Diary of a Mad Fat Girl

Title: Diary of a Mad Fat Girl Author: Stephanie McAfee Publisher: New American Library Pages: 353

From Amazon.com:

Graciela "Ace" Jones is mad-mad at her best friend Lilly who cancels their annual trip to Panama City for mysterious reasons; at her boss Catherine for "riding her ass like a fat lady on a Rascal scooter;" at her friend Chloe's abusive husband; and especially at Mason McKenzie, the love of her life, who has shown up with a marriage proposal one year too late. Ace is never mad, though, at her near-constant companion, an adorable chiweenie dog named Buster Loo.

Ace's anger begins to dissipate as she takes matters into her own hands to take down Chloe's philandering husband-and to get to the bottom of a multitude of other scandals plaguing Bugtussle, Mississippi. Then, she starts to realize that maybe Mason deserves a second chance after all.

With a sharp and distinctive voice, Stephanie McAfee delivers a hilarious and fast-paced tale about Ace Jones and her two best friends-thick as thieves and tough as nails-navigating Southern small-town politics and prejudices, finding love, and standing up for each other all the way.

OK I loved it! I mean, what's not to love? A heroine who admits her weight is due to a love of pizzas, cheeseburgers, & beer- and she ain't givin' 'em up!  Teachers showing their true (fallible and lovable) selves-(I've been in education 23 years...)I laughed out loud several times while reading this book and I can't wait to read the next one. Ace and Lilly had me drawn in from page one. They are true southern girls- brave, smart, strong, and a little crazy. You've got to respect a book in which the heroine does not conform to society's standards, make mistake,s and still comes out good in the end. Another thing I loved about it was that I didn't have it all figured out before the ending. I kept wondering if she'd choose Tommy or Mason. I'm definitely a Stephanie McAfee fan now!

Read this book if..

*you love southern fiction

*you love books about strong women

*you love books that make you laugh out loud

*you love pizza & beer and ain't given' 'em up!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.From her site:

We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

 This week I added the following to my shelf:

What did you add to your shelves this week?

It's Monday- What Are You Reading

I'ts Monday- What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.  This is a great way to learn about new books and meet fellow bloggers!
This is a "slow" week for me. I'm reading one book-

I bought this book at a local book store- Paradise Lost- in Rome, GA. (If you're in the area, you really need to check this place out!)
As an avid fan of the paranormal (and Georgia girl), I had to try this one. So far...so good. Stay tuned for my review....

Salting Roses

Title: Salting Roses Author: Lorelle Marinello Publisher: Avon Pages:313

I own this book.

From the back cover:

Gracie Lynne Calloway- once left in a coal bucket on a front porch in a small Alabama town- discovers on her twenty-fifth birthday that she is the kidnapped daughter of a late New England financier and heiress to a fortune. When the tabloid press and her unwanted greedy relatives descend on her, she has to admit the quiet secure life she's known and loved is gone for good. As Gracie struggles to stabilize her world and come to terms with her new identity, she learns that belonging is not about where you came from but who you are.

This review contains spoilers.

This book has been in my TBR pile for quite a while. Because of my love for southern fiction, I had to give it a try. It has a promising plot- a n'er do well girl from Alabama abandons her (supposed) love child on the door step of the uncle who raised her and is never seen again. Later, the child is found to be a missing heiress. I guess the story just runs a little too much toward a fairy tale for my tastes. It was certainly sweet- - just not all that believable in some parts. Why would Uncle Ben know Gracie's identity for eight years and keep it a secret?  Why did Conrad live so near Gracie and never explain the truth? Would that really happen? And, really, would Rita have abandoned the child like that and never confessed to who she was? Some of the characters were a little flat (Chantel) and some were a little too one-dimensional (Alice). All in all, I'd call this a decent beach read, but don't expect reality and DO expect some things to occur a little too conveniently. Essentially this is a southern fairy tale romance and, if that floats your boat, jump in.

Read this book if....

*you love southern fiction

*you love romance

*you love fairy tales

TBR Challenge 2013 April Wrap Up

April was a busy month for me. Finished and submitted a manuscript I've been working on, planned and celebrated my daughter's birthday...and a zillion other "spring things". I'm not surprised I have only 2 books read and reviewed for April. 

(And only one counts toward the TBR Challenge, because one was released in 2013! :~/ )

So.....
Here is my only eligible book for April:

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by: Joshilyn Jackson

*I can't count either of these toward The Library Books Challenge, either. I own them both! :~p

Feature and Follow Friday

It's Feature & Follow Friday, a meme hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

Today's Question:
Give us a sneak! What are you reading? Tell us a bout a fun or fail scene in your current read.

I am currently reading Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello. I know it has been out there awhile, but it has just been languishing in my TBR basket for ages. 

Gracie Lynne Calloway began her small life in Shady Grove, Alabama, fast asleep in a coal bucket on the front porch of 1854 Peachtree Lane. At 8 am she was carried in with the morning paper and a short note...

Booking Through Thursday

 (hosted by http://btt2.wordpress.com/)

What is your favorite hobby other than reading?

I have a ton of other interests, the main ones being writing, cooking, and gardening. I used to love painting, too, but I never have time for it anymore.

The Diviners

Title: The Diviners Author: LIbba Bray Publisher: Little, Brown & Co. Pages:578

I borrowed this book from my local library.

From Amazon:

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

This review may contain a few spoilers. I usually don't include spoilers, but I found it impossible not to do so in this case.

I admit this book is different from my usual reads, but the trailer sounded intriguing. I actually found it hard to put down. It does contain a few things I normally avoid- brutal murder, animal sacrifice- but, aside from those unpleasantries, it was a pretty good book. I got a little bogged down in some spots- had to skip a few paragraphs and get on with it. The slang can get annoying- the words pos-i-tute-ly and jake get used on every single (I kid you not) page. Set against the backdrop of 1920's NYC- speakeasies, flapper girls- the story follows several characters with unusual psychic gifts. Evie can hold any object and know the innermost secrets of the owner. Memphis has the power to heal, and his brother Isaiah has the gift of prophecy. Sam has the ability to be invisible, and is searching for his mother who was taken by the government as part of Project Buffalo- a mysterious, top-secret government paranormal project. Theta's gift I never completely understood except that she killed her ex-husband with it. Why are these characters being brought together and why are they dreaming the same dreams? Who is the mysterious man with the tall hat? And what exactly is Project Buffalo? I hope these questions will be answered in the next book....

And then, of course, there is the murder mystery itself. An evil spirit is released from a Ouija board and begins wreaking havoc on the city. Who is the spirit and what are the strange symbols left behind on his victims? Why are some of their body parts missing? Can Evie, Sam, her Uncle Will, and his assistant, Jericho, stop the killer before it is too late?

I had to struggle between 3 and 4 stars on this one. On the one hand, I  couldn't put it down. On the other, the slang and the bogged-down-in-detail parts got annoying. Evie, the main character, is a selfish spoiled brat who isn't all that likable. Will I read the next one? Sure- I will give it a try. Will I finish it? I'm not sure...

Read this book if:

*you love murder mysteries

*you love reading about the supernatural

*you love stories set in the Roaring 20's.

*you want to get wrapped up in a new series