Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.
Most men retire and take it easy at age sixty-six-but not Walter Williams! He’s busy fighting crime and giving Lady Justice a helping hand. In Lady Justice and the Lost Tapes, Walt and his band of scrappy seniors continue their battle against the forces of evil. When an entire eastside Kansas City neighborhood is terrorized by the mob, Walt has to go undercover to help solve the case, but he certainly doesn’t want to! Why? Well, the clues they need can only be found at a gay club and a transvestite bar. Why is Captain Short always volunteering Walt for these jobs? Later, the amazing discovery of a previously unknown recording session by a deceased rock ‘n’ roll idol stuns the music industry. But what should be a joyous occasion soon turns dark as lives are threatened, and Walt’s going to have to take some courageous leaps to save the day. All of your favorite characters, along with two lovable additions, are back to help Walt in his quest for justice in ways you can’t imagine. Can they do it again? Can they take down the Italian mob and keep the tapes and their owners safe from harm while dealing with a new member of the group who won’t stop joking? Their adventures and misadventures are sure to keep you captivated-and splitting your sides!
I addedLady Justice and the Lost Tapes by Robert Thornhill to my TBR on 3.7.13. I do love some humor with my mystery and Robert Thornhill can supply it. I have read a few of his books and really enjoyed them.
Every once in a while, I want to read a book that is so far out of the ordinary and XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert fit the bill. Due to be released 3.7.23 from Ghoulish Books.
Just looking at the cover for XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert, I had to give it a shot. Every so often, I want that shock factor. That jaw dropping WTF factor. I sure got it! I am not even sure how to review this, other than to say, be prepared for some dirty business, keep an open mind, and climb for the….stars. LOL
I laughed, I felt like puking, I thought the characters got what they deserved, and I felt a sigh of relief when I was done. So, park your ego at the door, you won’t need it here. When a book gives me what I was looking for, I have to reward it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of XCRMNTMNTN by Andrew Hilbert.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
THIS IS NOT A PORNOGRAPHY
When a pile of shit from space lands near a renowned filmmaker’s set, inspiration strikes. Take a journey up a cosmic mountain of excrement with the director and his film crew as they ascend into madness led only by their own vanity and obsession. This is a nightmare about creation. This is a dream about poop. This is a call to arms against vowels. This is XCRMNTMNTN.
ABOUT ANDREW HILBERT
Andrew Hilbert is the author of Inner Space, Invasion of the Weirdos, Bangface & the Gloryhole, and Death Thing. He lives in Texas.
Grady is in middle school with his best friend Aarush, who is on the autistic spectrum.
Kids…autistic, asthmatic, overweight, bullies, insecurity…This coming of age fantasy has it all. I was captivated with the world and characters that Carole P Roman has created. I loved watching them learn and grow.
Grady, Aarush and many of their classmates want to go to Templeton Academy, a place to discover your ‘hidden talents and develop them into formidable powers.’ Sounds a bit Hatty Potterish, doesn’t it?
The kids who gravitated to Grady learned to work together for a common goal. I can see a moral to the story and I feel all who read Grady Whill will leave with a smile on their face.
It is hard to describe the story without spoiling it, but I will say it was…unputdownable.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P Roman.
5 stars
Book Details:
Book Title: Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman Category: Young-Adult Fiction (18 +), 286 pages Genre: Action-Adventure/Fantasy Publisher: Chelshire Release date:July 30 2022 Content Rating: PG. The author thinks the book is G-rated. A reviewer said it had some curses. Some may consider “Holy crap” is a curse.
“If I were to give a book to every young adult in this world, I would give them Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman without blinking. I absolutely loved every moment of this uplifting and fascinating story. It’s filled with valuable life lessons, adventure, peril, and highly relatable and lovable characters.” Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite
“Harry Potter meets Sky High. If you’re a fan of young adult stories where protagonists go to mysterious schools to train their superhuman abilities, don’t miss out on Grady Whill and The Templeton Codex.” Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Reader’s Favorite “Carole P. Roman has created a world that is unique, inhabited by characters that young people can easily relate to because of their similar concerns about growing pains… This book has a strong message and theme that deserves to be read.” Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Reader’s Favorite
Book Description:
Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open! The prestigious institution is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.
Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.
If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?
Book Title: Giggles Galore Jokes, Riddles and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages by Carole P. Roman Category: Children’s Fiction , 170 pages Genre: Humor Publisher: Chelshire Release date:August 2022 Tour dates: Nov 7 to Dec 2, 2022 Content Rating: G.
Book Description:
What’s more fun than a rainy afternoon?
A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore! Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.
Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.
Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles. There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.
Lastly, join Carole P. Roman’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.
A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.
Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.
She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.
Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.
Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.
She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.
Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.
Shy Girls Can’t Date Billionaires Milly Rose Publication date: September 5th 2022 Genres: Comedy, Romance, Young Adult
I never existed until the wrong guy took notice…
I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.
After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.
Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiseled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.
When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.
He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?
You will love Christie and Ash. They are stuck together in forced proximity, becoming practically roommates. He is a billionaire, alpha male type who is learning to love. She is the new girl in school, dealing with past trauma. Together they will go from enemies to lovers in an adorable young adult romance.
“Hi,” Thomas says, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s your first class?”
I stare at him as bags pull under my eyes. My lack of sleep and the adrenaline from panicking have taken their toll.
He unfolds his arms and tilts his head. “What’s up?” he asks.
I smooth my clammy palms over my blazer and fidget in my shoes.
“I told you, you don’t need to panic,” Thomas says, stepping closer to me. “This school is a piece of cake.”
I run a hand over my hair and turn my face away from him. I’m gonna lose it again. My insides contort with another urge to launch over a toilet bowl.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, placing a hand on my arm.
I jolt in surprise.
He removes his hand and takes a step back. “Sorry,” he says.
I look away. “It’s okay.”
Thomas smiles. “Glad you got your voice back.”
I blush, and mumble, “Me too.”
“Why do you look so freaked out?” he asks. “They showed you where to go, didn’t they?”
I shake my head. “Not exactly.”
“What happened when I left? Ms. Thornesmith usually handles everything, so I figured you wouldn’t have an issue.”
I fidget in my shoes again and turn my head in the other direction, staring at the closed bathroom door.
“A girl offered to show me around. Somewhere along the way, we kinda parted ways… I don’t have my schedule, and I don’t know where I’m going.” Huffing, I pause my ramble to throw my arms in the air. “I don’t know what classes I have… and I’m just lost again, like usual.”
“Don’t sweat it,” he says. “I’ll take you back to admin, and we’ll get you a new schedule. Then I’ll show you around.”
I cross my arms and let out a tired, “Humph.”
“What?”
“You’ll show me around?” I say, looking at the floor. It is as confrontational as I get. It’s shocking the words have come out of my mouth.
I doubt he’d help me. Why would he?
“Christie, you need to know where you’re going. I’ll show you where to find your classrooms. It’s not a big deal.”
“It was a big deal earlier,” I say.
It’s baffling that I’m continuing with this conversation.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” he says, taking another step back. “My parents kind of threw this on me. I already had plans for this morning that I needed to follow through on.”
“Fine, whatever,” I say, crossing my arms in frustration. “You could have at least told your parents or me that you couldn’t show me around. If you had said you couldn’t help me, my mom would have come with me.” I pull my arms tighter across my midsection. “It’d be better than being alone.”
“I’m sorry you felt alone,” he says, taking a step forward. “But, be honest, you don’t exactly enjoy my company. I assumed you’d be relieved when I left.”
His words surprised me. I look up to meet his eyes, finding them filled with sincerity.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
He puffs a laugh and slides his hand into his trouser pockets. “Don’t act like you don’t hate when I’m around.”
I place a hand over my heart. “Me?”
“You’re always judging me.”
“I haven’t said anything bad to you.”
A nervous laugh seeps out of him. “You don’t have to say it. It’s in your eyes. I know you can’t stand me.”
Author Bio:
Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.
GET A FREE BOOK HERE >> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cod6m6wfzw
(You will sign up to Milly Rose’s Newsletter and are free to unsubscribe anytime!)
Follow along on Instagram + Tiktok @shy.author.milly.rose
Title: I BURIED PAUL Author: Bruce Ferber Publisher: The Story Plant Pages: 304 Genre: Adult Literary Fiction
BOOK BLURB:
Jimmy Kozlowski has a regular gig playing Paul McCartney in the Beatles
tribute band, Help!. The band is part of a cottage industry built around
mimicry, where each group strives to be the ultimate Fake Fab Four. And none
strives harder than Help!, thanks to Gene Klein, its John Lennon and leader.
Gene’s just gotten his Medicare card and spends much of his time caring for his
ailing mother. But he hasn’t lost a step on guitar or vocals, and is determined
to take Help! to the top, his goal being to perform in Liverpool one day.
Though the notion of the UK clamoring for a group of Long Islanders with fake
British accents seems far-fetched, Gene has a plan.
Unlike his boss, Jimmy has limited bandwidth for high-quality
Beatle wigs or bespoke Nehru jackets. He works a straight job, entertains at a
nursing home, and yearns to connect with the daughter he’s never met. He also
wants a shot at recording and performing his own original compositions. No
matter the odds, Jimmy is determined to realize his creative dreams, even if it
means “burying Paul” in the process.
I Buried Paul is a love letter to the power of music, a humorous yet
moving exploration of the sacrifices its disciples are willing to make in
service to its magic.
“Funny, heartfelt, and unafraid…
A book for anyone who loves music or has ever tried to keep a dream
alive.” — Ben Loory, author of Tales of Falling and Flying
“First, the good news: Paul isn’t dead, and
this isn’t an autopsy. Rather it’s a funny, moving novel about trying to find
your way home from the Abbey Road of your teenage fantasy life, while simultaneously
escaping the shadows cast by your father, your older brother, many failed
relationships, and a world that doesn’t like to see people doing what they love
– such as making their own music. Reminiscent of Anne Tyler and Richard Russo
(if either could keep a steady bass beat), Bruce Ferber writes humorous fiction
for grown ups.” — Scott Bradfield, author of The History of Luminous
Motion
“In his touching and funny novel, Bruce
Ferber comes not to bury Paul McCartney but to celebrate his true believers,
the dreamers who carry the torch of their youthful rock dreams well into
pension age, and who refuse to sacrifice their passion despite high cholesterol
counts and the possibility of embarrassing themselves. I Buried Paul is a
tender paean to the music that changed us all, its revivifying and enduring
power.” — Marc Weingarten, author of The Gang that Wouldn’t Write
Straight: Wolfe, Thompson, Didion, Capote, and the New Journalism Revolution
“Funny, deep, and compulsive, I Buried Paul is a
tribute to family, lifelong friends, and the Beatles tunes that unite them.
Told with Ferber’s trademark wit, literary verve and big-heartedness, it’s a
veritable magical mystery tour of growing up and finding love and meaning in a
complex world.” — Michaela Carter, author of Leonora in the Morning Light
“Reading Bruce Ferber’s latest novel is like
being told a great tale from your favorite and funniest pal ― the one who
really seems to know stuff―the one you trust―the one who gets you when nobody
else does. Long live Paul.” — Jason Alexander
“Bruce Ferber’s prose is music to my ears. I
Buried Paul is very funny, and very insightful.” — John Densmore
“Bruce Ferber has captured lightning in a
bottle, chronicling a generation’s obsessive attachment to The Beatles. His
love for their music and legacy is evident on every page. And as the poets
said, ‘With a love like that you know it can’t be bad.’ (Yeah-yeah-yeah.)” —
Bob Spitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Beatles
Milestones are seldom what they’re cracked up to be, unless you’re
a charmed preppie who inherits the Hallmark gene. My first time kissing a girl
turned out to be a mercy stunt, engineered by some douchey linebacker on the
junior varsity. The most memorable thing about getting my driver’s license was
that I had no car, and my parents’ station wagon was never available. When I
put on the cap and gown for high school graduation, it felt like I was going to
a Halloween party, dressed as a fraud.
As I went on to achieve my own versions of milestones, none of
them would adhere to society’s definitions or timetable. Instead, they appeared
out of the blue like stealth jack-in-the-boxes. How was I to know that the
fourth kiss from my third girlfriend would be the portal to life-changing sex?
Or that on my first solo plane trip at eighteen, I’d be moved to First Class
and treated like a VIP, despite having accomplished nothing? Or that shortly
after the plane touched down, I would never again look at the world the same
way.
It’s not that I’m against the element of
surprise. I’m just convinced it would be a lot less stressful to be the
Hallmark guy.
About the Author
Bruce
Ferber built a long and successful career as a television comedy writer and
producer. A multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominee, his credits include Bosom Buddies, Growing Pains, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Coach, and Home Improvement,
where he served as Executive Producer and showrunner. In addition to being
recognized by the Television Academy, Ferber’s work has received the People’s
Choice, Kid’s Choice, and Environmental Media Awards. He is the author of two
previous novels, Elevating Overman and Cascade Falls, along with the nonfiction book, The Way We Work. He lives in Los Angeles, CA with
his wife, large dog, and assorted musical instruments.
I have read quite a few of Amanda Siegrist’s novels. She has become a must read author for me, so when she said she had a new release coming, I hopped on board for The Hard Choice.
He didn’t know he could love someone soooo much. He wanted so much more for her than he had growing up. And that brings you up to date. How did he get there, worshiping the ground his baby, Amelie, walked on?
He had been gone for three years, but he was glad to be back. He had a good support system, his brother Ricky, and Ricky’s wife, Jezebelle.
She walked into the bar…”what can I get you?” “Amelie, for starters.”
No way in hell he give up his daughter. Amelia is what makes him strong enough to turn his back on his sordid past, drugs and women. All he had to think about was his sweet Amelia.
No! Genevieve! Don’t do it! And I am not going to tell you what she is about to do. You will have to read the book to find out.
The man who had never had a girl is smitten. They are polar opposites, the sexual tension is thick in the air. No jump in the sack sex here. There will be a lot of sloooooow wooing going on.
Second chances. Human frailties. Forgiveness. Love. Loyalty. Friendship. Guilt. Loss.
It felt like sitting with friends and family and solving the world’s problems.
A well earned happy ever after for the guys.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Hard Choice by Amanda Siegrist.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From USA Today
bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a series full of humor, angst,
a sassy heroine, and a sexy, sinful hero that will sweep you off your
feet.
The Goal: Start taking responsibility for his actions—one in particular: taking care of the baby that landed in his arms. Time Frame: Forever.
Life’s
always been hard for him. Cruel father. Losing his mom. Falling prey to
drugs. Getting clean and fighting to stay on the straight and narrow.
Now, raising a little girl with no help from her mother. It’s nothing
new, and he’s determined to give his baby girl what he never had—a
loving father in a good home. In order to do so, he has to stay away
from his old life—too much drugs and a whole lotta sex. Which means no
women…until she walks into his life.
She’s always had it easy.
Loving parents. Protective and supportive brothers. Decent job. A best
friend…until her bestie isn’t there anymore. She feels the walls closing
in and her world looking not so perfect. She failed her best friend and
she vows to make everything right. To do that, she has to tangle with a
man she should stay far away from. He’s nothing but bad news. Except
she’s finding it hard to resist him and his sweet charm. Of course, she
loves his little girl. But loving him…it’d be the wrong choice.
Warning:
This is not a full romcom. While it has moments of humor, it also has a
twist of angst. Okay, now you can dive in, you’re prepared!
The entire Perfect For You series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.) The Wrong Brother (Book 1): Dane & Gabriella The Right Time (Book 2): Jaxson & Mia The Easy Part (Book 3): Brick & Jezebelle The Hard Choice (Book 4): Corey & Genevieve
ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST
Love!
Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just
loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship,
and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a
happy camper:)
I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.
Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*
Just like the TV show, we have trials and tribulations, realistic life situations, sorrow and happiness, and a happy ever after with a touch of danger.
3 Stars
I won a paperback copy of Etched In Tears by Cheryl Hollon.
Here at fundinmental, I enjoy seeing what the authors like to share, so I left the topic for discussion up to Gladys Cross.
Things that make you
go hmm…….
Recently I was asked
in a podcast if I thought there was anything missing from the romance genre and
immediately all the recommendations posts I read on a daily basis sprang to
mind. The most common theme I’d noticed lately was paranormal romance readers clamoring
for more mature characters that let the heroine have a say. A lot of readers
mentioned they couldn’t identify with teenage characters, or they didn’t always
want the man to save the day.
This was very thought
provoking, and I wondered if I’d secretly harbored these same feelings and just
not given it a second thought considering I write about the characters these
readers desired. None of the women in any of my books are wilting daisies
waiting on price charming. In fact, in my Order Bound Series, the women save
the day more often than the men. None of them are young either.
Something still
bothered me, though. Was I subconsciously writing for how I felt at this time
in my life? Granted, I’m equal opportunity with ethnicity and weight in my
characters, but was I missing some key component?
I’d love to hear what you guys would love to see happen in the romance genre. Drop me a line or stalk me HERE. I’m not shy.
BLURB
Kassie
knew she was in trouble when her matchmaking best friend announced she’d gotten
professional help in time for Valentine’s Day. Her friend’s attempts had always
been hilariously ridiculous and never in a million years was Kassie expecting a
hunky firefighter to show up on her doorstep.
Her online dating
profile said she was looking for a superhero, and Declan couldn’t help but believe
it had to be fate. But fate was a fickle mistress who left him to wonder who he
was behind the mask. He’d been hiding in plain sight for long enough that he
wasn’t sure if he even knew the answer. And until he figured that out, he had
nothing to offer the world, let alone Kassie.
Love had already ended
in tragedy once for Kassie, and she feared that history was doomed to repeat
itself unless Declan could learn to trust her with his secrets. This time
around, would it be enough to harden her heart for good, or would his deception
restore her faith in second chances?
EXCERPTS
Excerpt from Declan:
“Declan went on a date and called me from in front of her
apartment.” There was a hushed conversation that I only caught bits and pieces
of, mainly hugged, and thought he was gay. Fuck my life, I thought as I drove
down the long straight-away leading out of her apartment complex. “Are you
still there?”
“Of course, I’m still here. Who else am I going to call
Spencer?” I asked sarcastically. “I’m not even sure the boy’s balls have
dropped yet.”
Sadly, there was no one else I could call for love advice
outside the guys from the firehouse and it made me miss my mom that much more.
Hell, she’d probably be calling Kassie herself, asking what colors she wanted
for the baby blanket.
“He is eighteen,” Webster said pulling me from my
melancholy. “It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.”
I snorted. “Do you remember that call we went on where there
was an eighty-year-old dude in leather that had lost the keys to his handcuffs?”
He chuckled. “Don’t remind me, and I mean that literally.
I’m still not fully recovered, and that was two years ago.” There was silence
on the other end of the line as I drove under the overpass. The nothingness
went on for long enough that I wondered if we’d gotten disconnected when he
snapped his fingers. “Call her back right now and ingeminate the date
tomorrow.”
“Do what with the date?”
“Repeat the date.” He huffed an exasperated sigh. “You
didn’t make it to the movies, right?”
“Webster you’re a genius!”
“And Declan. This time kiss the girl, so she doesn’t have to
ask if you’re a homosexual.”
“She only asked me that because I admitted to watching every
episode of Sex and The City.” I hit my head against the back of the seat.
“Never mind, I just heard myself, I am an idiot.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Books transport
us to a fantasy world where anything can happen, and once I overcame my
difficulties in learning how to read, I was hooked. My mother always carried a
Harlequin Romance with her, so it was only natural that I was drawn to that
genre. There was something magical about the concept of eternal love and as I
grew older, my tastes within the genre broadened to include everything from
historical to dark.
My writing
blossomed in much the same way. The first story I wrote was the Vanderbilt
Affair, which was inspired by a field trip. Back then, I was fortunate enough
to have an English teacher willing to nurture my love of writing by becoming my
editor after school.
The writing bug
stayed with me, but over the years, life got in the way, and it wasn’t until my
early forties that I published my first short story in a Christmas Anthology.
From there, I began writing and publishing across many sub-genres, with each
book carrying some element of the unexpected.
When I’m not up
to devious pursuits, like shooting a character, you’ll find me curled up with a
book next to my dog, watching TV with my better half, or engaging in random
water gun fights with my daughter and the neighborhood kids.
I don’t read a lot of contemporary romance with a sports star as the main character, but I will read anything Mimi Jean Pamfiloff writes! Can you resist that sweet cover?
I have read numerous books by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff and I will happily read anything she writes. This is my first book in the OhHellNo series. Even though it is the seventh in the series, it had no affect on my enjoyment of the story. Mimi writes with humor and wit, with dialogue that has me laughing out loud. Look at that cover…then add a sexy damsel in distress and you tell me…can you resist it?
Dean had worked hard to get where he was. A chance at the NFL. A baby he is raising by himself. And brother who’s an addict and needs constant help. The NFL is his answer to all his problems. But…life is never that simple.
In one of his lowest moments, she walked into the bar. Older, classy, and just what the doctored ordered…at the time. Or, so he thought, because the wrong head was thinking. The result, two year old Patrick and trouble he couldn’t have seen coming.
No one has given him anything…well, except Minnie, his landlady. She is selective about who she rents to. Daisy comes to town and the OhHellNo begins. When Dean and Daisy meet for the first time, Mimi Jean Pamfiloff had me cracking up.
I was wondering about the book. Mimi Jean Pamfiloff usually has more going on than Three Men and A Baby, and about halfway through it bites. My heart dropped right along with his.
This tough guy football jock has changed and I am loving it. I am curious to see how it will all play out, because I want warm fuzzies when the story is done.
I found the plot predictable, but that’s okay. I still enjoyed Baby Please by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff and would recommend it. I have enjoyed some of her other series more, but I have other books of the OhHell No series on my Kindle and I will be reading them.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Baby Please by MImi Jean Pamfiloff.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Surprise Baby Romantic Comedy, BABY, PLEASE.
SURPRISE! IT’S A GIRL!
DEAN
Ever
since I was recruited by my college football team, I’ve pushed myself
hard. Going pro and earning some real money is a must. Mostly because my
brother, Flip, is in a bad place, and I’m all he’s got.
No problem. I’m tough. I’m a hard worker. I’ve got a plan.
Then
right before the season starts, a woman shows up at my apartment with a
baby, claiming I’m the father. And then she leaves her with me. For a
week? Forever?
I have no idea, but college, football, and the
single-dad gig don’t go together. And forget about my experience with
babies. Does this thing come with an off switch? Volume control? Is that
a poopie diaper? Help!
Things go from bad to worse when the
public catches wind of my surprise-baby situation, and it turns into a
PR nightmare. I’m suddenly the poster boy for young single dads.
This isn’t happening.
Suddenly,
all eyes are on me, both on and off the field, and the only person who
can keep me from losing my mind confesses her love.
And I mess it all up. Her, football, baby, everything.
Now
I’m going to have to choose: fix my career or fix my personal life,
including coming to grips with loving a baby girl who might not be mine.
ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF
MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold
over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her
MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she
believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet
and follow your dreams.
Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two
pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons
(really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack,
in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.
She hopes to make
you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that
leather pants will make a big comeback for men.
After looking at the cover, I had to have This Morbid Life by Loren Rhoads. I didn’t care what it was about. How about you? Have you ever grabbed a book because of its cover, without checking out anything else about it?
I am sooo excited to have Loren Rhoads visiting today. She is going to share some of her thoughts and an excerpt….are you tempted yet?
1. What’s the most
inspiring part of where you live?
I feel blessed to live in the most diverse neighborhood in
San Francisco. It’s really great to get my coffee at the Filipino-Hawaiian
cafe, pick up a pork bun across the street, and stop off for a Salvadoran
pastry on the way home.
2. Where did the
idea for This Morbid Life come from?
The incredible artist Lynne Hansen was doing a challenge
last October where she created a new book cover every day. One day she made
this beautiful collage of an autopsied body with wildflowers and butterflies
inside its rib cage. I immediately fell in love with the artwork. I knew I had
to put together a book that would do the cover art justice.
3. How long did it
take you to write the book?
Almost everything was already written, but it took a while
to gather up all the essays, polish them up, and put everything together. I
started in January and the book came out in August.
4. Which “character”
has etched its way into your heart and why?
A lot of the essays are about my friend Jeff, so I dedicated
the book to him. We met the summer after I graduated, when I sublet a room in
the house where he lived. We eventually lived together again when my husband
and I moved into a lovely old Victorian in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood
and couldn’t afford the rent without a roommate. Jeff and I have known each
other for more than 30 years now. I remember when he came out, when he tested
positive for HIV, when his first husband died at home of AIDS. I was highly
entertained when his second husband got to This Morbid Life before Jeff had a
chance to read it. Jeff called to ask if there was anything too scandalous in
the book that he should worry about. I had to laugh at that.
5. What are you
working on now?
This Morbid Life is the first in a series called No Rest for the Morbid. The second book, Jet Lag & Other Blessings, will be a collection of my morbid travel essays: drinking all the absinthe I could find in Prague, encountering a rattlesnake in the Mojave, chasing alligators in the Louisiana bayou, flying over an active volcano in a helicopter, trying out Japanese love hotels, and basically stalking my morbid curiosity around the globe. That book will have a Lynne Hansen collage for its cover, too.
So many interesting essays. You kept me entertained, at times smiling and maybe even eliciting chuckle or two. I love the cover and find it as fascinating as the stories inside. No Rest For The Mordid sounds just as fascinating. Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts.
#1, Loren Rhoads was born in my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Gotta support another Michigander. #2, I couldn’t resist that cover.
Right out of the gate, I felt a kinship to Loren Rhoads. I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, and this was like going home. I went to Mott Community College. I know Dort Highway very well, because I worked at the AC Plant, after being laid off from the Chevrolet Plant downtown Flint. I do love a walk down memory lane.
Loren Rhoads found inspiration from her personal experiences…you never know where it will come from. We need to be open to all our experiences.
HOLD ON TIGHT!f These essays are dark and gritty, filled with truth. Loren lays herself bare. This Morbid Life is an apt title for the book and is not for the feint of heart. She lets it all hang out and I loved every minute of it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of This Morbid Life by Loren Rhoads.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
What others have called an obsession with death is really a desperate romance with life. Guided by curiosity, compassion, and a truly strange sense of humor, this particular morbid life is detailed through a death-positive collection of 45 confessional essays. Along the way, author Loren Rhoads takes prom pictures in a cemetery, spends a couple of days in a cadaver lab, eats bugs, survives the AIDS epidemic, chases ghosts, and publishes a little magazine called Morbid Curiosity.
Originally written for zines from Cyber-Psychos AOD to Zine World and online magazines from Gothic.Net to Scoutie Girl, these emotionally charged essays showcase the morbid curiosity and dark humor that transformed Rhoads into a leading voice of the curious and creepy.
EXCERPT
Burning Desire (an excerpt from the cremation essay)
At the
back of the warehouse stood the cremator itself. The Neptune Society used
British equipment, which was acclaimed as top of the line. A computer
controlled the temperature and length of burning time. The cremator had four doors,
two above and two below, so that bodies could be cremated simultaneously and
their ashes commingled. Before anyone could ask, Steve assured us that
California state law prohibited cremation of more than one body at a time, so
that ashes couldn’t get mixed by accident.
The
“ovens” themselves were built of fire-resistant brick. A metal rack slid out,
onto which the body was placed. Before the operator inserted a body, the
cremator would be preheated to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. As we toured the
building, the ambient temperature rapidly became torrid. The ovens were
warming. Apparently, at 1800 degrees, the inside of the oven glows red-hot.
Natural
gas was used for the heating process. A human body provides its own fuel and
will burn on its own at a high-enough temperature, so the cremator was
preheated, the body placed inside, and the gas switched off to prevent
overheating. Toward the end of the cremation, the gas was turned on again until
the bones became calcined and brittle.
Someone
asked Steve how they knew when a body was done. He recommended sticking it with
a fork. Sobering up, he added that, on average, it took between one and two
hours for a cremation at the Neptune Society, with an additional half hour for
the oven to cool down enough to remove the cremains. All bodies burned
differently, due to their levels of fat or moisture. Both cancer and AIDS
deplete the body’s fat reserves, so victims of those diseases had less fuel
value. Those bodies required more gas and a higher heat and might take longer
to reduce to ash.
The
different compositions of people also produced a variety of colors as the body
burned. Sometimes the flames turned green or blue, but generally they were
orange or red.
When the
cremation was complete, human remains were white and very brittle. Any other
discoloration implied that the cremation was unfinished. The bones might have
shrunk or twisted, but they were still quite recognizable. The cremains were
scooped out of the retort with a tool like a hoe. They were placed in a machine
with a drum like a clothes dryer that used heavy iron balls to pulverize the
remaining bones. The process was complete when the remains fit through a sieve.
I asked
if I could see real human ashes. With a shrug, Steve found a beige cardboard
box that was maybe five inches on a side. Inside a plastic wrapper, the
cremains looked like Quaker Oats and weighed as much as an old-fashioned
solid-body telephone. No one else in the tour group was interested in holding
the box. In fact, they all took a step back when I held the box out to them.
Continued in This Morbid Life
ABOUT LOREN RHOADS
Loren Rhoads is author of This Morbid Life, a morbid memoir, and Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning stories.
