How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days: can one woman make over a man from Not to Hot?

How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days is the first book in the Chick Flick Club by Lila Monroe. Gemma Jones is in a competition for a promotion of a lifetime. As a stylist, she has to take a fashioned-backward guy and turn him into Mr GQ. Her problem? The man chosen for her is her hairy next-door neighbor she nicknamed Bigfoot. Zach Morrison has no interest in being Gemma’s dress doll. However, he does enjoy seeing Gemma get flustered; but after cashing out his tech start-up and going through a nasty break up, he just wants to wear sweatpants and lounge around. With a little push in the right direction, Gemma gets to work and finds a few surprises as Bigfoot transforms into Mr Hottie. As the walls come down, the sparks start to fly. Will Zach embrace a fresh start? Will Gemma win the promotion? 

One of my favorite rom-coms is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) with Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. So when I came across a book which seemed to pay homage to this hilarious and romantic story, I was in. From the very beginning, this story had heart, great humor, sweet emotional moments and great steamy romantic scenes. I loved Gemma and Zach from the very beginning. I loved their chemistry and their banter. I enjoyed their supporting characters. Even their villains were great and added drama and conflict. Overall, I loved this story. It had its base in the rom-com movie; however, it had its own twists, turns and grand gestures. I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series. If you enjoy rom-com stories with heart and great humor, I highly recommend How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days. 

How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days is available in paperback and eBook

Why We Read: one reader's exploration of the power of books in our lives

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries and Just One More Page before Lights Out by Shannon Reed. It has been asked of every bookworm: Why do you read so much? What is so great about ink and pages? Why are you crying so hard at a fictional story, for functional people? Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader and a New Yorker contributor, writes to make the case as to why readers read in a collection of stories about reading for escape, reading to learn, to find love, and encounter new worlds are among the many, many reasons. She shares stories from her life as a reader, as a teacher, a student and later a professor. From the varied novels she cherished and the ones she didn’t, trips to libraries and introducing classic novels to a new generation, Ms Reed writes to take readers on a tour through the world of literature and celebrates the beloved books which bring comfort, tears and transformation. 

I was excited to read a book on books and bookworms, expecting a hilarious exploration of the joys of reading and the books that changed our lives in a “whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny collection.” Unfortunately, that is not what I got. It wasn’t a deep dive into the transformative power of reading. Ms. Reed came across as condescending and smug as she writes. I feel that as an Academic overshadows her personal connection to books and her fellow bookworms. She had an “I know better” attitude. At one point, she talks about not writing to authors as they are busy writing and they don’t want to  interact with readers. I found this weird and untrue. Granted some authors may agree with this statement. However, many authors I have interacted with, online and in emails, love hearing from readers. Her humor fell flat for me. I didn’t laugh, I rolled my eyes, cringed at certain statements. I could see where she was trying to be funny but it wasn’t working for me. I do not recommend Why We Read. It should be titled Why I Read. 

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries and Just One More Page before Lights Out

Is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Hope's Way: a journey of grief can transform one woman's life

Hope’s Way is the first book in the Hope series by David Johnson. Hope Rodriquez is about to face a journey that will transform her life. She becomes pregnant at 15, then loses her parents in a tragic accident. Fearing that she will lose custody of her child, she leaves her Kentucky small town to New York City. There she is faced with the harsh realities of public housing and scraping by as a single mother. She manages to build a life and raise her daughter. However, Hope is plunged into tragedy once again as her teenage daughter decides to take her own life. In the depths of grief, Hope is determined to find the reasons behind her daughter’s decision. Along the way, she meets Michael, a charismatic preacher, who awakens emotions in her that she did not know she could feel again. Can she find solace with her daughter’s decision? 

With the book’s synopsis, I expected an amazing emotional journey that tackles heavy topics. And it was filled with the heavy topics and I’m sure the emotional journey was intended; however, I was taken away from the journey with the glaring mistakes. Right off the bat, from the opening chapter, Hope is described as a 36 year old woman with a 16 year old daughter, Lisa. The next chapter takes the reader back in time when Hope is 15 and seven months pregnant. So, the math is off as Hope would be 31/32 when Lisa is 16 years old. That mistake took me out of the story. Unfortunately, I feel I missed the impact the book’s emotional story should have had. Overall, I was disappointed with this story. I will not continue with this series. I do not recommend Hope’s Way. 

Hope’s Way is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder: a story of loss, grief and transformation

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb is a story of loss, grief and transformation. After a year of turmoil, ending with a devastating loss, Brynn Wilder escapes to Wharton, a small tourist town on Lake Superior. Her goal is to relax, reset and get ready to go back to her life. She checks into a local boarding house for the summer. She quickly becomes a part of the local community and the other lodgers. There’s Jason and Gil who are caring for the frail Alice, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. LuAnn, the lovable owner of the inn, who watches over her lodgers like a caring mother. Lastly, Dominic, the handsome stranger who is covered in mesmerizing tattoos that he has earned the nickname, The Illustrated Man. Soon after her arrival, mysterious events begin to occur. Alice knows things about Brynn that she shouldn’t. Bad dreams, night whispers and an undeniable attraction to Dominic, a mysterious man who people know very little about and the suspicions follow him. Will Brynn discover the truth surrounding the mysterious events? 

With a gothic feel, The Haunting of Brynn Wilder has a lot of mood and atmosphere that sets the stage for a creepy and disturbing story. I had seen a lot of mixed reviews about this book so when it was my chance to read it, I had no expectations. From the opening chapter, I was hooked and I easily read the events surrounding Brynn after she arrived in Wharton. The story itself is not scary but has creepy and odd moments that will catch your attention and breathlessly ask “whaaaaat?” Ms. Webb touches on a lot of different themes and ideas but none of them fully fleshed out. It is as if she didn’t quite know what she wanted to do with them. The story was great until the ending. While not horrible, the ending seemed rushed and at a disconnect with the rest of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story with the exception of the end. If you keep your expectations low and allow the story to just be, you’ll probably enjoy The Haunting of Brynn Wilder. 

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook