Will you be going to see The Hunger Games movie? While this wasn’t typically my kind of book, and its not really the type of film I like to watch, I will take my son who devoured the entire triology. And that’s saying something because he does not like to read! I am trying to convince my daughter that she needs to read the book if she expects to watch the movie too. I doubt I’ll be the only mom taking her kid to this film!

Cast members will  show up in the cities listed below and do a Q & A with the crowd. So  if you live near one of these cities, be sure to jot down the info and head over!

Saturday, March 3rd – LOS ANGELES/Fan event at the Westfield Century City/Talent: Gary Ross, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Tuesday, March 6th – ATLANTA/ Fan event at JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead/ Talent: Liam Hemsworth, Leven Rambin, Dayo Okeniyi, Amandla Stenberg and Jack Quaid

Wednesday, March 7th PHOENIX AND CHICAGO/ PHOENIX/ Fan event at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Talent: Liam Hemsworth, Leven Rambin, Dayo Okeniyi and Jack Quaid

 CHICAGO/Fan event at the Westfield Fox Valley/Talent: Josh Hutcherson, Isabelle Fuhrman and Jacqueline Emerson

 Thursday, March 8th MIAMI AND DALLAS/ MIAMI/Fan event at the Westfield Broward/ Talent: Jennifer Lawrence, Alexander Ludwig and Amandla Stenberg

DALLAS/ Fan event at Galleria Dallas/ Talent: Josh Hutcherson, Isabelle Fuhrman and Jacqueline Emerson

 Friday, March 9th- MINNEAPOLIS/ Fan event at the Mall Of America/ Talent: Jennifer Lawrence, Alexander Ludwig, Amandla Stenberg, Josh Hutcherson, Isabelle Fuhrman and Jacqueline Emerson

Saturday, March 10th- SEATTLE/ Fan event at the University Village/ Talent: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson

Haven’t read the book? Here are the details you need to know:

THE HUNGER GAMES

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which Tributes? must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES on March 23, 2012.

I’ve known Caroline Leavitt for years and am a HUGE fan of her writing and her as a person. On her blog, she recently interviewed Jodi Picoult who is such a prolific and amazingly talented writer. I wish  both of these ladies would hurry up and write more!

Read the interview here!

Always looking for whats coming soon, I found myself on Amazon.com yet again looking at New Releases and found several that sparked my interest. Do you have any plans of reading these?

Sophie Kinsella, I’ve Got Your Number- I always enjoy Sophie’s fun novels.

Kristin Hannah, Homefront- I have read very few books by this author but I think this one will be a winner.

Jodi Picoult, Lone Wolf- A huge Jodi Picoult fan, Im certain this one will be amazing.

Pamela Druckerman, Bringing up Bebe- Do the French do everything better than Americans? Let’s see their child rearing philosophies in this new book then I’ll let you know.

Wayne W. Dyer- Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering The Art of Manifesting- its been a long time since I’ve read a book like this and I think I need it now more than ever.

Jane Green, Another Piece of My Heart-I really enjoy Jane’s novels and look forward to digging into this one.

Julie Cantrell, Into the Free- Don’t know much about this one although its getting rave reviews and its available for free on Kindle. I’m anxious to get started on it.

I just finished reading  The Bungalow by Sarah Jio. You might know this author from her novel, The Violets of March. I really enjoyed that book, bought it for my Kindle and read it on vacation then loaned it to my neighbor who also enjoyed it. Sarah Jio is definitely an author to watch with two great novels under her belt!

I love the setting of The Bungalow: its wartime 1942 in the Pacific Northwest and young Anne Calloway is engaged to be married. She longs for a little adventure before settling down so she  sets off to join the Army Nurse Corps in Bora-Bora.

Anne meets Westry, a mysterious solider to whom she is immediately drawn. The two begin a friendship and discover a hidden bungalow, rumored to the the place Paul Gauguin created his famous works of art.

 Against the backdrop of the war, Anne and Westry begin a love affair but lose touch after Westry is injured. Anne returns home a changed woman from her passionate love affair.

If you are an introvert, you will want to read this book, Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. For the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me because I’m naturally a quiet person, a thinker, the person at the party who will watch everyone else (with a drink in my hand of course). After spending hours with people, my body craves alone time. I simply cannot spend days and days with a lot of people without having downtime.

In world where most people enjoy and even relish in time spent with others, introverts are often discounted as being awkward or weird. Not so! Susan Cain’s book delves into the world of the reflective and introspective people known as introverts.

The author examines a variety of viewpoints and ideals and shows us successful introverts and how they surpassed the “extrovert ideal”.

 I found this book interesting and rather freeing! It’s normal to want to be alone, to enjoy solitary activities and feel happiest in a serene setting. That isn’t saying all introverts are hermits, in fact, many enjoy the company of others.

A thought-provoking book, its well worth reading especially if you know an introvert or are one yourself. And for those parents whose kids tend to want to play alone in the sandbox rather than be with other children, it’s all right. One of the most famous introverts of all, Abraham Lincoln didn’t turn out too  bad at all.

Are you looking for a new book to curl up with and one that will have you excited just to turn the next page?  Well then look no further.  The Book of Lost Fragrances, the newest novel by renowned author M.J.Rose will have you wishing you could transport yourself to Paris.

Did you know that Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, was fascinated by scent?  Some say even obsessed.  Marc Anthony built her a fragrance factory, and the famous queen was said to have kept a recipe book for her perfumes, entitled Cleopatra gynaeciarum libri.  That book has been described in writings by historians Dioscorides, Homer and Pliny the Elder. Unfortunately no known copy of the book exists today, but that missing book stirred international bestseller M.J. Rose’s imagination and became the seed for THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES.

While writing, and to remain in the world of the novel, the author burned incense and her favorite candles;  created by Frederick Bouchardy under the brand name JOYA.  When the novel was finished she searched out Bouchardy to give him a copy of the yet to be published novel.

Bouchardy was instantly intrigued by THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES—first, as a reader, he said he was taken with the mystery and romance of the story.  In Rose’s tale, scent plays a strong role as it pertains to memory. Bouchardy, who creates using oils and other classic ingredients, said this notion spoke to him as a designer and producer of fragrances, and thus the idea to create this beautiful fragrance was born.

The ancient fictional fragrance at the heart of Rose’s novel is called Âmes Sœurs, which means “Soul Mates” in French.  Inspired by the book, Bouchardy has brought the perfume to life with his version: Âmes Sœurs, The Scent of Soul Mates.

Bouchardy interpreted Rose’s imagined fragrance with notes of Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange Blossom, and Jasmine.  He began his work with a master perfumer, experimenting with his library of oils, ultimately creating a smoky incense fragrance with a bright, uncommon finish.  A perfect combination of fragrance, fact and fiction, Rose and Bouchardy have brought both perfume and storytelling to a new place. Rose spins a tale replete with stunning twists and compelling characters that will keep you turning the pages late into the night, and as a unique and talented fragrance designer, Bouchardy has created a scent as complex and compelling as the novel.

A little teaser to pull you in….

“Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as heir to a storied French perfume
company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moved to America.  Now, fourteen years later, she and her brother have inherited the company along with its financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L’Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation—or is it just another dream-infused perfume?”

THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris.  Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

To receive your complimentary sample of Âmes Sœurs, simply click on any of the links below and  pre-order THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books A Million

Your Favorite Independent Book Store

Âmes Sœurs:  The Scent of Soul Mates is available at joyastudio.com and select retailers worldwide.

I saw this movie last week but read the novel several months ago. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is the story of Oscar Schell, a young boy whose father dies on Sept. 11. Oscar finds a vase in his father’s closet where a key is hidden in an envelope with the name Black written on it.

Oscar embarks on a journey around New York City, seeking out all the people who have the last name of Black, hoping someone has answers about his dad and that the key unlocks something special.

I thought the book was so well written, the movie was good and for the most part, followed the book with the exception of leaving a main character out. The boy who plays Oscar did an amazing job, its hard to believe its his first acting gig! I loved Sandra Bullock’s quiet, emotional role and a few times during the movie, I got teary eyed.

I am always happy when a movie is made from a book. Although most times, the book is more detailed and usually better because of that fact. The Help, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Moneyball, all Oscar contenders and all movies based on books! Yay for books and the brilliant authors behind them!

Have you seen Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close yet?

I picked up these books at the library, both recieved very high ratings on Amazon.com: The Art of Fielding and Madame Tussaud.

I took this right off Amazon: Though The Art of Fielding is his fiction debut, Chad Harbach writes with the self-assurance of a seasoned novelist. He exercises a masterful precision over the language and pacing of his narrative, and in some 500 pages, there’s rarely a word that feels out of place. The title is a reference to baseball, but Harbach’s concern with sports is more than just a cheap metaphor. The Art of Fielding explores relationships–between friends, family, and lovers–and the unpredictable forces that complicate them. There’s an unintended affair, a post-graduate plan derailed by rejection letters, a marriage dissolved by honesty, and at the center of the book, the single baseball error that sets all of these events into motion. The Art of Fielding is somehow both confident and intimate, simple yet deeply moving. Harbach has penned one of the year’s finest works of fiction.–Kevin Nguyen

And then this one:

Again, from Amazon: Marie Tussaud, she of the wax museum, lived a long and colorful life, but the focus here is on 1788�94, when she was a young woman in Paris. Under the tutelage of a Swiss doctor whom she calls her uncle, she has become an accomplished artist as well as an astute businesswoman, helping to run the family firm, the Salon de Cire, with its changing array of exhibits of historical and contemporary figures in wax. Hired as a wax tutor by the king�s sister, Madame Elisabeth, she gains an entr�e into Versailles. Her uncle�s home, meanwhile, serves as a regular meeting place for Robespierre and other revolutionaries. First and foremost a survivor, during the Revolution Marie makes models of its heroes and its victims alike. Moran takes liberties with the facts, as any historical novelist has a right to do; but some of her inventions tend to clutter up a story that is already fascinating on its own. Still, readers will be intrigued by Madame Tussaud, and by witnessing a tumultuous era through her eyes. –Mary Ellen Quinn

Both of these were from my local library and they both had to go back  before I got to read them! I read a few pages into Madame Tussaud and wow, the writing is super detailed, no wonder why the novel is enormous. The Art of Fielding is a big book too. These are perfect for vacation, when there is plenty of time to sit and read for hours and hours. Im disappointed that I didnt get the chance to read either but I will try to get them again.

Currently I am reading V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton. I really enjoy the Kinsey Millhone mysteries. I began with A and have worked my way down the entire alphabet. Basically Sue Grafton and her novels have been a part of my entire adulthood. I started around age 23 reading these and have continued through my life as a single woman, as I got married, had children, moved to California and embarked on my own writing career!

 I am loving V is for Vengeance, I’m so impressed that the author can pump out novel after novel and still keep millions of readers intrigued. The writing flows, I’m hooked on the storyline and I can’t wait to finish up everything I have to do today so I can steal a few minutes to continue reading.

And if you are pressed for time and want an easy story to sail through, my novel, Here if You Need Me  is available for only $3.99 on kindle and nook!

In The Lost Book of Mala R by Rose MacDowell, the year is 1948 and young Mala is a gypsy exiled from her community when her predictions indicate some disastrous events will take place. With no money or place to go, Mala sets out to find the woman from her past who took care of her when she was a child. As she travels, she keeps a journal full of bits and pieces from her spells and her life.

The book flips from 1948 to present day California in a community where three women struggle with issues in their lives. There’s Linda whose precocious ten- year old step daughter has just gone missing, Christina’s husband is a suspect in a murder case and Audrey is  an unhappy social worker who is having an affair with one of her clients.

One day Linda discovers Mala’s journal at a garage sale and the three women set out to discover more about this mysterious Mala, both through the words on the pages of the journal and by trying to track her down.

The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked, I loved reading about Mala plus the three other women,  and their struggles to improve their lives and find love and find answers.

 The end of the book made me teary eyed. If you are searching for a gripping novel, check out The Lost Book of Mala R.

 Sometimes I will read a review in People Magazine or Entertainment Weekly, then look for the author and see if I can get a review copy. And then I use my library so often that I feel like everyone knows me there. I receive emails from the PR department at book publishers, offering to send books for review which is my favorite since so many books slip under my radar. I’m sure there are thousands of novels that I’d love, I simply don’t know about them!

In this case, I found Ellis Island on Amazon after looking for books like Wildflower Hill, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. My library had not yet gotten this one in and I was dying to read it. Having just spent fifty bucks on books for my kindle, I didn’t have it in my budget to buy it so I wrote the author who never got back to me. Insert sad face. (I know emails don’t always reach their intended recipient) I kept the book in mind though and finally my library got a copy- I’m glad they did because this novel  is a real treasure!

I like many kinds of books but I have a special place in my heart for immigrants coming to America at the turn of the century, or early 1900′s. I find it fascinating to leave one country in search of dreams in another.

At the heart of this book is smart, independent Ellie who leaves not only her home in poor, rural Ireland  but also her true love John, in search of work and opportunities in America. John needs an operation and the only way Ellie can find to earn a decent living is to head to the US and make good money, send it home and pay for her husband’s surgery.

Ellie heads to New York to work  for a wealthy socialite. It’s here where Ellie falls in love with the big city and all it offers, in stark contrast to the small town in Ireland where she grew up and where she left her husband. Ellie enjoys New York and  modern conveniences like showers and electricity, automobiles and so much more. The authors descriptions are so vivid, I felt like I was walking along the streets with Ellie.

After a few years in New York, its with a heavy heart Ellie must decide whether to return to the farm where her husband waits for her or stay in her beloved New York. How can she ever leave behind the glamour of the city for the poor farm town in Ireland? Yet how can she stay away from the man she’s loved since she was a child? I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it!

Recently I read The Linen Queen and The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey and really enjoyed those. When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt was excellent too.  I am always in the mood for a good book!