Isn't that a great title for a book?  And isn't this a great cover?

Like most readers, I admit I'm pretty picky about my reading choices.  I love a great story, with characters that I feel I know when I finish that last page.  I like stories that have meaning, take me "away" (like that old Calgon commercial) or make me think.  And if the stories make me smile or laugh, all the better.  I even don't mind having a box of tissues next to me as I read along. (Think:  Marley and Me)

As you might recall, I got together with this author recently and bought a few copies of her latest novel.  I began reading it Sunday morning and literally couldn't put it down.  I finished it Monday morning.  It's been quite awhile since I enjoyed a book that much.

So what was it that grabbed me like that?  Everything about it.  Here's what the jacket blurb says on the back:

                                    When Skye Sebring, a hospitality greeter inside the pearly gates of Heaven, meets

                                    lawyer Ryan Blaine during his brush with death after a motorcycle accident, she

                                    falls so deeply in love that she follows him back to Earth, a world with strange

                                    customs she knows nothing about--until she discovers that all of life's lessons can

                                    be learned from the lyrics of five Beatles songs.

I admit.....when I first read that, I thought, "Hmm, sounds a bit silly."  Silly, it is NOT!  I must say that this little jacket blurb really doesn't do the entire novel full justice.  There's so much more to the story.  I did love the fact that the main character was a "hospitality greeter in Heaven."  I mean, come on, how many of those characters do you get to meet?  And that's how the entire story struck me.  The author came up with a very clever plot and I'm amazed at the ability of her imagination.  It's creativity at it's best, in my opinion.

Karin's writing is superb.  The story moves along at a very fast clip and has you turning pages to see what will happen next. (Hence, why I devoured it in 24 hours!) The characters are not only "real" (yes, even the Heavenly ones) but they make you feel happy to know them. 

I was really captivated with the author's concept and description of Heaven......When you check in there, everybody gets a "WishBerry."  She states in the book, "In Heaven, you can wish for anything you want, and, abracadabra, it appears!"  So that means all of us have to wait to leave Earth to get ones of those, I think.

And Earthly Pleasures?  That's a special television channel that they have in Heaven.  That's where we can check up on what's happening to our loved ones here on Earth.  (Personally, I just love the thought of that!)

You'll meet Skye's client, 13-year old Chelsea, who entered Heaven before her time due to a skateboarding accident without a helmet.  And also Rhianna, Skye's best friend in Heaven and a whole cast of other characters, both earth-bound and celestial. 

When Skye gets the chance to return to earth, she must attend Dr. Mullins class, Earth 101.  This is where she learns about the Beatles songs and I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of the book.  The author has woven five of life's very important lessons into the lyrics.

The novel is humorous, witty, poignant and beyond entertaining.  I loved the life lessons from Earth 101, and the way the author wove them into her story was just part of the charm.  I believe in angels (very strongly) I believe that those who have passed on before us pay us visits here on earth in many various ways and now, I'd like to believe that Heaven is exactly as this author tells us it is.

Karin's latest release leaves the reader feeling delightfully entertained when that final page is read.  If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, I strongly recommend you get a copy at your local book store or Amazon.com.  And you can visit Karin's website at:  www.karenneches.com

See you here next time..........