Wham-Bam Reviews: 4, 3, 2, 1

A Deadly Game is a seriously good, fast-paced, must read for any mystery fan that lives in Kentucky or enjoys a good scavenger hunt. This one is a race against the clock to save a kidnapped child. I relished the clues, trip around the state, and the budding romance. I will definitely be on the lookout for more Virginia Smith. Do you have a favorite Virginia Smith read? 4 stars

O.K. so Belly Laughs didn't actually make me belly laugh. But it does provide honest and candid information about what really happens to a woman's body during pregnancy. The stuff no one likes to talk about and What to Expect When You're Expecting glides right over, is the stuff Jenny happily reveals. I must say her take on several aspects really stuck with me and that makes Belly Laughs a quick must read for first-time expecting mommies. 3 stars

Baby Changes Everything (Embracing and Preparing for Motherhood after 35) is geared more towards second (third, fourth, or fifth) time moms. This one tries to be supportive and encouraging but came across as more of a downer with minimal real advice dispensed. While it didn't work for me, I could see it being helpful to Christian mothers of grown children who are suddenly expecting again. 2 stars

While Anya's Ghost definitely has cool art, I found neither Anya nor her ghostly friend likable. In the end I was relieved. Not for Anya but for the poor people (her mom and brother) that love her. 1 star

Whippersnappers: The story doesn't hold back. There is teen smoking as well as mentions to murder, sex, and sexual identity.

Reviews Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com

Credit: Thank you Tea Time with Marce for making this review of Belly Laughs possible.

Free Christmas eBook Alert: Christmas at Harrington's

Top of the morning to ya gals! I do hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend. I am popping in 'cause it is alert time! One of my favorite Christian Fiction Christmas reads of last year, Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson, is currently FREE for the Kindle AND nook. Click here to read my review of Christmas at Harrington's. I have no idea how long this offer will last so hurry over now. Happy Cyber Monday!

Don't have a Kindle but still interested? Consider downloading the Kindle reader (for free) for your for PC, BlackBerry, or iPhone. Own a nook? Check out Free Friday at Hott Books.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Howdy sugars! It's almost turkey day!

Are you excited? Are you cooking? Bringing a dish?

We are going to celebrate with the in law's. As for bringing a dish, this year we're taking it easy and only bring something simple. So I am making Rachael Ray's Cranberry Sauce recipe. For some reason Baby Whimsy has me craving cranberries.

So tell me what are your plans?

My Two Book Themed Baby Showers Revealed

Collage 1 & 2: The Alice in Wonderland Baby Shower

Decor: Tea cups, pearls, white rabbit, clocks, playing cards,

the Mad Hatter's hat, skeleton keys, flowers, and tea pots

Menu: tea, coffee, and an afternoon tea inspired menu
(tea sandwiches, fruit, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, cake)
Gifts: Supplies and clothes for the baby

Color scheme: pink and white

&

Collage 3: The Once Upon a Time... Build a Library Baby Shower

Decor: Menu on the spine of books, bookshelf for the baby, book garland

Menu: sweet tea and mini versions of Kentucky themed foods

(hot browns, derby pies, benedictine sandwiches)

Gifts: Everyone brought a book for the baby
Color scheme: pink and black

Both showers were totally darling and bookish. I loved them.
The book shower was inspired by Martha Stewart.

Contest Winner: In the Forests of the Night

Guess what releases today? In the Forests of the Night! And guess what I get to do? Announce a winner! Whoot whoot! The winner of my In the Forests of the Night book contest is: Little Miss Becky of Stories & Sweeties!

Congratulations sweet Becky! You have won a signed hardcover! I will be contacting you via email for your mailing address. The winner was selected with help from Random.org. Thank you SO much to Kersten Hamilton for making this contest possible.

What to learn more about this series?
Click here to visit In the Forests of the Night at Goodreads.

Click here to read my review of Tyger Tyger (book 1).

News Flash: Contest and Character Interview Alert

Remember the hot sons of Santa I mentioned to you gals yesterday? Well Oskar Klaus (the main character of Sweet Magik and youngest of Santa's sons) was kind enough to sit down for an interview with me and Jen of Not Now...I'm Reading. Click here to visit the interview and enter to win Jen's Christmastastic Sweet Magik giveaway. Two winners will receive Sweet Inspiration and Sweet Magik. Good luck! Contest ends 11/22/11.

Christmas Book Review: Sweet Magik

2¢ Worth: While I love Christmas stories, it is a truth universally acknowledged that Christmas stories are usually sweet and sappy. Something that doesn't always appeal to every reader. Well perk up my darlings cause Sweet Magik is all about adding spice to that sugar. Sweet Magik is book two in a series by Penny Watson about the oh-so-hunky beefcake sons of Santa. Each story features one son and his journey for love. What makes the stories unique is that each of the Klaus boys are very different and therefore each encounters and deals with their very own distinct dilemmas. Sweet Magik is about the youngest of the bros, Oskar. Oskar is a punk daredevil who meets his match in a reserved bookworm with a sad past. Together they tackle some hot attraction and some dark elfin magic. The result is a magical journey full of sexy moments and tests of love.

Whimsical: Two words for you = Santa's Castle

Wrapping: I'm not going to lie, I'm not a fan of the cover. I prefer the cutey animated cover of Sweet Inspiration. Plus, Oskar has way more tats then they featured on this cover. But don't let that stop you!

Whisper: The story definitely reminds the reader not to be so quick to judge.

Whippersnappers: This one is descriptive, juicy, and peppered with the occasional playful curse word.

Warm holiday fuzzies meter: Low Medium High

Word to the wise: You do not have to read Sweet Inspiration to enjoy Sweet Magik. They are both independent romances.

Wishing: Oskar is a mega cutie but I can not wait for Sven's story, Sweet Adventure (due out in 2012). Apparently Sven and Gregor meet some sisters that turn everything upside down. According to Penny's site she promises Sweet Adventure will have, "mayhem, espionage, and lusty interludes". Whoot! I can not wait.

What's what: Need some history on the guys?

Nicholas Klaus, Jr. = the master chef = desserts and goodies (Sweet Inspiration)

Oskar Klaus = the punk brother = employee (i.e. elfin) relations (Sweet Magik)

Sven Klaus = the hippie brother = toy production

Gregor Klaus = the expensive suits brother = financial relations

Wolfgang (Wolfie) Klaus = the humanitarian brother = charitable gifts

Wholly: Sweet Magik by Penny Watson is a 3-star perfect read for gals who want to celebrate Christmas with whimsy.

Make sure to check out the great reviews of Sweet Magik at Not Now...I'm Reading and Oh My Books.

Click here to read my review of Sweet Inspiration.

Click here to visit Sweet Inspiration on Goodreads.

Click here to visit Sweet Magik on Goodreads.

Click here to read my interview with Penny Watson from last year.

Click here to visit Penelope's site Penny Watson Books.com.

Click here to visit Penelope's blog Penelope's Romance Reviews.

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com

Credits: Trading Card images are courtesy of PennyWatsonBooks.com.

Thank you Penny Watson for making this review possible.

Cover Wonderment: Selling Hope

This weekend at the Kentucky Book Fair, I came across this gorgeous cover. Even Mr. Whimsy agreed it was the loveliest cover of the event. I love that it is both dreamy and old-fashioned. It makes want to spend an evening watching the stars. I can not seem to take my eyes off of it.

What do you think of Selling Hope by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb?

Book Review & Author Interview: Goodnight Tweetheart

2¢ Worth: Do you ever hit a slump? That horrible moment, that at one point or another, gets every reader. The moment when no book works. Well have I got the book for you. I call it, the slump slayer. Goodnight Tweetheart is like candy and a chick flick for the thirsty reader. It's wickedly funny, light, and fast-paced. Don't do Twitter? Don't worry, neither do I. Because honestly you don't have to be a fan of Twitter to enjoy the delicious banter, flirtation, and dialogue full of pop culture references.

Wrapping quote: "Told almost entirely in tweets and DMs, Goodnight Tweetheart is a truly modern take on a classic tale of love and loss—a Griffin and Sabine for the Twitter generation."

Wooed: I love(d) this book so much that this review basically wrote itself. I love when that happens.

Wrinkle: The ending isn't tied in bow. It's tender and lets the reader's imagination fill in the blanks.

Whippersnappers: It is quite clean but there are minor mentions to illness, drug abuse, and previous infidelities. You can also expect some playful sexual innuendos.

Writer Q & A:

Q: How old are Mark and Abby?

A: "Abby would have been around 29 at the time the book took place and Mark would have been around 30 or 31. I had to do the math by remembering that Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" was playing at Abby's junior prom. They're obviously familiar with a lot of TV shows that were "before their time" but I cheated by making them both huge fans of TV Land and Nick at Nite. ;) I have an extremely broad frame of reference when it comes to classic television and movies so I didn't think it was that much of a stretch to give them the same skill set."

Q: How did you come up with the concept for Goodnight Tweetheart? I noticed in the acknowledgments that you said Mark and Abby started tweeting in your head. Can you tell my readers more about that?

A: "I came up with the idea for GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART because I loved Twitter so much. When I realized I'd written about 80,000 words in "tweets", enough for a full-length novel, I decided it might be time to find a way to make this venue work for me creatively. My brain "tweets" all the time anyway. I also wanted to see if two characters could create a deep and meaningful connection using a medium that seems so superficial. Snippets of their conversation would pop into my head when I was driving or taking a shower or waiting in the drive-thru lane at Starbucks. I wrote a great deal of the book while sitting at Starbucks and as I was creating the dialogue between Mark and Abby, there were times when I almost felt like Mark was real and was tweeting with me. After I finished the book, I missed them both terribly, almost as if I'd lost two genuine friends!"

What's what: So what I'm saying is, read this book. Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros is a 5 star, updated and sweeter You've Got Mail that won my heart.

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com.

Click here to read a teaser of Goodnight Tweetheart.

Click here to read a deleted tweet between Mark and Abby and visit the official Goodnight Tweetheart website.

International Contest: In the Forests of the Night

Ooooooooooo ladies have I got a contest for you. In the Forests of the Night, the sequel to one of my very favorite books of 2010 (Tyger Tyger), releases two weeks from today on November 22nd! So you ready for the contest news?

Thanks to the lovely authoress Kersten Hamilton, I have one signed hardcover of In The Forests of the Night up for grabs. The coolest part? The contest is open INTERNATIONALLY! Can I get a whoot whoot? To enter simply comment with your email address. The winner will be announced on the book's release day 11/22/11.

Haven't read Tyger Tyger yet? Run out and buy it.
It is now available in paperback. Need some more info?
Click here to read my review of Tyger Tyger. But don't take my word for it. Click here to read reviews of Tyger Tyger at The Reading Fever, Imagination in Focus, Beyond Books, A Novel Source, and Stories & Sweeties.

Well Said: Tweet Tweet

Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

MarkBaynard: Sigh...calling a tweet a "twit" is like ordering a "large" drink at Starbucks instead of a "Venti." Your street cred may never recover.

Abby_Donovan: I'm a middle-class white girl who grew up on various army bases. My only street cred consists of downloading BABY GOT BACK for my iPod.

MarkBaynard: Goodnight Backup.

Abby_Donovan: Will you marry me?

MarkBaynard: Why?

Abby_Donovan: Because I made a vow that I'd marry the first man who knew the name of Veronica Mars's dog.

Free Kindle eBook Alert: A Simple Amish Christmas

Good morning! It's alert time! A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman is currently FREE for the Kindle. I really connected with this Christian Fiction gem when I read it last December. Click here to read my review of A Simple Amish Christmas. So tell me ladies, do you have any plans for the upcoming weekend? Mr. Whimsy and I are taking a childbirth prep class. Can I admit I'm nervous?

Don't have a Kindle but still interested? Consider downloading the Kindle reader (for free) for your for PC, BlackBerry, or iPhone. Own a nook? Check out Free Friday at Hott Books.

Audiobook Review: The Mysterious Howling

2¢ Worth: The Mysterious Howling was my first audiobook and I am glad to say, I am sold. The story is about a nineteenth century brand new graduate of governess school, who unwittingly becomes the governess to three sweet but wild children. The story of how she prepares her charges for presentation to polite society is both endearing and often comical. I loved hearing the Incorrigibles evolve. But the part I enjoyed the most is the mystery. Someone is trying to sabotage the kids and the story ends with a mystery, some strange noises, and the promise of more secrets to come. Be prepared to have this book leave you pondering theories.

Words aloud: As I stated before, I am new to audios. But the one thing I have learned already, is that an audiobook is only as good it's narrator. Katherine Kellgren did an amazing job convincing me she is in fact the voice of the prim, proper, and plucky British governess Penelope Lumley. She was also great with the various voices of the supporting characters. Honestly, I rather miss her reading to me and can't wait to find more books narrated by her.

Wooed: Penelope is one funny lass. Her thoughts and imagination had me smiling almost the entire time.

Whippersnappers: Clean but be forewarned, the social issue of hunting is addressed and it is obvious that the writer is not a fan.

Word to the wise: While this story is written for children, Penelope's reflections will definitely appeal to adults.

Wind-up: The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Book #1) was written by Maryrose Wood. The audiobook is read by Katherine Kellgren and consists of 5 discs (5 hours and 27 mins). Audiobook rating: 5 stars. Narrator rating: 5 stars.

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com