Book Review: Play Me Series

Katie November 11, 2014 0 Comments

The Play Me series is a set of 5 books – all coming in at about 50 pages or less, that make up one larger story between Las Vegas casino cocktail waitress Aria and the head of the casino she works in, Sebastian.

Book #1 – Play Me Wild

Play Me Wild sets up the story. Aria is working in a Vegas casino and over sees a high roller (a “Whale”) assaulting another woman who is at the casino.  She talks to security several times but when they won’t do anything, Aria takes matters into her own hands and hits the guy, hard, with her serving tray.  She ends up getting fired and the whale wants all sorts of comps from the casino.  When Sebastian, the head of the casino while his father is ill, finds out about what happens he watches the tapes and decides that not only should Aria not have been fired and this Whale should be asked to leave the premises, he also decides that he wants nothing more than to hook up with Aria.  Will she go for it?

Book #2 – Play Me Hot

Play Me Hot picks up where Play Me Wild left off and with what Wild is lacking as far as an erotic romance novel goes, Hot more than makes up for it as most of the 44 pages are about Sebastian and Aria’s escapades in Sebastian’s office on Aria’s break. (Which ends up going over so he calls to her direct-boss and tells him that she is filling out paperwork from the incident the night before!)  After their time together is over, Aria is a bit out of it and Sebastian doesn’t want her going home alone.  Aria seems like she wants to get herself home herself, but Sebastian isn’t offering that as one of his options.

Book #3 – Play Me Hard

The third book picks up with the aftermath of Aria and Sebastian’s hookup.  Aria’s phone is dead and Sebastian is mad he can’t get a hold of her.  Aria misses texts from her mom and sister and arrives at their home to find they are not there.  Sebastian’s friend from college shows up with a story about his brother.  In the middle of their chat – Aria comes in demanding for Sebastian to take her now. This book ends with a cliff hanger when Sebastian brings Aria back to her apartment after her shift.

Book #4 – Play Me Real

In Book 4 we hear Sebastian’s side of the story based on the cliff hanger in book 3. He is sure that Aria will want nothing to do with him after he reveals the truth, but that is not the case. In fact, she doesn’t leave and they have quite the evening together.  I think it is in this book that Aria and Sebastian begin to realize that what is going on between them is real.

Book #5 – Play Me Right

After their last night together, Sebastian and Aria have been distant.  They know they need to talk but keep avoiding each other.  Aria has to tell Sebastian about her past, but she thinks that he won’t want to be with her after she does.  After putting it off, her sister finally convinces her that she is in love with Sebastian and has to tell him.  She explains who her family is (which I had an inkling based on mentions earlier in the book) and why she left the rich life that she knew 14 months ago to get away from her family.  Sebastian seems a bit shocked at first, and enraged, but at the end of it all, tells her that he loves her.

I’m not sure why these were 5 books instead of one, and at first I was kind of annoyed with it – but in the end I kind of liked it. It was less overwhelming for me – and 4 extra books on my reading list that otherwise wouldn’t have been there!  Once I got through the first one which really had no juicy scenes, of course 😉

I received free e-copies of these 5 books in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Books

In the seductive first installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined and Addicted,a woman running from her past has finally found a bit of control . . . until her powerful new boss makes her go wild.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Working as a cocktail waitress at one of Vegas’s hottest five-star casinos means putting up with a ton of bad behavior from the big spenders. But it pays the bills—and that’s all that matters to Aria, who needs every last dollar to escape from her father’s destructive grasp and the brutal man he expects her to marry. But when she lashes out against a billionaire who won’t take no for an answer, she nearly loses everything—until Sebastian steps in. The owner’s son and handpicked successor, Sebastian is dark, sexy, and kinder than any rich man should be. And when he apologizes and offers to keep her job safe, Aria can’t help the way her body reacts to his. Suddenly her job, and the security it brings her, isn’t the only thing Aria wants.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Hot.

Return to a world of secrets and desires. In the sultry second installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, Aria and Sebastian turn up the heat. But will they get burned?

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

If getting tangled up with her new boss is wrong, Aria doesn’t want to be right. Powerful men usually have a way of thinking they can take whatever they want while giving nothing back, but Sebastian is different. He’s gentle with her body. Rough in all the right places. And hot enough to make Aria break every last rule she’s set for herself. But with her history, it’ll take more than mind-blowing sex to heal the pain deep inside . . . no matter how good Sebastian’s intentions are. She’s spent her entire life fighting for control of her own life, and no one’s going to take that from her. But the more time she spends in Sebastian’s world, the deeper she’s drawn into his sensual games.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Hard.

No one ever said love is easy. In the third installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, Aria and Sebastian discover that building trust might be harder than they ever imagined.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Ever since taking Aria under his wing and into his seductive domain, Sebastian hasn’t been able to think straight. Their chemistry is intoxicating. Their power exchange is exhilarating. And the sex leaves them both absolutely exhausted. But if there’s one thing Sebastian does know, it’s that he needs to protect this strong yet vulnerable woman. Because she has depths that are unknown—even to her. Aria has worked hard to establish herself as anything but submissive. That isn’t who she is, or who she wants to be. So why does it feel so sweet to give up control . . . and so intense when Sebastian takes care of needs she doesn’t even realize she has? But he has needs of his own—and secrets that run just as dark and deep as Aria’s.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Real.

How do you know when something’s real? In the steamy fourth installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, a devastating betrayal unravels a fierce yet tender connection.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Aria has learned to play Sebastian’s game. She’s given him control, taken it back, and let him push her farther than she ever imagined she could go. But when Sebastian’s past comes to light, Aria receives a glimpse behind the facade—a revelation that disturbs her even as it makes her feel closer to this simmering, complicated man. Finally she comes to understand the real reason why Sebastian feels the need to dominate everything in his path. But Aria has a tortured history, too. And together they’re a dangerous combination. Now she’s the one pushing Sebastian to the breaking point . . . and if one of them burns up, they’ll both go down together.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story concludes inPlay Me: Right.

Good things never have to end. Tracy Wolff, the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined andAddicted, brings her eBook original serial to an unforgettable climax in Play Me’s sensational finale . . . for now.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . but my future belongs to Sebastian Caine.

Technically, Aria may still be in one piece, but she’s feeling pretty damn close to broken. While she knows Sebastian would die before hurting her, their intense, steamy encounters have opened up old wounds in them both. Now Aria is considering the unthinkable: walking away again—this time to save Sebastian from the pain she knows her past will cause him. But Sebastian’s the one who set her free in the first place—how can she not show him the same care and compassion? Because, in the end, being together forever is the only thing that feels right.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences.

Book Review: Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

Another FAQ book that really has no questions.  All that’s left to know about time travel, alien, robot, and out-of-this-world movies since 1970.  The book breaks down Sci-Fi into several sub categories and then basically tells you everything you could ever want to know about them, and more.  It starts with the literary roots of sci-fi and focuses on the authors and their books that became movies.  Also featured in the book are chapters on technology and the future, alternate worlds, time travel (my fave), space, aliens, experiments and my other favorite, robots.

It focuses only on the science fiction movies from the last 40 years – which is a lot. Way more than you’re probably thinking that there are – or at least way more than I was thinking that there are…  If you love Sci-Fi and want to know more about the movies of this genre, then this is the book for you.  It is about 400 pages with a lot of other great resources in the indexes at the end. Anything and everything you’d ever need to know! Everything is broken down too which is great if you’re looking for something specific – just find it in the index and you’ll be good to go!

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

About the Book

Many science fiction movies from the last 40 years have blazed new vistas for viewers. They’ve reached further into the future, traveled longer into the past, soared deeper into the vastness of the cosmos, and probed more intently inside man’s consciousness than any other period of film before. And audiences ate them up, taking four of the top ten spots in all-time ticket sales in America while earning more than $2 billion at the box office.

Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ takes a look at the genre’s movies from the last 40 years, where the dreams of yesterday and today may become tomorrow’s realities. This FAQ travels to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… visits a theme park where DNA-created dinosaurs roam… watches as aliens come to Earth, hunting humans for sport… and much, much more. Filled with biographies, synopses, production stories, and images and illustrations – many seldom seen in print – the book focuses on films that give audiences two hours where they can forget about their troubles, sit back, crunch some popcorn, and visit worlds never before seen… worlds of robots, time travel, aliens, space exploration, and other far-out ideas.

Book Review: Pumpkin Cinema

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

I’m really not sure why I decided to check out this book. I am a HUGE scaredy cat, Halloween is probably my least favorite time of year (aside from all the awesome candy, of course) and scary movies give me nightmares for days. (And in rare cases – severe arachnophobia that I’ve yet to be able to kick…)  So reading a book about “The Best Movies for Halloween” was probably not my greatest idea ever, but at least there were only a few photographs of the movies and their posters throughout the book and I was able to flip to the next page rather quickly if I thought it might freak me out! 😉

Each movie has its own listing which includes the  Title, Director, Cast, Length, Rating and then a Synopsis.  I was happy to see that movies that seemed rather harmless like Abbott and Costello and Daffy Duck were also included.  Perhaps there are some movies out there that I can watch and not be up all night for 14 days after! I was also surprised that I had seen around 10 of the movies that were listed! (I mean – Casper? I don’t even consider that a Halloween movie – it’s hardly scary and while they are ghosts they are the cutest ghosts I’ve ever seen…)

In addition to movies there is also fun-sized mini series included, TV episodes and then some Top 5 lists.

If you love yourself some Halloween and scaring the bejesus out of yourself every year – then this is the book for you. Or, since I am posting this in November and you want to spend time making Halloween never end – pick up the book now and see how many of the movies you can watch before Halloween time rolls around again!

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

About the Book

People celebrate the magical holiday of Halloween in a wide variety of ways, but most will, at some point, turn off the lights and allow a movie to take the excitement to the next level. Pumpkin Cinema recommends over 100 titles that are guaranteed to make your Halloween fun and frightening! Halloween only comes once a year, so you can’t afford to waste precious thrill time on a lousy movie! However, a great horror movie doesn’t necessarily translate into a great Halloween flick, and Pumpkin Cinema uses a simple set of guidelines to help you avoid the “boo!” blues: the films included here are fast paced, have essences of autumn (if they aren’t set on Halloween itself!), and have a trim run time (under two hours). Avoiding the mean-spirited and cruel movies more typical of horror offerings, Pumpkin Cinema also includes Halloween treats from multiple genres, in addition to horror: comedy, animation, science fiction, silent era, and foreign films, all ranging in popularity from blockbusters to the obscure. The films included are, above all, fun to watch and share with others! In addition to descriptive film reviews, you’ll also find plenty of quirky trivia, various top 5 lists, and a special chapter devoted to the greatest Halloween television episodes of all time.

Book Review: A Timeline History of the Thirteen Colonies

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

This book is pretty neat because in addition to your typical book with paragraphs, it also tells the story through a timeline which is a bit easier to read and more to the point than reading tons and tons of books.  This book is just over 50 pages so it gives you a LOT of information in not a lot of space. I always like the history books geared more towards kids because that has always been my worst subject and while I’d like to learn more it’s just something that I can not retain the information in your typical text books.  These kids books make things a bit more fun and interesting and help me retain more information.  If only college text books were written for younger kids – I’d have done much better in my history classes! 😉

The book tells about the original Thirteen Colonies and the timeline for which they were settled.  Most of them are around here (Connecticut is one of them, if you weren’t sure) so it is always interesting to see names that are relatively local.

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

About the Book

In the spring of 1607, an English ship landed at modern-day Virginia. The ship’s passengers quickly built shelters and a fort. Their settlement, Jamestown, was the first permanent English colony in North America. 

This event marked the beginning of an important period in US history. Over the next 150 years, thousands of Europeans—men, women, and children—journeyed to North America. They came seeking wealth, religious freedom, or a fresh start in life. The thirteen colonies they created became the foundation for a new nation.

Explore the history of each of the thirteen colonies. Track the important events and turning points in the creation of the United States.

Book Review: Prince Harry

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

Prince Harry: Brother, Soldier Son is a biography about Prince Harry (my fave of the Princes, by far) by royal family biographer Penny Junior.  It’s kind of sad that it is pointed out in the beginning of the book that Harry will never be king – as the line is his father, William and eventually, Prince George.  I mean, I think we all know that anyway, but seeing it written down was a bit of a bummer.  The book goes on to talk about how wild and unpredictable Harry is now at 30 years old and how it might be better that he won’t be King!  It also talks about how when he was younger he was not nearly as outgoing as he is now.

Also, for a book about Harry, there was an awful lot of talk about Diana.  I actually ended up skimming through most of it.  While I know she is obviously important to Harry’s story, if I wanted to know more about her life I’d read a biography about her.  I’m here for Harry! It also talked a bit about how his family has as good relationship with the media and not a lot of stories get out and not a lot of his girlfriends “kiss and tell” which could be because he treats them well. (I’d looove to find out! haha)  I also liked how the book had quotes from people who know Harry best to tell the story of his life, military career, etc.

Overall a pretty good book though I could have done without the Diana talk and perhaps cutting that out would have made it a bit shorter as I think it came in at over 400 pages!

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

About the Book

The authoritative biography of Prince Harry by noted royal family biographer Penny Junor, author of Prince William: The Man Who Will Be King and The Firm: The Troubled Life of the House of Windsor. 

Prince Harry, one of the most popular members of the British royal family, has had a colorful life. After losing his mother at 12 years old, he spent his teenage years making questionable choices under intense international media scrutiny, becoming known for his mischevious grin, shock of red hair, and the occassional not-so-royal indiscretion. As he’s grown, he has distinguished himself through military service, flying helicopters for the RAF. He served in Afghanistan and continues to devote himself to his military career. He also follows in his mother’s footsteps with charity work–he is the founder of Sentebale, a charity to help orphans in Lesotho, and works with many other charitable organziations to help young people in society and to conserve natural resources. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, Prince Harry is proving himself a prince of the people. 

With unprecedented access to the most important figures in his life, Penny Junor is able get the truth about who this mercurial and fascinating royal son really is. A modern biography of a modern prince, this book offers an insider’s look at the life of the man who is fourth in line to Britain’s throne.

Book Review: Tomboy

Katie November 5, 2014 0 Comments

Liz Prince may be female, but she didn’t relate to her “girly girl” side and would rather wear pants, tshirts and a baseball cap all of the time.  She didn’t fit in with the boys really and she didn’t fit in with the girls either.  This book is the story of Liz and growing up as a tom boy – but is told in a graphic novel form.

Each of the chapters has an anecdote of Liz’s life growing up – whether it was being teased for wearing a dress on church day (and getting the school to allow her to wear a shirt and tie instead), being picked on for being a lesbian with her other tom boy friends, being on the boys little league team but the whole team hating her, etc.

An interesting approach to a memoir and one that I related to and enjoyed reading. It being in graphic novel form made it a quick read and funny as well (even if the situations she was in probably were not amusing at the time!)

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

About the Book

Growing up, Liz Prince wasn’t a girly girl, dressing in pink tutus or playing Pretty Pretty princess like the other girls in her neighborhood. But she wasn’t exactly one of the guys either, as she quickly learned when her Little League baseball coach exiled her to the outfield instead of letting her take the pitcher’s mound. Liz was somewhere in the middle, and Tomboy is the story of her struggle to find the place where she belonged.

Tomboy is a graphic novel about refusing gender boundaries, yet unwittingly embracing gender stereotypes at the same time, and realizing later in life that you can be just as much of a girl in jeans and a T-shirt as you can in a pink tutu. A memoir told anecdotally, Tomboy follows author and zine artist Liz Prince through her early childhood into adulthood and explores her ever-evolving struggles and wishes regarding what it means to “be a girl.”From staunchly refuting anything she perceived as being “girly” to the point of misogyny, to discovering through the punk community that your identity is whatever you make of it, regardless of your gender, Tomboy is as much humorous and honest as it is at points uncomfortable and heartbreaking.

Book Review: The 6 Steps Plan to E-Publishing

Katie November 1, 2014 0 Comments

It’s no secret that I’ve been saying I’m writing a book for YEARS now, I’ve stopped and started, thrown everything away and started all over again more times than I care to mention.  But this November – instead of fiction for NaNoWriMo I am writing my book and hopefully will have it done and ready to go sometime in 2015. (And if I don’t, feel free to leave me many comments pestering me about it!)  Since I will most likely be e-publishing (and really, it’ll be more of a pamphlet than a book…) I decided to check out the 6 Steps Plan to E-Publishing so I knew what I’d be getting myself into.

I liked that the author not only mentioned how she did things, but other options as well just to give you a variety of information so you could pick what would be best suited for how you are comfortable doing things.  I also liked how she mentioned the KDP guidelines – something I knew nothing about – and special things to keep in mind when putting the book together.

The book also mentions Amazon and the pricing structures which is another thing that I’ve never thought about (which is making me realize I have a LOT still to think about besides content!)

I feel more prepared now to actually do this after reading this book and if you have ever wanted to write and release your own book you should check out this book to find out all that you’ll need to know!

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

About the Book

Is the only thing stopping you from e-publishing your book is the “how” to get it done?
The ultimate beginners guide on how to publish and market your e-book with Amazon KDP.
Do you have a great idea for a book but don’t know how to get it published?
Are you ready to fulfill your dream and become a published author?
*Written by Amazon’s #1 best seller author Ally Nathaniel*
In this book you will learn, step by step, how to make your dream of publishing an e-book a reality. Whether you write a children’s book, a fiction/nonfiction or a “how to” book, “The 6 Steps Plan to e-Publishing” will guide you through all the steps you need to follow. From writing your book, publishing it in a kindle format, to marketing it with Amazon, the ultimate e-publishing guide is your road map to fulfilling your dream and publishing your book.
Say good bye to rejection letters and take your destiny to your own hands.
You will learn how to:

• Transform your idea into an e-book
  Create and publish your book in a Kindle format
  Find the perfect illustrator / editor/ ghost writer for your book
  Select the best keywords for your genre
  Choose the right categories for your book

˃˃˃ Are you ready to sell more copies?
This guide will teach you how to :
1. Create an attractive book cover
2. Write a book description that sells
3. Market your e-book

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Book Review: Love and Other Unknown Variables

Katie October 31, 2014 0 Comments

I decided to check out Love and Other Unknown Variables because of the math aspect and also because the main character’s last name is Hanson. (At least I read the synopsis and didn’t just pick it from what the cover looks like this time, right?)  Charlie Hanson is going to a STEM school, he’s a smart kid, a really smart kid, actually, and he has his plans to graduate and go to MIT. Basically he has his whole life planned out and is working hard to make it happen.

That is until he touches a tattoo on Charlotte Finch’s neck while at Krispy Kreme. And then imagine his surprise when his sister has finally made a friend – and it is none other than Charlotte, the girl whose tattoo Charlie touched.  Things seem to be going alright for the first half of the book – Charlotte is over the Hanson’s house almost every day, she is friends with Becca and Charlie doesn’t really want to mess things up for Becca so he just crushes on Charlotte and hangs out with them when he can.

Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sister is Charlie’s teacher at school.  Charlotte thinks that if Charlie and his classmates make Ms. Finch’s life hell, she will spend less time worrying about Charlotte.  As it turns out – half way through the book we find out that Charlotte has brain cancer and has decided not to take any more treatments.

About halfway through I started looking at other reviews and pretty much all of them mentioned you’d cry reading it.  I didn’t believe them.  But I should have.

A rare book with the point of view being from the teenage boy with the crush instead of the teenage girl, well written with characters that you will love and want to be friends with.

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

About the Book

Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover the solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswerable problems. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy pawing at her until she learns he’s a student at Brighton, where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. And in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy.

By the time he learns Charlotte is ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull on Charlie is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on, or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second).

Book Review: 5 Steps to Rapid Employment

Katie October 31, 2014 0 Comments

5 Steps to Rapid Employment – The Job You Want at the Pay You Deserve is a book to help you find employment. Maki People also has a guide for employers that want to streamline their hiring process.  This book also tackles topics like Learning how to Ride the Emotional Roller Coaster, Defining Your Goal, Using Value-Based Resumes and Self-Marketing Skills, Creating a Meticulous Action Plan and Taking Action.  Let’s hope this book gives me a push in the right direction.

This book is written like the author is coaching you, which is a technique that I like. Each chapter is broken down into smaller points and there is even a summary at the end of each chapter. It is ok to be afraid and uncomfortable. A few of the techniques in this book I have actually already been using in my job search, but hopefully combined with a few others this can help put me in the right direction to moving to a dream job doing something I love at a great salary!

Looking at the job search as more of a campaign than tirelessly posting the same resume over and over all over the internet is the approach that is recommended in this book and I believe this is the approach that I need to be taking.  It’s time to re-evaluate how I am searching and how I am putting myself out there!

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

Sporadically responding to job openings is not the way to find lucrative employment. In today’s job market, you have to separate yourself from the competition with crystal clarity—which means approaching your job campaign strategically.

In 5 Steps to Rapid Employment, veteran career expert Jay Block reveals his proven system for finding and getting the job you want, whether you’re just out of college or transitioning into a new career. Read more about this topic by heading to this post about the 5 employment laws which are more important.

Follow Block’s simple process to:

Manage fear and negative emotions that impede success

Define clear job and career goals (check out eCom babes reviews if you want to be your own boss)

Create high-impact self-marketing tools

Develop strategic action plans that will become the job seeker’s GPS to the next job

Take action and master self-marketing skills

You should also take at look at the best SEO companies on indexsy.com and hire one that can help your business boost your online visibility and improve your website traffic.

About the Author: JAY A. BLOCK is an internationally certified career coach and resume strategist. Cofounder of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC), he is president of The Jay Block Companies and has authored 12 books related to the job industry. He is the author of 13 job search and career-related titles published by McGraw-Hill Professional.

For more information, please, see federal compliance charts from Labor Law Compliance Center.

Book Review: Get Happy

Katie October 31, 2014 0 Comments

Get Happy is about Minerva, who has just turned 16. She is living with her mom and her father is apparently a horrible man and Minerva should want nothing to do with him. At least according to her mom.  All Minerva wanted for her birthday was a ukelele but her mom got her an ugly sweater and her aunt gave her $20.

But when she intercepts a Fed Ex package sent by her father, she begins to investigate who he may be and finds out that her mother has been lying about his name and who knows what else.

Meanwhile, she and her best friend Fin audition for a job and meet a guy from school Hayes and get him to audition as well.  Another girl named Cassie shows up for the audition and all 4 get the job at Get Happy where they go off to children’s parties as a cowboy (Hayes), Princess (Cassie), Mermaid (Minerva) and Pirate (Fin).

Minerva ends up finding out a secret about Cassie, confronts her father and then her mother.  And a lot of other things happen intertwining all the sub stories but I don’t need to tell you everything that happens.

This is a YA book so it was a pretty quick and easy read, but I really liked it. (Even though I put off reading it for months and months until it was just a couple of days before this review was scheduled to be posted!) The names were all a little bit strange and I’m not sure I’d name my characters Minerva, Hayes or Fin, but once I got past all of that I really grew to like the characters and be involved in their story.

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 poignant, realistic, contemporary YA by a state master list star, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman, a young songwriter builds a substitute family with her friends in place of the broken family she grew up with.

Minerva has been raised by her single mother after her father left them both. On her 17th birthday, she is shocked to discover that he has been trying to keep in touch, but her mother has been sabotaging his attempts. Furious at her mom, she begins to investigate her dad, a famous marine biologist, only to discover that he has a new family, including a beloved, and perfect, stepdaughter–a girl Minerva already knows and despises. As she makes her way, trying to build her performing and songwriting career, her jealousy takes over and threatens to derail her life completely. It is only through the efforts of her best friend, Fin, and the introduction of Hayes, a new young man in her life, that she is able to see clearly who she is and who makes up her family.