Review: The One That I Want

Summary: Tilly Farmer is thirty-two years old and has the perfect life she always dreamed of: married to her high school sweetheart, working as a guidance counselor in her hometown, trying for a baby. Perfect.

In fact, on the surface you might never know how tough things used to be. At seventeen, Tilly lost her mother to cancer, her father drowned his grief in alcohol, and she played parent to her two younger sisters more often than being a kid herself. Still Tilly never let tragedy overtake her belief that hard work and good cheer could solve any problem. Of course she’s also spent a lifetime plastering a smile on her face and putting everyone else’s problems ahead of her own.

But that relentless happiness has served her well—her sisters are grown and content, her dad is ten years sober, and she’s helping her students achieve all their dreams while she and her husband, Tyler, start a family. A perfect life indeed.

Then one sweltering afternoon at the local fair, everything changes. Tilly wanders into the fortune teller’s tent and is greeted by an old childhood friend, now a psychic, who offers her more than just a reading. “I’m giving you the gift of clarity,” her friend says. “It’s what I always thought you needed.” And soon enough, Tilly starts seeing things: her father relapsing, staggering out of a bar with his car keys in hand; Tyler uprooting their happy, stable life, a packed U-Haul in their driveway; and even more disturbing, these visions start coming true. Suddenly Tilly’s perfect life, so meticulously mapped out, seems to be crumbling around her. And she’s not sure what’s more frightening: that she’s begun to see the future or what the future holds . . .

As Tilly furiously races to keep up with—and hopefully change—her destiny, she faces the question: Which is the life she wants? The one she’s carefully nursed for decades, or the one she never considered possible? -- Shaye Areheart Books

For some absolutely insane reason, I had never read a book by Allison Winn Scotch. I certainly have heard wonderful things about her first two novels, but it wasn't until I won an ARC of her latest novel THE ONE THAT I WANT from Ms. Winn Scotch's Facebook page that I actually sat down and read one. All I can say is that I've been missing out in a major way. I absolutely loved THE ONE THAT I WANT!

I admit that the first thing that attracted me to this novel was the cover, but when I read the book's description, I quickly realized that the plot sounded terrific as well. I was expecting a chick-lit type book (and in some ways it was), but I was pleasantly surprised by how deep this novel was too. I think Ms. Winn Scotch struck the perfect chord in THE ONE THAT I WANT.

THE ONE THAT I WANT is exactly the type of book that I adore. While I admit to enjoying a light read every now and then, I loved that this novel explored some serious topics such as the changes that occur in our lives as well as the ups and downs of relationships. I really appreciated how the author incorporated a magical element into this story. It was an extremely effective way to tell the story, and I didn't even find it out of the realm of possibility (I guess you could say that I found it somewhat believable!)

One of the main reasons I think this book resonated with me so much was because I loved the character of Tilly. On the outside, Tilly has everything -- the perfect life exactly as she has planned. She is married to her high-school sweetheart and even works as a guidance counselor at her high school. While in some ways I admired Tilly's sense of contentment, I could tell early on that she might be living her life with blinders on. When Tilly runs into an old classmate at the town fair, she discovers that she has been given the gift of clarity -- in other words, Tilly begins to see the future. Tilly quickly discovers that her life isn't at all as perfect as she thought.

While I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say THE ONE THAT I WANT is a coming-of-age novel because Tilly is thirty-two years old, in many ways, that's exactly what this book is. Tilly begins to see her life in an new way. She sees her father, her sisters, her friends, her job, her husband and even herself in an entirely new light; and she definitely doesn't like that her perfect world is turning upside down. What I loved about this book is how Tilly begins to realize things about herself and her relationships and ultimately learns to discover what she really wants.

I was thoroughly impressed with Ms. Winn Scotch's writing style. She had just the right amount of humor in the story to make it entertaining, but she also made this book surprisingly deep. I think she did a remarkable job of developing the character of Tilly. Tilly was kind of a mess, but a likable one! She was extremely complex, yet believable; and I think many women who read this novel will relate to her. I think the author captured Tilly's voice perfectly, and I also thought the dialogue was terrific. One other treat was how Ms. Winn Scotch incorporated plays, songs and lyrics into the story (especially all of the references to Grease!)

THE ONE THAT I WANT is a perfect discussion book for book clubs. I know the members of my group would love this story and I can't wait to share the novel with them. Needless to say, the character of Tilly is just begging to be analyzed. However, I also think there are many interesting themes to discuss such as relationships, change, identity, acceptance, forgiveness, and new beginnings to name just a few. Here's the link to the reading group guide in case you are interested.

If you are like me and unfamiliar with Ms. Winn Scotch's books, then I suggest that you get your hands on THE ONE THAT I WANT. I enjoyed it so much that I'm ordering her first two novels because I immediately wanted more!

Make sure you come back tomorrow because the author will be stopping by with a terrific guest post. I also have an extra copy of THE ONE THAT I WANT to share with one lucky reader.

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of her novel.

Review: The Island

Summary: The Petrakis family lives in the small Greek seaside village of Plaka. Just off the coast is the tiny island of Spinalonga, where the nation's leper colony once was located—a place that has haunted four generations of Petrakis women. There's Eleni, ripped from her husband and two young daughters and sent to Spinalonga in 1939, and her daughters Maria, finding joy in the everyday as she dutifully cares for her father, and Anna, a wild child hungry for passion and a life anywhere but Plaka. And finally there's Alexis, Eleni's great-granddaughter, visiting modern-day Greece to unlock her family's past.

A richly enchanting novel of lives and loves unfolding against the backdrop of the Mediterranean during World War II, The Island is an enthralling story of dreams and desires, of secrets desperately hidden, and of leprosy's touch on an unforgettable family. -- Harper

For my book club's March meeting, we read THE ISLAND by Victoria Hislop. Last week I gave a summary of our meeting, but I hadn't had a chance to write my review yet. I'm finally getting around to it -- better late, than never, right? I really, really liked THE ISLAND and this novel gave me a lot to think about.

THE ISLAND is a relatively big book -- almost 500 pages; and yet, I was able to read it in just a few sittings. The book was obviously very interesting to me, but it was also very well written. It was just a book that I didn't want to put down, and it definitely didn't read like a chunkster. The descriptions of Greece were beautiful, the dialogue was natural, and the characters were well developed. I thought the author had a knack for drawing me in and making me become caught up in Maria's life (it didn't hurt that she was just so nice and likable.)

Rarely do I read a book where I like so many of the characters, but the entire Petrakis family and their friends were so sweet. I loved Maria because she just symbolized pure good, but I also thought her parents were marvelous (and so strong.) The only weak link in the family was Maria's sister Anna who was just despicable. Anna definitely personified evil, and she was one of the most selfish characters that I have come across in my recent reading. It's too bad that some of her genes flowed down into the other characters.

In some ways, THE ISLAND reminded me a bit of MOLOKA'I by Alan Brennert. There are a lot of similarities especially since MOLOKA'I was also about a young woman being banished to a leper colony. So many of the thoughts and feelings I had while reading MOLOKA'I resurfaced when I read THE ISLAND. Ms. Hislop did a terrific job of not only exploring what it would be like to contract leprosy, but also how people didn't give up when they received their diagnoses. I loved seeing the strength and resilience of the people who were isolated because of their disease. And in many ways, I found these people and their "town" to be more advanced and civilized than from where they had left.

I did have a few issues with the story which I hesitate to even bring up in my review because overall, this book was very enjoyable. But I did think the strength of the novel was the flashback to the Petrakis family's story -- I loved this part. The first few chapters which set up the story and the last few didn't seem to be as effective as the rest of the novel -- I even thought the modern day characters were a little flat and I didn't think the writing was as good. In addition, I thought the last few chapters were kind of wrapped up too quickly for a 500 page novel. But these issues only affected a few pages of an otherwise wonderful story!

I highly recommend THE ISLAND for book clubs who enjoy literary fiction and/or historical fiction. Our entire group thoroughly enjoyed the book (except for the first few and last few chapters), and we found a great deal to discuss. There is a reading guide available, but we ended up covering most of the questions without even needing to reference it. Some of the themes your group might explore include family dynamics, secrets, death, grief, love, sibling rivalry, resilience, compassion, sacrifice, and hope.

I highly recommend THE ISLAND if you are a fan of historical fiction books, especially ones set around World War II. Of course, the entire storyline surrounding the leprosy colony and Greece didn't hurt either. I found so much of this book to be fascinating (as did my entire book club), and I think many of you will agree.

Thanks to Book Club Girl for sending me a copy of this book a few years back!

Review: The Opposite of Me

Summary: Twenty-nine-year-old Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, lived in the shadow of her ravishingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. Determined to get noticed, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of being named VP creative director of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of eighty-plus-hour weeks, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating night, Lindsey’s carefully constructed life implodes.

Humiliated, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parents’ Maryland home. As her sister plans her lavish wedding to her Prince Charming, Lindsey struggles to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible twin while she furtively tries to piece her career back together. But things get more complicated when a long-held family secret is unleashed that forces both sisters to reconsider who they are and who they are meant to be. -- Washington Square Press

THE OPPOSITE OF ME by Sarah Pekkanen is one book that I have been dying to read. A little over a year ago, I subscribed to Ms. Pekannen's email newsletter in anticipation of learning more about her debut novel; and I have been following her ever since. In fact, I actually won her monthly newsletter contest way back in December of 2008; and I even won an ARC of THE OPPOSITE OF ME on Christmas Eve! I already considered myself a fan of Ms. Pekkanen's before the book was even released (not that the awesome presents had anything to do with it!)

So I admit that while I was anxious to read THE OPPOSITE OF ME, I was also a little concerned. I had been building up anticipation of this book for over a year. I mean -- what if I didn't really like the novel? Well, I am so happy to say that I didn't have to worry about that. I really, really liked THE OPPOSITE OF ME, and I know that many women will agree with me. It's just one of those books that was a pleasure to read.

THE OPPOSITE OF ME is really, at its heart, Lindsey's story. Lindsey is a successful 29 year old advertising exec who seems to have it all on the outside; however, the reader quickly can see that Lindsey is carrying a lot of baggage around. She has never felt like she can live up her to very beautiful twin sister, so she has overcompensated by proving herself as a career woman ... if she can't be the beautiful one, she can be the smart, successful one. I really found myself liking Lindsey (despite her faults) and I thought the author did a wonderful job of developing her character.

When Lindsey's world falls apart, she heads back home to her parents. Like many adult children who return home, she has some adjustment issues (which proved to be very entertaining at times.) Lindsey hopes to find some comfort in the familiar, but she learns that it's never that simple. She has to face her "perfect" sister's marriage plans as well as re-discovering her feelings for her ex-boyfriend. I really think in so many ways that THE OPPOSITE OF ME was a coming-of-age story for Lindsey (even though she was 29 years old!) Throughout the course of the novel, Lindsey learned a great deal about herself, her relationship with her sister, and what would make her truly happy.

One thing I loved about this novel was how it explored the relationship between sisters -- and in this case, twin sisters. Having a sister who is almost nine years younger, I can't say that I experienced first hand the competition and rivalry like Lindsey and Alex had; however, I could still relate to many of the feelings that Lindsey experienced about her sister. I absolutely adored how Ms. Pekannen explored the sister dynamic thing and had both women realize that they didn't know everything about each other (or themselves for that matter.)

Since I have been following Sarah for awhile now, I wasn't really surprised by her writing style. I was expecting the book to be well written, and I just knew that it would be funny. What I wasn't sure about was whether THE OPPOSITE OF ME would be just a light, chick-lit type read -- not that there's anything wrong with that. The novel definitely seemed to start out that way with Lindsey having a high-powered job, living in New York City, having man problems, etc; however, as I read the book, I was pleasantly impressed with how the story became much more involved and even deeper than I initially thought.

I also admit that I was surprised a little by the ending of this novel. I was kind of expecting things to be wrapped up in a neat little bow, and they weren't really that clear cut. I don't want to give too much away, but I did want to say that appreciated how the author didn't take the easy way out with the ending of this book. I found the story to be much more rewarding without a traditional happy ending.

THE OPPOSITE OF ME would make an excellent discussion book for female book clubs. The story is obviously very entertaining, and there are also some deeper issues that can be further explored. There is a reading guide available with some wonderful questions. It also includes a great Q&A with the author. I think Lindsey is a fascinating character and I'd love to analyze her. Some of the other topics for discussion include family dynamics, sibling rivalry, the bond between twins, sisterly relationships, career choices, and happiness.

Needless to say, THE OPPOSITE OF ME was a wonderful read. I highly recommend it to fans of chick-lit as well as women's fiction. It's a heart-warming story that at the same time is very funny. I can't wait to see what Ms. Pekkanen has to offer us next!

Thanks to the author and SheKnows for sending me an ARC of this novel.

Books Won Reading Challenge

It's that time of year....Book Challenges. I just found another one that I can't resist -- the Books Won Reading Challenge hosted by Teddy Rose from So Many Precious Books, So Little Time.

Here's the scoop straight from Teddy Rose's mouth:

This is a new challenge I have come up with to read and review some of the books I have won from other bloggers. The reason publishing companies supply books for book bloggers to give away is to get word out about the books and create buzz. I feel bad that I haven't read many of the book I have won and want to make an effort to read them in 2010.

If you would like to join me, here are the levels:

Honorable Mention: Read 1-3 book you won.
Bronze: Read 4-6 books you won.
Silver: Read 7-9 Books you won.
Gold: Read 10 or more books you won.

The Rules:

1. You must write a review for each book that you read for it to count. If you do not have a blog you can write your reviews on a place like Amazon, Powell's, Chapters, etc. 2.Crossovers with other challenges are okay.

3. Audiobooks count, as long as you won them. As do won e-books.

4. You can change up levels but cannot go back down a level.

5. Make a list of the books won that you plan to read for the challenge. You can always make changes to the list.

To sign up, leave a direct link to your blog post about this challenge , using Mr. Linky below. Please leave a comment as well.

Please subscribe to my blog, as I will be doing a monthly post with MR Linky. Please add your reviews for each month in MR Linky in the monthly post. For your Name, please use this format Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader). Please be sure to use the direct link to your review, not just to your blog. Then please leave a comment.

I am going for the Bronze level (Read 4 - 6 books I've won) at a minimum. I'm hoping that I can use books read in this challenge towards some of my other challenges. If not, I'm in big trouble! The challenge runs from January 2 through December 31, 2010.

Here's my list (although it's subject to change):

THE OPPOSITE OF ME by Sarah Pekkanen
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS BOWL by Susan May Warren
POSED FOR MURDER by Meredith Cole
THE SHIMMER by David Morrell

This challenge sounds like a lot of fun, and I can definitely use an incentive for reading some of my books in my TBR pile!