Cindy Roesel (Author of Viewer Discretion Advised)

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Helen of Pasadena
by Lian Dolan (Goodreads Author)

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The Glass Wives
by Amy Sue Nathan (Goodreads Author)

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Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

A State of Jane
by Meredith Schorr (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2013

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In Meredith Schorr's A STATE OF JANE, Jane Alexis Frank's perfect "Ann Taylored" life has come to a screeching halt and it's going to go from bad to worse before getting any better. After breaking up with her only boyfriend, Bob, 26-year old Jane has...more

Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Unmasking Maya
by Libby Mercer (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2013

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After her fashion career crashes and burns and her life basically goes AWOL, Maya Kirkwood is banished from her New York City upper east side apartment to San Francisco to start all over again. But before she can rebuild her existence, she has a dark...more

Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Stardust Summer
by Lauren Clark (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2013

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I've often shared that spring is my favorite season, because I feel it's a time of renewal and fresh beginnings. It's also a perfect time to self reflect and look at what's going on in our personal lives. If we see relationships that need work, focus...more I've often shared that spring is my favorite season, because I feel it's a time of renewal and fresh beginnings. It's also a perfect time to self reflect and look at what's going on in our personal lives. If we see relationships that need work, focus on them, and make the changes that are necessary.

That's what I loved about Lauren Clark's new novel, STARDUST SUMMER. It spoke straight to my heart about family, forgiveness, resentments and falling in love again. From the moment I started reading her book I couldn't put it down. It spoke to situations in my own life and I'm sure I won't be alone.

Grace Mason is a single mother living a quiet life with her eight year old son, Evan in Ocean Spring, Mississippi. The father of her son is a distant memory. She lives in a small house, has a teaching job, her mother is dead and she is estranged from her father, Henry who lives on a lake house in upstate New York. She gets word from her step-mother, Kathleen that Henry has suffered a massive heart attack, after not being in contact with him for years.

By the time Grace and Evan make it to New York, Henry has passed. There's a funeral and several days for the three of them to get to know one another, sort of. That's when they realize how much they don't, but how much they need each other. Kathleen's neighbor, Dr. Ryan Gordon, is divorced and attracted to Grace and Evan looks up to him. Ryan has been helping out the Masons for years and knows all about Grace and Evan. Having a lake house is a great buffer for serious discussions and clearing up misunderstandings.

"The water is therapeutic. My dad always said there was something magic about this lake. Something in the stardust, especially when it's summer," Grace tilted her head back looking at the moon hanging low over the water. "Maybe he was right"

You know where this is going. But, who is going to give in first. It's Lauren Clark's beautiful writing that doesn't let it turn into cliche.

"She thought about the words, 'I gave forgiveness I'd been denying.' That could have been written for me."

You'll definitely want to pour yourself a nice glass of Merlot or Savignon Blanc and take yourself to your favorite quiet space and settle in to read STARDUST SUMMER. You won't be disappointed.(less)

Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Chocolate Fondue
by Martha Reynolds (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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STOP! Let's start with a spoiler alert first, shall we? If you have any plans to read Martha Reynold's novel, CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST, check it out BEFORE CHOCOLATE FONDUE! You can read Chocolate Fondue WITHOUT reading Chocolate For Breakfast, but no...more STOP! Let's start with a spoiler alert first, shall we? If you have any plans to read Martha Reynold's novel, CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST, check it out BEFORE CHOCOLATE FONDUE! You can read Chocolate Fondue WITHOUT reading Chocolate For Breakfast, but not the other way around. Got it? GOOD!

Now let's feast on Martha's delicious new novel, CHOCOLATE FONDUE. I'm glad I didn't have to fill my little head with too much back story from book one, because right off the bat, CHOCOLATE FONDUE is high on calories and carbs!

D-R-A-M-A! I want to tell you, there are no shortage of life events happening in that relatively small alpine town of Fribourg, Switzerland!

Bernadette Maguire and her Aunt travel to Switzerland from Boston soon after her mother passes away looking for a place to rest. Two decades before, Bernie was a student in the same town where she had a son and gave him up for adoption. As I was reading, I was somewhat surprised by how fast the plot and storyline were revealed, but then I thought perhaps it was because it was written as a sequel for a knowing audience. I appreciated that immediacy, but I think some readers may be surprised by it.

The best way for me to explain how the story presented itself is as if you have a puzzle and randomly put all the pieces out. The pieces are revealed and you've had a look at the finished picture, so you know the ending, but you still have to put it together. As readers, we know what's going to happen but we are taken on this wonderful journey. I'm sorry I mixed metaphors.

I loved the complex characters Martha created and the beautiful statements about family and loyalty she makes through their dialogue. Several of her characters are extremely flawed, but she doesn't discard them. She lets them disappear with dignity.

I haven't told you what the story is about but the cover is covered in chocolate, it's based in Switzerland, family takes center stage and it has lots of DRAMA! Trust me! You're definitely going to want to read CHOCOLATE FONDUE! Thank you, Martha Reynolds!

I'm now in the mood for some chocolate... LOTS of it!(less)

Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Quiet, Please!
by Brea Brown (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2013

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When I look back over the years, I have fond memories of kindergarten. How about you? I even remember my first crush. It was in kindergarten with Michael Kearney. We got to hold each other's hands as we walked out of the classroom and then the buildi...more When I look back over the years, I have fond memories of kindergarten. How about you? I even remember my first crush. It was in kindergarten with Michael Kearney. We got to hold each other's hands as we walked out of the classroom and then the building side by side into our mother's waiting arms at the end of the day.

That's one of the things I loved about reading Brea Brown's novel, QUIET, PLEASE! She even included a scene with the kindergarten class walking out but first, having to file up inside wearing their sweaters holding their lunchboxes, one by one, side by side and, quiet, please!

You may know Brea from her THE SECRET KEEPERS series or any one of several of her other novels. But we decided to pop into class and see what's happening with librarian, Kendall Dickinson, kindergarten teacher, Jamie Chase and a second tier of not soon to be forgotten characters. Who knew there could be so much drama and back-stabbing going on inside an elementary school? Well, let me tell you, there certainly is at Whitehall Elementary.

Starting with Principal Renalda Twomey who does manage to get some work done between mani/pedi appointments, Asst. Principal, Sam Kingsley who covers for Renalda's lazy butt, teacher union steward and otherwise known resident _itch, Jane Pleska, tone-deaf-singing-speaking music teacher, Ester Wambaugh, pregnant PE teacher, Julia Vasquez, kindergarten teacher, Bonita Carlson - all overseen by district superintendent, Dr. Underhill.

Kendall Dickinson gets a job in Charlotte, North Carolina saying she wants to be closer to her family, but we quickly learn she's escaping a bad situation in Kansas City. Of course, the first promise she makes to herself is to swear off men, especially good looking ones that are smart! Hum?!

Kendall comes home after a computer program she designs is stolen from right under her nose. The usually optimistic woman is soured on the world and screaming kids aren't going to lift her spirits, but it's the only job she can get. As she quickly finds out, she's not the only one with problems.

I don't want to give anything away, so I'll try to be vague here, but this is a romantic comedy. I found parts of the romantic part amusing because the way they behaved in many ways mirrored the fact they were working in a kindergarten. For instance, she would pretend as if she didn't care, and he'd make believe he didn't know what was really going on, but he did. In many ways, they behaved like the children they were in charge of. Come to think of it, they acted like people in love, huh?!

My favorite character in QUIET, PLEASE! is kindergartner Brody Daniel Sawyer, who like to meow like a cat, climb trees when he's bored to get the teacher's attention and seems to be the only one who fully knows what the heck is going on around Whitehall! He also speaks Parseltongue!

Now just be quiet, please and read QUIET, PLEASE! Thank you Miss Brea Brown!(less)

Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Fall of the Misanthrope by Louise Wise

The Fall of the Misanthrope: I bitch, therefore I am
by Louise Wise (Goodreads Author)

read in April, 2013

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Valerie Anthrope is a hard as nails, cut-throat business woman. She's the boss. She's in control and answers to no one. She's had quite a bit of sadness in her life and she's happy to be alone, thank you very much.

THE FALL OF THE MISANTHROPE: I BITCH...more Valerie Anthrope is a hard as nails, cut-throat business woman. She's the boss. She's in control and answers to no one. She's had quite a bit of sadness in her life and she's happy to be alone, thank you very much.

THE FALL OF THE MISANTHROPE: I BITCH, THEREFORE I AM, by Louise Wise is a smart novel that deals with serious issues. It's a romantic comedy that confronts clinical depression. I'm stating this at the top of this review because it's important. But you must know, Louise Wise is able to, dare I say, thread a serious theme throughout her humorous, clever book - not an easy task for a writer to achieve, but she does successfully.

If any of you reading this have been tormented by or are still struggling with depression you know how paralyzing it can be. Louise does a brilliant job describing the protagonist's struggle with the disease in a way we can relate to or learn from. If not you, perhaps you have someone in your family or a friend that's suffering. This may help you understand that person better, as well as enjoy a cheeky novel. (Cheeky... That's a British word I learned from Louise. FYI: The book is full of British humor!)

"I closed my eyes. It wasn't the usual feeling some people had of not wanting to climb out of bed in the morning. I really did not want to get up. There was a feeling of darkness inside me; but it had weight too. Pressure, and it was building fast."

This is a clear description of the protagonist, Valerie just trying to take on the day. She believes she has been cursed since she was a little girl when her brother died and then her parents passed. Now at twenty-six, she keeps herself isolated and immersed in insurance work at Sunny Oak Brokerage!

She visits her family grave yearly and it's there she meets an eccentric old woman, Ellen Semple who ends befriending Valerie and showing up at her Brokerage company looking for a job. Ellen takes it upon herself to become Valerie's, Fairy Godmother and make her life burst with sunshine! Ellen isn't the only ray of sunshine that unexpectedly comes into Valerie's life. There's a whole rainbow. Well, you'll just have to read the novel. But as I like to write, this is a rom-com, so there is a happily-ever-after.

There's an element of magical realism and somewhat of a fairytale, but I love the characters Louise creates. They're fully developed and each has their own uniquely developed personalities. When I finished reading, I thought I might like a sequel, but I'll leave it up to Louise. I still might, but I did LOVE the ending!

Thank you, Miss Louise Wise. xo cindy

FYI: If you ever feel like your blues are making a turn towards BLACK, you're not alone. HEY, you're reading this. You can reach out to anyone of us, starting with ME! Just do a Google search for DEPRESSION, and check out the area where you live. We've ALL been there!(less)

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Cindy Roesel wants to read Helen of Pasadena by Lian Dolan (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1 hour, 57 min ago
Cindy Roesel is currently reading The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1 hour, 58 min ago
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In Meredith Schorr's A STATE OF JANE, Jane Alexis Frank's perfect "Ann Taylored" life has come to a screeching halt and it's going to go from bad to worse before getting any better. After breaking up with her only boyfriend, Bob, 26-year old Jane has...more
2 hours, 13 min ago · see review
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars Unmasking Maya by Libby Mercer (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
After her fashion career crashes and burns and her life basically goes AWOL, Maya Kirkwood is banished from her New York City upper east side apartment to San Francisco to start all over again. But before she can rebuild her existence, she has a dark...more
2 hours, 19 min ago · see review
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars Stardust Summer by Lauren Clark (Goodreads Author) read in March, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've often shared that spring is my favorite season, because I feel it's a time of renewal and fresh beginnings. It's also a perfect time to self reflect and look at what's going on in our personal lives. If we see relationships that need work, focus...more
2 hours, 20 min ago · see review
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars Chocolate Fondue by Martha Reynolds (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
STOP! Let's start with a spoiler alert first, shall we? If you have any plans to read Martha Reynold's novel, CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST, check it out BEFORE CHOCOLATE FONDUE! You can read Chocolate Fondue WITHOUT reading Chocolate For Breakfast, but no...more
2 hours, 24 min ago · see review
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars Quiet, Please! by Brea Brown (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
When I look back over the years, I have fond memories of kindergarten. How about you? I even remember my first crush. It was in kindergarten with Michael Kearney. We got to hold each other's hands as we walked out of the classroom and then the buildi...more
3 hours, 2 min ago · see review
Cindy Roesel rated a book 4 of 5 stars The Fall of the Misanthrope: I bitch, therefore I am by Louise Wise (Goodreads Author) read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Valerie Anthrope is a hard as nails, cut-throat business woman. She's the boss. She's in control and answers to no one. She's had quite a bit of sadness in her life and she's happy to be alone, thank you very much. THE FALL OF THE MISANTHROPE: I BITCH...more
3 hours, 7 min ago · see review

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