Guest Author and Review A Whisper To A Scream by Karen Wojcik Berner

CMash December 16, 2011 1 Comment

I know I keep repeating myself, but it’s true, those ladies over at WOW, truly have been introducing me, and I hope you too, to some very talented authors. Today’s guest is a prime example. You will understand when you read my review later in this posting, but first, please help me welcome our guest today so we can get to know her a little bit better because you will want to keep her on your radar. Welcome Ms. Karen Wojcik Berner!!!!!

KAREN WOJCIK BERNER

Karen Wojcik Berner lives a provincial life tucked away with her family in the Chicago suburbs. If it was good enough for Jane Austen, right? However, dear Miss Austen had the good fortune of being born amid the glorious English countryside, something Karen unabashedly covets, so much so that she majored in English and communications at Dominican University. Like the magnificent Miss Austen, Karen could not help but write about the Society that surrounds her.

A booklover since she could hold one in her chubby little toddler hands, Karen wanted to announce to the world just how much she loves the written word. She considered getting a bibliophile tattoo but instead decided to write about the lives of the members of a suburban Classics Book Club. The series is called, of course, The Bibliophiles.”) When she isn’t reading, writing, or spending her time wishing she was Jane Austen, Karen spends her time can be found sipping tea or wine, whichever is more appropriate that day, and watching Tim Burton movies or “Chopped,” her favorite foodie TV show.

Karen Berners website:

http://www.karenberner.com/index.html

GUEST POST

Five Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

By Karen Wojcik Berner

Thank you so much for inviting me to guest post on your blog. Iam very excited to be here.

Are you feeling it yet? That terrible gnawing in the pit of yourstomach, the fluttery anxiety only the holidays can bring?

This is supposed to be fun, right?

In my novel, A Whisper to aScream (The Bibliophiles: Book One), overwhelmed stay-at-home mother SarahAnderson dreams of orchestrating an elaborate Christmas Day, complete with acrown roast of pork, her husband playing carols on the piano he has not touchedsince 1985, and her two-year-old uttering “God bless us, everyone,” even ifAlex can barely say his own name yet. Then, her older son comes down with a102°F and a bronchial infection on the night of December 22.

We have all been there. The expectations. The demands. Theconstant running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

Over the years, I have learned a few tricks I would like to sharewith you today, coping mechanisms, if you will, to aid in making the holidays alittle more enjoyable.

1. Makea list.

I cannot do anything without a list. Writing one whittles downthe seemingly humungous tasks ahead into manageable, daily accomplishments.Remember not to make your list unrealistically large, or you will add morestress, rather than alleviate it.

2. Forgetabout perfect.

Believe me, I tried for years to create the perfect holiday.There is no such thing. Your relatives will not notice if the glassware in thechina cabinet sparkles. If it doesn’t have a one-inch layer of dust, it is goodenough.

You can create a delicious dinner without making everything fromscratch. That’s what Whole Foods is for. Make the dishes you enjoy cooking andbuy the rest.

3. Askyour family for help.

Now is not the time for martyrdom. While you set the table, askyour husband and kids to clean the house. Even the youngest of children candust, and you will be teaching one of the most valuable life lessons — Mom isnot the maid. Everyone is responsible for helping out around the house.

4. Getout of the mall.

I get a headache and an urgent need to flee after I have been ina mall for longer than two hours. Must be all that canned air. Get out of thereand shop on a real street in your closest city or downtown. Grab a yourfavorite hot holiday beverage. Hum a seasonal tune. It just feels more festive.

5. Maketime for fun.

Whether it is a few minutes of quiet for yourself to read orfamily time playing games together, make sure to schedule things you enjoy.Life is too short to mire yourself in drudgery. You do not have to do the samething every year all in the name of tradition. Mix it up a bit.

Happy Holidays!

MY REVIEW

A WHISPER TO A SCREAM by Karen Wojcik Berner

Published by CreateSpace

ISBN-10: 145659365X
ISBN-13: 978-1456593650

Genre: Women’s Fiction

At the request of the author, Karen Wojcik Berner, and WOW Tours, a digital edition was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from WOW tours): Annie Jacobs has dreamed of the day she would become a mother since the first time she held her Baby Tenderlove doll. Unfortunately, biology has not cooperated with her plan, and she finds herself dealing with a diagnosis of unexplained infertility instead of picking out baby names.
Across town, stay-at-home mom Sarah Anderson is just trying to make it through the grocery store without her toddler hurling a box of rice at a fellow shopper. She is exhausted from managing the house, a first grader and a toddler, all without any help from her work-obsessed, absentee husband.
A Whisper to a Scream is the story of two women on opposite ends of the child-bearing spectrum who come to realize the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. A vivid portrayal of contemporary marriage and its problems, the novel speaks to a longing in all of us, a yearning that might start as a vague notion, but eventually grows into an unbearable, vociferous cry.

My Thoughts and Opinion: I apologize in advance because I feel I need to start this review off with a caveat. I received this request during the period of my tornado of personal issues. I vaguely remember reading the synopsis, accepted to be a part of the tour but explained that I was not sure when I would be able to read and review the book. I was also told that this was the 1st book of what was going to be a series. When things settled down a bit, I picked up my Kindle, not remembering the premise of the book (one of the negatives of the Kindle-no back cover to read), but the title grabbed me thinking it was going to be a good suspense.

I was wrong. However, what pulled me in were the characters. Sarah and Annie, the 2 main women that the story revolved around became life like from the start. The author’s description of their lives, their emotions, their families was written in such a style that this reader could actually empathize with some of their situations. I also liked and thought was a plus, especially from an avid book reader’s opinion, was what and how brought these 2 ladies, from different backgrounds, 2 total strangers together and that it was a Book Club. This is the type of book where you get so engrossed with the characters’ lives that you feel you become part of “the friendship”. It was not a mystery, but the story held me captive due to circumstances in Annie and Sarah’s lives and I needed to know what the outcome would be. I truly enjoyed this read and look forward to the next in this series.

Just Thought You Should Know:

A Whisper to a Scream is Book One of a series called The Bibliophiles. The second book in the series will be released in February 2012. Stay tuned!

THANKS TO AUTHOR, KAREN WOJCIK BERNER, AND THE LADIES

AT WOW, I HAVE ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review

Review "A Winter Discovery" by Michael Baron

CMash December 7, 2011 4 Comments

A WINTER DISCOVERY by Michael Baron
Published by The Story Plant

ISBN: 9781611880274

At the request of The Story Plant in partnership with Spread The Word Initiative, a Digital Edition was supplied, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (borrowed from NetGalley): Returning to the characters of his first novel, When You Went Away, Baron takes us again into the world of Gerry Rubato, a man who has been marked by loss and revived by love, and his son Reese, now five, who celebrates life at a remarkable level but is only now starting to understand that he was robbed of the chance of ever knowing his mother. Reese is old enough now to get caught up in the excitement of the Christmas season and he throws himself into it with abandon. His sense of celebration takes on entirely new levels of meaning, though, when it leads him to an unexpected and most remarkable discovery.

At once buoyant and poignant, and filled with irrepressible spirit, A Winter Discovery is a story of that will take you to new places in your heart.

My Thoughts and Opinion: As the synopsis states, this is a sequel to When You Went Away, and you may have seen that I just posted my review of that book, however, I tend to disagree a little. This is a novella that has the same characters returning and focusing on the six year old child who was an infant when his mother died. It can definitely stand alone and will tug at every heart string. It’s a Christmas story for adults that will warm and touch you so deeply that it’s magical. No spoilers given but will tell you that there will be a few sniffles. A perfect gift for a teacher, a neighbor, mail person who delivers our books year round, etc etc. It is a fast read, only 60 pages, but it is full of emotion, love, sentiment, feeling and tenderness that this book should be on every one’s book shelf to reread at this time of year. Highly recommend!!

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review

Review "When You Went Away" by Michael Baron

CMash December 5, 2011 3 Comments

WHEN YOU WENT AWAY by Michael Baron

Published by The Story Plant

ISBN-10: 0981956807

ISBN-13: 978-0981956800

This Kindle Edition is owned by me and was a personal choice of reading, that I downloaded via Amazon, during a special that was being offered.

Synopsis (from Amazon): Baron’s carefully crafted debut tale, the Story Plant’s first mass market original, is too true-to-life to be interesting. Gerry Rubato’s wife has died and his teenage daughter has run away from home, leaving him alone to raise an infant son. Despite the recent tragedies, the focus of the novel is on rather ordinary non-events, such as Gerry’s work at a catalogue company, opinions about the Yankees and tedious descriptions of food. As Gerry struggles to confront his runaway child, he chronicles his emotional reactions in a series of journal entries. A romantic subplot involving a colleague provides predictable conflict. Buried in the minutiae is an earnest tale of a man’s emotional awakening and grief, but a too-easy resolution makes this more of a tour through Gerry’s processing than a story.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Once again Michael Baron pulls on the heart strings from the opening sentence to the very last page. A poignant, tender, emotional, romantic, softhearted and moving love story through the eyes of a male written by a male. A story of love on different levels and in different states of the main character’s life. Gerry has everything, a wife, which is the love of his life, a teenage daughter, a brand new baby boy and then his world collapses. His daughter runs away, his wife dies suddenly, he becomes an instant single parent, and even though there is so much grief, he has to go on.

I have read many books by this author and every time I do, I have to remind myself that it is written by a male author. The soft, compassionate, moving and touching words that the author conveys in his writing, tugs on the heart strings and allows the reader to see and feel from that of a male perspective. Ladies, I wish, all of this could be bottled and made into a vaccine for the male species, if you know what I mean. Another plus with this book was that the main character is a huge Yankees fan. When his son was just an infant, they would spend their evenings together on the couch, watching a game, while he explained the art of baseball, knowing that his son probably had no clue what he was talking about. This brought back memories. I would do the same thing, not about baseball but while I was cooking. And another plus, my oldest son is a HUGE Yankees fan, naming is dog after the team and even has a tattoo. So in my book….that gets extra points. Overall….a phenomenal poignant read!!! A grand slam!!!

Book Review, Guest Author

Guest Author and Review Mark Smythe

CMash November 30, 2011 1 Comment

Cold weather is here in New England, which means snow is right around the corner. So when Rebecca from The Cadence Group contacted me to read, review and have the author stop by, I thought it would be fun. So without further ado, please help me welcome, Mr. Mark Smythe!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Smythe resides in a small, rural town located in the beautiful Southern geography of Western New York State. It is a lovely and quaint agricultural community, just South of Buffalo, New York.

He, his wife Sandra and their two children, Cassandra and Alexander, live on a picturesque, turn-of-the-century farm complete with a charming old white farmhouse, quaint red barns and wooden pasture fences.
Mark is an Interior Structural Fire Fighter with a local Volunteer Fire Department, and is also a member of the Emergency & Rescue Squad.
The concept for this particular book began years ago, as an original bedtime story that he made up for his own children, which they always asked for and seemed to like, especially on those cold and snowy winter nights, so reminiscent of the Northeast.
You can visit Mark at his website.

MY REVIEW

THE SNOWMAN’S REVENGEby Mark Smythe

Illustrations by Mike Motz

Published by Mark Smythe

ISBN-13: 9780982270400

At the request of The Cadence Group, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from the author): The snow’s piled up high and school’s cancelled, so let’s play outside and, of course, build a snowman! Now, what if you were left out in the cold snow all by yourself, like that poor snowman? Would you be mad? Of course you would!

Well, this snowman is out for revenge, especially after he sees those kids in the nice warm house, eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate! So, let’s see what happens in this delightful story, nicely flowing with rhymed verse, very beautifully illustrated and quite humorous indeed.

So lovable, it’s sure to be an instant favorite and a timeless classic with “kids” of all ages.

My Thoughts and Opinion: When I was approached to read and review this book, I thought it would be fun, especially with the holidays just around the corner. But in fairness to the author, I must admit, that since I did not have the opportunity to read it to a young child to obtain a reaction of a little one, it is based solely on my opinion of the book. The book is written in a rhyming fashion. I found the illustrations to be vivid and colorful which I would think would keep a child’s attention. However, the premise of the story is of the revenge of one angry snowman. I thought that and the images to go along with that part of the story line, a bit scary for a child, but again, that is my opinion. Because it has been many years that I have had the pleasant experience of reading to a youngster, I don’t feel that I am qualified to give this book a rating, only my opinion.

THANKS TO REBECCA FROM THE CADENCE GROUP,

I HAVE ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review, Guest Author

Guest Author and Review Mark Smythe

CMash November 30, 2011 Leave a Comment

Cold weather is here in New England, which means snow is right around the corner. So when Rebecca from The Cadence Group contacted me to read, review and have the author stop by, I thought it would be fun. So without further ado, please help me welcome, Mr. Mark Smythe!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Smythe resides in a small, rural town located in the beautiful Southern geography of Western New York State. It is a lovely and quaint agricultural community, just South of Buffalo, New York.

He, his wife Sandra and their two children, Cassandra and Alexander, live on a picturesque, turn-of-the-century farm complete with a charming old white farmhouse, quaint red barns and wooden pasture fences.
Mark is an Interior Structural Fire Fighter with a local Volunteer Fire Department, and is also a member of the Emergency & Rescue Squad.
The concept for this particular book began years ago, as an original bedtime story that he made up for his own children, which they always asked for and seemed to like, especially on those cold and snowy winter nights, so reminiscent of the Northeast.
You can visit Mark at his website.

MY REVIEW

THE SNOWMAN’S REVENGEby Mark Smythe

Illustrations by Mike Motz

Published by Mark Smythe

ISBN-13: 9780982270400

At the request of The Cadence Group, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from the author): The snow’s piled up high and school’s cancelled, so let’s play outside and, of course, build a snowman! Now, what if you were left out in the cold snow all by yourself, like that poor snowman? Would you be mad? Of course you would!

Well, this snowman is out for revenge, especially after he sees those kids in the nice warm house, eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate! So, let’s see what happens in this delightful story, nicely flowing with rhymed verse, very beautifully illustrated and quite humorous indeed.

So lovable, it’s sure to be an instant favorite and a timeless classic with “kids” of all ages.

My Thoughts and Opinion: When I was approached to read and review this book, I thought it would be fun, especially with the holidays just around the corner. But in fairness to the author, I must admit, that since I did not have the opportunity to read it to a young child to obtain a reaction of a little one, it is based solely on my opinion of the book. The book is written in a rhyming fashion. I found the illustrations to be vivid and colorful which I would think would keep a child’s attention. However, the premise of the story is of the revenge of one angry snowman. I thought that and the images to go along with that part of the story line, a bit scary for a child, but again, that is my opinion. Because it has been many years that I have had the pleasant experience of reading to a youngster, I don’t feel that I am qualified to give this book a rating, only my opinion.

THANKS TO REBECCA FROM THE CADENCE GROUP,

I HAVE ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review

Review Megan’s Way by Melissa Foster

CMash November 27, 2011 1 Comment

MEGAN’S WAY by Melissa Foster

Published by Outskirts Press

ISBN-10: 1432744429

ISBN-13: 978-1432744427

At the request of the author and WOW Tours, a digital edition was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from Amazon): What would you give up for the people you love?

When Megan Taylor, a single mother and artist, receives the shocking news that her cancer has returned, she’ll be faced with the most difficult decision she’s ever had to make. She’ll endure an emotional journey, questioning her own moral and ethical values, and the decisions she’d made long ago. The love she has for her daughter, Olivia, and her closest friends, will be stretched and frayed.
Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Olivia’s world is falling apart right before her eyes, and there’s nothing she can do about it. She finds herself acting in ways she cannot even begin to understand. When her internal struggles turn to dangerous behavior, her life will hang in the balance.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Let me tell you right up front that I am going to have difficulty reviewing this book because of the heart wrenching premise and the moving emotions that were conveyed. Miss Foster’s writing style was flowing and allowed the characters to come to life from the very start. The friendships, so detailed and poignant yet flawed. Friendships that were so loving and loyal yet secretive with bits of betrayal. Decisions that are truly thought provoking, asking oneself “what would I do in that situation?”. This reader, as in real life, had tears of happiness and silliness but at other times sadness and grief. There is also a spiritual connection between mother and daughter. I think if you believe in an after life, Ms. Foster, describes one that is something we all hope for. An emotional block buster!! Highly Recommend!!!

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review

Review Megan’s Way by Melissa Foster

CMash November 27, 2011 3 Comments

MEGAN’S WAY by Melissa Foster

Published by Outskirts Press

ISBN-10: 1432744429

ISBN-13: 978-1432744427

At the request of the author and WOW Tours, a digital edition was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from Amazon): What would you give up for the people you love?

When Megan Taylor, a single mother and artist, receives the shocking news that her cancer has returned, she’ll be faced with the most difficult decision she’s ever had to make. She’ll endure an emotional journey, questioning her own moral and ethical values, and the decisions she’d made long ago. The love she has for her daughter, Olivia, and her closest friends, will be stretched and frayed.
Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Olivia’s world is falling apart right before her eyes, and there’s nothing she can do about it. She finds herself acting in ways she cannot even begin to understand. When her internal struggles turn to dangerous behavior, her life will hang in the balance.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Let me tell you right up front that I am going to have difficulty reviewing this book because of the heart wrenching premise and the moving emotions that were conveyed. Miss Foster’s writing style was flowing and allowed the characters to come to life from the very start. The friendships, so detailed and poignant yet flawed. Friendships that were so loving and loyal yet secretive with bits of betrayal. Decisions that are truly thought provoking, asking oneself “what would I do in that situation?”. This reader, as in real life, had tears of happiness and silliness but at other times sadness and grief. There is also a spiritual connection between mother and daughter. I think if you believe in an after life, Ms. Foster, describes one that is something we all hope for. An emotional block buster!! Highly Recommend!!!

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

Book Review

Book Review "Any Color But Beige" by Catherine Larose

CMash November 20, 2011 Leave a Comment

ANY COLOR BUT BEIGE by Catherine Larose
Published by Friesen Press

ISBN 978-1-77067-490-5

At the request of WOW Tours, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from back of book): After years of living a beige existence, Cat Larose, international color marketing expert, finally added a little color to her own life. All it took was a Paris sunset and a little red suitcase.

Everyone wanted Cat’s life. She had a handsome husband, a stylish home and a fascinating career as an international color marketing consultant. Work took Cat to some of the world’s most beautiful cities but something was missing: ironically, it was color. One day she found herself in Paris watching a sunset and, in a moment of clarity, she caught a glimpse of her sepia-toned future.

When Cat got home, she did what she’d longed to do for years. She decided to paint her bedroom a magnificent Bordeaux red and put an end to her beige existence and her marriage. That was the beginning of a new life.

Any Color but Beige is a bright, funny, genuine account of one woman’s search for love in the deep end of the dating pool. None of the self-help books prepared Cat for the often funny, occasionally puzzling, sometimes sad but always colorful dating adventures with an international cast of frogs, princes and players. Cat makes the classic female mistake of thinking that love is a life preserver. Until one day she learns to swim.

My Thoughts and Opinion: This was a debut novel by this author so I had no preconceived thoughts as to what type of writing style, talent, interest, character relatability I was in store for. I accepted the request for a book review solely on the synopsis and premise of the book, written as a memoir, and as the synopsis states, also a “bright and funny” account of the author’s life. I was pleasantly surprised once I started reading the book and as I continued. The writing was fluid and flowed as she travels from country to country, and passes through phases of her life. There were some personal issues that I could relate to, even though, there was approximately a decade of an age difference between the author and myself.

However, and not wanting to disclose spoilers and/or nor do I consider myself a prude, the years after her divorce and once again in the “dating arena” her experiences during that time seemed to be a bit much. The underlying moral of the story, though, is true of any woman of any age and whatever stage of one’s life.