Ella Enchanted

I've always assumed that I read this book and have seen the movie but after listening to the charming audio version of it I really don't think I have. The story was new and fresh and fantastical. I loved it. I'm a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings and the superb narration (the narrator sounds like an honest to god kid!) kicked this middle grade fantasy into overdrive. When Ella was a newborn a fairy placed a curse on her - she would be obedient. Ella cannot disobey an order - which make it dangerous if the wrong people found out! After her mother dies she is sent to finishing school and two odious girls proceed to make her life a living hell. She runs away to try and find the fairy who cursed and along the way she has many an adventure. There is romance, action, adventure, humor, and fun. All around great storytelling. Empowering for young girls!

Lupe Wong Won't Dance

Charming, uplifting, and unique - this middle grade novel is a tour de force. Lupe Wong is willing to do whatever it takes to get straight A's so she can meet her baseball hero, Fu Li Hernandez. Like Lupe Fu Li is Mexicanese/Chinacan and since her father's death there has been a hole in her life and she is convinced that if she meets Fu Li it will somehow make her closer to her father. The only thing standing in her way is... square dancing. PE was supposed to be her easy A - but when she finds out that she will be required to dance and dance with a boy - she vows to do all in her power to stop it. What starts as merely a crusade against dancing turns into a crusade for cultural identity, friendship, and speaking up for what you believe in. I may or may not have teared up a few times as well. This story is warm, wholesome, and filled with the greatest characters and life lessons. I loved this book with my whole heart! 

The Lucky One

Pretty typical Nicholas Sparks romance - I am glad I did not see the movie first because when I finished the book I looked up the trailer and I did not love the casting. I would have been sad if I read the book with those actors in mind. While serving overseas after 9/11 - Logan uncovers a laminated picture of a beautiful girl. He keeps it on him and suddenly his luck starts changing. He starts winning at card games - he makes it through numerous battles that his military brethren don't. He stays alive over there BECAUSE of that picture. When he makes it back stateside he is determined to find the woman in the photo. All he has is some geographical markers in the photo and her initials, but that doesn't deter him. He walks from Colorado to the East coast with his dog - to clear his mind and to escape his demons. He doesn't expect that he'll actually find her, but when he does he is blown away by her beauty and charm. He even starts falling for her little boy too. What he doesn't take into consideration is her conniving ex-husband. How can he get her to trust him and how on earth can he ever tell her the truth? Cute, sappy, and a little over the top. Memorable characters make it a fun read.

Rancho de Amor

Well written, but predictable and a little underwhelming. A New York City editor flies out to the wild west of California to find the reclusive bestselling romance author Loretta de Bonnair. Her pink covered book is sweeping the nation - everyone is reading it and it's the best selling romance book since 50 Shades of Grey. Her publishing house isn't doing too well and they think if they can tap into the romance market and snatch up this insanely popular novelist then they can stay afloat. The only trouble is they need to track her down. Catherine Doyle heads to the author's small western hometown and instead of an author finds a sexy cowboy with a swagger and a nerdy little bookkeeper. If only she could get someone who actually knew Loretta. She's not looking for love she's looking for her company's salvation. What if the answer to her troubles was right in front of her if she would just open her eyes (and her heart)? Cute, sappy, slow build with no kiss til the end. I could 100% see this being a Hallmark movie. 

Melania and Me

I really enjoyed learning more about how the inauguration was planned, the inner workings of the East Wing, and insight into Melania's life - but I did not enjoy the whiney "look at me" moments from the author. Stephanie constantly touted her resume, her work with famous designers, editors, and politicians; including snippets from articles she was mentioned in and lots of photographic evidence to reinforce her larger than life reputation. Stephanie put herself in a stupid situation that was toxic for her emotional and physical health, her family and her finances. Yes she was friends with Melania since the early 2000s. They hung out and texted a lot. Then it quickly turned into Melania wanting favors from their friendship leading into planning and executing the inauguration and then taking an unpaid position in Melania's cabinet. She had no title and no salary but hung around because Melania was her friend and it was her patriotic duty? Come on. Is she really surprised that the Trump family threw her under the bus to save their own asses later on down the line? Again, there were some interesting tidbits about Melania, Ivanka and the Trump family but honestly no shocking revelations. They're all scum.

Well Played

Charming, cute, and the perfect follow up to Well Met. In the first installment the author focuses Emily and her budding romance with Simon - in Well Played we finally get to see more of Stacey, the wild and fun best friend of Emily. Emily is bleach blond, flirty, fun and full of insecurities. She's stuck in a rut but she doesn't want anyone to know it. When she finds out that Emily and Simon are engaged she realizes that she needs a change. She can't live over her parent's garage forever. One night she drunkenly messages Dex - the sexy kilted man she slept with at the renaissance faire last summer and to her surprise he responds. What follows is 11 months of emails and texts as they get to know each other for real and start to fall head over heels. Only there is one big secret and when they meet up at the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire next summer their long distance romance may implode. Cute, charming, and fun - a few steamy scenes for those who are into it. I really hope there is another installment in this series focusing on April!

The Amish Cookie Club

A multi-layered story but the main thread woven throughout is that you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Four Amish mothers get together every Friday to make cookies for the Sunday services and to lean on each other for support and friendship. When Verna tells her friends about her strong willed daughter getting fired from yet another job the friends offer not only their support but come up with a job opportunity for hard headed Myrna. In a neighboring church district there is a young widower with three children and a baby; struggling and in need of help. Myrna is dispatched to help out, but she is convinced that she is being set up and groomed to be a replacement wife. She is pleasantly surprised when she finds herself falling for the kids and is pleased that for once her hard work is appreciated. But when a rumor starts floating around about the reasons behind his wife's death (refusing treatment for breast cancer) the four friends in the Amish cookie club start to have doubts about this widower's character and their judgements start to rub off on Myrna. A story of second chances and a reminder that gossip does more harm than good. Sweet and wonderful. I can't wait to read the rest in this series!