Stilettos With My Latte Staging

Somehow I managed to read 16 books this month which took my total to 102! I reached my goal of 100. And let me say, I will never make this goal again. This month I felt like I HAD to read in order to reach my goal instead of simply because I wanted to. Although I enjoyed most of my reads - I still think I was a tad bit overzealous with this goal. Nevertheless, I accomplished it. Ha! 

Diary of a One Night Stand by Alexandrea Weis had me really thinking - not about her "one night stand" but maybe it takes our mistakes to teach us how to embrace our opportunities and this you're the only person you have to please in this life, because no one else is gonna do it for you. 

Luckily for me, lots of short books are released during the holidays - books I can breeze through in less than an hour if I sit still long enough to do so. Zane authored 2 -  I'll Be Home for Christmas and Everything Fades Away. There was only one Christmas Eve I did not stay at my parents' house - I tried so hard to start a new tradition, but my efforts were not appreciated and  I just wanted to be home with my family - until I am married, my parents home with pizza for dinner is where I will opt to spend my Christmas Eve. Nothing else feels right. Endless Love by Francis Ray - ever been in a relationship with a man who felt like he had to control your every move and hated that you had a life outside of what the two of you shared?! So exhausting! I never want to be in that type of relationship again.

As always Brenda Jackson did not disappoint with her latest Westmoreland novel One Winter's Night. Am I the only one who is in a rush to read Bane Westmoreland's story??? She has been talking about this character for so long, I am too anxious to see what happens with him and I know his story will probably not be released for a few more years since he is the youngest of the bunch.

Lisa Renee Jones has a series of books entitled Tall, Dark, and Deadly. They were free on the kindle and I found myself intrigued by the stories - suspense and romance seems good to me. If I would have read the prelude first Secrets Exposed, I definitely wouldn't have finished out the other 3 - Hot Secrets, Dangerous Secrets, and One Dangerous Night. I am anxiously awaiting the release of the next one.. Secrets Exposed not too good - the other ones were great. I did love a line from Secrets Exposed, distractions can offer a needed break while obstacles impede progress. I found it funny how the characters were portrayed differently in some of the books. I wonder if authors forget what they stated previously or do they want to flesh out the characters more by changing characteristics established previously.  Another good quote came from Dangerous Secrets: consciously or not, greed and power are deadly partners.

The other kindle freebies I read this month: Luke Young's Friends with Partial Benefits and I loved this toast - I hope your dreams take you to the corners of your imagination, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever longed for but I hated the premise of a mother sleeping with her son's college roommate. Then there was A Second Chance by Ellen Wolf. I enjoyed this book. Then of course there were the Christmas books - Christmas Babies by Mona Risk, Secret Santa by Kathleen Brooks, and Mistletoe Mischief Stacey Joy Netzel.

I started Rachel Schurig's three girls series - I read Three Girls and a Baby and then Three Girls and a Wedding. I liked these books and will definitely read the other two. They were based on the importance of cultivating your female friendships. Quotes I loved: If my life were a chick flick, this period would have passed as a musical montage about the strength of female friendships, and its ability to heal the wounds left by bastard men. I will definitely drink to that! Then there was this: it's impossible to move on when you don't really want to. And it's impossible to want to move on when you're still in love. A place we have all been at some point in our lives: If he wanted to throw me crumbs, even soul crushing ones, I would take them grateful. And lastly: I wasn't a perfect girl - in fact, I was a girl who could make huge mistakes. But I was also the type of girl who would do whatever it took to right those mistakes.

My 2012 Goals and Aspirations - here is how I made out.


1. Create my vision board
2. Find a job (preferably a career)
3. Become more social again - hang out with my girlfriends at least once a month
4. Go on dates!!! Which hopefully will result in...
5. Being in a mutually fulfilling relationship
6. Read 100 books (I refuse to be silly and write read more, watch tv less - I am sure I can juggle them both)
7. Eat healthier - I did well until an injury explained below
8. Work out at least 3 times a week - I started out good with this until July when I fell down the steps and hurt my ankle...after it healed 2 weeks later, I never got back into my rhythm of consistently working out especially after I started working in September
9. Say no when I want to - no compromising for others desires if they do not align with my own
10. Potty train Price - we are working on this still. It is hard with him going back and forth between 2 households. Hopefully, this will be tackled before his 2nd birthday. You all know my rule - I do not change diapers of children once they turn 2. 
11. Try new food
12. Travel
13. Make my "30 Things Before 30 list" - and accomplish EVERY one of them
14. Incorporate family dinners again - we may not have had regular family dinners, but we did all get together for Pricey's bday, Easter, and Thanksgiving. This is an improvement. And I also hung out with my cousins more with spontaneous dinners, brunches, movie dates, and shopping. 
15. Live. Laugh. Love. loosely translated try not to take things so seriously and just live.
16. Cultivate all relationships and not take anything for granted
17. New Car
18. Transition to the Mac world with a MacBook Pro
19. Blog at least twice a week
20. Do community service

Not too bad, huh?! Reflection of my progression coming soon along with analysis of my vision board and my goals for the upcoming year.

This month I read 7 books, taking my yearly total to 86. It does not look like I will meet my yearly goal of 100 - I do not see where I will find the time to read 14 books this month...UNLESS the books I read to the kid and the girls count as part of my overall goal. Hmmmmm...lol.

 Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close was on a list of books every 20 something woman should read. I know I am a tad bit late with this - but I laughed while reading it. More so because I could relate to the disasterous relationships being held on to because you don't want to be alone and the struggle with finding your place in the professional world while having a passion for what it is you do every day. And let's not forget the never ending barrage of invitations to baby showers, weddings, and bachelorette parties. Never once did I feel as though I missed out on a college experience by not going away and living on campus. But I must admit, the friendships these women formed with each other while experiencing college and life thereafter was very admirable. It's a good thing I have my high school girlfriends to go through life's mishaps with. And the most profound thing I read in this book, Be yourself or be nothing and live humbly but live true.

Sylvia Day's Reflected in You - this is the 2nd novel in her Crossfire series. I was conflicted as I read it - I think it is unhealthy to be in a relationship where you feel as if you cannot function if all of your spare time is not spent with your significant other - like you need them around just to breathe. Day describes this as "the sweet, sharp edge of obsession" - obsession is putting it lightly. There has to be a stronger word for this. I know myself and outside of my time I spend with my partner, I also need me time, family time, friend time and specifically girls days/nights in order to not feel suffocated. But to each its own. At the end of this novel, I am still trying to decide if I prefer Christian Grey's manic over Gideon Cross' - I have one more novel to read before I HAVE to come to my final conclusion - but first Entwined With You needs to be released, so until then I think I am a Grey type of girl although I love how Cross has a lot of pull in NYC (you all know the love affair I have with the city).

In preparation for Thanksgiving, I perused and read 3 cookbooks looking for perfect new recipes to try. They were the Brown Betty Cookbook, In the Kitchen with David, and Tate's Bake Shop Baking for Friends. I found myself lost in the familial stories in 2 of them and lost focus on my objective - creating a dessert menu. It took me many post its and weeks later to narrow it down.  I loved the new techniques shared for some of my family's staple desserts Brown Betty shared in the book. They definitely made a difference. David had lots of great recipes I want to try soon - and I actually did brine chicken to fry it - I def wasn't a fan of this technique. But I read online you had to maintain the oil temperature at 300 degrees and I didn't use the deep fryer which allows me to regulate temperature. I didn't get a chance to try too many of the recipes of Tate's Bake Shop because I became so fixated with Brown Betty's. Maybe for Christmas I will dabble more with their recipes.

I read a few free books this month offered on my new kindle paperwhite just so I could play with my new toy. Did I tell you all how much I love it?! I still need to find the perfect case - until then I keep it close to protect it from any damage.

First up was Susan Hatler's An Unexpected Date - a quick read I could relate to. Holly (yes, that really was her name) was about to turn 30 and hadn't been on a date in awhile...sound familiar?! But I will digress.

Then there was Crystal Bowling's Always the Last to Know. This book drove me insane and I just wanted it to end. I guessed the ending way before it happened. Just thankful it was over.

I only read 3 books this month taking my yearly total to 79.

Brenda Jackson's Texas Wild was my type of read. I could totally relate to Megan Westmoreland on many levels and according to Jeannette & Shana I should indulge in some Philadelphia Wild. STAT.

Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green took me weeks to finish - not because it was a horrible book, but because I have not found time to read outside of work. Being a mother one day is very important to me - I could not imagine when I was finally "ready" (I know there is never a perfect moment to try, but you know what I mean) to embark on that chapter of my life not being able to conceive. Devastated wouldn't even begin to describe how I would feel. And I doubt I would find complete happiness in raising someone else's child. But that's me. How Andi deals with this is admirable.

There is a part that resonated with me: You're giving her total control of your mood. Try detaching from her. She is who she is, which is nothing to do with you. You didn't cause her mood, you can't control it, and you certainly can't cure it. 

Sylvia Day's Bared to You - not sure what to say about this book without saying too much. I am waiting for Amber to read it so I can discuss and I don't want to spoil it for her. What I will say is I am now sitting here contemplating who more intrigues me - Christian Grey or Gideon Cross...I definitely think I prefer Eva over Anastasia. I have to get the sequel to better formulate my opinion on the leading men.

Surprisingly I only read 2 books this month which took my yearly total to 76. 

Started the month off finishing Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon. What an inciteful read - I highly recommend it to all my married friends who feel their marriage is in a rut. It reaffirmed my belief communication is key in any relationship - and it also made me question does the use of social media and the need to constantly stay connected with an immediate response ,due to smart phones and differing avenues, have a negative impact on relationships? I for one enjoy the variety of communication - although you cannot convey tone in a text, email , tweet, or Facebook message - it can be useful for some flirty banter or a quick hello.

Here are some quotes that stuck out to me in this book:

I'm not sure love comes easy, but I will say it is my default setting.

Waiting is a dying art. The world moves at a split-second speed now and I happen to think that's a great shame, as we seem to have lost the deeper pleasures of leaving and returning.

Pretty is what lies between beautiful and plain, and in my experience pretty is the best place to be. Beautiful makes evolving into any sort of a person with morals and character very difficult.

It's easy to reveal ourselves to strangers. Far harder to reveal those truths to those we know.

Her heart did whisper he had done it for her.

Adrianne Byrd's Comfort of a Man was a good, quick read. What I took away from this book: Pride is never your friend when it comes to love.

With the 11 books I have read this month, my yearly total is now at 74. Maybe I will reach my goal of 100 after all.

I started the month off by reading a freebie on my kindle, The Marriage Pact by M.J. Pullen. This book caught my attention for two reasons a) the main character was turning 30 and dealing with her feelings towards this and b) she gave herself a timeline to find a husband and if she didn't she made a pact to marry one of her male friends. I laughed because I too made this deal, however, life happened and me and this male friend lost contact and our deadline has come and gone. Maybe he found his life partner, huh?! This book also disgusted me because I could not drum up any sympathy for a woman who was heartbroken as a result of sleeping with a married man. That is incorrigible behavior and she deserved what came to her especially since she KNEW he was married.

Elements of Kayla Perrin's Heart to Heart troubled me. I could not fathom getting involved with an ex-boyfriend's older brother. There has to be boundaries, right?! If you are friends or family of anyone I previously dated, then you are off limits to me. No exceptions to the rule. I then read the first book of Perrin's Hart Sisters series Always in My Heart. What I must say - if I would have read these books in order, I would have stopped with this one - it did not impress me and many parts were too unrealistic to me or maybe it leads me back to my issue with forgiveness. One of the sisters summed it up for me and had me thinking maybe I could start to apply this: If you know better, then you would do better. Sometimes you just have to forgive people because they didn't know a better way.

I really enjoyed The Beautiful Ones by Adrianne Byrd. The way the story was narrated was captivating and different from most novels. Not to mention I was so wrapped up in the story and wanted to know what (if anything) would happen between Solomon and Ophelia. So of course I had to read the other books of this series Unforgettable, Feel the Fire, and Love Takes Time.They were all quick/good reads - the last book of the series will be released next spring and I will definitely dive into that one.

Reshonda Tate Billingsley's The Secret She Kept was deep. I have personally been in a relationship with someone who was bi-polar and it is NO fun...as I result I could not love him in spite of...you cannot help someone who does not want to help themselves.

While on vacay, I packed my kindle and read Tara Sampson's The Rented Husband - the book was ok outside of the glaring typos consistent throughout the book - but it was free, so I cannot complain too much, right?! The funniest thing is as I started this book, I had my laptop up and I received a friend request and an inbox message from the same guy I was referencing when I discussed The Marriage Pact. How weird is that?!

It took me forever to get through Allison Winn Scotch's Time of My Life - not because it was a bad book, but because it didn't engage me enough at first - but one day I made myself sit down and finish since after weeks I was only 70 pages in...and it gave me lots of reflection - if you could go back and change different elements of your life, would you? Or would you realize what you previously endured was an avenue to present you an opportunity for personal growth - you learn and change from life's missteps (if you are wise enough to acknowledge your need for this change) so you don't constantly follow the same pattern. This book reaffirmed for me what I have been trying to do this past year - appreciating the many blessings bestowed upon me - recognizing life is not perfect and I cannot plan every aspect - there are things that will happen out of my control, what matters the most is how I overcome this adversity - ALSO I am beginning to embrace the "live in the moment" philosophy and allowing myself to enjoy life more - my responsibilities will always be there, but if a chance presents itself to have some fun, I am willing to let my hair down and indulge.

I have been anxiously awaiting Francis Ray's When Morning Comes to become available at the library for me to read. I was captivated with this book from beginning to end experiencing an array of emotions. I highly recommend it and refuse to go in any detail because I don't want to give anything away - if you read it, contact me so we can discuss - there is so much I want to talk about. 

I feel like I was just writing this blog for June and now it's July - this summer is flying by - sheesh! Slow down - I am not quite ready to be 30 yet! Here are my 8 books from July - which brings me to 63 for the year. 

I finally got my hands on Brenda Jackson's latest Madaris Family book Courting Justice. I have been waiting to see how things unfolded between Peyton and DeAngelo for years. Mrs. Jackson has been building their coupling up for a few books and I must say I was not disappointed. I could definitely relate to Peyton's anxiety about turning 30 and her feelings expressed mirror my own. My brother likes to remind me how many days I have left, so I won't forget...less than 3 months now. YIKES!

Beverly Jenkins' A Wish and A Prayer  is the latest release in her Blessings Series - and I loved it as much as the other 3. Highly recommended.

Mistress Inc. is Niobia Bryant's latest release in her Text Messages from a Mistress series. I never cared for Jessa and didn't care to follow her story - the only reason why I had to read this book was to revisit the other women and see how things were progressing in their lives. An ok read.

Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison left me puzzled. I just cannot fathom a high school boyfriend being the ultimate love of my life. You have no idea what love is at that impressionable age - so how can those relationships impact how you react in new ones when you are more mature and set in who you are as a person. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this read..

I liked Allison Winn Scotch's The Song Remains the Same. Although at times it pissed me off - but hey, good books evoke an emotional response. Two quotes stood out to me in this book:

• People change. And you know that. It's the not wanting to do the work involved that makes us complacent, and it's that complacency that renders us right back where we started. 
• Your dreams are your dreams. Sometimes you compromise yourself to get there. Show me someone who isn't guilty of that, and I'll show you someone who never dreamed in the first place. 

The First Husband by Laura Dave was such a cute book - cute in the sense that EVERY woman has been there and EVERY woman has had a friend who had to come rescue her from a bad break up - and what do all of our friends tell us?! GET OUT THERE AND DATE to get overour ex. But what happens when your best friend is your ex's sister and you instantly fall in love with another man, yet you still haven't determined who you are as a woman and what you want/ expect out of life and your partner. This was a quick easy read - one that made me grateful for the friends I always have in my corner no matter what and who aren't scared to tell me when I am wrong even if it means I will get a little attitude.

A Dangerous Kiss is the last book in Francis Ray's Kiss series. This is the one book I waited for the most because I was anxious to see how Payton and Summer's relationship progressed - I always knew from the first book they would be together. Not to mention I needed to know Payton's secret - Mrs. Ray did not disappoint and I highly recommend all 3 books in this series.

Surrender My Heart by Kayla Perrin was an ok read - I am now interested in reading the other 2 Hart sister books so we shall see if this is a solid series or not. Favorite quote from this book, "There's no point in crying over a man who didn't value you. Soon enough, you'll meet the man you're meant to be with."

All girls dream and when we get hurt, our dreams become larger - in a means to protect ourselves from disappointment, if we set the bar higher everything will be ok, right?! We will become so set on reaching our goals we won't have "time" to pursue relationships - or so we think. Diamond Dreams by Zuri Day discusses just these issues and it was a quick, pleasurable read.

I loved Cheryl Robinson's When I Get Where I'm Going. The growth these 3 sisters (Heaven, Hope, and Alicia) experienced was commendable and I wouldn't mind a sequel. I am definitely curious to see if Heaven ever establishes a relationship with her "UC" (you have to read the book).

Heaven made an appearance in Cheryl Robinson's Remember Me. I didn't particularly care for this book - felt the resolution was unrealistic - some things cannot be forgiven - especially when it is your best friend who does you wrong. Since they have the inside trek to what makes you tick, they definitely know their limits. It's plain and simple - do not cross the line. Danielle definitely jumped into my forbidden area with Mia.

We all need our passions. Something that drives us and gives our life meaning. If not, what is the point of it all? This quote came from Donna Hill's What Mother Never Told Me. This book was so so. Although I couldn't fathom being in Parris' shoes. EVER. 

*Special Note* I have been attempting to read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain for over 6 weeks - I was excited because I really want to visit the city and I wanted to become familiar with the streets, the people, the sites, food, and atmosphere via this book. I finally discarded it after I never moved past page 60 and kept putting it on the back burner for other books. Highly disappointed. 

Jennifer Weiner released Swim free in ebook format - it is the prequel to her summer release The Next Best Thing. I love Jennifer's tweets about The Bachelor/ Bachelorette, so I was sure I would love her writing. Swim didn't intrigue me enough that I HAVE to read The Next Best Thing as soon as it comes out. I can wait. 

Twitter was ablaze with nothing but praise for Jillian Medoff's I Couldn't Love You More - I finally got my hands on it and it was pretty good. It didn't spark any tears although I know for lots of people it did - I was perplexed and it led me to ask myself many questions. 1. If one of my exes came into my life (an ex I ended badly with) would it cause me to act in disarray? 2. If I had a child and a stepchild, and they were both in danger - who would I save first? How would I make that decision? And what if they were both my biological children? Then what? 

My yearly total is now at 55. I have so many books on my summer reading list - let's see if I get to them all.

I can watch The Devil Wears Prada over and over again - and have NO shame - so imagine my excitement last Friday as I scrolled my twitter timeline and The Huffington Post had tweeted an article about the sequel. Revenge Wears Prada (the book) is slated to be released next year. Can I put myself on the wait list now?!

Where is Annie now? I cannot wait to see how she has transformed into a woman - more confident and less unsure of who she is both personally and professionally - and yes, to see the effect Miranda had on this transformation.

And if this is being turned into a movie, both Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway have to reenact their characters - no substitutes will do.

With this month's 13 books, my yearly total is now 49. In the meantime, I am compiling my summer reading list and I am more than open to suggestions, so please share!

Ayana (my younger cousin) wanted to read Mimi Alford's Once Upon A Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath after she saw them discuss it on The View. I picked it up from the library for her and my interest was piqued, so I read it - AND hated it! I could not look past this woman being or acting so naive - and I cringed for Caroline Kennedy. What daughter wants to read the details of their father's affair and how he did her mother wrong?!?! Shameful if you ask me. Moving on...

I have joined the phenomenon - Fifty Shades of Grey that is - I started out as 99 on the library queue and finally moved to 65 - Andriece bought it for my kindle since she figured it would be my birthday before I actually got the book. And boy am I so glad she did...all I can say is um um um um um um um um um - if you haven't read these books yet - please do so. My only issue with them turning this trilogy into a movie is who would play Chrisitian - with EL James' description of this man, I have a picture in my head of what he should look like and I cannot think of any actor who could play this role currently.

I borrowed Fifty Shades Darker from Rach because I had to see what happened next, had no patience to wait for 5 other people to finish. Then there was Fifty Shades Freed - I could not get enough of these books. I am addicted to Grey and I can only hope there will be a 4th installment!

My favorite part of these books is the email exchanges between Christian and Anastasia - I always loved sending/receiving emails from someone I was dating - and I too (like Anastasia) seem to convey my feelings better when I sit down and type an email - I think it helps me sort through everything and I have the ability to edit or delete if it is not the tone I want conveyed - always a win in my book (because this tongue of mine when it lashes out - I am still working on it).

Since I will be embarking on a new phase of my life in less than 5 months, I decided reading Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know By the Time She's 30 may be a good step in preparation. And I am glad I did - instead of anxious, I am now excited on this new chapter.


Three of my favorite parts - by 30, you should have -

• a calm voice, even under pressure. Leave yelling and screaming as a last resort. 
• enough courage to say your feelings out loud. 
• a sharp tongue, and the restraint to use it wisely.

Sweet Southern Nights by Rochelle Alers was ok - I am now interested in the rest of the Eaton family especially since they came from Philadelphia.

Beverly Jenkins' Bring on the Blessings, A Second Helping, and Something Old, Something New were such great reads. Such heartwarming stories that made you believe in the decency of humanity again - I definitely cannot wait to read the next book in this blessings series.

Low Down and Dirty was not as good as the other Vickie M. Stringer's Dirty Red books although I still managed to breeze right through. I guess I have a high expectation for Red's antics and it wasn't met in this book - BUT I will read the next one because I have to see what happens betweem Q and Red.

Rochelle Aler's Capital Wives reminded me of Scandal - although this time the "Gladiators" were the wives. I loved this book and wouldn't mind a sequel to see what happens next with Deanna, Marisol, and Bethany.

Private Passions was one of Rochelle Alers earlier novels - nothing memorable about this story - wasn't a bad book, but it is not a must read. If you want a book because you have nothing else to read, it will do.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda was a great book. It touches on the complexities of the Indian culture birthing female babies over males and how one woman deals with it. Not to mention the emotions one woman experience when she discovers the one role she desires the most out of life, to be a mother, is unattainable unless she opts to pursue adoption. This leaves her feeling worthless despite all of her other accomplishments in life. I highly recommend this book so you can see what unfolds and get a glimpse of the rich Indian culture. I especially appreciate their culture's focus on family.

The Sweetest Temptation and Taken by Storm are the last 2 books in Rochelle Aler's Whitfield Brides Trilogy. I preferred Taken By Storm over The Sweetest Temptation. Two things I loved in all three of these books a) it was a Whitfield family tradition started by their grandmother to meet with sisters/cousins twice a month for dinner. No men allowed - they would also have dinners which incorporated their partners, but I think it is so important to have girl time regularly. It made me miss the fact even more that I do not have any female family members who I grew up with who are close in my age. And b) I love the morals instilled in these men and women. The women were taught by their parents standards on how a man should treat, respect, and protect them as women and their fathers displayed great examples by treating both them and their mothers accordingly. These men also exhibited manners like opening doors, walking on the outside of the street, not allowing them to carry heavy packages, respecting their family and friendships, etc. It may be the men I come into contact with, but this seems like a rare commodity nowadays and I definitely appreciate a man with manners and home training. Such a turn on!

Ironically, a theme was illustrated in The Sweetest Temptation that I had just discussed with a friend. People tend to think you are shallow for having looks on a high list of priorities when finding a mate. However, if you are not dating a friend who may become more, what is it that instantly attracts you to someone. Their personality and characteristics aren't immediately on display which means the packaging needs to be attractive for a person to want to unwrap the layers to delve deeper and get to know the person, right?! If not, what else is there that initially attracts you to someone? On the flip side, I can understand Faith's wariness when Ethan complemented her looks constantly - every woman loves to be told they are beautiful, but we also love to know you admire the content of our character, our morals & values, our nurturing spirit, and how we allow you to be a man as well. I hate when men simply focus on my looks - it makes me believe our relationship is only superficial and I will not let you see past the surface.

Erin Duffy's debut novel Bond Girl was described as The Devil Wears Prada meets Wall Street. I was immediately intrigued - I can watch that movie everyday and be perfectly content. This book did not disappoint. It transformed me back to my first real job after I graduated college - you can definitely relate to Alex's experiences no matter what industry you are in. Everybody has the perfect image of how they see their life playing out and then comes the real world...with all of its painful lessons, you begin to realize your fantasy was much better. The guy you think you love is a jerk. The job you coveted isn't all it's cracked up to be...you don't automatically fall into the position of your dreams. You must do grunt work like everyone else to make it. This grunt work includes copying, scanning, and running office errands for coffee & lunch (I actually liked this part because I could get a breather out of the office for a few minutes.) And drinks seem to make everything appear to be better. Remember those days?! Oh! The golden years!

I kept hearing (on twitter) how great of a book Room by Emma Donoghue was so of course I added it to my library queue and could not wait to read it. Ehhhhhhhhhhh - I could have left this on the shelf. It did touch on some societal issues based on normalcy and how you can adapt to your circumstances no matter what the situation - but um yeah, not one of my better reads this month.

A Compromising Affair wasn't as good as the other Harrington Brother books by Gwynne Forster. I liked Scott from one of the other books and wanted to figure out what happened with him - Denise was a tad bit too whiny for me. I couldn't imagine getting mad at my significant other for getting along with my father and spending time with him. Seemed pretty bratty to me - or maybe that is a part of the only child syndrome which I cannot relate to. I do not recommend this one.

Still holding my breath as I just finished RM Johnson's Deceit and Devotion and anxiously awaiting the next installment because there is sure to be another. This is the latest book from his Million Dollar Divorce series (Million Dollar Divorce, Million Dollar Deception, and Million Dollar Deception are excellent reads as well) and he also included characters from his Harris Brothers books - I breezed through this book easily and literally could not turn the pages quick enough to see what was going to happen.

Finally read Brenda Jackson's latest release Feeling the Heat - a part of her Westmoreland series. I enjoyed it.

And there you have it - my 9 books for the month of April. This take my yearly total to 36.

Color Me Butterfly by L.Y. Marlow was an intense book based on a true story. It was a great read, however, the pain experienced by these women and families seemed impalpable to me - but the reality is abuse happens. What I could not fathom is the women staying in these abusive relationships and the cycle continuing through 4 generations of women in Philly. I would like to believe I would be strong enough to leave to protect myself and my babies - but I guess you never know until you walk a mile in their shoes. I commend L.Y. Marlow for sharing her family's story and her devotion to bringing awareness to domestic violence through her organization Saving Promise.

I also read more kindle freebies this month. Sandra D. Bricker's Always the Baker, Never the Bride; Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride were cute reads - my favorite parts in both books were the beginning of the chapters where Bricker posted recipes and lots of wedding planning tips for her reader - right up my alley, huh?!

Erica recommended I read Red Tent by Anita Diamant. She told me it was one of her favorite books and I now know why. I loved how it examined the relationships mothers have with their children, namely their daughters. This quote from the book left me in deep reflection: If you want to understand any woman you must first ask about her mother and listen carefully. The more a daughter knows about her mother's life - without flinching or whining - the stronger the daughter.

This book transcends over decades and it is interesting to see another culture dealing with life happenings - one thing I do not like is how women used to defer to men, the head of household. I could not imagine living in a society where my voice/opinion did not matter when making decisions or being in a relationship where I had to first consult with a man before deciding if I can do something. Ironic some men are still controlling to this day and feel as though their women should consult with them before making decisions - it could be something as simple as going out with their friends. I could not deal with that type of relationship. Sheesh!

I Am Not Her by Janet Gurtler is classified as a teen book, but I think it is perfectly suitable for adults as well. It gives you the inside look and dynamics on how cancer effects not just the patient, but those closest to the person fighting the battle. Many people have dealt with it inadvertently - but you never really voice how you may be feeling because you think it is selfish or insignificant in comparison to the patient preparing themselves for the fight of their life. I highly recommend this book.

Carl Weber finally released a new book, The Family Business. He collaborated with Eric Pete (I never heard of him). This book was great - I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to be both written and released so I can see how everything unfolds with the Duncan family.

I didn't love Brenda Jackson's Private Arrangements as much as the other Steele family stories. I particularly didn't care for the editing mishaps - but there was something missing from the story line - definitely not a must read, but I found this line interesting as it can relate to where I am relationship wise in my life. Some women preferred peace and solitude to drama, solitude to unnecessary commotion. But more importantly, a loving relationship to a purely sexual one.

The Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky wasn't the best book - maybe because it angered me especially with everything which has come to light with the Trayvon Martin case. The truth of the matter is racism still exists and unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. An underlying issue in the book was in regards to whether you could truly love a child when you had issues with their mother or would you find the mother responsible for "issues" the child may encounter.

Francis Ray's With Just One Kiss was unsurprisingly a good, quick read. (I am now more anxious to read the final book of the Kiss series due to be released in July.) It touches on a sensitive topic I know a lot of people encounter, but they handle differently - doing what makes you happy vs. doing what you feel is your familial obligation - what if these two things do not align - then what? Are you selfish if you throw caution to the wind against your family's approval? And at the end of the day, why do so many of us crave that approval or is it that we all have this innate desire to make our family proud of our accomplishments? How can we bridge the gap?

Long Time Coming by Rochelle Alers is the first book in her Whitfield Bride series. The book was pleasurable enough that I have now added the other two to my reading list.

So there you have it - this month's 10 books, which takes my yearly total to 27.

This month I read 11 books, which takes my total to 17 for the year.

Snapped by Tracy Brown was the first book I dove into. WHOA! What a start - I literally could not put this book down!!! And then the cliffhanger at the end?!?! OMG! I immediately pulled out my laptop at 2am to order the sequel from the library so I could find out how this tangled web of drama unfolds in Aftermath. This was a great follow up - I saw so many different sides of my former self through Camille, Misa, Toya, Dominique, and even Dominique's daughter, Octavia. I am the overprotective older sister; I have dealt with a man lying about the status of his relationship with his "baby mama"; I know how it feels to try to hold onto a relationship when it is obvious to everyone else it is over, but I tried harder just to make it work in order to save face for a) others' perception and b) because I felt I was a perfect partner; I've neglected things and people important to me because of a relationship with a man; I often times put up a guard to protect myself which may give others the impression I really do not care; I may have overlooked a good man just because he wasn't attractive to me yet put up with stuff from attractive men with ugly ways; and like these women, at the end of the day when I feel I am at my wit's end, I always have great family and friends I can lean on who pull me through and offer their support. I highly recommend these two books. 

I have decided to do something new - I will list the the books I read at the end of the month instead of giving each book its individual post unless there is something that really provokes me to write. This should cut down on the number of book posts since I read so quickly.

Woooo...I am finally feeling better and I feel like today is my New Year's Eve since I did everything I normally would have done then today - and I must admit I feel like a new person. So what was on my to do list...

"The Beast" (the term my brother nicknamed my hair the past two days) has been washed and pressed (and I must say I LOVE my new Sedu blow dryer - thanks again Mom & Dad), mani and pedi complete (my new pedpro works wonders and I am loving how silky my feet feel - THANKS mom!) - my nail polish of choice OPI's My Private Jet -

I love it, don't you?!

Everybody knows how much I love to read. THANK YOU Amber for introducing me to www.goodreads.com.

I love the community they have there for readers - authors write blogs and info on their releases - you can rate and critique books - you allow your friends to know what you are currently reading - and you can form your own online book club. I am in heaven.

So if you love to read as much as I do, check it out and if you decide to join - send me a request. Happy reading!

Brenda Jackson did not disappoint me with her latest release Temptation - it kind of hit home and made me have a glimmer of hope (I know it is just fiction) - but since an author wrote about it I know I am not the only one who experiences these feelings of getting old and wondering if I will be single forever and then being content with that especially when you know you are a great woman with plenty to offer. A lot to swallow right?! Especially for a girl who LOVES love. *le sigh*

Pick up Temptation to see how Zeke and Sheila overcome their obstacles of learning to trust and letting someone in when they have already decided they will be single forever.

I finally made myself finish The Help last week - I have had it since this summer and didn't crack it open. I actually started reading it over 2 weeks ago - but this was something I could not speed through. I had to get used to the language and I also had to put it down at times because of the anger it ignited.

So many people rave about this book - and I question what is it they like so much - is it the fact the book made you more aware of how "the help" was treated in this era? Could they relate to the incidents? Did they appreciate the actions of non-conformist, Skeeter - who despite knowing her actions may result in her being ostracized from her circle, she still wrote the book in order to advance her career? Do you think Skeeter really wanted to help these women or did she use them as a platform to get recognition and possibly land a job in New York City?

Outside of the obvious racism - this book also tackled many prevalent issues in today's society - abuse, alcoholism, inability to sustain a full pregnancy, cancer, relationships, difficulty finding your dream job (this is something in which I personally relate), among other things.

If you have read the book, what were your thoughts? Loved it? Hated it? Offended by the praise it received?

I have previously stated I love almost everything Brenda Jackson writes - A Steele for Christmas was no different. I really enjoyed getting caught up with the Steele family for 3 hours last night.

At the end of my relationships (we will delve deeper into these SOON), once I am OVER everything, I often time realize I wasn't really heartbroken - my pride is what is damaged, which is what ignites my anger and frustrations - first with the man and then with MYSELF.

In A Steele for Christmas, Stacey was battling this very fact - when your pride is damaged, how do you move on to the next man giving him what he deserves from you as a woman without being completely guarded from past experiences??? I personally find the more I date (we have to talk about this too - and my lack thereof - or my just not knowing how to) - and the older I get - the easier it is to move on to the next man when he presents himself.

When I was younger, I felt like I would never get over the absolution of a relationship - how could I go on with just me? Why should I be lonely? Who was going to do all the things I wanted to do with me? Who would I date? When I hung out with my friends who were in relationships and they bought significant others would I feel like the third wheel?

I finally dug deep within myself and realized I did NOT need a man to accompany me to do these things - I did not need him as a crutch because I was good enough to do these things by myself. This was my time to date me and discover what it is I wanted out of life without having to worry about taking into account someone else's thoughts or how it would impact them. Yes, I could now be selfish and only love me. And I was completely content with that.

As you can probably tell, I love to read. I am almost through with my amazon wish list and I have lots of free books on my kindle to read - BUT sometimes I am unsure as to what my next book should be - I came across this website and I immediately fell in love with it. You simply type in a book you liked and it will generate different options of books for you to try out next. Give it a whirl! If you love reading like I do, this can be a great tool - add it to your favorites.

http://www.yournextread.com/us/