Review: paper airplane

paper airplane by Kersten L. Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

This book has been sitting on my shelf a good long time. As someone who has spent nearly the last decade and a half traveling by plane due to an international long distance relationship, and now due to visiting family and friends in the US, I loved the concept of this book when the author first approached me to review it. I've had a few of these same experiences myself, so I thought I would relate to it well.

Some of the stories were interesting. The story I most enjoyed was the author's experience of her first time skydiving which is intermixed in with the story in the chapter "Kenny the Floating Jeweler." This chapter has the most personal connection to the author's life and the one that felt the most genuine.

Other stories didn't really hold my interest all that well. It felt as though something were missing, in terms of variety.

The book is classified as a memoir, but I wouldn't really call it that. I don't feel that there's enough of the author's experiences outside of her travels to truly be considered a memoir. In all honesty, I liked this book a lot more at the beginning than I did at the end. After a while, the "lessons" learned that were "imparted" at the end of chapters felt repetitive, and I started to get bored, which likely explains why what should have taken me a day or two to read, took 11..

Another thing that took away from the story was the language. It felt too forced, and that hindered my emotional involvement. It felt like the author was trying to write an essay, rather than relate anecdotes and experiences. This could have been pared down both in literal language by about a third of the length, to 10 or 11 chapters instead of 17. It would have been much more impactful. If I were able to use half stars I would have likely given this a 2.5

I really appreciated the concept as a whole, and would recommend this to anyone who likes books about travel.

Does anyone who might read this post have any interesting airplane encounters they want to share?

Blog Tour Review: Weak At The Knees

Welcome to my stop on the Weak at the Knees blog tour, hosted by Pump Up Your Book

Title: Weak At the Knees

Author: Jo Kessel

Publisher: Createspace

Published: September 20, 2013

Add to Your Shelf: Goodreads

Format: Paperback

Pages: 285

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

Mini Musing: 

My Rating: 2 Stars

Synopsis:

“We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning. 

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.

Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife – and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man.

But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul? 

Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story about love, loss and relationships, set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

Melissa's Musings:

I have mixed feelings  about this book. In some sections, it feels like it tries too hard, in others not hard enough. My main issue is that I didn't feel any sort of real connection to Danni. All she seemed like to me was a whiny,unmotivated main character. She feels like she tries too hard to be something she isn't by trying to make drastic changes after Amber's death. In the beginning  of the story she seems to be someone who is more content to sit on the sidelines, and suddenly Amber's death is throwing her into a tailspin and she has to go and do something unusual. And that something unusual is trying to escape her depression by running off to be a ski instructor in France.

Since I wasn't able to connect with Danni on a basic level, I also had a difficult time really believing her grief over Amber's death. I didn't feel enough of the build up of their friendship for it to really matter. Yes, she told us how she was feeling regarding Amber's death, but I didn't truly see it in her actions. I felt like the fact that they were supposed to be best friends was implied rather than shown. Since they are supposed to be best friends, it felt like the reader was just instantly meant to feel the connection that their long time friendship would give them. I wish that there had been more time given to the development of their friendship and relationship. If there had been, I would have been more entrenched in Danni's journey to change her life.

One aspect of the book that I did enjoy was the setting. The settings and scenery of the story were beautiful, and I could see them in my head as I read. I wanted to be in theses same places, enjoying the sights and the snow right along with the characters.

 Anyone who has read my reviews for a long time also knows that I am a sucker for any type of baking and cooking within  stories, so I really enjoyed reading the scenes  where Danni or the group is enjoying different types of food and drink. I thought that the scene where Olivier is making hot chocolate for them is really well done, I could almost taste it when I read that part

The relationships in the book aside from Danni and Amber's are interesting, but they also feel underdeveloped. It felt to me as though the reader was left to their own assumptions a little too much, and that there needed to be more development throughout the story. There is an interesting web of romantic relationships in the story with Danni being in the middle. Her relationship with Hugo seems flat, boring, and played out, so when he takes a drastic measure of his own to try and win Danni back, it feels forced, and much too late. The relationship with Rod isn't really off too much significance either, I felt it could have been left out altogether.Then there's Michel, who's trying to win her over, but she's too focused on Olivier to notice. I have to admit I do feel the tiniest bit bad for Michel, but at the same time I don't, because of the lengths he went to to drive her away once he found out about her involvement with Olivier.

I did enjoy the arc between Danni and Olivier, and was rooting for them a little bit, despite their being together breaking the pact she and Amber made. But, despite the few wrenches thrown into their relationship, I felt let down by it too. It all wrapped up too neatly in the end, and felt unrealistic.


Overall, the story fell short for me, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I originally thought I would.This book has beautiful settings, and exquisite sounding food, so if those are things you like to read about this book's for you. 

Review: Marcie

Hello everyone!

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on Marcie by Carly M. Duncan as part of the tour being hosted by Pump Up Your Book.

Title: Marcie

Author: Carly M. Duncan 

Publisher: Createspace

Published: May 10, 2013

Pages: 304

Format: Paperback

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 2 Stars

Synopsis:

When Kate's mother, Marcie, dies mysteriously she is forever tormented by the many questions surrounding her mother's death. In Marcie's absence Kate clings to her mother's husbands, searching for solace.

As family secrets are revealed Kate works to build her own life and family, but the mystery of her mother's death sidetracks her until she finally gets the answer she's always hoped for.

Want to read it for yourself? 

AMAZON

Melissa's Musings:

This book starts off very well. It starts off with action, pulling you in and making you want to know more. Unfortunately for me, as the book went on, it just didn't have quite the same pull.

Marcie is an interesting character, bouncing from husband to husband yet getting all of her blended families together at the holidays. Not too typical of divorced couples. Marcie is also not really cut out to be a mother, her children just left in her wake of her careless actions, Kate in particular. 

Kate harbors a lot of hate toward her mother for abandoning her and moving to Guam. And, for not really being a "motherly" type in general. And while I do see where some anger could result, it just isn't fleshed out enough for me to really care. I found myself questioning whether the "hate" (Kate uses I hate my mother as a phrase a few times) is really even warranted.

One aspect that I would have loved to see more of is Kate and Charlie's relationship. It seems very sweet, but also  little too simple. It felt like there should have been more to it. Charlie is very sweet and understanding, which is just what Kate needs. But, as a couple they were a little too perfect. I felt like there should have been more of a conflict between them. And all we really see of Charlie is what Kate tells the reader in relaying letters from him and events that occur for them. There is little to no actual dialogue between them.

The main aspects of the book that really kept me from connecting to it had to do with structural issues, and finer details. Unless I misread,  Kate's name is never actually used in the book. I remember having to look at the synopsis to find out what it was after reading about 40 pages in and realizing I hadn't seen it. I think this may have to do with the fact that the story is mainly narrative, and there is very little dialogue. As a result, I found it very hard to connect with Kate. When such a basic detail is missing it's difficult to connect with her character on a deeper level.

The flow of the story felt a little off as well. It is written in a series of alternating chapters that sometimes go between past and present day but then move forward in time. For me, rather than moving the story forward it felt choppy. These felt more like a series of random vignettes than a naturally progressing story.

The book is a quick read. And, there is a bit of a twist at the end. Readers who enjoy an element of mystery will enjoy this aspect of the book. But the lack of connection for me made it somewhat of a letdown.  While there were some aspects of the book that I did enjoy, I found that ultimately, this book did not work for me.

If you like stories with travel elements and uncomplicated romantic relationships, you should try this book.

Connect With Carly M. Duncan

About The Author:

Carly M. Duncan is a television producer by day and a writer whenever there is time. She loves baking, scripted television and is working on easing her addiction to her too-smart-phone. She lives with her husband, two daughters and beloved Westie in Brooklyn, New York.

Her latest book is the chick lit, Marcie.

Visit Carly's Website

TWITTER | FACEBOOK 

Review: Traveling For Love

Hello fellow readers!

Welcome to my stop on the Traveling For Love blog tour. Read on to learn more about the book, and my thoughts on the story.

Title: Traveling For Love: Searching For Self, Hoping For Love

Author: Becky Due

Publisher: Telemachus Press

Published: December 2011

Pages: 178

Format: Paperback

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis: 

When her husband tells her, he wants a divorce, Amanda realizes she no longer knows who she is-her life revolved around her husband. At forty, she finds herself divorced, childless, living in an apartment with a roommate, with little education and no career path. Amanda starts dating, finds employment as a travel agent, and begins the search of finding herself and-with a little luck-the right man

Melissa's Musings:

This pulled me in from the start. The writing flows well, and it's easy to feel for Amanda as she has to figure out who she is and what she wants after her divorce.

The romance between her and Sam is quick and intense. Sometimes in stories when the romance happens quickly it can be bothersome, but that isn't the case here. Sam and Amanda's relationship is not very deep, although Amanda feels like it is. Sam just doesn't give her much, and through him she realizes she deserves better. 

I really liked the idea of Amanda picking out a new necklace for herself with each trip she takes, to represent where she is in her life and the what the trip means to her. That's something I'd like to do sometime, although I'm really picky about jewelery and symbolism, so it would probably take me forever to find the right thing. For Amanda they just seem to fall into her hands almost instantly. It would be nice to have pieces in my own collection that mean as much as the ones in the story do to Amanda.

Amanda's fling with John is quick, but still nice. He whines and dines her and treats her like she deserves. I rooted for John because he seems like such a nice guy. After her fling with John, Amanda questions whether or not she is  a "vacation whore" I laughed when I read it because it seemed so silly, but there was a seed of truth to it, so the term works well.

And then there's Grant. He seems to good to be true. I liked the initial wall between them that eventually gets broken down. Amanda and Grant work really well together. They laugh, they have fun, they share interests, they connect.

Throughout the story there's a lot of growth on Amanda's part, which is great. It's nice as the reader to see a woman sticking up for herself and not being afraid to be alone and figure out what she really wants out of life.

 The only cautionary note I have is one for people who are hesitant about intimate scenes. There are some semi graphic sex scenes in this novel, so be warned if those make you uncomfortable. The romance is fast, and the ending wraps up neatly, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Have you read Traveling For Love? If you could go on a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Review: Finding Compassion in China: A Bicycle Journey Into The Countryside

Title: Finding Compassion In China: A Bicycle Journey Into the Countryside

Author: Cindie Cohagan

Publisher: Drifting Sands Press

Published: June 25, 2012

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir,

Format: Paperback

Pages: 242

Source: Received from author in

exchange for an  honest review.

Read: May 7-16th, 2013

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads:  Add To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

By the time Tim and Cindie entered China, they had been traveling the globe by bicycle for three years. Cindie was ready to explore China’s interior, but what she wasn’t prepared for was the intense isolation that comes with not speaking the language, the scheming tactics of the Chinese government and the unexpected outpouring of kindness from the locals. Along the way the duo was arrested by the Chinese government, turned away from the only hotel in Siziwang Qui, thrown out of Internet cafes and called late at night by prostitutes. Yet whenever they needed food, shelter, or directions, the local people were there and willing to help—even if that “help” was scary at timesBy the time Tim and Cindie entered China, they had been traveling the globe by bicycle for three years. Cindie was ready to explore China’s interior, but what she wasn’t prepared for was the intense isolation that comes with not speaking the language, the scheming tactics of the Chinese government and the unexpected outpouring of kindness from the locals. Along the way the duo was arrested by the Chinese government, turned away from the only hotel in Siziwang Qui, thrown out of Internet cafes and called late at night by prostitutes. Yet whenever they needed food, shelter, or directions, the local people were there and willing to help—even if that “help” was scary at times.

Melissa's Musings:

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style is very simplistic, much like I imagine the method of journeying around the world on bicycles must be. The writing style encompasses and demonstrates the author's desire for a simpler life. A life consumed with less "stuff" and more actual living, and enjoying the little things life has to offer.

The story flows easily from one road adventure to the next, with lots of personal stories and anecdotes thrown in. When the author started to speak of her loneliness and distance from her then husband, I really felt for her. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a country where I didn't speak the language, and having my traveling partner, the one person who I could communicate with distance themselves from me, would be difficult. I'm very curious about personal details in stories like these, so I was wondering about what happened between Cindie and Tim during that time, but there wasn't much of the dialogue and goings on between them within the book. I completely understand this, because their personal relationship issues are between them, but I must admit I was curious about the nitty gritty of what drove such a wedge between them and had them ending up going their separate ways.

The book also showcases some of the wonderful historical and spiritual sites that areas of China and the nearby countries have to offer. I learned a great deal from reading through the author's experiences at these sites. Cohagan also talks about how she found what she had been missing in the form of Buddhism on her travels throughout China. It must be wonderful to have taken such a grand, once in a lifetime trip, and also have such profound personal spiritual growth as well.

The book also makes the reader stop and think about whether they really need all the things they have, and whether they could get by with less. It also makes you appreciate the freedoms we possess that others around the world don't necessarily get the chance to enjoy.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes books about travel and culture


*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not in any way compensated for this review.*

Review: Ramblings in Ireland

Title: Ramblings in Ireland

Series: N/A

Author:  Kerry Dwyer

Publisher:  Someday Box

Published: August 15, 2012

Genre: Memoir

Format: Kindle

Pages: 179

Source: Received From Author

Read: March 7-9th 2013

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads:  Add To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

This is not a book about rambling in Ireland.

It tells the tale of one particular walking trip and the memories and musings it inspired.

Exploring the West of Ireland is a time for meditation, spiritual reflection and strengthening the bonds of life. More practically the ability to read a map might have proved helpful. The tourist office in Ireland has all their paths clearly marked. You can’t go wrong if you follow that little yellow man. Or can you?

As British ex-patriate Kerry Dwyer leads Bertrand, her trusting French husband, astray once more, they reminisce and reflect upon accents and accidents, family and friends, love and what it means to be alive. Bertrand doesn’t mind getting lost – he loves Kerry all the more for going off the beaten track.

This is a book about ramblings in Ireland. Walk with Kerry and Bertrand and follow where your thoughts lead you.

Melissa's Musings:

This is a very easygoing read, just like the title might suggest. The reader follows Kerry and her husband Bertrand on their walking trip through Ireland. In addition to great scenery, you get little snippets of their personal life with different stories that are mixed in throughout the chapters.

This is the kind of book that I love because it intersperses personal anecdotes with information. You get to learn about the great sights of Ireland, but at the same time you get to know more about the author on a personal level. Sometimes with non-fiction pieces I often get the feeling of informality, but not here.

I really enjoyed the author's comparisons of the differences between aspects of French and English (British) cultures. I really related to this given that my boyfriend is Canadian. Having had the chance to live in both Canada and the US, I definitely know what it's like to be of one culture and experiencing another, and the differences that you can encounter.

One of the examples that Dwyer uses is a reference to idle chit chat. Britons like to chat with people, to ask how they are doing, etc. whereas the French are more direct and don't tend to chit chat with one another. Dwyer's husband was also very excited by the fact that in Ireland the houses are all painted unique combinations of bright, cheerful colors. In France, house colors must fall within a range that has been approved by the French government.

One thing I noticed is that at times, the interactions described in the book do seem somewhat stiff, even formal. Most of these are the interactions between Kerry and her husband. I'm just wondering if some of that is... I'm not even sure how to put this, language interspersment issues? Since Dwyer knows both French and English, but lives in France, where my guess would be she mainly uses French, maybe some of the formality of the French language is coming through in the writing?

There's an element of fun, easygoingness to this book in the fact that Kerry and her husband do get lost from time to time. They have as much fun getting lost as they do when they aren't, which is enjoyable to see.

This is an excellent travel memoir that will give you a glimpse of the scenery of Ireland just as if you were walking the journey yourself.

Blog Tour Stop: Rally Round the Corpse Review and Giveaway!

Hello fellow readers!

Today I'm hosting a tour stop for the fantastically funny mystery, Rally Round the Corpse. Read on to see my thoughts on the book and enter to win your very own copy!

Title: Rally 'Round the Corpse

Author: Hy Conrad

Publisher: Seven Realms Publishing

Published: May 29, 2012

Formats: Paperback, E-book

Pages: 337
Source: Received from author in exchange
for my honest review as part of blog tour

Synopsis:

It's been two years since her fiancé's death. Amy Abel needs to start over. What better way for a shy, risk-averse woman to start than to sink all her savings into a travel agency specializing in adventure? Her first project is a mystery road rally through the European countryside. At the starting line in Monte Carlo, Amy finds herself attracted to Marcus Alvarez, the most mysterious of her two dozen game-loving clients. But the rally gets off to a rocky start when an eccentric writer, the only person who knows the game's solution, is himself murdered back in New York. Who would kill a harmless mystery geek, and why are weird accidents beginning to happen along the way? To her horror, Amy discovers that this fictional mystery was based on a real, unsolved case, one that Marcus knows too much about. Now she has no choice but to join forces with Fanny, her domineering mother, and solve this on her own, before the killer strikes again.

My Rating:

4 Solid Stars!

Melissa's Musings:

I have to admit, I'm not a big mystery fan. But, when I got the invitation to be on this book tour, I jumped on it because the plot seemed like a lot of fun. Who could pass up the chance to read about a traveling expedition based around a mystery game? Think, Clue but more adventurous.

The great thing about this story is that there isn't just one mystery to solve. There are multiple mysteries, and not all of them are fictional. One of the fun details in this book is that the mystery for the rally tour is based on a real crime. And that's where things get tricky. A few of the people on the tour were individuals who are in some way connected to the real crime. 

Everyone in this book has secrets. Especially Amy, the tour director. There are things she doesn't want to admit to herself. Like how she feels responsible for her fiancee's death. And how she is starting to have feelings for Marcus. The romance between Marcus and Amy is by no means simple, but it is sweet. They fit well together. They also clash just enough to keep you wondering if they're really right for each other.

I really enjoyed the variety of characters in this book. There are a lot of them, but the great thing about the structure is that you aren't overloaded with details,or confused by the sheer number of the characters. They are all well fleshed out, and have separate, distinct personalities. A few of my favorites have to be Holly and Fanny. 

Holly is a snarky, smart twelve year old, who's accompanying her uncle on the mystery tour. She's bold, and not afraid to speak her mind. I felt bad for her, since the tour was full of adults and she always seemed to be getting pushed to the side, but she managed to hold her own.

Fanny is my favorite because she loves a challenge. She's the master of persuasion, and a great extractor of information. She sells honeymooning couples African safari trips without batting an eye. Dress up in a wacky disguise and make claim to taco recipes to get close to an important family? She'll do it. Fanny gets so engrossed in the roles that you'll find yourself laughing out loud when she adds in unneccessary details, or hatches crazy plans like having Marcus escape detection by sneaking out into a neighbor's garden and through their house.

She's also a bit of a meddler, at least when it comes to Amy's love life. As mothers are apt to be, I suppose. This could have gone either way, and this personality trait could have come off as really annoying, but actually it's very sweet, and you can see that for all her meddling, she really has Amy's best interests at heart.

I don't know if it's just because I don't read many mysteries, or the fact that I got so swept up in the story, but I definitely did not have this one figured out by the end, at all. There are some unique twists and turns and some oddball characters that really keep you on your toes.

A great story for anyone new to mysteries or someone who's already a big fan.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

Giveaway Details:

As a part of this blog tour stop one person will win their very own copy of Rally Round the Corpse!

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY*

*If the winner is in the US, they will have their choice of e-book or print copy. An International winner will get an e-book only.
This giveaway will run until February 15, 2013 at Midnight PST
Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond to their notification email, otherwise another winner will be chosen.
The author NOT Melissa's Midnight Musings is responsible for sending the prize to the winner.

Enter to win Below!:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: A Walk On The Darkside

Title:  A Walk On The Darkside

Author: Corinna Underwood

Publisher: Lazyday Publishing

Published: October 30, 2012

Genre: Paranormal

Format: PDF

Pages: 107

Source: Received from the author

in exchange for an honest review

Read: January 25-27, 2013

In A Few Words: Realistic, Rational

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads: Add This To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Pearl Blackthorn is a novelist and investigative reporter for Darkside paranormal magazine. Armed with her digital recorder and accompanied by her friend and photographer Harry Raymond, Pearl is sent by her editor J.J Benson - affectionately known as Benny - to the four corners of Great Britain, (and sometimes further), to investigate stories of spirits and specters, demons and doppelgangers, prophecy and possession. The problem is, Pearl doesn’t believe in the supernatural; her creative imagination is tempered by a strong skepticism. She is immovable on her stand that there is always a simple, rational explanation behind every report of paranormal activity. But Pearl soon realizes that the intricacies of paranormal events are often far from simple and not always rational. 

Melissa's Musings:

This is a nice collection of stories, though I wish that they had been somewhat more spooky. They are all set up and executed well, but the suspense just isn't there.

I think some of my lack of enthusiasm has to do with Pearl's character being so realistic. I understand that the setup is meant for her to be this way, but it feels like her character sucks all the fun out of everything. And these experiences that could be really spooky if they were left as they were, without her explanations. To that end, Pearl's sidekick on her journey, her photographer friend, Harry, is much more of a believer. But, his enthusiasm doesn't quite make up for Pearl's lack of it. 

The variety of the stories is really nice. There's everything from ghosts, to telepathy, to mysterious puzzle boxes, to voodoo curses. The stories are all meant to be connected, since Pearl is researching them for Darkside magazine, but honestly, I feel that these would be a lot better as standalone stories. The underlying tie-in thread is very weak, and doesn't really serve to bind them all together.

There are a few details that I wish had been fleshed out a little more. In the first story, "The Secret in the Sanctuary" Pearl starts out driving through the Welsh countryside. Along the way there are lots of signs and town names that she runs across. I thought it might be more helpful to readers if there were translations of the meanings of the Welsh words in to English. It probably seems like such a picky detail, but I think it would help the reader to understand the story that much better.

One other structural aspect that pulled me out of the reading was the timeline. All of these instances of strange happenings were resolved within two days. Even though Pearl's tendency to explain these all away makes for shortened time lines, I feel that they could have been just a little bit longer.

Overall, this is a nice collection. There are some stories with deeply religious undertones, so I wanted to point that out for anyone who doesn't care for those types of stories. I'd recommend this for someone who's more of a skeptic when it comes to ghost stories.