If You're Looking to Read . . .

Just wanted to remind my friends here about a few books that are out right now. If you're looking for something new you might have a look at Talli Roland's new chicklit contemporary romance Watching Willow Watts about a young girl who inadvertently becomes an internet star after a video of her gets posted online. Her life in a small British town goes haywire fast, and it's all because of Marilyn Monroe. Ashamedly I haven't read it yet, but I can tell you her first book, The Hating Game, was a well-written romp much in the vein of Bridget Jones's Diary. Talli is a smart writer with a keen sense of humor. It was time to write her up, she is amazing.

Also, we have Tess Hilmo, a blogger who is warm and wise. She fought for many years to have her first book published, and it's finally happened. With a Name Like Love is a sensitive young adult novel set in the 50's. From Amazon: When Ollie’s daddy, the Reverend Everlasting Love, pulls their travel trailer into Binder to lead a three-day revival, Ollie knows that this town will be like all the others they visit— it is exactly the kind of nothing Ollie has come to expect. But on their first day in town, Ollie meets Jimmy Koppel, whose mother is in jail for murdering his father. Jimmy insists that his mother is innocent, and Ollie believes him. Still, even if Ollie convinces her daddy to stay in town, how can two kids free a grown woman who has signed a confession? Ollie’s longing for a friend and her daddy’s penchant for searching out lost souls prove to be a formidable force in this tiny town where everyone seems bent on judging and jailing without a trial.

Then there is the lovely Jessica Bell up in the corner. She is a beautiful writer, and I've enjoyed her first novel String Bridge about a woman who gave up her dreams of being a musician and singer for marriage and motherhood. Set in breathtaking Greece, it's an intense book with a beautiful flow of words that are much like the music it centers on. If you've ever given up something you care about for love, then you should read this work of contemporary literature. She captures the stresses of a failing relationship, and the pull of duty toward motherhood and desire. Jessica has also recorded an album of songs to go along with the book. String Bridge is due out in November.

I'm going to stop here, but there are many more books out there by your fellow Google bloggers that are excellent. Many by my WiDo comrades--I hope to write more about that soon. Thanks for reading!