Throwback Thursday: From This Day by Nora Roberts

 

Author: Nora Roberts
First published in 1983  by  Silhouette

When B. J. Clark, the young and pretty manager of the Lakeside Inn, met the new owner, Taylor Reynolds, she was fully prepared to dislike him. For she feared-with good reason-that he planned to transform her sleepy old hotel into a resort for jet-setters.

That sparks should fly between them was inevitable. But that these should be fanned by a mutual passion was no in her plans. Against all reason B.J. found herself torn between her professional antagonism and her growing attraction to the man she had sworn to despise.

What can I say about this early Nora Roberts book?  It shows that early on she knew how to write a fun romance with two characters who cause fireworks every time they are together.  Taylor is definitely a man who know what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it.  Some may think he is too much of an alpha, but I thought he was more amusing than anything.  To be fair, B.J. tends to fly off the handle and jump to conclusions very quickly.  She is also always on the defensive and I could see why this would cause Taylor to take charge.  The romance was sweet.  It is also a pretty clean romance. It's a little dated, but that only adds to the appeal.  This one is out on audio, so check it out if you missed it.

And Then She Fell by Stephanie Laurens

Author: Stephanie Laurens

Publisher: Avon

Date of Publication: March 2013

The only thing more troublesome than a Cynster man...is a Cynster lady who believes love is not her destiny. Famously known in London society as "The Matchbreaker," Henrietta Cynster's uncanny skill lies in preventing ill-fated nuptials - not in falling victim to Cupid's spell.

But then she disrupts one match too many and feels honor-bound to assist dashing James Glossup in finding a suitable bride for a marriage of convenience.

And Then She Fell is the latest in Cynster family series by Ms. Laurens.  It's only the fourth book that I have read in this series.  I read the three that proceed this one. At first, I was a bit thrown off because apparently, not all of the books follow each other on a linear timeline.  Once I figured that out, I was able to settle into the story.  There are definitely references to previous happenings, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment of James and Henrietta's love story.  If anything, it only made me want to go back to the beginning of the series.

I really enjoyed this romance. It was fun watching Henrietta and James fall for each other. Their love story was effortless.  It's refreshing to read about two people who aren't afraid to admit they are perfect for each other.  While there is no Love angst, there is a bit of a mystery.  Someone is trying to kill Henrietta.  In order for their life to begin, she and James must figure out who it is.  The villain wasn't easy to figure out.

The Cynster family is quite large and most of them make an appearance in this book. Mary, the last single of this generation of Cynsters, finds her hero in the next book, The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh coming out in July 2013.  I look forward to reading it.  While I'm waiting  I think I'll go back to the beginning and start with Devil's Bride (Avon, 1998).

 About the author:

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When

she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Laurens and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Laurens and her husband both began work as research scientists in Kent. They lived in an area surrounded by history. Their own cottage was built in the 16th century, while next door were the protected ruins of an early Roman villa, and nearby was a 14th century castle.

After four years in England, Laurens and her husband returned to Australia, where she continued to work in cancer research, eventually heading her own research laboratory. One evening Laurens realized that she did not have any more of her favorite romance novels to read. After years of thinking about writing her own novel, during nights and weekends for the next several months she began crafting her own story. That manuscript, Tangled Reins, was the first of her books to be published. After achieving a level of success with her novels, Laurens "retired" from scientific research and became a full-time novelist. Her novels are primarily historical romances set in the Regency time period.

Laurens and her husband live in Melbourne with their two daughters.

Website: http://www.stephanielaurens.com/

Interview & Review: If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

Please welcome author, Laura Nowlin who is promoting her new book, If He Had Been With Me.  Enjoy her interview after my thoughts about the book.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Date of Publication: April 2013

If he had been with me, he wouldn't have died.

Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other's sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she's always wondered what if...

The night she's about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy.

My thoughts:   
I'll start by saying that If He Had Been With Me is well written and compelling.  From the beginning of the book, you know that there is a tragedy ahead so the events in the end aren't much of a surprise. The characters were interesting and I thought the author gave a pretty good glimpse into teenage angst, rivalry, depression and heartbreak.  
   
Having said all of that, I ultimately didn't really enjoy the book and was left with a very empty feeling in the end.  I thought the book was depressing.  I kind of felt cheated because the ending was so abrupt with no clear resolution or a sense that things would be OK.  I'm not a fan of open ended endings.  I didn't like that I went through that entire journey with Autumn only to have to make up in my own mind how she would end up.  I also didn't really feel the connection between Autumn and Finny that I think I was supposed to feel in the end.  I felt like there wasn't enough of them together in the book for me to see it. 

I think this is going to be a book that people will either love or not.  It has gotten rave reviews, so I think it is one that you should read and see for yourself. It would definitely make for good book group discussions. In the end, it just wasn't for me.

Interview with Laura:

Kari& Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Laura: I intensely loved reading as a child. I adored going into other worlds and being another person for a little while. As an adolescent I discovered that writing my own stories was an even more intense experience. Basically, I’m a writer because I’m hooked on it; I just can’t help myself.

Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Laura: I dreamed the ending of If He had Been with Me. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, “I need to write a story that ends like this.” When there is a story I need to write it’s like my brain has gotten snagged on a thought, and writing about it is the only way to get it out of my head.

Kari& Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Laura: Right now I am working out on a few different projects, none of which are under contract, so I don’t really know what’s going to come out when. I promise you with absolute certainty though, there is going to be more from me!

Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Laura: I am going to say Frances Glass from J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, for the simple egotistical reason that I deeply identify with her character, in both her strengths and especially her flaws.

Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Laura: This question is actually very close to my heart, because desperately wish that I could turn into a house cat for a week. Or maybe for a month even. I would love to alternate between periods mania over bits of string and languid naps in the sunshine.

About the author:
 
Laura Nowlin holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Missouri State University. Her short stories have appeared in The Moon City Review and STEM. In addition to being ambitious writer Laura is also an avid reader who believes that books allow her to live many lives in one lifetime. When she isn’t at home agonizing over her own novels Laura works at the public library where the patrons give her plenty of inspiration for her writing. She lives in St. Louis with her musician husband, neurotic dog, and psychotic cat.

 Website: http://laurarosener.wordpress.com

 Twitter: Laura_Nowlin

 

Guest Post: Kraig Dafoe, Author of the Search for the Lost Realm

Today we welcome author, Kraig Dafoe who is promoting his release, Search for the Lost Realm. He joins us to day with his thoughts on why book covers are important.     Make sure to check out his giveaway at the end of the post!

Publisher: CreateSpace
Date of publication: January 2013

Search for the Lost Realm is an epic journey in which a young man named Varan wants to find a power which has been missing from the world of Kantania for thousands of years.   

    

Varan sets out but soon discovers his true mission is to save the worlds creator from a spiritual bond placed upon him by the powerful demon, Eldrok.

    

From demons to dragons and sorcerers to soldiers, battles erupt and Varan must hurry or the world could be lost to darkness forever.  

    

This story does not consist of action alone as Varan faces dilemmas of the heart, struggles of the flesh and complex issues of the mind.

 Why book covers are so important

The old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover, but that is exactly what most readers do. When someone walks into a bookstore or library and looks for a book, unless they heard about it from someone else, they are judging it by the cover.

    

Covers are important for a number of reasons. The front picture draws the reader in whether it depicts a great scene that looks exciting or maybe it just has a catchy title, but this is what draws them too first pick up the book. The cover may contain a picture of a character they want to know more about, or maybe it shows a place they always wanted to go.

    

The next thing they do is flip it over and read the back cover. They want to know what the story is about now and the few words you get to put there has to really draw them in. Maybe the back also contains reviews from people who have already read this title. Reviews can be helpful and everyone who promotes swears by them but let’s face it, you will never see a bad review actually printed on the book. Thus being said, the reviews that are there probably are accurate.

    

The point is this; the cover essentially, sells the book. The most important aspect is the front of the book. This is the only part generally scene if your novel is an E-book and this is the part scene on display when you walk in the store.

    

Make sure you take the time and spend the money on a professional to get the cover done. You may have spent a year or more writing a great piece of literary work, but if no one picks it up, then your time will have been wasted.

About the Author:

Kraig Dafoe was born in Potsdam, New York and grew up in Canton. He played high school football and

joined the United States Army Reserves at the age of seventeen.

    

Kraig married at the age of nineteen and moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia where he worked as a Private Security officer for The Christian Broadcasting Network and also attended the Tidewater Community College for business. 

     

After five years as a security officer, he became a Deputy Sheriff for the city of Chesapeake Virginia.

    

Kraig left the Sheriff’s office after nine years of service and pursued a couple of different business opportunities before he went on to publishing his debut novel.

    

Kraig is the father of five children and he currently resides in Kansas, raising his youngest son.

His latest book is the fantasy/adventure, Search for the Last Realm.

Visit his website at www.kraigdafoebooks.com

Connect with Kraig: FACEBOOK

 AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES

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Joint Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

by:  Jodi Meadows
published by:  Kathrine Teagen Books
publish date:  Jan 31, 2012

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

Incarnate is about a land called Range where a million people live.  The same souls have been reincarnated over and over again for 5,000 years.  All these people have been living and dying together for thousands of years, until Ana was born.  When she was born, her soul was not the reincarnated soul it was expected it be.  Her's was new and unknown.  Her childhood was spent much like Cinderella with an evil mother sheltered from the rest of society until she decides to go into the city to find out why she was born.

Personally, I liked this story.  It was a lot less "fairyish" than I was expecting.  There is a lot of fantasy going on in this book.  It has dragons and sylphs but there wasn't as much as I expected, for the most part they were regular people going about their normal daily lives. 

Incarnate is the first book in a YA trilogy....of course.  Looks like the second book Asunder came out in January of this year.  I'll probably give it a looksee, but probably a little closer to whenever the 3rd book comes out.  This book does (so far) have the advantage of NO love triangle going on.

Unfortunately, This was  DNF for me.  I gave it three discs and I was just bored.  I was also a bit creeped out by Sam being 5000 years old and Ana being only 18.  Even though she was "legal", she was just too innocent for me.  The world that the author was trying to build wasn't very clear.  I found myself not caring about Ana and her quest or about Sam.  So, I gave up.  Just wasn't for me.

Blog Tour: Interview with Elizabeth Corrigan

Today, we welcome author Elizabeth Corrigan.  She joins us today with an interview as she promotes her latest book, Oracle of Philadelphia (Earthbound Angels). Welcome Elizabeth! 

Make sure to check out her giveaway by visiting the tour page!

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Date of publication: 2013

Carrie works at a diner in South Philadelphia, dispensing advice to humans and angels wise enough to seek her counsel. But there are some problems that even the best advice can’t solve.

Her latest supplicant, Sebastian, is unique among those who have sought her aid. He sold his soul to a demon in exchange for his sister’s life, but his heart remains pure.

Carrie has lived for millennia with the knowledge that her immortality is due to the suffering of others, and she cannot bear to see another good man damned when it is within her power to prevent it.

In order to renegotiate his contract, Carrie must travel into the depths of hell and parley with the demons that control its pathways. As the cost of her journey rises, Carrie must determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to save one good soul.

Interview:

Kari& Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Elizabeth: I’ve been a big reader for my entire life, and I’ve always admired the authors whose works captured my attention. But at the same time, I was always coming up with stories of my own that I planned to turn into books. And when I was faced with a bout of insomnia that left me with extra time to write on my hands, I decided to go ahead and try to be an author.

Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Elizabeth: I come up with my ideas from a variety of places, but the two biggest influences are probably other fiction and dreams. I got the idea for Oracle of Philadelphia from watching the television show Supernatural, and the next series I plan to write comes from a combination of a dream I had and my attempts to make a completely unique world.

Kari& Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Elizabeth: I plan to have seven books in the Earthbound Angels series, so that should keep me busy for quite a while. But I have some other ideas that I hope will someday see the light of day—a dystopian detective series, a young adult zombie story, and maybe a high fantasy or two.

Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Elizabeth: I think my favorite character is Susan Sto Helit from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. She handles everything that comes up with a no-nonsense attitude, and she can speak in capital letters.

Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Elizabeth: I think anyone who has ever had a pet cat wishes she could be a housecat. I mean, they pretty much just sit around and sleep all day, with periodic breaks for adoration from their humans. But I specifically would like to be my cat Jadey. She walks through life with the absolute confidence that she is the most important being in the world, and any time she meets with evidence that she is not, she simply disregards it. If I could have this kind of attitude, my life would be so much easier.

About the author:
Elizabeth Corrigan has degrees in English and psychology and has spent several years working as a data

analyst in various branches of the healthcare industry. When she’s not hard at work on her next novel, Elizabeth enjoys singing, reading teen vampire novels, and making Sims of her characters.

She drinks more Diet Coke than is probably optimal for the human body and is pathologically afraid of bees. She lives in Maryland with two cats and a purple Smart Car.

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Philadelphia-Earthbound-Angels-ebook/dp/B00BYH680O/

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oracle-of-philadelphia-elizabeth-corrigan/1114884700?ean=2940016360195&isbn=2940016360195

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Oracle-of-Philadelphia/book-Wq6dKF1fekil8PGwnFkELw/page1.html?s=irmDRfLD4kmaL1ue2o1Z1A&r=1

Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Philadelphia-Book-Earthbound-Angels/dp/1482692473/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364162353&sr=1-2&keywords=oracle+of+philadelphia

Author interview: Red Garnier

Today, we have an interview with author Red Garnier.  She is promoting her latest release, Claimed by Him. Welcome Red!

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Date of publication: April 2013

Graves Buchanan has had to climb farther and higher than any of his friends, singlehandedly becoming a billionaire in less than two decades, with no education to speak of, and with a rotten poor childhood in the streets. He likes sex the way he learned it; animal, raw and without any strings attached. He doesn’t even do kissing, and he doesn’t like to be touched. But even as fucked-up as he is, he cares deeply for his best friend’s baby sister, Chloe Lexington. But Chloe is an heiress, a ‘princess’, and no matter how much he wants her, Graves doesn’t think he has it in him to handle a girl like her.

But Chloe is not going to take no for an answer. She’s been warned against Graves by her brother, Daniel, and against all of his eccentric billionaire friends, but Chloe has merely been biding her time. Now that she’s almost twenty-five, she’s determined to have the man she’s always wanted, even if it means using jealousy as an incentive.

But Graves isn’t allowed to allow any of his friends set a hand on Chloe. This stubborn billionaire is now going to have to do something he'd never thought he'd do, and he's going to have to claim his girl once and for all.

From the TBR Pile Interview

Kari & Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Red: Hello, Kari, thanks for having me. Reading. Reading definitely inspired me. I devoured books when growing up, and sometimes I couldn’t afford to buy more, so I kept having to invent imaginary heroes and heroines in my head while I saved up for my next book shopping spree.

Kari & Autumn: Where do you come up with the idea for your books?

Red: Anywhere. Sometimes it’s a movie, a song, a sentence. I love when that little kernel of inspiration blossoms into an idea. And an idea forms a perfect thought, that forms that first sentence . . . it’s awesome!

Kari & Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Red: More and more books! Claimed by Him is the first story of five  digital enovellas, all which will be followed by a very sexy single title in both digital and print. I can’t wait to hear what readers think about these stories.

Kari & Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Red: I am fascinated by Wuthering Height’s Heathcliff. He is the ultimate tortured hero. I absolutely adore him.

Kari & Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Red: I’ve always had an affinity for wolves, and I don’t know why. My school psychiatrist once asked me that question and I definitely told her I was a “wolf” – I truly don’t know what she could deduce from that answer, but from her expression, A LOT!

Thank you so much for having me. I do hope readers enjoy CLAIMED BY HIM, out this month by St. Martin’s Press digital. Don’t miss it! Also, I hope readers feel free to stop by my website for ongoing contests and prizes.

About this author

 

 

Red Garnier is an erotic romance author whose first book released from Ellora's Cave Publishing in May

2007 to receive a Fallen Angel Recommended Read.

She writes fun and sexy erotic contemporaries as well as paranormals, which can range from dark and emotionally intense, to witty and fun and sweet as cherries! Whatever she's writing at the time, Red loves to sit down with her characters and let them take things from there.

Red Garnier is a lover of love, laughter, and hot, steamy sex. She lives with her husband - the love of her life, her very own hero! - and is a proud mother of two.

She was born to write, to say what's on her mind, and to make a few tongues wag along the way. When Red is not writing, she's probably found with her face glued to a sizzling romance book.

Red loves to read and to write in the many genres of romance.
Website: http://www.redgarnier.com/

Throwback Thursday: Tender Taming by Heather Graham

 

Author: Heather Graham
First published in 1983 by Dell Publishing Company
Re-issued by Open Road Media on in March 2013

Twenty-five-year-old Whitney Latham has worked hard to prove herself to her controlling father and his business partner—her ex-husband. As public relations director for a housing development company with its sights set on Seminole land in the Florida Everglades, Whitney is confident she can pave over any obstacle. But everything changes when her car gets stuck in the mud during a research trip to the swamp and a rugged stranger, named White Eagle, comes to her rescue. Soon, she is having second thoughts about her company’s mission, and nothing is quite as it seems—especially when it comes to love.

The great thing about Open Road Media is that they are re-issuing older books by well known authors in ebook format.  This is a great way to catch up on books that you may have missed.  Tender Taming is one such re-issue.  An early book by Heather Graham, it does show a little of its age.  The one obvious way is the use of the word "Indian" to describe the Native Americans in the book.  You don't really see that much anymore.  I was glad to see that the book had not been " updated".  I really dislike that, preferring to read an older book as it was originally written.

Tender Taming was a fairly enjoyable read.  Whitney has gone to Florida to negotiate with the tribes there to have them release parts of their land for a new housing development. At first, I didn't like Whitney's character.  She was arrogant and really should have done her research before heading to Florida for negotiations.  I didn't blame White Eagle for playing a little joke on her.  She redeemed herself in the end as she was genuinely willing to learn more about the tribes. The romance was a bit cheesy, but that is why we love these throwbacks, right? I enjoyed reading about the Seminole traditions and the Everglades on which their land sits. It made me want to go to Florida for a visit.

The book is a very quick read and worth it for fans of Ms. Graham.  Give it a shot if you missed it!

Blog Tour: The Secret Life of a Submissive by Sarah K.

Author: Sarah K.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of publication: December 2012
Sarah K has a secret.

By day she’s a writer and level-headed single mother; by night she’s a submissive, surrendering herself to forbidden delights. But will she perform the most illicit act of all – falling in love?

When Max comes into Sarah’s life – charming, handsome and deliciously brooding – she can’t stop herself. Before long she has surrendered to him in every way: becoming his submissive, yielding her body to his every desire, powerless to fight his sensual temptations.

As Sarah pushes her mind and body to its limits, she begins to realise that she’s in too deep. Pleasure and pain have become her world. She’s addicted – to the adrenalin, to the sensation, to Max himself.

The Secret Life of a Submissive is written by a well published romance/erotica writer under a pseudonym.  Apparently, she had a very regular, if boring, love life and after her divorce, she decided to explore her BDSM fantasies.  I thought the book was very well written. Something I would expect from an established author.  I also thought the book was pretty honest.  In the epilogue, she tells us that some events have been changed and conversations have probably been embellished.  But, I figure that is to be expected.  

So, did I enjoy the book?  Yes, I did.   Even though I had a hard time wrapping my brain around why someone would chose to be a submissive.  I tried to go into the book with an open mind and not be judgmental   I know this is just one glimpse into the lifestyle.  As I said, I felt like I was reading an honest account of her experience.  I felt like she was being honest with herself about her own feelings and needs.  She admits that this book is not a manual , it's just a glimpse into the life based on her experience.  I definitely recommend this book.  While it isn't something I would choose for my life, it was an entertaining read.

About the author:

Can't say much...Sarah K. is a pseudonym....

The Practice Proposal by Tracy March

Author: Tracy March
Publisher: Entangled Press
Date of publication: March 2013

Liza Sutherland isn’t looking for love. Not from a charity-auction date she didn’t even bid on and especially not with Nationals first baseman Cole Collins, the guy she obsessed over as an awkward teenager. She won’t get involved with a notorious player, no matter how attractive Cole is.

Cole Collins is up for contract renegotiation, but after too many late-night parties, he’ll need some positive publicity before he can make the roster. His agent, Frank, pitches Liza as the perfect prop…only Cole didn’t account for Liza no longer being just a teenager with a crush. She’s gorgeous and smart and he’s instantly hooked. 

The Practice Proposal is a very sweet romance.  I was able to read it in just about one sitting. I really enjoyed the book.  Cole and Liza knew each other as teenagers and were friends of a sort.  Years later, Liza wins a charity auction that involves a date with Cole.  Cole is now a famous baseball player who needs to spruce up his image.  Both of them go into the relationship with ulterior motives, but cupid has other ideas.  I loved watching them fall for each other.  I also loved how Cole took things slow and allowed Liza the time to let go of her grief for her deceased fiance.  

While Cole is a baseball player, it wasn't too heavy on baseball talk, so should be enjoyable for anyone. It was also a fairly clean romance.  The story holds a couple of surprises that I definitely didn't see coming.  I love when that happens! The other characters in the book were a lot of fun.  I'm hoping that Paige gets her own story at some point.  Maybe Cole has a baseball friend who needs a lady to love?   Entangled Press has another great author on their hands and I look forward to reading more from Ms. March!

Review: Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

by:  Kelly Braffet
published by:  Crown
publish date:  August 6, 2013

Patrick Cusimano is in a bad way. His father is in jail, he works the midnight shift at a grubby convenience store, and his brother's girlfriend, Caro, has taken their friendship to an uncomfortable new level. On top of all that, he can't quite shake the attentions of Layla Elshere, a goth teenager who befriends Patrick for reasons he doesn't understand and doesn't fully trust. The temptations these two women offer are pushing him to his breaking point.
The publish date on this book is a while off, but I picked this book up and couldn't put it down.  I was really impressed by it.  I've been in a bit of an "actual book" reading slump for awhile.  I've been tearing through audiobooks like crazy, but when it comes to an actual book in hand, nothing has held my interest in quite awhile.  The little blurb about this book said it was like Gillian Flynn and Donald Ray Pollock, and I happen to enjoy the darkness of both of those writers so I was really interested in reading this book.

Save Yourself tells the intertwining stories of Patrick and Layla.  Patrick is stuck in a dead end job in a town where everyone knows his family's terrible story.  He is the son of an alcoholic that killed a boy while drunk driving, and he turned his own father in to the police, but not fast enough for the town's forgiveness.  Layla is a preacher's daughter gone goth and fallen under the spell of a sadistic psychopath.  Layla is dragging her perfectly obedient little sister down with her and gets Patrick involved in all of their drama as well.

I read almost this entire book in one sitting.  If it wasn't like 2 am and I wasn't utterly exhausted I would have stayed up and read the whole thing.  Next day, I flew through the rest of it.  I loved this book.  It was the first book by Kelly Braffet I've read, and I'll will definitely be adding her name to the list of authors to keep an eye out for.