsteps of nearly one thousand brave women and girls who were rewarded handsomely for trekking across the pirate infested Atlantic to a strange land.

Katie:
I had the great privilege of reading this book in its early stages. Perilous Journey is a fun read, detailing the story of Statham's ancestor with an interesting steam punk twist. Marguerite is a spunky, yet spoiled brat, who goes through a transformation throughout the book into a strong, intelligent young woman. 
I loved Jacques throughout, and Claude... well, I wasn't very happy with him at the end.
This is a clean read, and a great adventure for teens and adults alike.

Kristy:
This is my first steam punk read and I was skeptical. But after the first chapter I was hooked. This was a fun quick escape from reality for me and I will certainly be reading more of Leigh's work!

Jackie G:
I really enjoyed reading this book. This was my first exposure to Steam Punk. A very fun genre. Following Marguerite on her adventures in her home land and in New France were a never ending trail of not knowing what would happen next. I can not wait for the continuation of this story. A life in a new world, what fun!