Book Review: Access All Areas

accessAccess All Areas is a nice short book that I really enjoyed reading! It has 10 chapters and clocked in at just under 100 pages so it was a nice afternoon read. The book is about Anna, a photographer who is dealing with the death of her father just a few months after the death of her mother and realizing that she may end up losing her house if she cannot come up with some major money and FAST.  Her friend Lucy works at a hotel and knows that there is a film star staying there with her new boy toy.  No one else really knows and a paparazzi shot of the two of them would make BANK.  Lucy helps Anna get inside a vacant room that is across from the stars room and Anna ends up getting stuck hanging out the window and is considered a suicide risk.  Then she gets caught again trying to sneak in dressed as a maid.

Somehow despite her breaking all his rules, the head of security, Jack, ends up taking her camera and then taking HER back to his place for the night! She sneaks out in the morning and finds her camera so she grabs it.  This leads to Jack thinking she was just using him for the camera, but she tells him no and ends up hooking up with him again – this time in his office.

She ends up in the right place at the right time and snaps a photo of the two on her cell phone – and another member of security takes her camera which of course has nothing on it.  Worried that selling the photo may put Jack’s job at risk since they think he may be the leak who told Anna about the star being there, she decides to instead rent out her house to try and make some extra income.

But then she finds out that Jack has quit and she can sell the photo – except for the fact that… well… you’ll have to read the book and see what happens.

This was a quick read, romantic and I really liked the characters.

I received a free e-copy in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Sexy, addictive and just pure fun, don’t miss the next installment in the Do Not Disturb series!
After losing her elderly parents, portrait photographer Anna will do anything to avoid losing the family home – the only thing she has left of her perfect childhood.

When a friend who works at the exclusive boutique hotel, The Lavington, provides a hot tip – an A list film star is staying there with her rumored toyboy lover – Anna comes up with a plan. A photo of them together could be the answer to all Anna’s money problems.

Unfortunately, she’s the worst paparazzi photographer on the planet and Jack, the hotel’s new head of security, back in England after globetrotting as bodyguard to the stars, isn’t about to allow a picture on his watch. No matter how cute the photographer might be…

Throwback Thursday: Ingram Hill 6/26/05

Headliner: Ingram Hill
Opener(s): Snoozebox, Blss, 4 Days from Now
Venue: Webster Underground Hartford, CT
Cost: $12

Setlist:

Hangin Around Again
Chicago
To Your Grave
The Day Your Luck Runs Out
What If I’m Right
Love and War
On My Way
Why The Wait
Solsburry Hill
Slippin Out
Never Be The Same
Almost Perfect
Captain
Will I Ever Make It Home
Maybe It’s Me
American Girl

Recap:

I feel like this summer we LIVED at the Webster Underground. SO many bands we wanted to see played there. (Yet somehow we never managed to see The Jonas Brothers – who also seemed to play there a lot)  We were really close for this show – I may have even been sitting on the stage (I think I was based on the angle of the pics) and Justin was picking towel lint off himself and it was landed on my friends. After the show we got pics with Justin and Phil.  This was also the show we were introduced to Snoozebox whom we absolutely LOVED … for a few months anyway before the lead singer went solo.

Where Are They Now:

Not really sure. I know recently Justin was on tour as a solo act recently.

Book Review: How to Catch a (Rock) Star

rockstarYou probably can’t tell from the blog – but it has been almost a month since I read a book for review. (Gotta love wordpress allowing me to schedule posts in advance!) It wasn’t a tough choice to decide what to read next since this one had to be posted before any of the rest based on my schedule – but I’m glad that it ended up being the next on my list. My reading break was part due to being too busy to find time to read and part due to the fact that a lot of the books I was reading just weren’t doing anything for me lately.

How to Catch a (Rock) Star is about Lillie who is an aspiring singer living in the UK.  She meets Jed, an American rock star and they hit it off.  Of course, how much time they can see each other is a bit limited with Jed being on tour.  Jed decides he has the perfect idea and has Lillie basically join his band to sing with him on tour. Everything seems to be going great for the two of them – but can it last? Well, of course there probably wouldn’t be a book if everything was all happy all the time and they ended up happily ever after, right?

Turns out Jed is keeping a secret from Lillie – one that she isn’t sure she can handle after being in a similar situation with an ex.  But Lillie’s dreams are coming true – so what can she do to make sure that she can continue living her dreams – with or without Jed?

I liked this book a lot – it was very well written and I enjoyed all of the characters. (And it turns out there will be a second book following another one of the band members so I will have to keep an eye out for that one too!) It is a romance book but didn’t have a lot of the sex scenes you might be expecting (which was a bit of a con, but at the same time also a pro.) I think that rockstar romances are my new favorite sub-genre and if Gabrielle Aquilina keeps it up with this series I will not be disappointed!

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Aspiring singer Lillie and American rock star Jed seem like the perfect fit from the moment they meet. The pair are inseparable, but Jed’s jet-set schedule of shows and after-parties limits the amount they can see each other. So when Jed invites Lillie to sing with his band on their tour, she says yes. Yes with some hesitation, that is. After finding out that her ex-boyfriend was hiding away a wife and child when they were dating, Lillie’s trust in men is fragile and she also suffers from severe stage fright. As the tour progresses, Jed and Lillie are fast becoming rock’s hottest couple but with obsessive fan girls, a claustrophobic tour bus and a resentful guitarist, things start taking a turn for the worse. Lillie’s dream of singing may have finally become a reality, but can it last? The odds are stacking up against them and then the unthinkable happens…
The book is the first one of a series. The second book will follow the story of Johnny, Jed’s best friend.

Product Review: 60 Gel Pens

This is the most complete collection of gel pens I have ever seen.  As a scrapbooker, I like to have choices to write out journaling pages in colors that will match the layout of the page.  With 60 to choose from, I won’t have any problem picking a color or two to match!  The set includes neon ink, pastel ink, amazing ink, metallic ink and glitter ink.  I think my favorite are the glitter inks, they are so bright and sparkly! All the pens I have used write really well once they get going and write clearly and smoothly.  The only downside is the case has all 60 side by side by side so it is a bit cumbersome to carry and store – but I do like that each pen has a spot in the case and can be clipped in place.  I received this product for free in order to write this review, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Book Review: The Book of Joan

bookofjoanThe Book of Joan is about the late Joan Rivers, by her daughter, Melissa.  She tells all about Joan’s life and how she used to embellish, well, everything! From her resume to her phone calls to Melissa after her planes landed when she was traveling.

This book flowed and was easy to read, and was almost as if you were having a conversation with Melissa where she was reminiscing about times with her mother and stories her mother had told her over the years in order to teach her things. It also includes photos and documents over the years – like Joan’s first (heavily embellished) resume and even her childhood report cards!

A great summer afternoon read by the pool. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll laugh some more.

I received a copy of this book from BloggingForBooks in order to write this review.

About the Book

Joan Rivers was known all over the world—from the Palace Theater to Buckingham Palace, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the footlights of Broadway, from the days of talkies to hosting talk shows. But there was only one person who knew Joan intimately, one person who the authorities would call when she got a little out of hand.  Her daughter and best friend, Melissa.

Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time.  If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. (“Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.”) In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature.

In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.

Music Monday: Josh Groban Stages

groban

 

Pure Imagination (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line)
Bring Him Home (Les Miserables)
Le Temps Des Cathedrales (Notre-Dame de Paris)
All I Ask Of You (w/ Kelly Clarkson) (The Phantom of the Opera)
Try To Remember (The Fantasticks)
Over The Rainbow (The Wizard of Oz)
Children Will Listen / Not While I’m Around (Into the Woods / Sweeney Todd)
You’ll Never Walk Alone (Carousel)
Old Devil Moon (ft. Chris Botti) (Finian’s Rainbow)
Finishing the Hat (Sunday in the Park with George)
If I Loved You (w/ Audra McDonald) (Carousel)
Anthem (Chess)

Gold Can Turn To Sand (Kristina)
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (Les Miserables)

Stages is the 7th studio album from Josh Groban and is made up of songs from Broadway musicals. It came out in April of this year. This is the first album of Josh’s I’ve actually owned, but have always been impressed with his voice. I think my favorite track is Pure Imagination – I loooove Charlie and the Chocolate factory and this is certainly my favorite song from it.  His rendition of Over the Rainbow is pretty great as well!  I’m not really familiar with most of the other musicals featured on this CD (though I did see Les Miserables and was not a fan) but I think that he does them all quite well!

Book Review: Jim Henson and Philosophy

hensonJim Henson and Philosophy is a book made up of various essays about Jim Henson’s characters and their relation to Philosophy.  Henson tried to make monsters less scary with his group of misfit muppets. Miss Piggy is a strong female character.  This book features ALL his characters – not just the Muppets – including Fraggle Rock and the movie Labyrinth.  It talks about how Sesame Street makes learning fun.  It is nice to read all the different thoughts from all the different authors in their essays.  There is definitely more to these characters than meets the eye.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review.

About the Book

Jim Henson’s creations have inspired generations with characters that are among the world’s most recognizable cultural icons. From Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and their Muppet friends, to the legendary Sesame Street and the Children’s Television Workshop, Henson has immeasurably impacted the growth, development and substance of children’s educational entertainment. Combining live-action and puppeteering into fantastical narratives like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and the whimsical Fraggle Rock and The Storyteller, Henson transforms imagination into reality, weaving powerful philosophical messages on identity, community, diversity, love, death, and friendship. Henson’s legacy endures because he never shied away from exploring deep questions, nor underestimated the ability of children (or adults) to grapple with profound philosophical questions. Anyone who grew up with his stories, or has fallen in love with his characters, will enjoy this book’s exploration of the entertaining, educational and profound world of Jim Henson.

Contributions by: Lauren Ashwell, Kimberly Baltzer-Jaray, David R. Burns, Samantha Brennan, Amanda Cawston, Brooke Covington, Christopher M. Culp, Ryan Cox, Natalie M. Fletcher, Victoria Hubbell, Dena Hurst, Christopher Ketcham, Christopher Ketcham, S. Evan Kreider, Shaun Leonard, Jennifer Marra, Michael J. Muniz, Laurel Ralston, Rhona Trauvitch, and Sheryl Tuttle Ross

Timothy M. Dale is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, where he teaches courses on political philosophy. He is coeditor of the collections Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).

Joseph J. Foy is associate campus dean at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha. He edited the award-winning Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: Politics as Popular Culture (2008) and SpongeBob Square Pants and Philosophy (2011), and co-edited Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).

Book Review: Your Dream Job: Use Dating Secrets to Get Hired and Build a Career You Love

dreamjob

Your Dream Job compares looking for a job to looking for a date. The hiring managers are super models and if you know what you’re doing you just might be able to land that date, I mean job, with them!

The downside to this book was there are too many references to movies and TV shows that I have never seen so they went right over my head.

I enjoyed the funny mistakes that job hunters made – and learned from them as well. (Although some of them seemed to be quite obvious things not to do..)

There’s a lot of great tips for what to do and not to do on your resume, when applying and once you land an interview.  Definitely a lot of things to keep in mind as I try to find my dream job!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

In this provocative book, career expert Dom Bokich explores the similarities between the job search and dating.

Both involve looking online for your perfect match or being set up by your friends. After that you’ll need a great icebreaker to score an interview. When you meet face-to-face, you’ll dress up, tell your best stories, and ask good questions.

Your Dream Job takes you step-by-step through the hiring process and shares insider secrets on how to find a job you love!
You’ll learn:
– How to become irresistible to your dream employer
– 3 ways to get noticed fast using social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
– How to write a knockout resume and cover letter
– How hiring managers act like supermodels
– Current interview methods including behavioral and values based interviewing
– 25 inspiring Success Stories of job seekers, 11 of which are new grads
– 50 Funny Mistakes applicants have made, so you won’t embarrass yourself

This book is like having coffee with the author. He’ll give you friendly and straightforward advice that works.

Your Dream Job is encouraging and entertaining, with proven techniques for everyone. Be inspired, have more confidence, and score your dream job today!

Book Review: Sweet As Sin

sweetassinI had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I tried and tried but just couldn’t. I’m not sure why. Maybe if I read it at a different time I’d have been more into it, maybe not. It’s a rather long book, almost 400 pages, as well as the first in a series. Maybe it was setting it up for future story lines that lost me? Either way, I feel bad that I couldn’t get more into this book and give it a nicer review. You know how much I love my rock star romance novels, but for me, this one just fell flat.

(From what I see on GoodReads – it seems to be 50/50 with absolutely loving the book or hating it – so I encourage you all to check the book out if you think it may be of interest to you and form your own opinions!)

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Twentysomething Kat Reid is loving life as an in-demand Hollywood makeup artist. She has absolutely no interest in rock ’n’ roll, but in order to pay the mortgage, she agrees to work on the set of a rock video for the world-famous rockers known as Bad Habit…which brings her face-to-face with Nico Nyx, lead singer of Bad Habit and Adonis in the flesh.

However, the fiercely independent Kat isn’t impressed by the hard-living, womanizing rock star. But when Nico’s model girlfriend shows up to the set drunk and Kat is tapped to replace her as the video’s sexy bride, her combustible chemistry with Nico suddenly threatens to consume the set. Nico feels it, too—and becomes determined to win Kat over, body and soul. Yet behind his rock god swagger, Nico hides a dark secret. Can he rock Kat’s world forever, or will he just break her heart?

Book Review: Life Is Short (No Pun Intended)

I absolutely love TLC’s “The Little Couple” Jen Arnold and Bill Klein. I just love their outlook and approach to life – they may be little but there is nothing that they can’t do! (Jen is a doctor, Bill a business owner). I try to not miss their show and I love their 2 kids – Will and Zoey. When I saw that they had written a book, I knew that I had to read it!

While those who watch the show know about their current life, this book focuses more on before they met and how their life was growing up as a little person. It was heartbreaking to read about how people would tell Bill and his Mom that they’d be better off if he had died! His Mom would take him shopping with some of her friends because there was strength in numbers and people seemed to be just so terrible to him.

The chapters alternate between Jen and Bill writing about similar times in their lives. All the surgeries they had, being at school, getting around, etc. And finally works up to them meeting. (Although they did cross paths when they were about 10 years old at a hospital!) While their show had talked a bit about their wedding, it was fun to read about it in more detail – and all the mishaps that kept happening leading up to the ceremony!

The book ends with them adopting Will and Zoey and Jen’s cancer scare – which was followed on the show but they go in to more detail. I loved reading this book and am looking forward to the new season of The Little Couple on TLC – whenever that may be!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this review.

About The Book
From the beloved stars of TLC’s The Little Couple comes an uplifting and moving behind-the-scenes account of how the pair met, fell in love, and overcame huge obstacles to become successful professionals and parents.

Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein have inspired millions as stars of TLC’s hit show The Little Couple. Though they both have dwarfism, they have knocked down every obstacle they have encountered together with a positive, can-do attitude. The show has featured the lives of Jennifer (a respected neonatologist) and Bill (a successful entrepreneur) from their marriage in 2009, to the launch of their pet shop, to the adoption of their children, to Jen’s overcoming cancer.

Now, for the first time Jen and Bill are letting readers into their private lives with behind-the-scenes, never-before-told stories about how they fell in love, what inspires them, and the passions that drive their success.

Jen and Bill have a simple purpose in life: make the world a better place through encouragement and education. A must-have for fans of the show or anyone who has ever faced a difficult challenge, Life Is Short (No Pun Intended) gives readers a glance at what inspires these positive people to approach life with such optimism and share their lives with the public every day.

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