Can't-Wait Wednesday: She Regrets Nothing

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

She Regrets Nothing
Andrea Dunlop
Expected publication date: February 6, 2018

In the tradition of The Emperor’s Children and The House of Mirth, the forgotten granddaughter of one of New York’s wealthiest men is reunited with her family just as she comes of age—and once she’s had a glimpse of their glittering world, she refuses to let it go without a fight.

When Laila Lawrence becomes an orphan at twenty-three, the sudden loss unexpectedly introduces her to three glamorous cousins from New York who show up unannounced at her mother’s funeral. The three siblings are scions of the wealthy family from which Laila’s father had been estranged long before his own untimely demise ten years before.

Two years later, Laila has left behind her quiet life in Grosse Point, Michigan to move to New York City, landing her smack in the middle of her cousins’ decadent world. As the truth about why Laila’s parents became estranged from the family patriarch becomes clear, Laila grows ever more resolved to claim what’s rightfully hers. Caught between longing for the love of her family and her relentless pursuit of the lifestyle she feels she was unfairly denied, Laila finds herself reawakening a long dead family scandal—not to mention setting off several new ones—as she becomes further enmeshed in the lives and love affairs of her cousins. But will Laila ever, truly, belong in their world? Sly and sexy, She Regrets Nothing is a sharply observed and utterly seductive tale about family, fortune, and fate—and the dark side of wealth. - from Goodreads

4 Strategies For Making More Time To Read

For many people, one of the reasons they give for why they don't read is that they don't have time.  I can understand this - we're all busy, between families, work, and other obligations.  Free time is often at a premium.  So, for anyone looking for even just a few extra minutes to squeeze in some chapters, today I've come up with four ways that can help you gain some extra reading time!

Meal prep
I bring my lunch to work every day, and many weeks I will make a big batch of *something* on Sundays, portion it all out, and I'm done for the week!  Those 10-15 minutes each morning or night I would spend putting my lunch together or trying to find something to eat have now been freed up for other things.  My husband will also often do this for our dinners, so we spend less time in the kitchen on weeknights.

Just 10 minutes
Instead of diving right in and trying to carve out hours per day to read, start small - wake up a few minutes earlier or stay up a few minutes later to read a few pages.  Start your nighttime routine at 10:50pm instead of 11pm, then use that extra time to get comfy and get reading.  Waking up at 7am instead of 7:10am isn't a huge commitment, and you can use that quiet time to read a chapter or two before starting all the other things you need to do.  Or, just set a timer during your evening and devote just that 10 minutes to reading.  Everyone has 10 minutes, right?

Create a tech-free reading zone
Whether this is your bedroom or just a random chair in your house, designate one area as technology-free (except for e-readers!).  Most of us spend a ton of time checking social media, reading emails, or bingeing something on Netflix - spending some of that time reading instead would be great!  Having an area where you can go to just read, without any other distractions, may make you more likely to devote the time to it. 

Multi-task
Sometimes it's not about creating more free time or giving something up, but using our time more wisely.  I'm still a fan of paper books, but the days of lugging around large hardcover books are a thing of the past.  With audiobooks and ebooks, we can basically read anywhere and everywhere.  When my work commute got longer, I started listening to audiobooks in the car - that's literally an extra HOUR per day I can spend reading.  You can listen to books while you're exercising or cleaning the house.  Your phone or e-reader can ensure you never lack a book to read while you're sitting in a doctor's waiting room.  If you always have a book with you, you'll never have an excuse to not read!

 

What are some of your tips for making more time to read?  How do you make reading a priority?

Mini-Reviews: Time Travel Romances

Back in December, I did a post on time travel romances I've read and enjoyed.  Since then, I've read a couple more, so here are my reviews!

The Dream Keeper's Daughter by Emily Colin (2017)

Isabel has been raising her daughter Finn alone since her boyfriend Max disappeared shortly after she told him she was pregnant.  What she doesn't know is that Max has been pulled back through time, to his ancestor's plantation in 1816 Barbados, and that he's trying to get back to them before he gets caught in the middle of a deadly slave uprising.

This book had a lot going on - not only was there time travel and romance, there were also some supernatural/paranormal elements, historical fiction, friendships, relationships between parents and children, and family secrets.  It worked for awhile, but by the end I was lost and felt the story was dragging on.

I loved the writing; the author had an easy, flowing style.  At the beginning, the pacing was also really good - although some might feel it's slow, I liked the way the story moved back and forth between Isabel and Max's points of view (Isabel wondering if she should have hope that Max is still alive and Max trying to stop the rebellion).  However, the last 100 pages or so didn't work for me.  Isabel's best friend Ryan reveals that he has been in love with her for years, and the drama between the two of them as they decide whether to embark on a relationship was just awkward.  I don't think the story needed this element; I would have been more happy to have the focus on Isabel's conflicting feelings about both Max and her mother, who also disappeared when Isabel was younger. 3.5 stars

The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer (2017)

A neurosurgeon taking care of her late brother's estate in Siena, Italy, is transported back to the 14th century, where she finds herself falling in love with an artist on the eve of the Plague's arrival.

I really enjoyed this book - the writing was absolutely lovely, the characters were fully fleshed-out, and the setting was rich.  Winawer did a great job in setting the scene; the descriptions of 14th century Italy and life at that time transported me to the era.  Beatrice was a multi-dimensional main character - although a neurosurgeon by trade, she also had an interest in history, and when she found herself in 1347 Siena, she adapted very quickly to her new surroundings, even finding herself a job and surprising herself with a lack of desire to get back.  The secondary characters added a lot of heart to the story.

Besides being just a love story between Beatrice and artist Gabriele, there is also quite a bit of intrigue, as Beatrice tries to figure out why Siena will be hard-hit by the Plague, causing the city's downfall.  She and Gabriele are pulled into situations more dangerous than they expect.  My only quibble with the story was that it did seem to move quite slowly at times.  4 stars

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Lady's Guide to Selling Out

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

A Lady's Guide to Selling Out
Sally Franson
Expected publication date: April 10, 2018

An ambitious young woman navigates the slippery world of advertising--and the equally slippery question of who she wants to be. Mad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada in this smart and witty debut novel.

Casey Pendergast, once a book-loving English major, is now a clothes-loving brand strategist at a top ad agency. Casey is a superstar, and her career has skyrocketed: she knows what people want, and she knows how to give it to them. When her hard-to-please boss assigns her to a top-secret marketing campaign that pairs authors with corporations hungry for creative copy and upmarket cache, Casey is initially thrilled--but as she begins to meet and woo her literary idols, she can't help but question the cost on her conscience. With an unforgettable voice--plucky and razor-sharp, equal parts feminist and pop-culture--this is the story of a young woman untangling the contradictions of our culture, and finding her way out of the rat race by returning to her first love: literature. - from Goodreads

4 Free Things We Did in Las Vegas... and 5 For The Next Trip

(In an effort to freshen up the "wanderings" part of my blog, I want to start incorporating more travel posts, so this is my first attempt!)

I was so excited to go to Las Vegas for the first time last year, but I was also a bit worried about the costs - the restaurants, the gambling, the drinking - it wouldn't be cheap!  So I did some research before we left and came up with a list of things that we could do for free.  Because our trip was rather short and my list was really long, we only got to a few of them, so I guess that just means I'll have to go back!

1. Walking the Strip and checking out the casinos.  After parking our car, we basically walked anywhere we wanted to go along the Strip.  There's so much to see both inside and outside the casinos.  The themed hotels are so ornate and busy, we didn't even need to gamble to have fun.  And with the way we ate, we definitely needed the exercise.

2. The Park.  The Park is an outdoor area located between the Monte Carlo and New York-New York hotels.  It offered some respite from the craziness of the Strip and also housed some very cool sculptures.

3. The Bellagio fountains.   The fountains run on a schedule, so it's pretty easy to figure out when you should get there to see the show.

4.  The Welcome to Las Vegas sign.  The sign is actually located down Las Vegas Boulevard from the heart of the Strip, but since it was on the way to where we were staying, it was a quick stop for us.  There's actually a parking lot in the center of the road, which makes for an easy visit.  Also, it was quite a bit smaller than I thought it would be!

So, we ended up hitting the major tourist attractions while we were there, but if (when) we go back, there are five other attractions I'd like to check out, all for free:

Neon Museum: The Neon Museum houses an outdoor collection of classic neon signs.  Most of their collection is accessible through guided tours for a fee, but they also have a gallery of 9 restored signs that is open and free to the public, 24/7.

Ethel M. Chocolates: The Ethel M. Chocolates factory is actually located in Henderson.  You can do a free self-guided tour of the viewing aisle to catch a glimpse of them making the chocolate, and afterwards you can take a walk through their Botanical Cactus Garden, the largest in Nevada.

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden: The conservatory at the Bellagio houses a multitude of plants, flowers, and trees, and the design is changed for each season.  Unfortunately, we were in Las Vegas for the couple days each quarter when the Garden is closed to create the next season's scene!

The Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo: Inside the flashy Flamingo resort is a wildlife habitat that features fish, turtles, and of course, flamingos. 

 

ARIA fine art collection: All over the ARIA hotel campus, you can find stunning pieces of public art, from sculptures to paintings.

Las Vegas isn't just about gambling and drinking - there really is something for everyone, and you don't always have to spend a ton of money to have fun!

 

What are some of your favorite Las Vegas attractions?  What's your favorite thing about Las Vegas?

 



Review: The Night She Won Miss America

The Night She Won Miss America
Michael Callahan
Published April 18, 2017

Inspired by a true story, a young woman is swept up in the glamour and excitement of chasing the title of Miss America 1950—only to vanish the night she wins.

Betty Jane Welch reluctantly enters the Miss Delaware contest to make her mother happy, only to surprisingly find herself the judges' choice. Just like that, she's catapulted into the big time, the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.

Luckily, her pageant-approved escort for the week is the dashing but mercurial Griffin McAllister, and she falls for him hard. But when the spirited Betty unexpectedly wins the crown and sash, she finds she may lose what she wants most: Griff's love. To keep him, she recklessly agrees to run away together. From the flashy carnival of the Boardwalk to the shadowy streets of Manhattan to a cliffside mansion in gilded Newport, the chase is on as the cops and a scrappy reporter secretly in love with the beauty queen threaten to unravel everything-and expose Griff's darkest secret. - from Goodreads

This was one of those impulse grabs from the library new release shelf.  I didn't know anything about the book, hadn't checked out any reviews, but I thought the cover was adorable and the blurb was interesting, so I took it home.

In 1949, Betty Jane enters the Miss Delaware pageant as a favor to her mother, not expecting she would ever win - but she does, and she is swept off to the Miss America pageant.  There, she meets her escort for the week, Griff McAllister, and the two fall head over heels in love.  However, Griff tells Betty that if she were to win, he couldn't be with her; it would be too stressful for him.  When Betty unexpectedly wins, she has to make the choice between being Miss America and being Griff's girlfriend, and she chooses Griff - but was it the right choice?

I really enjoyed the first half of the story, up to when Betty wins the pageant.  The behind-the-scenes pageant tidbits and mid-century Atlantic City setting were fun.  After Betty runs away with Griff, the story got quite a bit more outlandish.  With stops in New York City and Newport, car chases, and an attempted rape, it felt like a soap opera.

At times it was hard to pin down Betty Jane as a character.  She seemed like a typical young woman, a college student who hasn't led the most interesting of lives.  When she meets Griff, she falls hard, and as a girl who hasn't had many boyfriends before, she loves the attention Griff gives her.  When she ultimately wins the Miss America title, Betty Jane vacillates practically every page.  Although the win isn't something she wanted, she begins to see all the possibilities and advantages it could bring, not to mention all the scholarship money, but she is worried about Griff.  To his credit, Griff never asks Betty to give up her title; she does that all on her own.  As the story goes on, she shows a cunning level-headedness that I didn't expect from her.

Griff, although charming at times, is hiding a big secret from Betty.  Maybe it's a bit of a spoiler, but Griff has schizophrenia, and by the time Betty learns the truth, it's too late; she's in too deep to just leave.  Griff's schizophrenia was a somewhat heartbreaking addition to the story, but the touches upon treatment and prognosis of mental illness in the 1940s were rather interesting.

Overall, I thought this story was engaging and quick-moving, although a bit inconsistent. 

3.5 stars

TV Shows I'm Obsessed With Lately #4

Although I probably liked the first season slightly better, I'm still loving the second season of The Crown on Netflix.  It's no secret that I love royalty, so I am fascinated by this show about Queen Elizabeth II.  And this season devotes whole episodes to other members of the royal family, including the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and her son, Prince Charles.

Travelers is yet another fantastic original series by Netflix.  In this series, the future is a bleak place, so "travelers" are sent back to the present-day to try to prevent all the things that caused society to collapse.  The consciousness of the traveler is transferred into the body of someone who is just about to die, saving them and taking over their lives in order to complete missions.  If you love time travel and sci-fi, there are two great seasons of this show to binge!

No matter how many years it's been since my own wedding, I will never get tired of looking at pretty dresses (especially ones I could never afford!) and hearing about people's love stories.  I can lose an entire afternoon watching reruns, and the new season has finally started!

What tv shows are you watching lately?