Stacking the Shelves - 5.28.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
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!

~*~
Bought:

Everyone Brave is Forgiven
by Chris Cleave
-Historical, WWII
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted a visit from author, Chris Cleave featuring his latest novel. Chris said that the book was based on letters between his maternal grandparents exchanged during WWII.

Maestra
by L.S. Hilton
-Mystery, Thriller | Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted a visit from author, L.S. Hilton featuring her latest novel. L.S. inspiration for this novel was the challenge of writing erotica tied in with past chick-lit related pieces she wrote in the past.

Freebie: for kindle

The Big Lead:
A Stella Reynolds Mystery, Book 1
by Libby Kirsch
-Humor, Mystery | (Amazon) | Goodreads
=====> Loved book 2 in this series and wanted to get this one to catch up.

UNBOXING:

From Owlcrate package (details & signup):
OwlCrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on. @owlcrate

MAY Box includes:
- Everland by Wendy Spinale and letter from author
- Gold flash tattoos with Everland theme
- Ring with The Infernal Devices trilogy theme by Sparks Emporium
- Pendant necklace - skeleton key by Crystal Compass Designs
- Nail wraps with steampunk theme
- Pin with steampunk theme by Elope
- Art print with Peter Pan theme by Creative Daffodil Studios

Everland
by Wendy Spinale
-Fantasy Retelling, Steampunk, YA | Amazon | Goodreads -enter giveaway (ends May 31)
Forget the story of Peter Pan you know. Because in Everland, the only way to grow up is to survive.

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German Army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a mysterious boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

=====> Loved the theme for this box! Looking forward to reading a steampunked version of the Peter Pan world.

ALSO, unboxed the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge (details here) box for May.

MAY Box includes:
- First Comes Love by Emily Giffin (with bookmark)
- Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica
- House of Bradbury by Nicole Meier
- The Assistants by Camille Perri
- Appetite by Sheila Grinnell
- One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Popsicle themed - erasers, ornament softie, tote bag
- Stickers - summer theme
- Candy treats

From BEA:

=====> I could not fit and carry all 60 books in my luggage from BEA. So, I mailed a couple boxes home. The one above barely made it. Note to self: use heavy duty cardboard or limit weight per box.

I will post the individual books over the next few Stacking Shelves along with BEA thoughts.

CHECK OUT the BEA speed dating guide to Great Book Club Picks for Fall/Winter 2016 (here)


OTHER things on my shelf: kinda book-related

Belgravia
(details)

=====> I started listening to this online audio serial story as I type. Episode one is currently free on their site. Episode two is free on Soundcloud (here). The rest of the series is available with a subscription rate. I am enjoying the story so far, but not sure if I want to subscribe especially since the book version comes out in July. IF you are currently a subscriber to this audio venture I would be curious to hear your thoughts on it.

FYI: you can also read the text version online for Episode one

Based on this book...

Belgravia
by Julian Fellowes
-Historical
Release date: July 5, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads
Julian Fellowes's Belgravia is the story of a secret. A secret that unravels behind the porticoed doors of London's grandest postcode. Set in the 1840s when the upper echelons of society began to rub shoulders with the emerging industrial nouveau riche, Belgravia is people by a rich cast of characters. But the story begins on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. At the Duchess of Richmond's new legendary ball, one family's life will change forever.

AND watched: in theatre

The Idol (2015)
Ya Tayr El Tayer (original title)
Director/Writer: Hany Abu-Assad
Screenplay: Sameh Zoabi
Starring: Tawfeek Barhom
-Biography, Comedy, Drama, Palestine | imdb | my rating: 5
Mohammed Assaf, an aspiring musician living in Gaza, sets a seemingly impossible goal: to compete on the program "Arab Idol."

=====> Lovely movie that captures beauty amongst destruction - AND most of all hope.

Now binge watching YouTube videos of Mohammed during his Arab Idol competition in 2013.
THAT VOICE! It can give the tingles and can make you get up and dance.



Currently flipping through:

Fast Company
June 2016 magazine issue | Website
=====> I picked this up to read about Lilly Singh of ||superwoman|| - YouTube star. She made it as part of the top 100 Most Creative People in Business. I love her videos and vlogs. She always manages to get a smile or hearty laugh from me.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thirsty Thursday and Hungry Hearts - 5.26.16

Thirsty Thursday and Hungry Hearts
hosted by (un)Conventional Bookviews (details)
A meme to share some food and/or drink quotes found in current reads.

~*~

The Assistants
by Camille Perri
-Humor, Satire, Women's Fiction, New York
Amazon | Goodreads | my review
A wry and astute debut about a young Manhattanite whose embezzlement scam turns her into an unlikely advocate for the leagues of overeducated and underpaid assistants across the city.

Tina Fontana is the hapless but brazen thirty-year-old executive assistant to Robert Barlow, the all-powerful and commanding CEO of Titan Corp., a multinational media conglomerate. She’s excellent at her job and beloved by her famous boss—but after six years of making his reservations for restaurants she’d never get into on her own and pouring his drinks from bottles that cost more than her rent, she’s bored, broke, and just a bit over it all.

When a technical error with Robert’s travel-and-expenses report presents Tina with the opportunity to pay off the entire balance of her student loan debt with what would essentially be pocket change for her boss, she struggles with the decision: She’s always played by the rules. But it’s such a relatively small amount of money for the Titan Corporation—and for her it would be a life-changer...

The Assistants speaks directly to a new generation of women who feel stuck and unable to get ahead playing by the rules. It will appeal to all of those who have ever asked themselves, “How is it that after all these years, we are still assistants?”

QUOTE:
"And look at this." She reached across the floor to a copy of Millennium Foodie and turned to a page she'd marked with a glitter pen. "This is the FleurBurger 5000," she said. "It's a hamburger they have in Las Vegas that contains foie gras and a special truffle sauce. It's served with a bottle of Château Petrus, poured into Ichendorf Brunello stemware. It costs five thousand dollars, but we'll be able to afford it!"
-chapter 12, page 114

Books and Burgers:
at The Counter
Corte Madera, CA | website
=====> Can't afford a $5,000 burger so went out and got "the classic" burger at the Counter instead. Love burgers and usually must have one at least once a month ;-)

The Assistants by Camille Perri

The Assistants
by Camille Perri

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter @CamillePerri

Just released: May 3, 2016
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Genre: Humor, Satire, Women's Fiction, New York
Hardback: 288 pages
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
You've probably heard of my former boss. And even if you haven't heard of him, he has influenced you, I promise.

Zombie sighting:
He hurled me off him like I was a ravenous zombie. "You're insane," he said. "And I think you need to go."
-chapter 24, page 223

A wry and astute debut about a young Manhattanite whose embezzlement scam turns her into an unlikely advocate for the leagues of overeducated and underpaid assistants across the city.

Tina Fontana is the hapless but brazen thirty-year-old executive assistant to Robert Barlow, the all-powerful and commanding CEO of Titan Corp., a multinational media conglomerate. She’s excellent at her job and beloved by her famous boss—but after six years of making his reservations for restaurants she’d never get into on her own and pouring his drinks from bottles that cost more than her rent, she’s bored, broke, and just a bit over it all.

When a technical error with Robert’s travel-and-expenses report presents Tina with the opportunity to pay off the entire balance of her student loan debt with what would essentially be pocket change for her boss, she struggles with the decision: She’s always played by the rules. But it’s such a relatively small amount of money for the Titan Corporation—and for her it would be a life-changer...

The Assistants speaks directly to a new generation of women who feel stuck and unable to get ahead playing by the rules. It will appeal to all of those who have ever asked themselves, “How is it that after all these years, we are still assistants?”

My two-bits:

Loved it!

This contemporary piece brings elements of the plight of women in the work world especially those just starting out.

Friendship and female bonding for the sake of a common goal play important roles in creating such likable characters. One cannot resist following along in their antics and schemes.

Also, I enjoyed some arm-chair traveling as New York was definitely a character in this story.

Tickled by references to hamburgers.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of Summer Reading Challenge (here)

Summer Reading Challenge 2016

Summer Reading Challenge
May to August 2016
sponsored by BookSparks
details here
The 6th annual reading challenge sponsored by BookSparks @booksparks #SRC2016 #BestSummerEver is starting up next month!

I am excited to say that I will be joining in again :-)

Reading list: my picks
Review links go live after posted.

First Comes Love
by Emily Giffin
-ChickLit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Don't You Cry
by Mary Kubica
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads

House of Bradbury
by Nicole Meier
-Humor, Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

The Assistants
by Camille Perri
-ChickLit, New York
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Appetite
by Sheila Grinnell
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

One True Loves
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Everybody Rise
by Stephanie Clifford
-Humor, New York, Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Saving Abby
by Steena Holmes
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads

25 Sense
by Lisa Henthorn
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

The Sweetheart Deal
by Polly Dugan
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads

You Will Know Me
by Megan Abbott
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

So Close
by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
-Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads

All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

A House for Happy Mothers
by Amula Malladi
-Women's Fiction, India
Amazon | Goodreads

The Lucidity Project
by Abbey Campbell Cook
-Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads

Perfectly Good Crime
by Dete Meserve
-Mystery
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Swear On This Life
by Renee Carlino
-New Adult, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

Clear to Lift
by Anne A. Wilson
-Adventure, Women's Fiction
Amazon | Goodreads
EXTRA:

The Regulars
by Georgia Clark
-Chick-lit
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

~*~
* head over to get more details and to signup for this challenge here - books provided for honest reviews

Waiting on Wednesday - 4.13.16

Waiting on Wednesday
sponsored by Jill at Breaking the Spine (details)
~*~
I'm waiting for...

The Assistants
by Camille Perri
-Humor, Women's fiction
Release date: May 3, 2016
Amazon | Goodreads
A wry and astute debut about a young Manhattanite whose embezzlement scam turns her into an unlikely advocate for the leagues of overeducated and underpaid assistants across the city.

Tina Fontana is the hapless but brazen thirty-year-old executive assistant to Robert Barlow, the all-powerful and commanding CEO of Titan Corp., a multinational media conglomerate. She’s excellent at her job and beloved by her famous boss—but after six years of making his reservations for restaurants she’d never get into on her own and pouring his drinks from bottles that cost more than her rent, she’s bored, broke, and just a bit over it all.

When a technical error with Robert’s travel-and-expenses report presents Tina with the opportunity to pay off the entire balance of her student loan debt with what would essentially be pocket change for her boss, she struggles with the decision: She’s always played by the rules. But it’s such a relatively small amount of money for the Titan Corporation—and for her it would be a life-changer . . .

The Assistants speaks directly to a new generation of women who feel stuck and unable to get ahead playing by the rules. It will appeal to all of those who have ever asked themselves, “How is it that after all these years, we are still assistants?”


=====> Soooo curious to see what happens when this character goes rogue.