Author: fabulousreader4ever

Hello Book Lovers! I'm Yaritza from NY. I'm an avid reader who loves books and traveling to book events to meet authors. I find reading a great escape from reality and a way to expand my mind. Books mean so much to me that I will forever have an unlimited TBR list. Eight years ago, I opened a Facebook group where I could share my love of books with other readers, and I have made wonderful friends for life. The book community is so loving, charming, and caring. Books are a huge part of our lives and have a profound impact on each of us. My favorite genres are Mystery, Thriller, Romance, and Young Adult. My mission is to spread the love of books to all ages. ​Let's turn the page together!

Review: Full Color Life: How to Live a Creative Balanced Life by Margery Walshaw

Goodreads Blurb

Have you ever asked: What if I could work for myself? How can I pursue my creative dreams? How do I become more successful?

The idea of being creative triggers mixed reactions. Some people admit to feeling a passion for creative activities, but modestly claim their efforts aren’t good enough. Others shake their heads as if to push the thought away and say they have to make a real living.

Margery Walshaw has worked with creatives throughout the world. She’s noticed that those who are most successful view life as if seeing a rainbow — dramatically and in full color.

Here she has written an empowering guide to help businesses and individuals, even those who aren’t in artistic fields, find their creative spark and develop the self-belief and tools to make their business and personal life flourish.

She encourages people to release preconceived ideas and harmful phrases such as “I can’t” and “what if” while moving purposefully toward a life that is happier, more fulfilling, and responsible.

More than a testament for creative expression, Full Color Life provides inspiration and instruction for individuals and businesses. It’s about embracing challenges, finding opportunities, and discovering those elusive rainbows that lead us to a creative, balanced life.

Read this book and enjoy the journey in your Full Color Life.

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Margery is a true cheerleader. Her wonderful book of how to live a creative life really brought so many outcomes, troubles, and ideas that we all go through, which stops us from doing what we love. Loved how she added interviews of actors and writers who all at some point ran into struggles in getting to where they are at today. The key is to never give up and to take negative thoughts away. She broke the book up into three sections. The three parts were self-belief, discipline, and perseverance. A combination of all these three aspects will make us see our goal and accomplish it without procrastination. I was  struggling to start a masters program, and I just keep on stressing out the amount of work and time I need to put into it. I add so much negativity that it stops me from achieving my goals. After reading this book, I will take Margery’s ideas and thoughts because, yes, I can do it, and so can you.

Author Biography

Margery Walshaw has served as an editor and publicist to novelists who are published by Berkley, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin’s Press, and Scholastic. She has managed screenwriters whose scripts have sold to major production companies and television networks. Additionally, as a book packager she helps many successful indie authors with guidance on editorial, art direction, and social media.

Her articles have appeared in national publications and she has also worked on publicity campaigns for nationally and internationally recognized companies. She was privileged to teach public relations at Pepperdine University in Malibu and has provided many professionals with writing instruction along with ghostwriting of their own books.

Margery holds a Bachelor’s Degree from U.S.C. and returned later to earn her Master of Arts degree in Professional Writing also from U.S.C. If ever stranded on a desert island, her one wish is to be with another writer.

Review: Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

Goodreads Blurb

A gentle Eastern European immigrant arrives in New York City after his family and his life have been torn apart by his country’s civil war. A man who loves to bowl rolls a perfect game–and then another and then another and then many more in a row until he winds up ESPN’s newest celebrity, and he must decide if the combination of perfection and celebrity has ruined the thing he loves. An eccentric billionaire and his faithful executive assistant venture into America looking for acquisitions and discover a down and out motel, romance, and a bit of real life. These are just some of the tales Tom Hanks tells in this first collection of his short stories. They are surprising, intelligent, heartwarming, and, for the millions and millions of Tom Hanks fans, an absolute must-have!

My Review: Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Was excited that Tom Hanks had written a book and couldn’t wait to read it. I am not a fan of short stories. Felt like it took a long time to finish reading this book. I would get lost in some of the stories. I loved that most of the stories were of the past. I also loved the different types of writers that opened each chapter. Overall, some of the stories were very good and interesting. Others were confusing and boring.

Author Biography

Thomas Jeffrey “Tom” Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor, filmmaker and writer. He is known for his roles in Big (1988), Philadelphia (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Saving Private Ryan, You’ve Got Mail ( 1998), Cast Away (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Captain Phillips, and Saving Mr. Banks (both 2013), as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express (2004) and the Toy Story series.

Hanks has received six Academy Award nominations including two consecutive wins for Best Actor for Philadelphia, and Forrest Gump in 1993, and 1994 respectively.

He has received numerous honors including the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the French Legion of Honor both in 2016, as well as the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2020.

My Current Book Club Read: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van  Pelt

Goodreads Blurb:

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Author Biography

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, will be published by Ecco/HarperCollins (US) and Bloomsbury (UK) in Spring 2022.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she’s now missing the mountains in the Chicago area with her husband and two children.

Review: A Cold Creek Noel by RaeAnne Thayne

Goodreads Blurb

Caidy Bowman had been the apple of her family’s eye—until a devastating tragedy forced her to hide from the world. She was used to devoting her time to the animals on her family’s ranch. Then widower Ben Caldwell and his two adorable children arrived in Pine Gulch, and suddenly, Caidy wanted more than a life in the shadows….As the town’s new vet, Ben needed a place to stay for the holidays—and for his family to heal from their own loss. He absolutely wasn’t looking for love again! But Caidy Bowman’s sparkling green eyes and sweet smile touched Ben’s broken heart, giving him hope for a new future. Their future—if he could convince the beautiful cowgirl that Christmas was a time for new beginnings….

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

It is a heartwarming story based on Christmas, with characters who are insecure due to their tragic past. RaeAnne knows how to create characters who reflect on everyday issues people encounter in life. These issues are relatable, and readers can sympathize with them. She provides the readers with the personal struggles both Caidy Bowman and Ben Caldwell lived with.

RaeAnne is known for creating sparks between her characters. When Caidy and Ben first meet, there are fireworks, but the character’s arrogance puts a damper on the possibilities. Ben is a veterinarian who is a widower with two young children. Caidy has hidden away on her family ranch due to the horrifying deaths of her parents, which she takes the blame for.

The magic of Christmas will bring Ben and Caidy to a place of forgiveness, love, and happiness. They are both family-oriented and always looking to help others. Love can overcome the demons of the past. A story based on Christmas always brings the joy and the magic of the holiday season.

Author Biography

I’m not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all — through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor — I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try — their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I’ve come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the “that’s-it!” feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can’t imagine my life any other way.

I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at my email address, raeannethayne@gmail.com

Review: A Wedding in Lake Como by Jennifer Probst

Goodreads Blurb

A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past in this romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.

Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea made a pact to reunite for each other’s weddings when their careers sent them in different directions. But after one of them makes a choice that tears the group apart, an upcoming wedding might be their last chance to heal old wounds.

Ava is about to marry the man she loves in a lavish ceremony on the shores of Lake Como, but she’s haunted by the mistakes she’s made.

Madison’s made a name for herself as an influencer in the fashion world but is threatened by a scandal impacting everything she holds dear.

And Chelsea has the perfect family she always craved, but her professional dreams have fallen by the wayside.

As they return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college. When Madison comes face-to-face with the college sweetheart who was at the heart of one of the most pivotal times of her life, can they forge a new way forward?

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Can friendship withstand the test of time? This story of three friends finding their place in life will show you how ugly friendships can get. Ava, Madison, and Chelsea are living life to the fullest. Their friendship with Ava, who is quite needy, will change their lives forever. This story will take you down a rabbit hole of emotions and leave the reader questioning whether forgiveness is a possibility.

I could relate to this story because I have had past friendships that went sour. When you have a friend who tries to run every person’s life, it never ends well. This book brings up so many emotions of wanting to feel loved and wanted. Maddie was constantly looking for her parents’ acceptance and love. She tried to find that love with her friends and her followers. I connected so much with Maddie since I am also a fashion lover. I loved reading the parts about fashion. The romance between Maddie and Riggs was precisely what readers yearned for.

Jennifer delved right into developing characters that made this story come to life. She created a fun storyline with exciting opportunities for the future. She slowly twisted that happiness into a moment that will change the characters’ and readers’ lives forever. It was hard having to be present at the one moment that destroyed the four characters’ friendship, but the retelling of events drove an unexpected dagger to the heart. Forgiveness can bring you to a place of calmness, acceptance, and second chances. Will the time apart and discussing what happened help the characters find forgiveness, and how powerful is friendship? I would not have been so forgiving for the events these characters endured.

Author Biography

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Her family keeps her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. Her passions include horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wine—not necessarily in that order.

She is the NYT, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the NY Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases at http://www.jenniferprobst.com. Sign up of her newsletter at http://www.jenniferprobst.com/newsletter for a free book.

Book Event at Books & Greetings to Meet Karen M. McManus

Meet & Greet

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR

KAREN M. McMANUS

TUESDAY, JULY 30TH 6:00PM

Link to purchase ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/one-of-us-is-lying-author-karen-m-mcmanus-book-signing-tues-730-6pm-tickets-915371028387

Goodreads Blurb

The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.

Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.

Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.

Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.

Review: Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story by R.L. Stine

Goodreads Blurb

Rick Scroogeman hates Christmas. He can’t stand the carols and the pageants. He can’t stand the lights and the mistletoe. But what he hates the most is having to watch the old movie A Christmas Carol every year at school. Since his name is Scroogeman, all of his classmates start calling him Scrooge. And he hates being called Scrooge.

But everything starts to change when three ghosts visit him. At first, he thinks it’s a dream. But then he realizes that it might be a nightmare. A nightmare that could become real.

Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story is a funny, scary middle-grade send up of A Christmas Carol, about a boy who hates Christmas, from bestselling Goosebumps author R. L. Stine.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This is one of the best books that R.L. Stine has written. He really put a lot of work into creating a story with a boy named Rick, who was a bully to everyone. He just couldn’t see how bad his actions were towards his friends and family. The three ghosts, Christmas past, present, and future, take him out for a ride to show him the consequences for his actions. This is a great book for children to learn that bullying is a terrible thing to do. It’s a lesson to learn to change or deal with the horrible consequences. Stine brought Birthday and Christmas in one scenario. Kids whose birthdays fall on Christmas always run into the problem of getting presents for Christmas and not their birthday. I loved that we, as the readers, were able to know how Rick felt and what his thought process was. This book had some funny and creepy moments. This was the scary Christmas Carol that all children will fear. Remember, Santa Clause knows if you are naughty or nice.

Author Biography

Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children’s literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.

R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.

Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA’s Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.

Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Goodreads Blurb

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

When the green grass on the other side of the fence isn’t exactly green after all!! This was absolutely thrilling. It takes the reader out of their comfort zone and has them open their eyes that people do not want to think them to be. We all have skeletons in our closest some more than others. Rachel’s life was a total disaster. She fell into an obsession with a couple who she thought were perfect, but what you see isn’t always real. I felt for Rachel every moment she picked up a bottle to drink her sorrows away. Drinking just caused her to confuse what truly happened to her in real life. Her mind twisted everything, making it seem just like a dream. As I read the book, I didn’t come to realization that the murderer wasn’t the obvious person but the person you would least expect. I learned that people lie in order for them to get ahead without realizing the damage they do to others. I totally enjoyed this train ride to a story full of secrets, deceit, jealousy, obsession, and love beyond reason. Can’t wait to see the movie in a few weeks.

Author Biography

Paula Hawkins is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Girl on the Train, which was made into a major motion picture. Her new novel of psychological suspense, Into The Water, is coming May 2.

Review: Big Words for Little Geniuses by Susan and James Patterson

Goodreads Blurb

There’s no “gobbledygook” in this picture book by James and Susan Patterson, with each letter of the alphabet providing a sophisticated word and definition for “Lilliputian” children to learn. Adults will appreciate the “juxtaposition” of young kids properly using impressive words that many grownups may not have heard of before! Includes a list of extra words in the back for further learning.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

It’s one of the cutest books I have ever read. Will keep the children and the reader active in trying to pronounce such difficult words. Even I had to look at the pronunciations. I love the vivid colors and illustrations. It is truly a book that all ages will love and remember.

Author Biography

Susan Solie Patterson has a Bachelor of Science/Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was also an All-American swimmer. She is the author of Things I Wish I Told My Mother and Big Words for Little Geniuses, which was a New York Times bestseller.