The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper
By Sandra Byrd

About the book:
The author of To Die For returns to the court of Henry VIII as a young woman is caught between love and honor. Juliana St. John is the daughter of a prosperous knight. Though her family wants her to marry the son of her father's business partner, circumstances set her on a course toward the court of Henry VIII and his last wife, Kateryn Parr.
Sir Thomas Seymour, uncle of the current heir, Prince Edward, returns to Wiltshire to tie up his concerns with Juliana's father's estate and sees instantly that Juliana would fit into the household of the woman he loves, Kateryn Parr. Her mother agrees to have her placed in Parr's household for "finishing" and Juliana goes, though perhaps reluctantly.
For she knows a secret. She has been given the gift of prophecy, and in one of her visions she has seen Sir Thomas shredding the dress of the king's daughter, the lady Elizabeth, to perilous consequence.
As Juliana learns the secrets of King Henry VIII's court, she faces threats and opposition, learning truths about her own life that will undo everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts:
The Secret Keeper" is the second book in Sandra Byrd's Ladies in Waiting series (read about TO Die For)
The book follows the same format as To Die For and is equally filled with deep and luxurious descriptions whisking you away to 1540s England.
We follow Juliana St. John as she waits on Lady Katelyn Parr. Juliana is incredibly loyal to Kate through everything and we see a wonderful and strong display of friendship throughout the entire book. Something that makes "The Secret Keeper" unique is that it is from the persepcitve of a friend instead of the main character herself.
Ayone who likes historical fiction will love this book as well any wanting to learn about a new era.
*I received this book free for review from the publisher*
Rating: 4 carats


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Katie Up and Down the Hall

Katie Up and Down the Hall
BY Glen Paskin
About the book:
 For families and animal lovers everywhere, Katie: Up & Down The Hall is the heartwarming story of how five neighbors living in a New York City apartment building are brought together by the purchase of a remarkable cocker spaniel.




Based upon a widely-read article published in Family Circle (“Granny Down The Hall”) here is the transcendent tale of how three generations of strangers and a dog create their own little family amidst the pressures, haste, and intensity of big-city life.



At the center of it all is Katie, an astutely intelligent spaniel with an unforgettable face who becomes a celebrity in her New York City neighborhood. There she is, alternately racing up and down an eighty-foot hallway between apartments, pushing open doors with her paws, or trotting outside along the Hudson River, surrounded by her “pack” of human friends. Through her soulful eyes, we witness nearly fifteen years of antics and family adventures spanning everything from Hollywood high times to the terrors of 9/11.


My Review:
There was so much hype surrounding this book from having the stories already published and loved in a magazine that I thought it would be better than it was.  It sounds like a great story, who wouldn't think a dog uniting an  apartment complex was a sweet story?  But i really found the book dull and somewhat lifeless.

*I received this audiobook free for review from Hachette Book Group*
Rating:3 carats

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Barcelona Calling

Barcelona Calling
By Jane Kirkpatrick
About the book:
Annie Shaw is a writer with lots of challenges. She has a new editor, her publisher would like a little more romance in her romance novels, and her latest novel set in a prison complex appears to be going nowhere. Only her first novel hit the bestseller charts and that was Annie's own story written before she divorced her husband who still comes around asking for money. To support her. Annie's cadre of friends decide that the way to get a bestseller is to get Oprah to know her name. What follows is a raucous effort to find fulfillment and how a Jack Russell Terrier, a trip to Barcelona, Spain and good friends help Annie discover that friendship is more important than fortune or fame.

My thoughts:
Barcelona Calling is about an author struggling with self doubt and trying to make her next book a best seller.
She has a great bunch of friends who support her and thats what really makes the book a good read. They all believe in her so much they are willing to help her in any way they can for her to achieve the success she craves. They decide to set out on a journey to get her book chosen as part of Oprah's book club.
This book was a fast and sometimes funny read but it also felt very drawn out and at times dull
*I received this book free for review from Zondervan Publishers through NetGalley.com *

Favorite Quote:
"I don't have to be perfect. Perfection doesn't mean without errors or omissions; it means complete"
Rating: 3 carats

The Director's Cut

The Director's Cut
By Janice Thompson
About the book:
SYNOPSIS: Tia Morales is used to calling the shots. She’s the director of the popular sitcom Stars Collide, and her life on set is calculated and orderly. Well, most of the time. But her life outside the studio is another matter. If only she could get her family to behave as well as her stars do! When she starts butting heads with handsome camera operator Jason Harris, it’s enough to send a girl over the edge. Will she ever learn to let go and take life–and love–as it comes?

My Thoughts:
The Director's Cut wraps up the Backstage Pass series (read about Stars Collide and Hello, Hollywood). It was a great way to end the series.

The book centers around Tia Morales and her life as a tv writer trying to learn is ok not to control every single aspect of her life. Many of characters from then past books return of they don't disappoint, they are exactly like I remembered them.

The Director's Cut is a light, fun, and fast read.

*“Available June 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group*

Rating: 4 carats




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Simple Times

Simple Times
By Amy Sedaris
 About the book:
America’s most delightfully unconventional hostess and the bestselling author of I Like You delivers a new book that will forever change the world of crafting. According to Amy Sedaris, it’s often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In her new book, SIMPLE TIMES, she sets the record straight. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life’s more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters.




You will discover how to make popular crafts, such as: crab-claw roach clips, tinfoil balls, and crepe-paper moccasins, and learn how to: get inspired (Spend time at a Renaissance Fair; Buy fruit, let it get old, and see what shapes it turns into); remember which kind of glue to use with which material (Tacky with Furry, Gummy with Gritty, Paste with Prickly, and always Gloppy with Sandy); create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat); and cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, and many more recipes.


My Review:
I was disappointed with this book. I thought the combination of comedy and crafts would be really fun but it was actually very saracstic, had no  crafts, and really  no plot whatsoever.
*I received this audio book free for review from Hachette Book Group*
Rating: 2 carats

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Interview with Sarah Francis Martin

About Sarah:
Sarah Francis Martin has a passion to encourage and relate to women in their twenties, and is honored to do so through She Seeks, the 20-something ministry of Proverbs 31. Her relevant and conversational style will lead young adult readers to live out the Kingship of Christ in everyday life in order to find godly success, purpose, and well-being. Obsessed with pink lip gloss and all things artsy-crafty, Sarah lives with her husband and son in North Carolina. Her ministry, LIVE IT OUT!, is a space for 20-somethings to connect with one another and grow closer to Jesus (www.liveitoutblog.com).
1.What gave you the idea or inspired you to write your book?
I've loved writing for the ministry She Seeks which is a part of Proverbs 31 Ministries just for 20-something women. Our readers would ask us for resources that speak directly to their life as a young adult and we would come up short for books to recommend, etc. One day I was driving to work all stressed out about my career and some friend drama. As I worked through this stress, God spoke to me saying, "I am King over your career drama and your friend drama. Don't forget that!"
I decided that I would set out to write what I called a survival guide for 20-somethings. But, rather than just surviving this decade, I want my girlfriends to THRIVE. God continually shows me that the only way to thrive through life's stress, we must put Him in the center of everything.
2. What do you hope readers will take away from "Stress Point" ?
I hope my readers will walk away from the book with a renewed (or new) sense of passion for Jesus and declare that He is King of Kings over their money, their love life, their career paths, etc. We can't separate our faith from any area of our life and the Bible has answers to all of our stress.
3. What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Though I don't watch the shows any more, I did catch Dr. Phil and Oprah say something to the effect of: You wouldn't worry about what other people think of you if you knew how little they really didn't think of you.
This speaks to me when I'm all freaked out about how my friends or co-workers perceive me. Everyone is concerned about their own life, their own insecurities so much so that they probably aren't nit picking who we are.
4. Your bio says you are artsy-craftsy what is your go-to craft?
Oh I love playing with bright colored paint and paper to make collages. It is fun to get my hands messy. I'm also loving watercolor and sketching these days. Though it is easy to look at artists and wish I could paint as well as they do, I'm learning to relax and just have fun with it. It is totally a distraction from stress for me!
5. On She Seeks, it's is known that you have over 50 tubes of lip gloss, all various shades of pink. If you were stranded on an island and could only have one lip gloss, which one would it be?
This questions rocks! Love it. I'm totally into the Revlon Colorstay lipgloss and lipsticks these days. The color literally lasts ALL day. So, if I were stranded on an island with only ONE tube, this would be the one because I get more bang for my buck and don't have to constantly re-apply.
6. What's playing on your iPod right now?
Oh, man. I really need to update my iPod. But, my go-to tunes are Jesus Culture, The Passion Conference worship CD, Toby Mac and a friend of mine, Giles Blankenship.
7. What's next for you?
I would love to write more books that relate directly to young adult women. I've been on a kick with my blog doing the RISE UP! series which encourages women to rise up and make Jesus famous in their life. It would be really awesome, I think, to turn this into a Bible study book.

Stress Point

Stress Point
by Sarah Francis Martin
About the book:
Want to ditch the drama and thrive through your twenties?
Body image. Friendships. Career. Money. Dating. All these issues and more serve as points of stress for the 20-something woman, and combined they can make for a decade of drama in a girl’s life. Sarah Francis Martin is the slightly older girlfriend who’s been there, done that, and got the not-so-cute t-shirt. Through this interactive Bible study, Sarah helps young adult women address each stress point by encouraging them to wait on the Lord, worship Him, and make Him the focus of their lives.
In Stress Point you will:
Find interactive chapters covering ten stress points for the 20-something woman
Dig through Scripture to apply truth to each stress point
Engage with real, raw, and relevant stories from girlfriends just like you
Journal through each chapter to engage with God in a meaningful way
Interact with Sarah through her video blogs for each chapter
Connect with your girlfriends in a Stress Point Survival Group; leader guide included
My Thoughts:
This is such a unique book, from the way the journal is formatted to the beautiful background pictures and the simple fact there aren't many books geared towards woman in their twenties. Stress Point is a winner.
I was so excited to start reading it because I have followed the She seeks ministry Sarah writes for since it's beginning and this book goes write along with their weekly devotional themes and videos. As I read it I felt like I could see Sarah sitting in front of her webcam talking to all of us as she does in her frequent Thursday vlogs.
Although the title is Stress Point and is geared at eliminating the drama of our twenties the theme isn't stress at all but putting your life and focus in God's hands whatever area of your life you are feeling stress.

* I received this book free for review from Thomas Nelson Publishers* Favorite Quote:
" God knows your dreams, but He wants to be your one and only wish"

Come back Friday for an interview with Sarah
Rating: 5 carats





Buy the book
Visit Sarah's website