The Theory of Opposites by Allison Winn Scotch

Willa Chandler-Golden's father changed the world with his self-help bestseller, Is It Really Your Choice? Why Your Entire Life May Be Out of Your Control. Millions of devoted fans now find solace in his notion that everything happens for a reason. Though Willa isn’t entirely convinced of her father’s theories, she readily admits that the universe has delivered her a solid life: a reliable husband, a fast-paced career. Sure there are hiccups – negative pregnancy tests, embattled siblings - but this is what the universe has brought, and life, if she doesn’t think about it too much, is wonderful.

Then her (evidently not-so-reliable) husband proposes this: A two-month break. Two months to see if they can't live their lives without each other. And before Willa can sort out destiny and fate and what it all means, she’s axed from her job, her 12 year-old nephew Nicky moves in, her ex-boyfriend finds her on Facebook, and her best friend Vanessa lands a gig writing for Dare You!, the hottest new reality TV show. And then Vanessa lures Willa into dares of her own - dares that run counter to her father’s theories of fate, dares that might change everything…but only if Willa is brave enough to stop listening to the universe and instead aim for the stars.

The Theory of Opposites has the feel of most books in it's same genre, but this one takes it one step more and made me stop and think about what do I think? Do I believe in fate, so it doesn't matter what I do and think the outcome is always going to be the same or do I control my own destiny. I won't bore you with my thoughts about fate, but I will tell you I enjoyed The Theory of Opposites by Allison Winn Scotch. The protectionist Willa is just such a likable character, she doesn't go out of her way to ruffle feathers (perfectly written middle child--seriously she reminded me of my younger sister!). She has this overly dominating dad who believes what he wrote and insists everyone should as if he is all-knowing. (He kinda drove me nuts). I was actually surprised by the husband and his desire for a two-month break. I was mad for Willa and was like go Vanessa for being such a good friend and pushing Willa to find her own voice.

I believe what I enjoyed most about this novel, is Scotch didn't reinvent a whole new Willa in two months. She moved her, grew her, but in a way that was very believable. Her whole personality and tendencies didn't just change 100%. So in the end I wasn't completely sure how she would handle everything...would she still see fate? Would she go with the flow?

I also really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters! I thought they added just enough to the story, I loved how life was still happening while Willa was working on daring herself. I'm going to have to stop here, because I want to keep blabbing about the book and I don't want to give any spoilers! I really enjoyed The Theory of Opposites and recommend it. I dare you to grab a copy!

Oh and PS Allison Winn Scotch has been discussing thoughts about the book (like a book club with the author, how cool!) on her facebook page! Make sure to check it out!

Follow Allison Winn Scotch

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Buy your copy of The Theory of Opposites by Allison Winn Scotch

Barnes & Noble | Amazon 

The Spirit Keeper: A Novel by K.B. Laugheed + Giveaway

A fiery frontier woman falls deeply in love with her Native American captor on an epic journey

The thirteenth child conceived of miserable Irish exiles, Katie O’Toole dreams of a different life. Little does she know that someone far away is dreaming of her.
In 1747, savages raid her family home, and seventeen-year-old Katie is taken captive. Syawa and Hector have been searching for her, guided by Syawa’s dreams. A young Holyman, Syawa believes Katie is the subject of his Vision: the Creature of Fire and Ice, destined to bring a great gift to his people. Despite her flaming hair and ice-blue eyes, Katie is certain he is mistaken, but faced with
returning to her family, she agrees to join them. She soon discovers that in order to fulfill Syawa’s Vision, she must first become his Spirit Keeper, embarking on an epic journey that will change her life—and heart—forever.

Growing up I loved watching movies with my dad. It was something he and I did, we were both movie buffs. Never on my own would I have watched an old western or a science fiction movie, but happily I would sit and watch with him and a big bowl of popcorn between us. Even now when my husband puts on a movie I will wonder if my dad would have enjoyed this movie. When I read the synopsis of THE SPIRIT KEEPER I couldn't help but think of my dad. I surely have not read any book about Indians and frontier life as an adult, but I thought if this was a movie dad and I would have watched. I knew I wanted to read it even though it isn't a typical genre I would read.

I was wrong, this is exactly the type of book I would read. A story of a young seventeen year old girl taken from her family and begins an epic adventure of traveling across American with strangers, a journey of self discovery. Wow. There was nothing about this book I didn't love! I loved how Laugheed used just the right about of dialect in her writing, so I could clearly 'hear' Katie. I loved the interesting discovery of how two cultures lived, as Katie and her companions, Syawa and Hector travel.

THE SPIRIT KEEPER read easily and quickly. I had an inkling on how the story might progress, but it was so much more. I was captivated by Katie's story. It opens up with her journaling about her journey. The story is through her eyes. When she loves, I loved. I felt like I was right there next to her during her travels.

I'm not one who is typically sad when a book ends. I see it's coming, I want to know how it's going to wrap up. As I began to notice I had very few pages left, I was sad. I wanted to stay with Katie. I wasn't ready to leave her or her adventure. This is a story of love, loss, adventure, letting go, and growing up. I am excited to recommend THE SPIRIT KEEPER and I hope you read it. I'm also so thankful to TLC for sending me a copy to review and to be able to offer a copy to giveaway to one lucky US/Cananda reader!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy a copy of The Spirit Keeper: A Novel by K.B. Laugheed

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

K.B. Laugheed's Website

a Rafflecopter giveaway

K. B. Laugheed’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Wednesday, November 20th:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, November 25th:  Book-alicious Mama

Tuesday, November 26th:  SusieBookWorm

Wednesday, November 27th:  Book Drunkard

Friday, November 29th:  WV Stitcher

Tuesday, December 3rd:  Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, December 4th:  Books Without Any Pictures

Thursdya, December 5th:  Book Marks the Spot

Monday, December 9th:  From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, December 10th:  Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Wednesday, December 11th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Thursday, December 12th:  Ageless Pages Reviews

Friday, December 13th:  Reading Reality

Monday, December 16th:  Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 18th:  Must Read Faster

Friday, December 20th:  A Novel Review

Monday, December 23rd:  Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books

THE FIVE W’S and How Of Heather Webb

Heather Webb grew up a military brat and naturally became obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She put her degrees to good use teaching high school French for nearly a decade before turning to full time novel writing and freelance editing. Her debut, BECOMING JOSEPHINE will release December 31, 2013 from Plume/Penguin.

When not writing, Heather flexes her foodie skills or looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. She loves to chitchat on Twitter with new reader friends or writers (@msheatherwebb) or via her blog (http://www.HeatherWebb.net) Stop on by!

WHO? Who are you besides a writer?
Besides a writer, I’m a freelance editor and blogger, a mom, a foodie, and a culture junkie. I also happen to be a former high school teacher and track coach.
WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
Other than family time, I really love experimenting in the kitchen. I’m a total cookbook slut. I collect those with lots of beautiful pictures and innovative ingredients, and I especially enjoy cookbooks with cultural tidbits in them. And baking…ahhhh…my Achilles heel. I adore it. Also very high on the list is traveling and foreign films.
WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been writing all my life in various forms, though none of it was serious. It didn’t occur to me to write a book until I had been teaching several years. Even then, I didn’t really wrap my brain around the idea until I had resigned from work to raise my kids. Between naps and feedings, I had quiet time in my head. That’s when all the creative energy took me by storm.
WHERE? Where do you write?
The bulk of my writing is done at a couple of coffee shops I love in town. It’s very hard to get work done when the kiddos are home. But my youngest is finally in school part time so I’m starting to work some at home, too.
WHY? Why do you write?
Because I ADORE books, the human story, escaping to another life. I like to feel something, to believe in something. Books do all of this for me and so much more. I have always fawned over beautiful phrases and imagery. To give even a little of this to someone else, from my own hand, feels like such a gift. A little treasure I can leave them with and also give myself—spending all that time in this magical world.
How? Has your writing success changed your life?
Well, for one, it changed my career. No more full-time teaching for me. (If I can help it, that is) It has also changed the way I view my world. I’ve always been an observer of details, but now when I look/listen/smell something, my brain is immediately at work, looking for away to put that little piece of beauty into words. Writing success has also changed my stress level from moderately low to moderately high. This business is nuts, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

About the Book:

Rose sails from Martinique to Paris to trade her plantation ways and Creole black magic culture for love and adventure. But her haughty Parisian husband dashes her hopes when he abandons her amid the tumult of the French Revolution.

Through her savoir faire, Rose secures her footing in high society, reveling in handsome men and glitzy balls—until the heads of her friends begin to roll. After narrowly escaping death in the blood-drenched cells of Les Carmes prison, she reinvents herself as Josephine, a socialite of status and power.

Yet her youth is fading, and Josephine must choose between a precarious independence and the unwelcome love of an awkward suitor. Little does she know, he would become the most powerful man of his century—Napoleon Bonaparte.

BECOMING JOSEPHINE is a novel of one woman’s journey to find eternal love and stability, and ultimately to find herself.

 Learn more about Heather Webb by following her

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Pre-Order your copy of BECOMING JOSEPHINE

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Thanks so much for joining us, Heather!

I'll be reviewing Becoming Josephine in a few weeks! I can't wait to read it!

Morning Glory by Sarah Jio

Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street. She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier. Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge.

Sarah Jio has written another fan favorite. I love her easy way of telling a story, well not one story, but two. This story was a little different for me I suppose because there was such a sad undertone for both woman. You know how things are going to end for poor Penny and you know Ada is running from her past.

Even though the story has a sad undertone, Jio slowly pulled me a long and I began to see hope...hope for both Ada and Penny! I desperately wanted both ladies to have happily endings. I loved the slow growth of Ada, her back and forth feelings and struggles. When she began opening up about her past, her pain...I was a mess! I mean seriously, never ever...I was NOT prepared for the what. It made me love her more, root for her and Alex even more. Hope the two of them could move forward.

Then there was Penny. Penny was just plain sweet. I honestly felt like I knew how things were going to play out, the who did what...nope. I again was not prepared.

I haven't read a Sarah Jio book I didn't love and Morning Glory was no exception! It made me remember why I always rave about her books! I loved how her newest book was a bit of a change of pace in the sense that Penny's story wasn't all that long ago. I really enjoyed the change of pace. I also loved the houseboat! I kept picturing the lifestyle in my head! I just think it would be really cool to live on one!

So the question is, am I recommending Morning Glory? YES! Go buy a copy, heck it's Christmas go buy a few copies and give them to the women in your life--they will love you for it!

Buy your copy of Morning Glory by Sarah Jio

Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Follow Sarah Jio (really, she is super sweet and she loves to share about her writing!)

Twitter | Facebook | Website

Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

At twenty-one, Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Natty, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced Catholic mother and Jewish father. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up in a gas station mini-mart and falling in love with a great wall of a man named William Ashe, who willingly steps between the armed robber and her son.

Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his universe. But William doesn’t define destiny the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.

Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, in a funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness,; about a virgin birth, a sacrifice, and a resurrection; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be. It’s a novel about discovering what we want and ultimately finding what we need.

Let me begin with, I've not read anything by Joshilyn Jackson before. I've wanted to and even have one of her other books. So when I saw her newest book was going on tour I was thrilled to finally read one of her books. I started reading SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY and as soon as I started reading it...I found it to be odd--not the right word, quirky? Just not what I was expecting. I was interested in the story, but not really committed to the characters.

Then I hit part 2 of the story (there are three parts). HELLO MAGIC! It was like THIS is what people mean when they rave about Joshilyn Jackson! Suddenly all these characters; Shandi, William, Walcott, Mimmy (and really all of them) I find myself completely invested in what is going to happen! I fell in love with them, I wanted happily ever afters and instead there is all sorts of 'stuff'. Life. People. Obstacles...pasts, but oh I wanted a happy ending. There are people in this story that you think no way would I want good things for them and yet you do...I did. I found myself wanting a happy ending for everyone. This novel was so unexpectedly wonderful! I could not, could not get over all of the twists and turns! I went from smiling to crying to saying, "oh my goodness!" back to crying!

I love how when I completed reading it, I felt better for having read it...like I had been part of SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY and it was unexpectedly beautiful. I am very much recommending it and I hope you will buy a copy for someone you love!

(totally corny, but 'tis the season): Frosty the Snowman have have magic found a magical black hat, but Jackson surely has magic in her fingertips!

Follow Joshilyn Jackson

Twitter | Facebook | Website

Tuesday, November 19th: BookNAround

Wednesday, November 20th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Monday, November 25th: Tina’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, November 26th: The Blog of Lit Wits

Wednesday, November 27th: Tina’s Book Reviews

Thursday, November 28th: Mom in Love With Fiction

Friday, November 29th: Books à la Mode

Monday, December 2nd: Drey’s Library

Tuesday, December 3rd: Into the Hall of Books

Wednesday, December 4th: Broken Teepee

Thursday, December 5th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, December 9th: guiltless reading

Tuesday, December 10th: Book-alicious Mama

Wednesday, December 11th: A Novel Review

Thursday, December 12th: Time 2 Read

Monday, December 16th: The Lost Entwife

Tuesday, December 17th: BoundbyWords

Wednesday, December 18th: Alison’s Book Marks

Thursday, December 19th: she treads softly

Friday, December 20th: Book Snob

The Pieces We Keep by Kristina McMorris

From Goodreads: 

Two years have done little to ease veterinarian Audra Hughes’s grief over her husband’s untimely death. Eager for a fresh start, Audra plans to leave Portland for a new job in Philadelphia. Her seven-year-old son, Jack, seems apprehensive about flying—but it’s just the beginning of an anxiety that grows to consume him.

As Jack’s fears continue to surface in recurring and violent nightmares, Audra hardly recognizes the introverted boy he has become. Desperate, she traces snippets of information unearthed in Jack’s dreams, leading her to Sean Malloy, a struggling US Army veteran wounded in Afghanistan. Together they unravel a mystery dating back to World War II, and uncover old family secrets that still have the strength to wound—and perhaps, at last, to heal. 

My Review:

I love World War II stories.  This had a different twist on it, due to it being actually two stories.  The story of  Audra/Jack and Vivian/Isaak/Gene.   Audra and Jack are present day.   Vivian/Isaak/Gene are World War II.  I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how they all connected. I had ideas and am happy to say that I did figure it out and loved how it worked out.

Every character in this book was true to life.   I found myself connecting to many of them.  I cannot choose a favorite.   Audra, as a single mom, was amazing.  The time and devotion she gave to Jack made her a star in my eyes.  Vivian, from World War II, kept me reading.  I had to know how she dealt with the rough times in her life and watch her enjoy the great times.   Isaak confused me.  I wasn’t sure what to think of him.   He seemed to take a lot from Vivian, but didn’t seem to give her a lot back other than heart break.    Gene was the man we all want.  He promised Vivian he would take care of her and then took that seriously, even when he wasn’t sure he still loved her.  

This is a book for everyone.  There is romance, history, and a mystery all mixed into a great story.    I believe that book clubs would love this book, as would the regular reader. 

Purchase The Pieces We Keep

Barnes and Noble   |    Goodreads    |   Amazon

Learn more about Kristina McMorris

Goodreads   |   Facebook    |   Twitter   |   Website