Review: Snugg iPhone 5c Ultra Thin Clear Case

If you are a regular reader at Booking Mama, then you already know that I'm a big fan of Snugg products. Recently, I was asked to try out a phone case and I knew exactly which one I wanted -- the iPhone 5c Ultra Thin Clear Case. I got an iPhone 5c last November in the coral/pink color and I absolutely love it. But here's my dilemma... I don't want to cover the phone because it's so cute, and yet, I feel as if I need some sort of protection.

That's why the iPhone 5c Ultra Thin Clear Case is perfect for me. It's clear so my coral/pink color shows through and it's so light and thin that it doesn't add any bulk. In fact, my phone with this case still fits in my armband that I use when working out. (I've had cases that I have to take on and off each time I use the armband -- not fun!)

Here are a few things that this case has to offer:

• Sleek, clear cover for the iPhone 5c.
• Special design provides the ultimate Snugg fit. 
• Tough PC plastic resists scuff marks and scratches. 
• One of the thinnest, lightest cases on the market. 
• Made with non-slip plastic.

In addition, the Ultra Thin case allows access to all of your phone’s important buttons and even allows you to take photos with ease (the camera lens isn't covered up at all!) The lightning charger port is also exposed which makes life that much easier -- you know what I mean if you've ever had a case that you had to take on and off for charging.

This case also comes in black, but honestly, I like the clear one better! Why have an iPhone 5c to just hide the bright color?

And finally, I really appreciate that Snugg is willing to stand behind their products. This case (and pretty much all their products) comes with a lifetime guarantee.

I've been using this case for about two weeks now and I truly love it. Highly recommended!

Review: No Book but the World

Summary: At the edge of a woods, on the grounds of a defunct “free school,” Ava and her brother, Fred, shared a dreamy and seemingly idyllic childhood—a world defined largely by their imaginations and each other’s presence. Everyone is aware of Fred’s oddness or vague impairment, but his parents’ fierce disapproval of labels keeps him free of evaluation or intervention, and constantly at Ava’s side.

Decades later, then, when Ava learns that her brother is being held in a county jail for a shocking crime, she is frantic to piece together what actually happened. A boy is dead. But could Fred really have done what he is accused of? As she is drawn deeper into the details of the crime, Ava becomes obsessed with learning the truth, convinced that she and she alone will be able to reach her brother and explain him—and his innocence—to the world.

Leah Hager Cohen brings her trademark intelligence to a psychologically gripping, richly ambiguous story that suggests we may ultimately understand one another best not with facts alone, but through our imaginations. -- Riverhead

My friend Dawn rarely raves about a book, so when I saw her post something on Facebook about the new novel NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD by Lean Hager Cohen, I knew I had to read it. I requested this book immediately from our local library, and it took weeks for it to arrive. When it did, I rushed right over and started reading it right away. I actually ended up finishing it that very same day too!

You might think that when I had such high expectations for a book that I was just asking for trouble; however, that wasn't the case with NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD. I was caught up in this story from the first few pages and I didn't put it down until I finished it. It was so beautifully written and the characters were so intriguing that it just captured my heart!

NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD tells the story of Ava and her brother Fred. They lived in a rural environment on the campus of the closed "free school" that their father ran before they were born. They are pretty much left free to learn about the world and their environment on their own, but they do have some interactions with the other families that live at the school. Fred is a little peculiar and not a great communicator, but his parents refuse to label him or have him evaluated. As a result, he is very close to Ava with little contact with others.

As the children grow older and their parents die, Ava and Fred lose contact with each other. Ava marries her best friend's brother who used to live at the school, and Fred becomes a bit of a drifter. When Ava learns that Fred is in jail for a horrific crime involving a young boy, she rushes to his side to learn the truth because she believes she is the only one who can get through to him.

NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD is a very special book and one that will remain in my thoughts for some time. It is the first novel I've read by Ms. Hager Cohen and I admit I was blown away by her prose. The story is told in a variety of characters' viewpoints, and I loved how she captured the essence of them in each section. The story begins with Ava's story and her descriptions of the children's past are just so finely written with exquisite details. I was very impressed! And then, she switched to other characters' stories and I thought they were excellent. Finally, she told Fred's story and I think it was my absolute favorite version.

So much about this story caused me to think.. and feel. I loved how well drawn the characters were and my heart went out to Ava. While I was intrigued by her childhood, I'm not sure I would have wanted to have so much freedom (and lack of structure.) And then to have to face that your brother (who isn't really able to communicate) might be a murderer  is just heartbreaking. However, it was the stories about Fred that truly affected me. There is a story where Ava and her friend play with Fred that I found so sad and almost cruel. And the entire section of Fred's story just made me sick. His inability to understand normal interactions with people, his feelings of isolation, and the general way he was treated just made me cry. I can't even describe how much pain was conveyed through Ms. Hager Cohen's writing.

Finally, I should say that this book had a bit of a surprise ending -- one that I definitely didn't see coming. It was revealed almost quietly and I had to read it twice to truly understand what happened. I was just so blindsided by it. This revelation actually made the book that much better to me (and keep in mind I was already loving it!) Everything just worked for me!

Naturally, I'm going to say that NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD would make a wonderful book club selection. There truly is so much to discuss include family dynamics, education, philosophies on child rearing, marriage, obligation, autism, friendship, bullying, secrets, and discovering the truth. This is one of those books that you finish and want to call a friend to talk about what happened.

I am so grateful that Dawn put NO BOOK BUT THE WORLD on my radar. It was such a beautiful book! Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction.

Review: That Night

Summary: As a teenager, Toni Murphy had a life full of typical adolescent complications: a boyfriend she adored, a younger sister she couldn’t relate to, a strained relationship with her parents, and classmates who seemed hell-bent on making her life miserable. Things weren’t easy, but Toni could never have predicted how horrific they would become until her younger sister was brutally murdered one summer night. 

Toni and her boyfriend, Ryan, were convicted of the murder and sent to prison.

Now thirty-four, Toni, is out on parole and back in her hometown, struggling to adjust to a new life on the outside. Prison changed her, hardened her, and she’s doing everything in her power to avoid violating her parole and going back. This means having absolutely no contact with Ryan, avoiding fellow parolees looking to pick fights, and steering clear of trouble in all its forms. But nothing is making that easy—not Ryan, who is convinced he can figure out the truth; not her mother, who doubts Toni's innocence; and certainly not the group of women who made Toni's life hell in high school and may have darker secrets than anyone realizes. No matter how hard she tries, ignoring her old life to start a new one is impossible. Before Toni can truly move on, she must risk everything to find out what really happened that night.  -- St. Martin's Press

I've been wanting to read a book by Chevy Stevens for some time now, and I'm pretty sure I even have a few of her novels on my bookshelves. I decided to start with her latest story THAT NIGHT which has already received some pretty special blurbs from Harlan Coben and Lee Child -- not too shabby!

THAT NIGHT tells the story of Toni Murphy, a woman who has spent the last fifteen years in prison for murdering her sister. Toni admits that she wasn't always an "easy" teenager -- she fought with her mom, she couldn't understand her "perfect" sister, and she desperately wanted to spend all of her free time with Ryan; however, she wasn't a murderer.

Evidence was strong against Toni and Ryan, especially when four girls who bullied Toni spoke out at the trial; and the two were found guilty and sentenced to prison. Naturally, prison changed Toni but she was eventually granted parole and returned to her home town. Toni was determined to stay out of trouble and that included no contact with Ryan.

Ryan, however, has different ideas and contacts Toni. He wants them to work together to prove their innocence and that means contacting the girls who hated Toni in high school. Toni is torn between violating parole and discovering the truth behind her sister's murder. Toni does her best to stay away from Ryan, but when she realizes that her life will never be "normal," she decides to begin her own investigation into the truth.

I really enjoyed THAT NIGHT and it was a quick read, but I don't know that I absolutely loved it. I did like it a lot though. I appreciated Ms. Stevens' writing style and I liked her characters. I also thought her portrayal of prison and then Toni's time on parole were interesting. However, it was her exploration of bullying that really impressed (and scared me!) In more than a few ways, it reminded me of a Megan Abbott book but maybe that's because THE FEVER is so fresh in my mind!

One thing that struck me as being a little odd is that I actually felt as if the book was geared towards a YA audience -- maybe because Toni was an adolescent for half of the story. The book went back and forth between present day when Toni was on parole trying to start over and the past when Toni was in high school. Even in the present when Toni was 34, I still felt as if she weren't truly an adult. That's not a knock on the writing or character development. Rather, I think it's probably very possible considering that Toni spent 15 years in prison and wasn't close to anyone including her family.

I appreciated how the novel went back and forth between the present and the past, and I thought it flowed very well. I actually read the novel in less than 24 hours and I was definitely intrigued. Even though I had a pretty good idea of what happened "that night," I was still surprised when all of the truth was uncovered at the end of the novel.

One of my favorite parts of the novel was the relationship between Toni and her mother. (That sounds twisted since it was so bad!) During Toni's high school years, things definitely were strained because of Toni's acting out. However, once Toni was arrested for her sister's murder, things got even worse. While Toni's father did his best to support and believe his daughter, Toni's mother never even wanted to hear Toni's side of the story. When Toni was released from prison, things were no better -- sad, but still not surprising. However, once Toni was able to prove her innocence, her mother's reaction was definitely not what I expected. I can't really say much more about this because I don't want to spoil things, but suffice it to say, that I think their relationship is incredibly complex!

Because of the complicated relationships in the novel (among other things!), THAT NIGHT would make for an interesting discussion. There is a reading guide with nine interesting questions that will help facilitate your meeting. Some of the themes you might want to explore include family dynamics, guilt, redemption, our prison system, bullying, perceptions, loneliness, and honestly. I actually think these questions are an interesting starting point, but I'm pretty sure your club will come up with much more to discuss. Warning: the discussion guide has a few spoilers!

Overall, I enjoyed THAT NIGHT and I think fans of mystery and suspense will enjoy it. I am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Stevens' novels.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: All Fall Down

Summary: Allison Weiss got her happy ending—a handsome husband, adorable daughter, a job she loves, and the big house in the suburbs. But while waiting in the pediatrician’s office, she opens a magazine to a quiz about addiction and starts to wonder…Is a Percocet at the end of the day really different from a glass of wine? Is it such a bad thing to pop a Vicodin after a brutal Jump & Pump class…or if your husband ignores you?

The pills help her manage the realities of her good-looking life: that her husband is distant, that her daughter is acting out, that her father’s Alzheimer’s is worsening and her mother is barely managing to cope. She tells herself that they let her make it through her days…but what if her increasing drug use, a habit that’s becoming expensive and hard to hide, is turning into her biggest problem of all?

With a sparkling comedic touch and a cast of unforgettable characters, this remarkable story of a woman’s slide into addiction and struggle to find her way back up again is Jennifer Weiner’s most masterful work yet. -- Atria 

When I sat down to write my review of ALL FALL DOWN by Jennifer Weiner, I realized that it's been thirteen years since her novel GOOD IN BED was published. Like many, I absolutely loved this book. I laughed and I cried, and I still look back on that novel as one of my favorites of all time. I've read all of Ms. Weiner's books since that first one, and I've been looking for one that evokes those same feelings in me. While I've enjoyed most of her books (some more than others), sadly, I haven't had any luck finding one that I've loved as much as GOOD IN BED.

Ms. Weiner's latest novel ALL FALL DOWN came pretty darn close though. ALL FALL DOWN tells the story of Allison Weiss. Allison has a great job, is married to a good guy and has a gorgeous daughter. Life should be "perfect." However, Allison has a problem... and a pretty big one at that. She is addicted to prescription drugs. Allison has a lot of stresses in her life -- her husband is distant, her daughter is strong-willed, her father has Alzheimer's and her mother can't handle it -- so she just needs a little something to take the edge off. The problem is that Allison begins to require more and more drugs just to get through the day. Eventually, Allison can't keep her addiction a secret and it threatens to destroy everything she holds dear in her life.

I really, really liked ALL FALL DOWN and critics seem to agree. Booklist and Library Journal both gave it starred reviews, and there are some great blurbs from some popular authors. I think one of the reasons for the praise is that ALL FALL DOWN will resonate with a lot of readers. I know it did for me. A few years ago, there was a local doctor who had a thriving practice and a gorgeous family. As far as my friends and I were concerned, she had it all. And then one day, a local news program reported that she was abusing prescription painkillers. Just like that, her life fell apart and she lost her medical license. It was so tragic and I wondered how it could happen to someone who was so smart and successful.

In ALL FALL DOWN, Ms. Weiner created a very real character in Allison. She reminded me a lot of women I know and respect, and this novel gave me some insight into how someone (not all together unlike me) could become an addict. I not only appreciated her progression as an addict, but I also liked how Ms. Weiner delved into her recovery steps. I found her portrayal of Allison's time at rehab to be extremely realistic from her denial, to her snobbery, to her eventual acceptance and hard work.

One thing I really enjoyed about ALL FALL DOWN was that, despite being a story about a very sad situation, it was really funny... in a dark way. I have to admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of Allison for most of the story -- probably because she exhibited the selfish behavior of an addict; however, I did appreciate the development of her character. What I did love about her character was the humor and sarcasm she displayed over and over again. This book was laugh out loud funny in some parts, and it did remind me a bit of GOOD IN BED in that aspect.

ALL FALL DOWN would make an excellent book club discussion selection. I have a feeling that my book club would be a little judgmental about Allison, but it could still be interesting to discuss some other themes in the novel including marriage, care taking, parent/child relationships, love, lies, betrayal, addiction, recovery, guilt, appearances, and self-discovery. You can check out the specific questions here.

I think ALL FALL DOWN is the best book Ms. Weiner has written for many years. Highly recommend to fans of Ms. Weiner and those who appreciate women's fiction.

Thanks to Engelman & Co. and the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: The Fever

Summary: The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community.

The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hockey star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community.

As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security. -- Little, Brown

I was fortunate enough a few years ago to meet author Megan Abbott at a BEA party. It came right on the heels of reading her thriller THE END OF EVERYTHING, and I was amazed that such a nice (and tiny) woman could write such scary stuff. I read her next novel DARE ME and I swear, as a mom to a teenage girl, that it gave me nightmares. And now her latest novel THE FEVER is out, and it's another thrilling (and scary!) story. In fact, I think it's her best of the three -- and that's really saying something because I'm a pretty big fan!

THE FEVER is a suspenseful story that takes place in what appears to be a peaceful suburban community. Deenie is a 16 year old student at the local high school where her dad Tom is a popular teacher and her brother Eli is a hockey stud. Deenie is your typical teenage girl with "normal" concerns until one of her best friends Lise has an unexpected seizure at the high school. Naturally, the teachers and students are concerned about Lise, but tensions escalate when another girl has a seizure. Rumors fly as members of the community try to figure out why young girls are exhibiting these symptoms. Deenie has to navigate her own personal issues while at the same time deal with the terror that is occurring to the girls in her school.. and wondering if she's next!

I absolutely adored THE FEVER! Ms. Abbott truly knows how to write a gripping tale while also scaring the heck out of me. (I think part of my fear is because I am a mom to a teenage girl!) This book intrigued me from the very first page until the last, and once again, I was impressed with how well she "gets" the drama that is part of teenage girls' lives. I loved the pace of the novel and how the tension built; and I truly was satisfied with the stunning conclusion.  (Obviously, I didn't see it coming!) It really was such a fun book and the perfect summer read.

While I thought Ms. Abbott did a fantastic job of bringing the world of teenage girls to life, I think what I most appreciated about this story is how she explored the growing panic of a small community. As I read this novel, I could totally see something like this happening in our home town; and it just felt like the reactions of the townspeople were so real. Rumors flew (some more realistic than others!) and the entire community got caught up in terror!

As scary as the seizures were when they first began occurring, the tension just increased as more and more girls experienced the same symptoms. Naturally, Deenie tried to make sense of the drama while also fearing that she would be next. I thought Ms. Abbott created a marvelous character in Deenie and I loved her authenticity while also fearing for her safety. In addition, I appreciated the way Deenie explored the ongoing changes in her life -- her relationship with her mother and father, school, and even her sexuality -- in the midst of all this confusion!

If you haven't discovered Megan Abbott yet, then you are truly missing out! I highly recommend THE FEVER... and all of her other books!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read. Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: So Not Okay

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a middle grade book that deals with a very serious issue -- bullying.

Summary: There is no such thing as neutral.

According to the Ambassadors 4 Kids Club, one out of every four students is bullied—and 85% of these situations never receive intervention. Parents, students, and teachers alike have amped up the discussion of how to solve the bullying problem for a networked generation of kids.

Written by bestselling author, Nancy Rue, each book in the Mean Girl Makeover trilogy focuses on a different character’s point of view: the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Each girl has a different personality so that every reader can find a character she relates to. The books, based on Scripture, show solid biblical solutions to the bullying problem set in a story for kids.

So Not Okay tells the story of Tori Taylor, a quiet sixth grader at Gold Country Middle School in Grass Valley, California. Tori knows to stay out of the way of Kylie, the queen bee of GCMS. When an awkward new student named Ginger becomes Kylie's new target, Tori whispers a prayer of thanks that it’s not her. But as Kylie’s bullying of Ginger continues to build, Tori feels guilty and tries to be kind to Ginger. Pretty soon, the bullying line of fire directed toward Ginger starts deflecting onto Tori, who must decide if she and her friends can befriend Ginger and withstand Kylie’s taunts, or do nothing and resume their status quo. Tori’s decision dramatically changes her trajectory for the rest of the school year. -- Thomas Nelson

I rarely read Christian fiction, or even middle grade fiction for that matter, but the new novel SO NOT OKAY by Nancy Rue appealed to me. When Booking Daughter was younger, she loved Ms. Rue's books about girls and the various problems they faced. Not only could she relate to these books, but she appreciated the powerful messages in the stories.

SO NOT OKAY is about Tori, a nice sixth grade girl who is content with group of friends and knows to stay away from Kylie, the "queen bee" of their middle school. However, when the new girl Ginger moves into their school, Kylie decides that Ginger will be her target. On one hand, Tori is grateful that she's not the one being harassed; but on the other hand, she feels bad for Ginger and tries to be kind to her. It probably won't surprise you that Kylie decides to pick on Ginger and her group of friends too. While Tori knows in her heart that she's doing the right thing, she fears that her friends won't be quite as willing to stand up for Ginger. Tori has to decide whether she has what it takes to put up with Kylie and her friends' taunts or ignore Ginger and fly below Kylie's radar. Tori quickly realizes that with either decision comes a fair share of heartache and pain!

SO NOT OKAY is the first in the Mean Girl Makeover trilogy, and I think it contains some very important messages. Each book in this series focuses on a different character -- the bully, the victim and the bystander -- and shows their view point on the situation. Needless to say, these three girls have very different opinions and reactions to what happens in the story. I think the concept of this trilogy is fantastic because it allows all types of girls to relate to the characters in the story.

As a parent, I think SO NOT OKAY is a great book for young girls. Bullying and mean girls are rampant in elementary and middle school, and often times, girls have no idea how to handle the situation. They don't want to tattle and draw even more attention to the situation; however, they don't know how to talk to (or not talk to) the girls that are tormenting them or their friends. SO NOT OKAY not only shows that these girls are not alone in being bullied, but it also offers some ideas for how to deal with these mean girls.

I also liked that SO NOT OKAY dealt with some very serious issues while also being a fun story with fun characters. There was a lot of humor in the story and Tori is just a wonderful character who learns to deal with bullying as a bystander. While the ideas in this book are based on scripture, the story isn't heavy-handed or preachy. In addition, this novel teaches tweens important lessons about self-worth and confidence.

SO NOT OKAY would make a great book for schools and book clubs, especially mother/daughter ones. There is a great deal to to learn from Tori about being bullied and also standing up and doing the right thing. Some other topics that you might want to discuss include peer pressure, friendship, loyalty, parent/child relationships, teacher/student relationships, and faith.

SO NOT OKAY is a great start to, what I hope, is an important series of books about bullying.

Thanks to the author for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

BEA 2014 -- Day 3 and 4 (Friday, May 30th and Saturday, May 31st)

Friday was my last full day in New York City and it was a great one. Rather than rush over to the Javits Center, Kathy and I decided to head to Bubby's on the High Line for a wonderful breakfast. Their homemade sodas are amazing -- I had a strawberry/rhubarb one! We ended up walking the three miles to Bubby's and then we walked the High Line back to Javits. It was a gorgeous day and we appreciated every minute of it. It was nice not to have to rush from one event to another that morning.

(This is a little aside, but Kathy and I didn't once take a cab or the subway during our trip to New York (except for Kathy's rides to and from the airport.) The weather, albeit a little cool, was perfect for walking; and we were able to time everything so we could walk everywhere. Just when we were finally getting comfortable getting around the subway system...)

However, when we arrived back at BEA we were more than ready to tackle the show floor. We walked up and down the aisles and even checked out some of the autograph signings. I was happy to grab an autographed copy of THE WOLF by Lorenzo Carcaterra at the very last minute of his signing. Of course, I picked up a wide variety of adult and kids books that you will hear more about throughout the next few months! Some of the ones that I am extremely excited about include:

LILA by Marilynne Robinson
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joel Dicker
THE GOLEM OF HOLLYWOOD by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
THE BLACK HOUR by Lori Rader-Day
THE FORGOTTEN GIRL by David Bell

One of the best things about BEA is the BEA Book Group Speed Dating Session which took place on Friday at 2:00. We arrived plenty early to register because we knew this session is extremely popular with both bloggers and librarians in addition to book club leaders. Basically, there were 20+ publishers there "pitching" their top book club picks to us.  Each large round table had one or two publisher representatives; and when the gong ringed, they moved to the next table. We then had one or two new publishers for the next few minutes. And so on and so on. In an hour and forty-five minutes, we were treated to a variety of great book club suggestions. Many of the publishers brought books for us to take with us too! We even received a handout featuring all of the books -- even the ones we weren't specifically presented. It was so much fun!!!

Here's a list of books that caught my eye:

DESCENT by Tim Johnston
THE GARDEN OF LETTERS by Alyson Richman
REUNION by Hannah Pittard
WHAT I HAD BEFORE I HAD YOU by Sarah Cornwell
LOOKAWAY, LOOKAWAY by William Barnhardt
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES by Matthew Thomas
RAINEY ROYAL by Dylan Landis
THE ITALIAN WIFE by Ann Hood

After this session, Kathy and I decided to head back to our hotel and check out the TKTS booth. We had no plans for the evening and thought it would be the perfect time to catch a show. Our first choice was Kinky Boots and we were lucky enough to score tickets for 40% off!

But first, we wanted to get a quick bite to eat. We were planning on getting a quick salad somewhere but Kathy spotted a cute little Italian restaurant that almost looked like a fast food cafe. It was called the Academie Barilla and it was pretty darn good. Naturally, they served a variety of Barilla pasta dishes that were light and relatively healthy. Kathy asked about the restaurant and we were told that this is the first one and they are hoping to expand within the next few months/years.

Kinky Boots was amazing! I absolutely loved it and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun show the next time you are in New York City. The story was written by Harvey Fierstein and the music by Cyndi Lauper, so how can you go wrong? It won six Tony awards including Best Musical and tells the story of a struggling shoe factory owner who turns around his business with the help of an unlikely person. The show makes you laugh and cry and it was a wonderful message about friendship and acceptance!

On Saturday, I ended up having a nice (but early) breakfast with Kathy before walking to Penn Station for my 9:00 train. Coincidentally, Candace from Beth Fish Reads was on the same train to Harrisburg so we chatted for 3 1/2 hours. It sure made the time go by quickly!

In the chaos that my life was the weeks leading up to BEA, I accidentally scheduled an early morning train so my husband could pick me up before my son's baseball game. About 8:00 on Friday evening, my husband texted me that not only did Booking Son have a 12:00 game but he was also pitching. ACK! I scrambled to find a friend who could pick me up at the train station, and she took me directly to the baseball game where I arrived just in time to see him pitch. I did miss his hit and RBI by a few minutes though!

When I arrived home, I had a big box of books from the Harper Collins Fall Preview event already waiting. It did take until Tuesday to receive my 46 pound box from BEA chock full of all my goodies!

I'm a little sad that this is my final post about the 2014 BEA. This might sound silly, but once I complete my wrap-ups, my trip truly is over! At least I have lots of fantastic books to tide me over for the next year.