Father's Day Is Right Around The Corner!

What do you normally get your dad for Father's Day? Scrap the tie and go with something interesting for once! PCM was given the perfect gift idea for Father's Day, Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan. It's a really great read, and it's currently a NY Times bestseller!

Horse Soldiers is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered forty to one, they pursued the enemy across mountainous terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which was strategically essential if they were to defeat the Taliban.

"It’s for those who like their military history told through the eyes of heroic grunts, sergeants and captains. Think of Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers or Stanton’s own best seller, In Harm’s Way" -- The New York Times.

PCM Recommended Reading: Flirting With Forty

One of my favorite things to do is read and book and then watch the movie that is based off the book! I was so happy when we received the book copy of, "Flirting With Forty," and then saw that it was made into a Lifetime Original Movie. This book is a perfect beach read as it is mostly set in Hawaii! I definitely got into the summer mode and felt the need to go surfing after finishing this book.

"Flirting With Forty" is the story of a divorced mother of two on the brink of her 40th birthday who, while on vacation, enters into an unexpected romance with a much younger man and learns that life can begin at 40. The movie, which aired back in December on Lifetime, starred Heather Locklear and Robert Buckley.

I was disappointed with Locklear's performance and thought she was a bit drab in the movie, however, couldn't get enough of young and hunky actor Robert Buckley. I thought the movie kept very close to the book and liked the adaptation very much! Definitely check out this book and then go find the movie (Netflix, etc) and take a look at how the characters come to life! Take a look at the book cover and movie poster, too!

PCM Recommended Reading: The Lie

Tired of books that center around the main characters falling in love and living happily ever after? Say no more - we've got the perfect book for anyone interested in a story about, well, anti-love.

Now, here at PCM, we went to college. We have all had good and bad relationships and understand the party culture that comes along with living on a campus with hundreds and in some cases, thousands of other students. We experienced it! But seriously, we weren't prepared for, 'The Lie.' In some ways, author Chad Kultgen nailed the stereotypical college co-ed attitude right on the head. Other times, we thought that the characters of Heather, Brett and Kyle just couldn't exist in real life.

Could students really be that horrible, manipulating and sex crazed? You'll be appalled and blown away at some of the situations these characters get themselves into while they try to make it through 4 years of college. You'll be grossed out and turned on at the same time, we kid you not!

This book is definitely not the best choice for a conservative book club read but we still found it intriguing. The book leads up to an ending we didn't see coming and frankly left us, well, quite shocked and depressed! It's worth reading if you're someone who'd like to relive their college days or may be curious about what the typical college male students thinks about 24/7. We bet you can guess.

PCM Recommended Reading: Either You're In or You're In The Way

When identical twin brothers, Logan and Noah Miller’s homeless father died alone in a jail cell, they vowed, come hell or high water that their film, Touching Home, would be made as a dedication to their love for him. Either You’re In Or You’re In the Way is the amazing story of how--without a dime to their names nor a single meaningful contact in Hollywood--they managed to write, produce, act, and direct a feature film in under a year starring four-time Academy Award-nominated actor Ed Harris and a cast and crew with 11 Academy Awards and 26 nominations.

The media buzz is beginning to circulate about The Miller Brothers' fantastic story, they are two filmmakers who wrote a book about their struggle to make their movie come to life. This book is certainly great for anyone interested in seeing how long and expensive the movie making process can be for someone that doesn't have the financial backing from a Hollywood production company.

It was great for the reader to see how the brothers hired lighting/sound grips, dealt with talent agencies, lawyers and plenty of difficult contracts in order to keep their movie alive.

I especially liked the modest and entertaining/down-to-earth tone this book was written in - the brothers kept me rooting for them the entire time! These guys are instantly likeable and their personalities jump right off the pages of this book. This was a very quick read for me because I was desperate to know how they were able to secure Ed Harris to star in their movie. Their encounter with him in San Francisco is very funny! I am confident many people may just pick up the book to find out how they mangaged to do it, too!

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon and other publication outlets now and their movie is currently being shown on the indie film circuit! Check out the official site of the movie here! My only complaint has been that the movie isn't out in theaters nationwide, I'm so curious to see it and wonder how their finished product turned out! PCM is rooting for these guys!

PCM Recommended Reading: The Compass

Feeling like you're in a rut? Have you recently lost a loved one or a job? Is your life going through a major transition? Are you trying to refocus and discover what's truly important in life? I recently reviewed The Compass by John Spencer Ellis and Tammy Kling. Their book journeys its readers into finding their inner guidance system and directing them, right now, to live the best life possible. I avidly sped through the book and finished it within 3 days.

I found the book to be written in a very creative and captivating way - it wasn't too preachy and certainly kept my interest from chapter to chapter. In some ways, I found the book to be similiar to the bestseller, "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert. I love the idea of main characters traveling the world to discover themselves.

The Compass is a life transformation novel that will guide you on a journey of self-discovery. At the core of The Compass are specific life lessons about belief systems, authenticity, and understanding who you really are in order to live out your destiny. Jonathan, the main character, escapes his suburban life after a tragedy that alters his existence and plans for the future. Numb and paralyzed by grief, Jonathan decides to journey across the globe in an effort to realign his inner compass.

This is a quick read and may provide you with some simple life lessons that change the way you live your life from day to day. Why not give it a try? PCM has been talking about good beach reads lately on our site - why not choose a book you can actually take something away from? At the end of the book, I especially enjoyed several pages of simple quotes that may inspire and provide a few valuable lessons!

To learn more about The Compass and view the DVD trailer please visit: http://thecompass.tv/ and http://www.amazon.com/Compass-Tammy-Kling/dp/1593155425/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239383271&sr=8-1

Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer Actress Releases Book Trilogy

Amber Benson, who earned a large following for her popular role as Tara Maclay (Alyson Hannigan's love interest) on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Amber has established a very successful career outside the show: She's co-written comics, novels and an animated web-series for the BBC with Christopher Golden (widely acclaimed author of the Hellboy novels) and written, produced and directed three feature films, including Drones, to be released later this year. Now she's launched a very cool trilogy of fantasy novels geared towards young adult females. The first book, Death's Daughter, was just released via Penguin Books.

Death's Daughter tells the story of Calliope Reaper-Jones, a girl torn between an immortal life helping her father run Death, Inc., and a normal human existence. When Callie chooses to leave the family business behind and pursue a career in fashion, she finds herself in a dead end job, relegated to a life of perpetual stasis. That is, until someone kidnaps her father, the CEO of Death, Inc., as well as Callie's older sister Thalia. Now it's up to Callie to find her father and sister, while trying to keep the business running smoothly. If she fails, Callie dooms her family to morality and allows the Devil to choose the new head of Death, Inc.

Of the book, Benson says, "Death's Daughter is my take on the classic Hero's Journey, but told from the female perspective. I tried to create a flawed, female protagonist who--even though she makes some really selfish choices during the course of the book--still makes the reader root for her to learn and grow from her experiences."

PCM Recommended Reading: Will Marry For Food, Sex and Laundry

Okay, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day are long gone. Still worrying about being single? Are you looking for summer love? Check out a cool book that was brought to our attention. Below is an excerpts from the book, Will Marry for Food, Sex and Laundry by Simon Oaks. The book acts a guide for women answering the life long question of, what men want.

Interested in the author? Simon Oaks, author of Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him -- and How to Keep Him, is a California transplant from England, who swore he'd remain single for life. But now this former racecar driver turned writer is a bachelor turned husband, and is letting the women out there know the secrets behind making a man commit. He's been happily married now for ten years to his American wife, Julie.

Visit his website at http://http://www.simonoaks.com/

He Likes Me -- Doesn't He?
By Simon Oaks,Author of Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him -- and How to Keep Him

Times have changed. The days of Rhett Butler telling Scarlett O'Hara he didn't give a damn are long gone. That's a shame in some ways. At least it made dating simple. Nowadays, guys try to be considerate in an attempt to not hurt your feelings. His miscues make it hard to know whether he's really into you, just wants to be friends or would love for you to switch phone plans. While words might not be his strong point, his actions are. Keep an eye out for these kinds of behavior.

He actively takes an interest in you and what you have to say. He's not just nodding and smiling and checking his watch every five minutes like you're trying to sell him life insurance. There's eye contact. He's actively listening. He's asking questions, relating things you say to his own experiences. If he's really good, he'll remember something you said and incorporate it in a future date. Try not to act too surprised.
He's forthcoming. He wants you to know about him. This manifests itself in a bunch of ways.

He'll share personal details about himself. He'll even be eager to cough up basic factoids such phone numbers, his address and place of work. If he isn't giving up this kind of info, then he doesn't want you tracking him down -- or he's Batman or Superman. So if he doesn't live at Wayne Manor or the Fortress of Solitude, give it up.

He'll mark his territory. He won't pee on you or anything per se, but he will exhibit some animal behavior. If he's decided he wants you as his female, he won't want to lose you. If there's any chance that you might be snapped up by another male, he'll stake his claim.

He'll be tactile with you, slipping an arm around you, possibly posturing and standing up when another guy walks onto the scene. Watch out for some regression to a more primitive man. If you hear grunting, don't panic. It's his way of saying he likes you.

He calls you back. Despite the stereotype, he will call you back. If you're a girl in demand, he won't want you to be the one that got away, so he'll call you to set up the next date or ask how you're doing. If you're getting calls for no reason, that's a good thing. However, you may want to invest in a good phone plan.
He'll check you out. You'll bring out his spy skills in a good way.

He'll talk to your friends to get the 411 on you. He wants to know more about you -- your past, your present, your likes and dislikes, water hazards, etc. He's doing his homework because he wants to impress you. He's gathering this intelligence so he knows how best to woo you.

He's flirtatious. Guys get playful around women they like. It's a little dance he's doing around you to show his interest and his daring. However, he's not just being flirty, he's also probing. He's putting on a little show for you to see if you'll reciprocate. The more you play, the more he stays. Now shake that tail feather.

He's always planning ahead. If he digs you, he won't want you getting away from him. To make sure you aren't prey to some other guy, he'll be making plans for the next date before the current one is over. A full calendar is a good sign.

Excerpt adapted from Will Marry for Food, Sex, and Laundry: How to Get Him -- and How to Keep Him ©2009 Simon Oaks

PCM Recommended Reading: The Movie That Changed My Life

"In recent years, the editors of Variety have posed the same question to hundreds of famous personalities: “What is the movie that changed your life?” Gathered here for the first time are the responses of movie stars and comedians, politicians and war correspondents, athletes and business magnates, and many more. From Sarah Jessica Parker to Ralph Nader, Bill Maher to Jerry Rice, Donald Trump to Jesse Jackson, Danielle Steel to Gore Vidal, this fascinating and entertaining collection reveals the films that have left their mark on the individuals shaping our world..."

We think celebrity and movie lovers will fall in love with this book! We did! It's a perfect coffee table book that will have you skimming through it for hours. Actors, politicians and comedians offer their take on the movies that have shaped their careers and who inspires them. It's offers quite a lot of tidbits and facts about some of the best movies ever made. We especially liked Hugh Hefner's take on Casablanca, Tim Gunn's opinion on Blowup and Seth Rogen's feelings on Clerks.

You'll learn a lot from this book and it'll start conversations and debates about movie classics!

Check out the Amazon link for more information or purchase.

PCM Recommended Reading: Misadventures of Oliver Booth

Looking for an entertaining and quick read? Picturing yourself on the beach with a good beach read in a few months? Summer is right around the corner! We got our hands on the book 'The Misadventures of Oliver Booth' by author David Desmond!

The book is a comic novel about an overweight and clumsy social climber in Palm Beach named Oliver Booth and his apprentice Bernard. He's selfish, arrogant and greedy - not your typical likeable main character. His demeanor throughout the book keeps the reader curious about what will ultimately happen to the protagontist you grow to love and hate.

Overall, PCM enjoyed this book and thought it was a fun read from beginning to end. It's a short and sweet novel that keeps you entertained and chuckling while you follow the adventures of Oliver Booth in Palm Beach and Paris.

For even more on this book and the author visit the official Oliver Booth website.