Journey with Books: Contemporary

Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Jun 8, 2012

Book Review: The Green by Karly Kirkpatrick

Unknown June 08, 2012 0 Comments

File Size: 319 KB
Print Length: 169 pages
Publisher: DarkSide Publishing (January 15, 2012)
Language: English

Book Blurb:

How far would you go to save your dream?

Seventeen-year-old Ariceli Pisa is a senior at the prestigious Cambridge High School and has her sights set on Northwestern University. She's a cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society...and a drug dealer. That's not the only secret she has to keep from her best friend Naomi--she’s also madly in love with Naomi’s ex-boyfriend, James Bartlett. Trying to balance her life at Cambridge High with her new demanding job keeps her teetering on the edge of disaster.

Warning:
The Green is a full novel at 53,000 words. It contains strong language and drug references and is advised for ages 14 and up.

My Thoughts:

The Green is the first novel from Ms. Karly Kirkpatrick I've ever read and I'm really surprised that I enjoyed it.

The Green is about a teenager who was forced to make difficult choices in her young life to be able to make money for herself and her mother. At first, I didn't get Ariceli. She was the kind of heroine that's hard to like. She's not really nice. She's not perfect. She's ambitious and driven. I wouldn't call her bad either. I think I would like to call her as a teenager, a young girl who had a tough life and became tough because of how she's lived her life. Sometimes, she's selfish but as the story goes along, she grew on me. I don't particularly agree on her choices but as the story goes, I've learned to understand her and like her.

The plot of the story is quite intriguing and at times intense. I liked how Ms. Karly Kirkpatrick tried to show through her book, how our young people are forced to do things because of the circumstances they find themselves in.

I also liked the other characters of the book. They're quite interesting to get to know.

The romance part of the book is also nice. Although, I wouldn't say that it's the main part of the book. It is nice and heartwarming.

The only part where I had complaints is the way this book ended. I wished this book had an ending where everything is wrapped up tight and nicely. Don't get me wrong, it has a nice ending, there are just a few issues left open but other than that it's all ok.

Overall, I liked this book! It's nice to read a book where serious issues are discussed out in the open. I love the courage of this book to stay on reality. If you want to read a book that contains asweet romance with a lot of edgy reality, then I suggest you pick this book up because this is definitely what you're looking for.

Where to Buy:

About the Author:

Karly Kirkpatrick

I am a YA writer, avid reader, high school German and French teacher, and mother of a toddler. I live in Elgin, Illinois with my husband, daughter, and two stinky Shih Tzus.

I also run DarkSide Publishing, specializing in publishing fantastic ebooks! We have some great titles available, including Anathema, a YA fantasy by Megg Jensen, The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching, Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie, and Bloody Little Secrets, The Green, and Into the Shadows by me! Be sure to add them to your to-read list and check out www.darksidepublishing.com for more info.

May 12, 2012

Blog Tour: Guest Post and Review: Ruthless (Nashville Nights #3) by Cheryl Douglas

Unknown May 12, 2012 1 Comments

Welcome my lovely readers! Today, we have a guest! We have Ms. Cheryl Douglas the author of Nashville Nights Series. She's on a blog tour promoting the third book in the series entitled Ruthless. This blog tour was organized by Bewitching Book Tours. Anyways, lets see, what Ms. Cheryl Douglas have to share for us.

Author Guest Post:

Author: Cheryl Douglas
Series: Nashville Nights
Book: Ruthless, Book Three

Like most lovers of the romance genre, I was intrigued when I heard about the book, The 50 Shades of Grey. I was curious about why people were clamoring to read this book and production companies were vying for the movie rights. What made it so special? I have started reading it, but I’m only sixty pages in, so I can’t answer that question yet, but last week, E.L. James was interviewed on a TV show, and offered some insight that made sense to me.

As romance readers, we’re looking for fantasy. We want to escape the demands of doing piles of laundry, cleaning the house, chauffeuring the kids, and working long hours, so we often look to books as an escape.

In Fifty Shades, the hero, Christian Gray, is a billionaire with a penchant for BDSM. Though I haven’t read enough of the book to say for sure, my understanding is that he wants to take care of the heroine, Ana, to see to her every need, and as E.L. James puts it, who doesn’t want to be taken care of once in a while? She’s absolutely right! We may be single career women, or stay-at-home moms tending to the needs of a young family. It doesn’t matter who we are, we still want to be taken care of and pampered once in a while. If not, spas are wouldn’t be so popular.

We want strong, independent heroines in our romance novels, right? We scoff at silly, naïve characters that are a throwback to another generation, but then a character like Anastasia in 50 Shades is written, and suddenly we’re singing a different tune. She’s cute and quirky, insecure, and clumsy, and let’s face it, we see a bit of ourselves in her, right? We imagine being ‘taken care of’ by a handsome billionaire with a penchant for erotic bedroom play… someone who wants to take control and see to our every need. It’s a fantasy, and that’s what romance novels are all about.

I think 50 Shades has been so popular because E.L. James had the courage to bring one of our deepest, darkest fantasies to light. In this enlightened era of superwomen, it’s taboo to admit that you want to be taken of. You’re supposed to have the strength, energy, and determination to do it all, right? You may cook and clean, work outside the home, try to be a supermom to your kids, a generous lover to your spouse, and at the end of the day, there’s nothing left for you. So for those of you who connected with a book like 50 Shades, take heart, you’re not alone. I don’t think there’s a woman in the world who doesn’t fantasize about being rescued every time she hears the word, ‘Mooooooooommmm.’ And yes, you can count me among them!

File Size: 369 KB
Print Length: 188 pages
Language: English
ASIN: B007XVR9MG

Blurb:

Marisa Turner has wanted her brother's best friend, Luc, forever, but she also wants a baby and it seems Luc isn't up to the challenge. She has to choose between the man she loves and the family she hopes to have. Fortunately, there's another man waiting in the wings to make her baby fantasy a reality.

Luc Spencer is tired of hearing about marriage and babies. He loves Marisa, but he can't promise her forever. After two years together, she tells him it's over. He's not worried, he believes she'll be back. But what will happen when he finds out there's another man waiting to take his place?

My Thoughts:

Ruthless is the third book of Nashville Nights Series which was written by Ms. Cheryl Douglas. This is the second book that I've read from Ms. Cheryl Douglas and I must say that as always, she knows how to make the readers feel the right amount of angst required in a good romance read.

Marissa Turner and Luc Spencer are not new to us who had read the first book of the series. They are actually the secondary characters who stood out in the first book. And I must admit that I've been waiting for their book to come out ever since I've gotten my hands on the first book.

The characters are very interesting. Marissa and Luc have this incredible chemistry that would be impossible to ignore. I absolutely enjoyed reading and feeling their chemistry. I did say that this book is full of angst. I think Ms. Cheryl Douglas' great strength in writing is her ability to write the angst in a story without going overboard.

The plot is not very original because I think most of us romance readers have encountered the ex-lovers-who-are-totally-not-over-each-other plot, but I think Ms. Cheryl Douglas made the plot hers which is nice and really fun to read.

Overall, I totally enjoyed reading this book. To all those romance book lovers who enjoys a good romance with a full dose of sexiness and angst, then I suggest that you get this book immediately because this is totally for you!

Buy Here:

About the Author:

Cheryl began her professional career as a nutritionst, but she didn't find her happily ever after until she made a career change.

The fear of ending up in someone's never-ending slush pile, coupled with the nagging inner voice that told her it was crazy to give up a successful business prompted Cheryl to continue writing as a hobby for many years. Finally, she decided it was time to take the plunge into writing full-time. Ten books later, she believes it was the best decision she's ever made.

An avid reader of the genre she loves and self-proclaimed workaholic, Cheryl does manage to tear herself away from her computer to spend time with the other two loves of her life, her husband and son.

http://www.cheryldouglasbooks.com/

Apr 22, 2012

Book Review: Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

Unknown April 22, 2012 0 Comments

Author: Andrea Kayne Kaufman
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Grant Place Press (November 17, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0984675108
ISBN-13: 978-0984675104
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buying Link: Oxford Messed Up

Book Blurb:

Rhodes Scholar Gloria Zimmerman has come to Oxford University to study feminist poetry. Yet the rigors of academia pale in comparison to her untreated Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, fueled by her overachieving parents and manifested in a deathly aversion to germs and human contact. Her next-door neighbor (who is also, to her mortification, her loomate) is Henry Young, the appealing but underachieving English music student. Still mourning the death of his supportive mother while enduring the mockery of his disapproving and merciless father, Henry is haunted by the unexpectedly serious ramifications of a reckless and tragic youth. Gloria and Henry's relationship evolves from a shared obsession with Van Morrison's music into a desire to fill the gaps in each other’s lives. Yet the constraints of a debilitating illness and the looming revelation of a catastrophic secret conspire to throw their worlds into upheaval and threaten the possibilities of their unlikely yet redemptive love.

My Thoughts:

Oxford Messed Up is the first work of Andrea Kayne Kaufman I've ever read. I can honestly say that it's a great experience I would definitely want to do again. Oxford Messed Up is a refreshing read for me because it's very different from my usual reads. It's about real life that some real people goes through. It's an eye opener for some of us who have very different views about the realities of some people who have OCD.

The main focus of the book are Gloria and Henry. They are both messed up and flawed which made them very real to me. Gloria is a graduate student who suffers from severe OCD of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder while Henry her 'loomate' is messed up guy who has so many issues in life that lead him to being an ex-addict, ex-alcoholic with a sickness he would have to carry for life. They are both interesting in a way that you knew, as a reader that there are a lot of Glorias and Henrys in this world. Ms. Andrea Kayne Kaufman gives us a first class trip inside their lives and their heads. She let us see how there are messed up people in this world and that they need our help and understanding. We shouldn't ostracized these people.

Gloria and Henry's romance is such a sweet thing to read. I really adored reading their journey together. When they met, they were both not in a place to be romantically involved. They both know that the life they live is not normal and being together romantically would be unhealthy for so many reasons. And so they became friends. Although, the attraction was there, they didn't act on it. Their romance was a process. It progressed little by little. I really appreciate how Ms. Kaufman made the relationship as real as it could get. She didn't make Henry and Gloria magically good together. It was gradual but real and I really liked it!

I also liked the side stories of the other characters. Ms. Kaufman gave these side stories of the other characters without ruining the main plot. It was there for a reason. It helped me as a reader see the bigger picture of the main plot. It was done excellently.

Now, the only thing I didn't liked in this book is the first part. It was so slow. I was so thankful that I didn't give up on reading it because this is really a good book. The first part was the introduction of Gloria and Henry, they haven't even met yet. I understand what the author was trying to do. She wants us to know more about Henry and Gloria and what lead them to where they were before they met each other but I found all of it completely unnecessary. I think the author could have made it a little shorter than that.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this book to those who love music especially Van Morrison and poetry. The whole book has a reference of Music and Poetry which I absolutely appreciate. I recommend this book to those who loves a good and sweet romance that has that depth which makes you believe that you could always CHOOSE happiness despite all the sad and bad things that happens in life.

Oxford Messed Up is not just your typical romance read. It tackles real life. It points out the things we chose to ignore in our society. This book is one great read you wouldn't want to miss if you're looking for something real.

Kudos to Ms. Andrea Kayne Kaufman for having the courage to write a book that has the ability to enlighten its readers. We all have that power to help people with OCD if we only we will it.

About the Author:

Andrea Kayne Kaufman has guided and mentored hundreds of students as a professor at the DePaul University College of Education, where she serves as Chair of the Department of Leadership, Language and Curriculum. A professor and attorney who earned a bachelor's degree from Vassar College, a master's degree in Education from Harvard University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Andrea has students who are primarily teachers, seeking masters and doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership to serve as principals and superintendents.

Andrea is an award-winning expert in the area of school law, and has published and spoken widely about special education law, education civil rights, the No Child Left Behind Act, cyber bullying, and other legal and political issues having an impact on students and schools.

In her personal and professional life, Andrea has been involved with issues relating to special needs, in particular Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Her debut novel, "Oxford Messed Up," is a literary love story that transports readers on a redemptive and emotional journey, where the academic world of Oxford University serves as a backdrop for true learning, self-discovery, and transcendent love. Andrea's professional expertise and personal experience have given her the vision to create a novel hailed by experts as one of the first to present the inner workings and treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder accurately, from the inside out.

Andrea is currently working on her next novel, "Parent Over Shoulder." In this poignant love story, Andrea brings her education background, sensitivity, insight and articulate writing style to another "hell" found in many school communities - cyber-bullying.

Andrea draws inspiration for her writing and life from poetry, Van Morrison's music and other classic vinyl, her daily walks along Lake Michigan, and her time spent with her husband and two children in their equanimity-filled Chicago home.

Where to Buy:

Mar 7, 2012

Author Interview: Sophia Duane (My Only)

Unknown March 07, 2012 0 Comments

Hi my loves! How are you guys doing? I'm here now because we have a very special guest on Journey with Books Blog today. We have Ms. Sophia Duane! She's the author of 'My Only'. I have posted a review of her book few days ago. Here's the link on my review "My Only"

And now, we'll learn more about her!

1. Can you please tell us something about yourself?

Something most people don't know about you yet. I never know what people find interesting, so this question stumps me a bit. Do I tell you about my favorite shoes that are now falling apart, but I wear them anyway, or is that a bit mundane? I suppose I'll tell you about what a geek I am. When I love something (movie, television, book, etc), I research the hell out of it. When Jurassic Park came out, I owned TONS of merchandise and read just about every book on dinosaurs I could find. That trait (the border line obsessive) has followed me through to today, which is why I love writing. Whatever the topic is, there's research to be done and I can geek out a bit. Right now I'm neck deep in World War II research as I'm writing something about that era right now.

2. When did you realize that you wanted to be an author?

I was about eighteen when I started writing for real, not that I showed many people what I wrote or thought at that point that I wanted to be published. I've always been a storyteller, but way back when, I just told myself stories to occupy my mind. Many of the stories I work on (in my mind) are the same or variations of the ones from when I was in high school.

3. What is the hardest part about being an author?

Lack of sleep. I have to work when everyone else is sleeping, which means I'm up after four hours of rest sometimes. It's not difficult once in a while, but years of doing it takes a toll. I've started getting about five hours average now, which helps quite a bit. Another difficult thing is dealing with the fact that most people around me don't understand that I can't "just sleep in." I have to write. It's imperative.

4. What are the perks that you get now that you are an officially published author?

I get shiny new books on my bookshelves with my name on them. :) I also get people who joke about having to be nice to me now since they don't want to "wind up in" my next novel. That's always good for a chuckle. My writing career is young, so the "perks" of being published haven't really started to roll in. Seriously, most perks I can think of are an internal.

5. Where did you get the inspiration to write the very moving story of "My Only"?

I love drumlines. I love the dynamics of twins. I love coming of age stories. Also, I wanted to explore the idea of people coming into our lives for a reason. They bring something to us and sometimes it's not easy to see, but we grow from our interactions with everyone. Sometimes people come into your life just in passing, but the impact of that short engagement can be very deep.

6. How did you feel the moment that you typed that very last 'period’ on "My Only"? Did you cry like I did the moment I finished reading it?

I've only teared up once at something I've written. It wasn't My Only. Really, I don't know what I felt. Relief probably, followed by a strong sense of anticipation for the editing and revising yet to come. There's always a bit of a high that happens when I finish a project, followed by a bit of depression because your time with those characters is over.

Fun Questions:

1. When the word 'HUNK' is uttered, who is the first person that comes to your mind?

I don't know. Someone from 1980's television, I'm sure. HUNK isn't a word I associate with "HOT" guys. When I think of HUNK, I think of oiled muscles and cheesy synthesizer music, neither of which are a turn-on for me.

2. What is that one movie you're dying to see?

I cannot wait to see Hunger Games! I love the books and want to see how the creative people in Hollywood have translated it onto the screen. Likewise, I am DYING to see Catching Fire (even from before I've been wanting to see HG), because I need to see Finnick Odair in the flesh.

3. Who is that one 'HOT' celebrity that you would want to marry?

Since I'm married already, I'll decline to answer this, but I'd love to meet some musician who may or may not be hot looking, but where their music makes them utterly attractive. I don't know what I'd do if I met them, but it'd be nice to express how much their music means to me. Also, I'd like love to meet Sean Bean. Again, I have absolutely no idea what I'd do if I met him beyond stare at him and maybe quote some Tolkien. :)

4. If you're going to heaven, who would you take with you?

Everyone in my life, I suppose. I think everyone deserves a bit of paradise. There isn't one person I know of that I'd ever keep from eternal happiness. If it was mine to give, I would gladly give it to everyone I know.

5. If you're going to hell, who would you drag down with you?

No one. I'm not a throw-'em-under-the-bus kind of girl. If I was "bad" enough to earn my way to "hell," I wouldn't drag anyone with me.

Last Question:

What is next for Ms. Sophia Duane?

Writing, working, working, writing. Laughing, living, playing. Being as good of a person as I can be, with a little working and writing mixed in. Seriously, Ms. Sophia Duane will continue to write and if someone wants to put my words into print, I will graciously accept, but if not, I'll continue to write the stories that tickle my heart and mind. There will continue to be early mornings filled with geeky research, and binders filled with snippets of dialog and scenes. There will be more highs of accomplishments, followed by low of mourning for putting beloved characters to bed. In short: What's next for me is that same as what's current for me: Writing, because it's an imperative. :)

And there you have it! It's fun to read her answers right? Sometimes it's good to know the person behind the book you've read and cherished inside your heart.

Thanks to Ms. Sophia Duane for being game to answer these questions. Also, I want to thank

Ms. Annelies Ivens, part of the Marketing Team of TWCS Publishing House for being so nice to me.

Author: Sophia Duane

Category: Romance

Publication date: Mar 8, 2012

ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-095-8

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-096-5

Book Blurb:

Adam James’s life is far from perfect. A talented drummer from a small suburb of Chicago, he keeps to himself, downplaying his abilities, thinking that he is less than all those around him, including his popular twin brother, Aaron..

When a free-spirited new girl with a troubled past moves in across the street, Adam's eyes are opened to a new world of possibilities. Olivia Cartwright’s philosophies on life give her a deeper understanding of the world. An instant connection between Adam and Olivia draws them closer, but he wonders why anyone would choose him when a better version exists, particularly when Aaron also takes an interest in her.

Will the friendship with Olivia change Adam, or will he continue to close himself off in his own world?

Adam has a choice to make: risk his friendship with Olivia or fight for something more.

It seems Adam has a lot to learn about love....and life.

Buying Link:

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/49

Be sure to check out my review for "My Only"

Thanks! Happy Reading everyone!

Feb 24, 2012

ARC Book Review: My Only by Sophia Duane

Unknown February 24, 2012 6 Comments

Author: Sophia Duane
Category: Romance
Publication date: Mar 8, 2012
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-095-8
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-096-5

Book Blurb:

Adam James’s life is far from perfect. A talented drummer from a small suburb of Chicago, he keeps to himself, downplaying his abilities, thinking that he is less than all those around him, including his popular twin brother, Aaron..

When a free-spirited new girl with a troubled past moves in across the street, Adam's eyes are opened to a new world of possibilities. Olivia Cartwright’s philosophies on life give her a deeper understanding of the world. An instant connection between Adam and Olivia draws them closer, but he wonders why anyone would choose him when a better version exists, particularly when Aaron also takes an interest in her.
Will the friendship with Olivia change Adam, or will he continue to close himself off in his own world?
Adam has a choice to make: risk his friendship with Olivia or fight for something more.
It seems Adam has a lot to learn about love....and life.

My Thoughts:

My Only is the first book I've read from Ms. Sophia Duane and I must say that it's a revelation. This book is a bittersweet novel that will surely make you run through a roll of tissue.

I'm not gonna write anything that will spoil the story for you. Sometimes, we just need to let a book that we know little of, to take us in a journey that would let us see things in a different light because that is how real life works, and this book is all about REAL LIFE. When I accepted this book for review, I didn't know much about it and actually I'm glad I didn't, because it's more natural that way. It'll keep you guessing and the feelings you get from reading this book were more genuine.

The characters of the book are so complex and yet you can identify yourselves with them. On one point or another, you knew, that somehow, you've felt that same feeling. Adam and Olivia's relationship was pretty natural. It wasn't rushed and it went through some ups and downs before it became real.

The way Ms. Sophia Duane wrote this book was really amazing because few authors would have that courage to write a book for teens with honesty and without glamouring it with beautiful lies to make it more acceptable for young readers who'd want a happy romance with a happy ending.

Overall, I really devoured every word in this book. It was the kind of book that will stay stuck inside your mind and your heart for a really long time. Ms. Sophia Duane wrote a book about the realities of life. It's not perfect but we live it the best way we could. Sometimes, bad things happen to make us stronger and to make us appreciate the good things. This book will make you think and would definitely make you feel and I think that's the best kind of read every reader wants.

About the Author:

Sophia Duane is a thirty-something writer from the heartland of America. She grew up telling stories and creating characters to pass the time. She enjoys books, movies, music, and yoga. An avid lover of history, art, and people-watching, she is interested in the study what makes people tick.

http://sophiaduane.blogspot.com/
http://www.twitter.com/sophiaduane

Buying Link:

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/49

May 31, 2011

Simone Elkeles-Perfect Chemistry

Unknown May 31, 2011 7 Comments

Perfect Chemistry

From Goodreads:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

My Review:

This book was a very pleasant surprise for me. This actually came when I was losing my faith with the YA books. It was different in a way. Before I read this one, I watched it's trailer first and I must say I almost didn't read it because I think the trailer didn't give the depth of the story justice but then I was intrigued, so I gave it a try and I'm really happy that I did or else I might have missed a really great book.

The characters are written in a way that you'd believe them. The chemistry of the main couple is so good! Their banters are not annoying to read unlike the other YA books I've read, it's done in a fun and witty way that you won't get bored while reading their interactions. It's actually nice to read a YA book that doesn't revolve on being cute. The plot was great and the conflicts in the story are something you know that at times happens in real life. It tackles what most YA book authors do not, and maybe that's why I liked it so much! Simone Elkeles was not afraid to write about issues most authors would be filled with apprehension if they did.

At first I thought that it was just a typical love/hate YA book but then as I read, I found out that it wasn't. I'm so happy to be wrong! It has a depth I did not expect. It's packed with emotions and angst and I loved it! It felt like I didn't waste my time reading this book!

May 29, 2011

Dean Mayes-The Hambledown Dream

Unknown May 29, 2011 6 Comments

The Hambledown Dream

Dean Mayes created a masterpiece! Some may agree and some may disagree but for me, ‘The Hambledown Dream’ is one of the best fictions I’ve ever read!

It’s not your typical Romance novel, I don’t even know which category I could put it. ‘The Hambledown Dream’ has a bit of everything thrown in it. It has mystery, romance, a little paranormal and a lot of emotional drama. It’s a story of second chances and destiny.

Andy is a very gifted guitarist who is on a very dangerous self destructive path. Denny is a young man who could have lived an almost perfect life with the love of his life and best friend, Sonya, if only Cancer did not touch him.

Two young men so different from each other, men you would never put together but fate has something else in stored for them. One died and the other lived but both given the second chance they both need. (I just want to make it clear that this is not an M/M themed fiction)

I wanted to thank Mr. Dean Mayes for writing a fiction that will surely touch the hearts of the readers. I’m not ashamed to admit that I shed tears while reading this. The first chapter affected me so much that I couldn’t stop my tears from falling through my eyes, maybe because it is a bit personal for me. My Father died because of Cancer and that particular chapter made me think if my Father felt the same way when he was dying.

Congratulations Mr. Dean Mayes for making us, your readers go through a box of tissue while reading your book and making sure that when we put your book down, we have a sweet little smile on our faces.