Meet Tonya~Featured Reviewer for TinaReviews!!

Hello lovelies!

Today I want to introduce you all to Tonya Speelman, a new featured reviewer at Tina~Reviews. I struck up a reading friendship with Tonya at Goodreads and absolutely adored her reviews. So way back when (last summer) I was contemplating feature reviewers, Tonya was one of the first gals I asked. When she agreed to help out I almost did a back-flip. Yay. Tonya will now be a contributing blogger and will be posting reviews mostly geared towards Inspirational and Contemporary. As Im pulling away a bit from Inspy fiction I wanted a reviewer who could still promote that genre. Also I wanted a reviewer who would concentrate more on "grown up" reads, so yes YA is still big here at the blog, but you will see much more contemporary adult reads between myself and Tonya's reviews.

So to get you all acquainted with Tonya I decided to interview her.

Tonya- its so great to introduce you today! So tell us a little about yourself.

I am the only child of a Lutheran Pastor..I am a SAHM of four, 3 teenage girls and a boy.. Always have a book in my hands.. Love to bake, play board games and just live life with love!

See I knew we had stuff in common, I love to bake, I have one teenager, I always have a book in my hand and I love that beeper thing in the game Taboo....I can drive a person mad with my push the Taboo beeper skills....lol. 

Has reading always been a big part of your life?

Always! My parents are avid readers, my dad being a top 50 reviewer on Amazon! I have gotten 3 of my kids hooked on reading too!

What are your top five books ever?

Ooo that is hard! Water for Elephants, anything by Kristin Hannah, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, What Alice Forgot, The Daughter's Walk

OMW- I love Kristin Hannah, she is on my top five queen bee authors of all time list. 

Favorite Music? 

Im very eclectic, a lil' country, a lil dance, a lot of contemporary Christian!

Yes! Being eclectic makes everything more fun doesn't it. I love a mix of everything too, one of my all time favorites is the band Flyleaf and most people don't know they are a Christian band, I mean if Veronica Roth can write Divergent to one of Flyleafs CDs well then its gotta be good!!!

Favorite Color? 

PINK in any shade!!

I think we might be sisters from another mister........

Favorite Movies? 

Steel Magnolias is my all time (as my family rolls their eyes)

LOL- that movie is so cheesy but I cry every time I see Sally Field freak out in the graveyard

Coke or Pepsi? 

Coke!!! In an old fashioned bottle!

Ill take a fountain Diet Coke with lots of ice and a straw please.

Spaghetti or Tacos? 

Tacos!

Edward Cullen or Mr Darcy? 

Mr Darcy of course! Vampires aren't supposed to sparkle!

ROFL- Yup Id take Mr. Darcy too.........however I cant help but love Edward and all his sparkles.

What are you reading now? 

A YA book by Wendy Mass, 13 Gifts

Best book of 2011? 

What Alice Forgot

You know I never got around to reading that one, but its on the TBR somewhere! 

Tonya thanks for chatting with me today, Im thrilled to have you on as a feature reviewer and cant wait to read and share some of your reviews. 

Tonya will begin reviewing very soon, until then, you can find out more about her and read some fabulous reviews at her Goodreads page!

Shelf Cravings {40}

Welcome to Shelf Cravings, a weekly dish on all things book. New releases, coming soon, just discovered to the Indie on the Nook...this week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon

Survive by Alex Morel

August 2012 by RazorBill

Jane runs away from Life House, a facility for kids with mental health disorders and addictions. She boards a plane to Montclair, New Jersey, though her destination does not matter—she doesn't plan to be alive when the plane lands. Jane has planned the perfect suicide: she’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. As she’s reaching for her pills in the cabin’s bathroom, the plane hits turbulence. Another jolt, and the engine’s down. The plane crashes into the mountains of Montana, and Jane and a boy named Paul are the only two survivors. What starts out as a death mission quickly becomes a fight for life.

My Life in Black & White 

by Natasha Friend

June 2012

Lexi has always been beautiful, but her beauty is taken from her when she goes face-first through a car windshield. Now Lexi has to dig deep to figure out how to define herself. Help on her journey of self-discovery comes from unexpected sources: Ruth, Lexi’s sister, “the smart one” to Lexi’s “the pretty one,” with whom Lexi has never been close; and Theo, a classmate who is still recovering from his sister’s recent death from anorexia. 

Purity by Jackson Pearce

April 24, 2012 by Little Brown

Hours before her mother died, Shelby promised her three things-- to listen to her father, to live life without restraint, and to love whenever possible. Those promises were easy to keep when she was younger, but things get tricky when she turns sixteen. Shelby's still-grieving father joins a committee at their church to host a Princess Ball-- a dance where young women pledge their purity (namely, their virginity) to their father's safekeeping until they marry. But Shelby has a Life List-- things she wants to do, to live without restraint like she promised her mother-- and getting married young isn't on it. Waiting until she's thirty to have her first time isn't on it either. But how is she supposed to keep her promise to listen to her father if she refuses to pledge? By exploiting a loophole- by losing her virginity before the Ball. She and her best friend Jonas make a list of potential partners, but somewhere in-between failed attempts at losing her virginity, trying to answer some lingering questions about God, and planning the Ball with her Dad, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her PURITY.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

August 2012 by Harlequin

In Pushing the Limits, two teens, brought together by their court ordered therapist, work together to learn the secrets of their case files, but neither foresaw the shattering consequences of the learning the truth regarding their families or of falling in love. 

~Just Discovered~

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

2011-Indie

Thanks to a little scandal on Goodreads, McGuire's novel must be read now- regardless of the whole author vs. reviewer I think its a story worth checking out!

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

~Indie Pick for The Nook~

Cycles by Lois D. Brown

December 15, 2011 by Levanter Pub

She remembers things that never happened.

She's a stranger in her own home. 

She always knew she was different.

She just didn't know why.

Until now........Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again.

Its getting harder and harder keeping up with all these fabulous books.....but I think I can handle it!! Im super excited to read Survive and Jackson Pearce always delivers greatness so Purity is sure to be a pleaser or a tick me offer....no clue but I cant wait to find out.

What one looks good to you?

PS- I added the links in title for your own Goodreads page and also Missie- The Unread Reader made my pretty graphic.

And Here is the latest song I've been addicted to:

The End of Normal by Stephanie Madoff Mack

The End of Normal 

by Stephanie Madoff Mack

December 6, 2011 by Penguin

Hardcover, 302 Pages

Borrowed/Compliments of Library

An explosive, heartbreaking memoir from the widow of Mark Madoff and daughter-in-law of Bernard Madoff, the first genuine inside story from a family member who has lived through -- and survived -- both the public crisis and her own deeply personal tragedy.

Review

I went into this book knowing about the back story and scandal of the Madoff's and with the knowledge that the family was and still is extremely wealthy, so I was prepared to enter into this life of glamour and luxury and knew that things in it would probably seem ridiculous to a non-millionaire like me. I guess what intrigued me to read this was the idea of seeing inside the Madoff scandal through the eyes of the widow and the aftermath of Madoff's decision to end his life. What surprised me though was not the careless use of the money flying everywhere, but the fact that Mack did not focus on the scandal or the suicide at all. The memoir was only focused on her and right from the start she tried to paint herself as someone who didn't portray the woman in this book. Take the truth of who you are out of the picture and I have a really hard time seeing the purpose behind this book besides the fact that you felt obliged to air your in-laws dirty laundry. I might know now that Madoff's mother is a racist greed monger and that his brother dates mean girls......but seriously what insight does that give to Mark Madoff's death?

Obviously without Mack even telling me, I know the man was feeling extremely depressed, overwhelmed and considered suicide to be his only way out. Seeing how he attempted suicide before he actually succeeded in doing it should have sent some type of warning signs to the family. Madoff was screaming for help and it seemed like everyone was too worried about money and the media rather than the mental health of this man. On the day that Madoff actually did kill himself, he was alone with his infant son while Stephanie was in Disneyland with her daughter...spending explosive amounts of money on a vacation she shouldn't have been on. When Mack shares her thoughts on that day its a jumble of jacked up emotions and not a reaction I would have imagined from a devastated spouse. Madoff's decision was wrong and anyone who has been touched by suicide knows along with the grief there is also anger at the pure selfishness of it. But the way the family handled things, Im left wondering if these people have been so corrupted by money that they now have no souls. 

Macks memoir doesn't scream heartbreak, she's not the grieving widow, she's more the jilted bride who lost her meal card and had to write a book for some fast cash and throw the Madoff family as far under the bus as she could.....even including the x-wife who had nothing to do with anything. Sounds harsh but that's exactly what I read on each page. There was a painful amount of whining and complaining about fights over how they would spend their next million, how he loved his kids from a previous marriage more than her, how his parents were nice but mean to her and how embarrassed she was after the whole Madoff scandal broke and was unable to use her credit cards for huge shopping sprees. Even after the suicide we still hear all the complaining, the brothers girlfriend who is mean, the x-wife who is meddling, the mother who is gone into zombie-mode and the horror, when Madoff's family (mainly his two oldest children) wanted some of his personal belongings and Mack wanted to keep them all for her own children. What I missed through all this was the anguish or any emotion over losing her husband, so instead of the reaction I thought I would feel (due to the suicide) my overall emotion reading through Mack's lamenting sort of resembled this clip from SpongeBob.

All of the me, me, me really grated on my nerves half way through the book. Mack's constant blame on everyone and everything seriously took away from the tragic act of Madoff's decision which in the end equaled a tangled mess of back and forth blame games, self-loathing, vacations and greed. The real tragedy is not the lack of money or the crap that needs to get divided, its the children Madoff left behind who will grow up without their father. Kids who will never have him to counteract the rumors and the spins on his character. No matter his crime, guilt or innocence, there was an alternative to suicide. Sadly what seems to be his legacy is a selfish family fighting over his watches and an unclear answer to the extent of his involvement with Bernard Madoff. Perhaps had the memoir been sincere and I saw more than a woman concerned with money, I would have felt bad for her. As much as Mack wanted me to see the "normal girl who lost everything", what Im left with is a question: What really happened to Mark Madoff and where in this story did he even fit in?

Rating

While I wouldn't recommend this novel, people who enjoy memoirs might like it. The writing is somewhat choppy with fragmented dialog and Contains: Whining, complaining, groaning and moaning, scandal, irresponsibility, bad parenting, plenty of vacations....and one page about a suicide.

2/5- Memoir-Biography

Tempting Tuesdays- Week 4 & Wrap Up

Its Vampire time!! Welcome to the last Tempting Tuesdays, a read-along inspired by Some Girls Bite and brought to you by: Jenny at Supernatural Snark, Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight and Missie at The Unread Reader. Today we are finishing up are book talk and its the last week for chance to win the awesome prize pack. Join us...link up your answers today at The Unread Reader.

Chapters 13-Epilogue
Questions provided by Missie at The Unread Reader

Chapter 13 opens with Merit describing her new job routine as House Sentinel. Considering that every job Cadogan House is important in helping to make the house run efficiently, which job do you think you'd like to have (guard, cook, social director, gardener, etc.) and why?

Ohhhh, Id say the social director, I can whip up a mean dish of enchiladas and cupcakes, all the while throwing the best birthday party ever, with fabulous party favors planned months in advance....little girls and moms rave about my princess polka-dot tea parties!!!

In the supernatural world of Chicagoland Vampires, politics seem to play an important role in the way the Houses are run. Now that you've been introduced to the Rogues, do you think it's better for vampires to be a part of a House or to live outside of one.

Part of a house for sure! I like the idea of the whole support system. Even though Merit is cranky with Ethan at times, she still has a network of possibilities, resources and encouragement from her fellow housemates.

After Morgan openly asks to court Merit, she feels betrayed when Ethan commands her to accept for the show of alliance it could bring to Cadogan House. Do you think her reaction was warranted?

Of course! I wouldn't want to be forced into dating anyone, hot or not!! I like Ethan and all but a swift kick to the fragile region might do some good at this point. Merit wears kick-butt boots right?

When Ethan meets with the perpetrator of the murders, were you surprised to discover who it was? If you suspected someone, were your suspensions correct? What did you think of the perpetrator's motive? 

So I was shocked that the killer was who it was......(jaw on floor) was I suppose to see that coming??? 

Killers Motive: Typical catty behavior for greedy, power-lusty vampire types.

What was your favorite/least favorite parts of Some Girls Bite?

Favorites: When Merit defends Ethan, I thought that whole scene really showed Merits character- loyal, honest, fierce and someone to have on your side

Ethan and Merits first almost kiss

Reading through Merits training with Jeff and Catcher

The screaming mermaids or faeries...whoever those party crashers were.

Least favorite: The scene when Merit walks in on Ethan and Amber...(ew............Amber!!)

What do you think is coming up next for Merit, Sentinel of Cadogan House? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

I think Merit is going to be a kick-butt protector of the Cadogen House....and perhaps down the road may become master of her own house. I cant wait to finish the entire series and hope to see Merit and Ethan become a real couple. I want Morgan out of there, unless of course his character gets much more developed, I cant wait to see where Chloe takes us with these characters.

Its been fun girls!! Read-alongs are the best!

The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy

The Sound of Red Returning 

by Sue Duffy

January 2012 by Kregel 

Paperback, 288 Pages

Review Copy

After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can't shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she's giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash. It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he'd been spying for Russia. She had seen that man--that eerie face--the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he's back--and coming for her. 

On the run and struggling to rely on the protection of CIA agent Ava Mullins and handsome newspaper reporter Cade O'Brien, Liesl learns she is the prey of an underground cell of Russian KGB agents determined to restore their country to its former Soviet might. But what she doesn't know is that she is in possession of something--a piece of sheet music--that Russian intelligence is now frantic to find. Inside that music is a secret code, the hidden transcriptions of her deceased mentor, that clearly identify a Russian mole operating inside Israel's Department of Defense, a mole with enough power and access to execute a daring assassination that no one would see coming. 

Thoughts

The first few chapters of this novel are for sure attention grabbing, following Liesel in her backwards memories to present day proved to be a smart, fast paced plunge into the world of Russian spies, government conspiracies and life on the run. 

While political thrillers are normally out of my comfort zone, I actually found many elements of Duffy's novel exciting. I loved the way Duffy mixed romance, music and the intense mystery all together creating a intriguing character in Liesel who as a result of the past and present time periods, we see grow as a character. The best aspect is the actual reveal, I love when a book surprises me after I think I've solved it. While this is a great mystery and political thriller, I would only recommend this to readers who enjoy inspirational fiction, as the faith/religious theme is highly present. 

Rating

Recommended to adult readers who enjoy thrillers or Inspy fiction. Contains: Murder, Violence and suspense- otherwise this novel is very wholesome.

3/5- Inspy-Thriller
Thanks to Kregel and Liffuse for Review Copy

Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:


* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning by Sue Duffy



To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11. Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!


Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.