Unconventional by JJ Hebert

Unconventional by JJ Hebert


Released: July 2009
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Pages: 332
Genre: Adult - Contemporary - Inspirational
Source: Won from author

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Young James Frost just knows, deep in his bones, that he's a writer. He writes far into early mornings, after his wearying hours of scrubbing toilets and sweeping floors. He loves writing that much. But it's not only the joy of words that keeps him grinding; it's his desire to retire the janitor's mop. He sees being published as the key to living an improved life.


James has another deep-seated conviction: that he's not good enough. He secretly longs to be accepted. However, the conventional others in his life seem all too willing to remind him that he's wasting his time. Then he meets and falls in love with Leigh, the one bright spot in his endless misery of self-doubt. A quiet but resolutely religious girl, she has to fight off disapproval of her own from overly critical parents, whose insults are countered by James's often-voiced admiration of her. Likewise, Leigh's faith in his talents begins to build his confidence, eventually allowing her to introduce him to a different way to help himself: relying on God.


Ultimately, James's newfound faith is sorely tested to the point of doubt when his dream to be published seems to melt into a mirage, smothered by countless rejection slips from agents and publishers. His faith is also battered by having to fight highly emotional battles and suffer fear and loss. Just when James appears hopelessly sapped by devastating events, one last door opens, and he's rocked by an epiphany.

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I haven't read an 'inspirational' book in a long time. I know people tend to shy away from something labeled under that genre due to have preachy the book might be. That's not the case with Unconventional. It has a great mix of everything that happens in life.

My first reaction after reading a few pages was: Oh my, you are wordy! Then a few chapters into it I realized how easily I could relate to James and his life. He's a writer. I'm a writer. He decided to not attend a four year college unlike all of his friends. I did about the same. He works at a crappy job and dreams of one day being published. Yep, I know that story all too well.

When James meets Leigh it seems like his life is going to turn around. I really enjoyed how slowly and realistic the relationship built between the two. Leigh really helped James realize how good of a person he was even when things go a bit sticky. We all know life doesn't go the way we want it to, and for James this happens a lot. I think if I would have read this book months ago it wouldn't have had the same affect on me. If you read this book, it'll lit a fire under you butt - writer or not. What really made this story so wonderful is the simplest reminder that when you have faith not only in your beliefs, but in yourself, you can do anything.

♥amber

Been There, Done That by Carol Snow

Been There, Done That by Carol Snow

Publisher: Berkley Trade
Released: August 2006
Pages: 336
Genre: Women's Fiction

Rating: ♥♥♥

Plenty of thirtysomething women would be thrilled to look like a teenager. But journalist Kathy Hopkins wishes she could be taken a little more seriously-or, at the very least, order a glass of wine without producing ID. Now her youthful appearance is forcing her into an undercover assignment she could do without: posing as a freshman at a small liberal arts college where, rumor has it, a secret prostitution ring is flourishing.



It could mean a career-making exposé. But right now, pretending to be eighteen means dealing with a Clay Aiken--obsessed roommate, late-night parties that test her aging body--and most embarrassing of all, a massive crush on a guy who's just turned legal. Suddenly, Kathy's got the chance to do it all over again, hopefully better this time. Fortunately she's a quick learner.

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The beginning of this book came across a little slow for me. Once Kathy was unleashed into her new college life things started to pick up and get very interesting.

I thought I had Kathy pegged from the start. She was a smart and funny type of gal who was still pining over he ex (though I could tell he was a troll right from the beginning), and just trying to boost her own career. When her life turned into a crazy twist of suddenly becoming eighteen again, her true personality came out. I loved she had so many layers. Give this character some booze and force to tell lies and there is no telling what she'll say or do!

The pace of the book was pretty steady. It did a good job of weaving in Kathy's past with her ex-boyfriend, Tim, and how that affected the present. The people she meets during her college stay were a nice add espeically one guy in paticular - Jeremy. I'd love for him to get my RA if ya know, I went to college. The spin of what she was there to report and what was going on always kept me wondering how the end was going to turn out.

My only big complaint is that in a lot of the present scenes the author would sum things up instead of leaving the reader right there with the characters in the scene. This also happened a lot towards the end where I felt some information could have been left out and parts didn't need to be summed up.

All in all I thought it was a great read. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys women's fiction with a mix of humor and smart characters.


♥amber

Rock This! Thursday: Review of Getting In Tune by Roger L. Trott

Getting In Tune by Roger L. Trott

Released: June 2008
Publisher: Coral Press
Genre: Adult - Contemporary - Music
Pages: 300
Source: Library

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Punk Is Coming...But It's Not Here Yet....

Set in the mid-1970s, this musical odyssey and coming-of-age story follows the adventures of a struggling rock band as they try to make it big. Band leader Daniel Travers' life is a mess and he can't find a way out. His band, the Killjoys, is going nowhere and the amphetamines he's popping are making him crazy. Then out of nowhere, an agent calls with a week-long gig at a hot club in Washington where he was told Jimi Hendrix and Heart got their starts. With an imagined Pete Townshend whispering encouragment, Daniel and the Killjoys are off to a tumultuous week filled with inner-band turmoil, a cheating club owner, bar-brawling bikers, and lots of women.

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When I was ten years old I told my parents I wanted to be a rock star. Then I started signing U.S. Blues by The Grateful Dead while playing the 'guitar' on a mop duster. (It was video taped too, and it's rather embarrassing to watch.) Then the next week I decided to be Harriet the Spy. Although my rock star detective dream never panned out, this book gave me a taste of what that life would be like. (Minus the detective work.)

Twenty year old Daniel Travers's life hasn't been the same since the day his brother was killed in Vietnam. His father has left, and the relationship with his mother has gone downhill ever since. With Pete Townshed's voice in his head as he searches for the Universal Chord, he deals with it all with two things: music and pills.

When the opportunity knocks for his band the Killjoys to get a week long gig at the Mai Tai Hotel, Daniel knows this could be the chance he has been so desperately waiting for. From that point on you are thrown into the lives of not only Daniel, but the whole band. With lead singer Mick and his fake British accent who thinks he's God's gift to women. To more level headed bassist Rob who can't figure out if he really wants in or out of the rock n' roll dream Drummer Yogi who is just plain adorable with his random outburst singing. (We would make a great duet on a random musical). Then there is Sam who played more of the middle guy, the one every group needs to keep everyone from killing each other.

Each day there is something new whether it's Mick trying to score with the girls, an animal cracker attack, a bunch of drunken cowboys trying to kill them, or finding out that the Mai Tai Hotel is a place the Hell's Angels like to hang out at. It doesn't help matters that while Daniel is trying to keep the band together, and his head straight, he meets up with Kitten, a woman who promises them big time gigs, but for a price that might not be worth it.

The book is set in the fall of 1976, and written so well you will feel like you were right there with the Killjoys. I absolutely loved every bit of this book, and will probably read it again. And maybe by the end, you might even find the Universal Chord for yourself.

♥amber

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler


Released: September 2007
Publisher: Regan Books
Genre: Adult - Humor - Memoir
Pages: 264
Source: Library

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

When Chelsea Handler needs to get a few things off her chest, she appeals to a higher power -- vodka. You would too if you found out that your boyfriend was having an affair with a Peekapoo or if you had to pretend to be honeymooning with your father in order to upgrade to first class. Welcome to Chelsea's world -- a place where absurdity reigns supreme and a quick wit is the best line of defense.


 In this hilarious, deliciously skewed collection, Chelsea mines her past for stories about her family, relationships, and career that are at once singular and ridiculous. Whether she's convincing her third-grade class that she has been tapped to play Goldie Hawn's daughter in the sequel to Private Benjamin, deciding to be more egalitarian by dating a redhead, or looking out for a foulmouthed, rum-swilling little person who looks just like her...only smaller, Chelsea has a knack for getting herself into the most outrageous situations.

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Chelsea Handler reminds me of a female version of Bob Saget. And no, I'm not talking about the dad on Full House that hung out with hot Uncle Jessie (even with the mullet) version here. So if very crude and in your face hold nothing back humor is something that doesn't appeal to you - do not pick this book up. If it does, well then sit back and have a good laugh.

After reading her first book, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands, I was pretty excited to get my hands on this one. The book itself doesn't have a storyline at all. Each chapter is kind of like a short stand up, and most of them were pretty hilarious. I was kind of disappointed that some of the chapters were a little more dull compared to her first book. And by the title I expected a little more crazy drunken stories. By the middle of the book though, the tears were rolling, and I was laughing out loud. There are some pretty crazy scenarios in here, and every chapter that involved any of her friends had me completely rolling. The quick witted humor is another thing, half of the dialogue is something that catches you so off guard all you can do is laugh. All in all the book was a pretty good read and if she were to write another one, I'd still be pumped to read it.

Although I didn't find the book as hilarious as the first, I think there should be some sort of warning label about busting out in hysteria laughter. So for my public service announcement, do not read either one of these books out in public. Especially if you are sitting in a waiting room at the dentist office like I was when I read the first book. Believe me, you get some strange looks.

♥amber

The Second Virgin Birth by Tommy Taylor

The Second Virgin Birth by Tommy Taylor

Chapter 1

Easy MoneyWe have all done it. We know we look stupid doing it, but we do it anyway. That hurried walk down the hall. The one where you are trying to look like you are not running but just walking fast. As you pass people on the way in that awkward gait, you just smile and say “Excuse me” as you try not to attract attention to yourself.

This time it was Thurston Henry who was looking like an idiot in his “I’m not running” walk down the hall. Only this was not just any hall; it was the main hall to the forensic department at the Vatican in Rome. Thurston had in his possession two small items that would eventually change not only the history of the world as we know it, but also its future as well. They were not big items, but as small as a human hair; in fact, they were human hair. One single hair in a bottle marked 816 – Shroud of Turin, and in the other bottle, again,just a single hair marked 165 – Pile of Scrapings. Yet when combined, these two seemingly insignificant pieces of the human body would become more feared by the world rulers than all the atomic bombs ever manufactured. These hairs would destroy kingdoms and topple rulers all over the world, and no army would be able to protect them from their doom.




I have to say a big thank you to Tommy Taylor for letting me read this book and giving me a taste of something so wonderful. I myself can read just about anything. Whether I like it or not is a different story.

Well, I completely loved this story. It touched me in ways I didn't know a book could. It was a complete fictional story that had me wondering how true it could be. And if someday--far away from today I'm sure--it will be. The main character in this story was so well written, there were times I felt the same comfort from her that the other characters were feeling. Tommy Taylor shows his intelligence and his wonderful imagination in this original display of courage, faith, promise and hope. If you believe that miracles could happen, and hope that some day the world is better than it is right now, then pick up this book.

The characters are well written and completely believable. This story has a mixture of seriousness, humor, pain and virtue. As I said, the story, as fictional as it is, has you wondering just how fictional it could be. That's the part that kept my mind on this story more than anything else. This book was so easy to read and enjoyable, it was hard to put it down. The chapters were short, to some that isn't good. To me, that was wonderful. When chapters are too long, I start to lose interest. Even if its only for a small amount of time.

Bottom line, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.

We are going to start our own rating system soon, but for now... 5 stars

Cheryl