The buzz is building around Sara DiVello‘s debut memoir, Where in the OM Am I? Picked as one of the best books to take to the beach this summer by Shape.com, Where in the OM Am I? also received a rave review from Kirkus Reviews: “a must-read for yogis (or would-be yogis) who enjoy a little snarkiness with their savasana.” It’s an irreverent, honest, and hilarious memoir chronicling one woman’s journey from the fast-paced, cutthroat corporate world, to the slow-paced, surprisingly catty, and sometimes perilous world of yoga. In honor of the new release, Sara chose the six books that inspired her to get out of the corporate grind:

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

“I was sitting in my office, trapped inside on yet another perfect spring day in 2007. My cousin Katelyn called me from her vacation on a lake in the Poconos. ‘You have to read this book,’ she said. ‘Get a pen. Write it down. Right now. Are you getting a pen?’ I got a pen, scrawled the name in my work notebook, and went out to buy it at lunch. I laughed at the opening paragraph. I read on. Gilbert wrote about the guilt of having everything you should want, but feeling empty. She wrote about wanting more. I’d been unhappy for years at my job, but felt stuck, mired in the guilt of having a ‘good job.’ I thought it should be enough that I actually had a job and could pay my bills. This book gave me permission to want more. I quit my corporate job eight months later.”

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn

“I found this book wandering through the aisles at my local bookstore. I liked the cover, I was intrigued by the title. I read it voraciously. Flinn had spent years climbing the corporate ladder and felt trapped in a job she didn’t love; I had spent years climbing the corporate ladder and felt trapped in a job I didn’t love. Flinn loves to cook; I love to cook. Flinn got laid off; I’d previously been laid off. Flinn took her severance package, and disregarding the ‘sensible thing’ of banking it and looking for a new job, moved to Paris and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu. I’d taken my severance package…and actually done the ‘sensible thing,’ of banking it (it was only two weeks of pay) and had immediately started looking for another corporate job. I still haven’t been to Paris. But Flinn’s lilting, lyrical description of the city and what it’s like to attend the world’s most-famous cooking school—not to mention the recipes!—made me want to do something that I loved too.”

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

“This book was the equivalent of attending a Bad Bosses Anonymous Meeting. ‘I’m not alone!’ I thought. I might’ve even cried. I stuck out my then-current job under Phyllis, yet another horrible female boss I worked for, for one more cringe-inducing year. Then I changed jobs…and realized I’d leapt from the frying pan into the veritable corporate fire working for my new horrible boss, who I fondly nicknamed ‘Vomiting Vicky.’ Like Andi, Weisberger’s fictional heroine, I eventually managed to gather my courage and quit. Unlike Andi, my book is one hundred percent real-life, true-blue facts. And that’s even scarier.”

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

“Kingsolver’s memoir of moving her family to a farm and growing their own food for a year was so daring and brave, so crazy and courageous, that the idea of quitting my job seemed downright doable by comparison. Additionally, the value of actually working with your hands—and seeing the results of that work—was something that I yearned for and had felt the absence of in my corporate job. Teaching yoga isn’t exactly the same as gardening, but the presence, mindfulness, and seeing the direct positive effects of your work are.”

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory

“Intrigue in the castle, sisterly rivalry like you’ve never imagined, and a real-life queen beheaded? OK, thankfully this was nothing like my life. But I figured, I’m lucky not to be imprisoned in a corset, let alone the Tower of London. So why the heck am I still imprisoned in this job?”

The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus

“Ah yes, another member of the Bad Bosses Anonymous Club. While reading about the selfish, devious doings of Mrs. X, I felt simultaneously delighted that I wasn’t alone and terrified that my real-life boss’s antics were often as bad and sometimes worse than the miserable mom Nan worked for. Like Nan, I eventually set myself free. Unlike Nan, it took me several more years before I finally got a rescue dog.”

Pinterest PS – Get a little OM time of your own by checking out this Pinterest board inspired by the book!

Keep an eye out during the challenge for bonus picks to earn more points towards the prizes. The more you read and the more you share, the more you win. Happy reading!

Without further adieu, here is stop #7 in the summer reading challenge, Where in the OM Am I? by Sara DiVello. 

More about Where in the OM Am I? by Sara DiVello.

Where in the OM Am I? by Sara DiVello

Setting:  We’ll “pahk the cah” and stretch our legs by walking the historic 2.5 mile Freedom Trail. A Swan Boat Tour around Boston Public Garden will be a welcome respite before catching a Sox game at Fenway Park.

Plot: A hilarious, heartfelt and entertaining narrative non-fiction chronicling Sara’s journey from the fast-paced, cut-throat corporate world to the slow-living, cut-throat yoga world … and the vast universe in between …

Here’s what people are saying about Where in the OM am I?:

• The Devil Wears Prada meets Eat, Pray, Love in this engaging, inspiring tale of self-discovery. DiVello blends keen cultural observation with a terrifically wry wit as she balances her soul-killing corporate career with the world of New Age poseurs…A great read for anyone who has ever sat in a cubicle, dreaming of escape   –Kathleen Flinn, New York Times best-selling author of The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry
• “When Sara DiVello tries to fold a yoga practice into her miserable, mirthless corporate career, she realizes even the so-called enlightened aren’t immune to back-stabbing bitchery. Raw, real and at times deeply, darkly funny, Where in the OM Am I? shows you a side of yoga you may not have known existed. If you think your job sucks, this book will be more welcome than an extra-long corpse pose at the end of a grueling class.”  –Jenna McCarthy, Author of If It Was Easy They’d Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon.

About Between Two Fires

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

The year is 1348. The Black Death ravages France, leaving fields and rivers choked with unburied dead and causing whole towns to disappear. Thomas, a disgraced knight, roams the land with a band of thieves, living by the sword; when they encounter an orphaned girl in a dying village, Thomas has just enough humanity in him to save her from his colleagues.

No ordinary child, this girl sees angels and talks to the dead. She tells Thomas that Lucifer and the fallen angels have risen in a new war on Heaven, that the kingdoms of men have fallen behind the lines of battle, and that he must now shepherd her on a holy quest to tip the scales in favor of good. Between Two Fires invites you on a journey that is at once a fool’s errand into great danger, and a violent man’s first, uncertain steps toward redemption.

About Those Across The River

Those Across The River by Christopher Buehlman

The year is 1935. Veteran of the Great War and failed academic Frank Nichols ignores a warning not to move into the home he inherits in the small southern town of Whitbrow; a home his wife calls “The Canary House” because of its fresh coat of yellow paint.

But there is another house in the woods beyond the river, an estate that lies in ruins; the once-magnificent Savoyard plantation, where a cruel forebear of Frank’s drove his slaves to murder him. Frank means to find this ruin and write about the horrors that occurred there, but little does he suspect that his presence in town will stir something that should have been left sleeping. Something with a long memory. If the people of Whitbrow have forgotten why they don’t go across the river, they will soon remember.

What’s on my iPod:  Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
What I’m reading: Watchmen by Alan Moore and David Gibbons
The last person I followed on Twitter: @elonmusk

1. Tips from a stay-at-home dad

Tim J. Meyers, author of the new book Glad to Be Dad is the perfect book for the stay-at-home dad. Tim is on Parents.com sharing his tips for balancing household chores, being an involved father and what wives can do to encourage their husbands.

2. For the dad-to-be

Hugh Weber’s new book Dude to Dad is the perfect book for the dad-to-be. Babble.com agrees by saying, “Hugh Weber’s insightful commentary based on his helpful web site of the same name — in which he helps guys make the coolest transition of all.”

3. For the Foodie Dad

4. For the fantasy loving dad

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman is the perfect novel for any dad who loves Game of Thrones. Kirkus Reviews raved about the novel saying, “Cormac McCarthy’s The Road meets Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in this frightful medieval epic about an orphan girl with visionary powers in plague-devastated France.”

5.  For the older dad

Sara Yogev’s book A Couple’s Guide to Happy Retirement is the perfect pick for older dads headed into retirement. The book has garnered great praise already with William Pinsof, PH.D., president of the Family Therapy Institute at Northwestern University saying, “A wise, optimistic, straightforward and practical guidebook . . . I highly recommend it.”

1. A fantastic debut novel

Andrea Lochen’s The Repeat Year was reviewed by Girl Seeks Place, who has this to say: “I hope this is just the first of many great works from Mrs. Lochen. This is a stunning debut and there is lots of potential for growth here.”

2. In your opinion…

There were so many excellent responses to our Girl Unmoored-inspired question of the week, which was “At what moment in life did you realize you were no longer a child?” Here are two of our favorites from Darklittle Dancer and Ashley Akaleistar.

3. One of the best of 2013

Jencey of Writer’s Corner reviewed L. Alison Heller’s The Love Wars and said that it will make her Best of 2013 list! See what else she had to say: “I cannot tell you how much I loved this novel! I loved the characters and the witty yet ironic approach that the writer took to the novel and the subject matter it dealt with.”

4. A sneak peek at next week’s book

It's time to “pahk the cah” and stretch before we travel to Boston and head off to Yoga class to delve into the world of downward dog with Sara DiVello's debut memoir, Where in the Om Am I?

5. Tweet tweet

Our favorite tweet this week comes from Samantha March as she posts her thoughts on Andrea Lochen’s The Repeat Year.

6. BookSparksPR swag

Don’t forget, Sparks, join in the conversation and tag @BookSparksPR, use #SRC2013, post on the official Facebook event page and be entered to win great prizes all summer long! Each Wednesday we post a new question (This Week’s Question) and announce winners on Friday.

Fleur Philips‘ novel Crumble is the Summer Reading Challenge book of the week! In honor of her second novel, we asked Fleur to share her top five classic young adult novels…perfect summer books for re-reading. So dust off these titles and fall in love with your favorite YA books again.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The murder of Ponyboy’s best friend gets under his skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A compelling story about a group of very ordinary boys marooned on a coral island–ordinary standards of behavior collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community’s Receiver of Memories.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This classic coming-of-age story portrays one young man’s funny and poignant experiences with life, love, and sex.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

A powerful saga of courage, leadership and survival; an epic tale of a hardy band of adventurers forced to flee the destruction of their fragile community . . . and their trials and triumphs in the face of extraordinary adversity as they pursue a glorious dream called “home.”

Pinterest PS – The Montana setting in Crumble inspired this gorgeous Pinterest board!

Keep an eye out during the challenge for bonus picks to earn more points towards the prizes. The more you read and the more you share, the more you win. Happy reading!

Without further adieu here is stop #6 on our list of stops in this summer’s challenge Crumble by Fleur Philips.

More about Crumble

Setting: Picturesque Kalispell, MT is located in the heart of the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Situated a half-hour from Glacier National Park and a stone’s throw from Flathead Lake, Kalispell is the very essence of Big Sky country! 

Plot:  A modern tale of forbidden love … Eighteen-year-old Sarah McKnight has a secret. She’s in love with David Brooks. Sarah is white. David is black. But Sarah’s not the only one keeping secrets in the close-knit community of Kalispell, Montana. Her father George, who owns a local gun shop and proudly drives a truck with a Confederate flag bumper sticker, hides his own complicated past.

When he discovers Sarah’s relationship, George decides to share his feelings with Alex Mackey—a lonely classmate of Sarah’s whom he’s taken under his wing. Soon, Sarah and David will graduate from high school and leave Kalispell for a new life together. Maybe they can stop hiding their love — and the other secret they share … something George McKnight — and Alex Mackey — will never accept.

Here’s what people are saying about Crumble:

• “Fleur Philips has done it again! She’s completely blown my mind with her latest novel, Crumble.”—Violet Journal
• “Once again Fleur Philips has blown my mind with her literary talent…Do me a favor and grab this book for a great summer read, then share it with your friends, local library, the nearest clinics, therapists, abuse centers, and anyone else.”— Library at the End of the Universe (Penelope Bartotto)
• “This is a great book to open up for discussion with your teen or with your friends or classmates…A very brave and thought provoking read with an unpredictable ending.”—All Booked Up
• “I was very invested in this book and was left with the empty feeling when I finished it–you know that feeling when you finish a good book and you’re not really sure what to do with yourself? Well that is the feeling I was left with when I closed Crumble. Fleur really wrote an awesome book, that I recommend to any teen reader who is looking for a book to shake up their world.”—Confessions of a Teenage Bookworm
• “Knowing this book was on the shorter side, I thought it would be hard to get attached to the characters – I was wrong! I thought in the beginning of book that the whole issue was interracial relationships, but Fleur added pregnancy, abuse and beliefs about fire arms. It was a lot to take in, but somehow she weaved it all in – it worked. The ending was a unexpected.—Ope’s Opinions

More about Lucky Me

In Lucky Me Meghan McGlinchey fails to forward a chain letter and the ensuing bad luck wreaks havoc on her life. She travels to Ireland to find the letter’s original author and break the curse — but nothing goes smoothly. Coming Summer, 2014.

About Lost in London

Lost in London by Cindy Callaghan

Jordan needs excitement, anything but her current ho-hum life.  She jets to London hoping to find an adventure; she finds one, and oh-so-much more. Over six short days she and her posh new friends get locked in a massive department store overnight, blackmailed into conducting a cross-city scavenger hunt that takes her to amazing medieval sites, and find themselves in trouble with the London police. As you would expect from a Callaghan book, LOST IN LONDON is face-paced, funny, and stuffed with quirky characters and lots of delicious desserts.

About Just Add a Famous TV Chef

Just Add a Famous TV Chef by Cindy Callaghan

Based on tween favorite JUST ADD MAGIC, Kelly Quinn and her friends meet famous TV chef Felice Foudini. It seems Foudini has a problem that only a secret cooking club can help solve. Are Kelly and Company up for the task? Like JUST ADD MAGIC, this delicious story comes complete with its own recipes.

What’s on my iPod: Fly By Night by Rush
What I’m reading: Inferno by Dan Brown
The last person I followed on Twitter: @LifeIsBeautiful

1. Paul Hoppe, author of the upcoming novel The Curse of Van Gogh, recommends The Fools In Town Are On Our Side by Ross Thomas.

2. Melissa Amster, blogger at Chick Lit Central, chose And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini.

3. Jenny Brooks is currently loving Amy Shearn’s novel The Mermaid of Brooklyn.

4. Gwendolen Gross just finished The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers.

5. Colleen Turner’s summer pick is Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole.

With all of the fantastic activity surrounding the 2013 Summer Reading Challenge, we wanted to take a minute to highlight some of our favorite bits from the week. From five-star reviews, our favorite tweets and the best SRC answers, we’re excited to share some of this week’s highlights with you!

1. Tweet, tweet

Our favorite tweet this week comes from Andrea Kruse as she posts her thoughts on Amy Shearn’s The Mermaid of Brooklyn.

2. Look who’s coming to the party

Hundreds have RSVP’d to the Summer Reading Challenge. Welcome Jessica Estevez-Henry and Diana Grote Shimizu who have both recently signed up for the SRC! It’s not too late, RSVP now!

3. An unexpected book that’s worth its weight

Author Fleur Philips’ novel Crumble – next week’s featured SRC book – was featured on Ope’s Opinions, which had this to say: “It was a lot to take in, but somehow she weaved it all in – it worked. The ending was a unexpected. Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.”

4. BookSparksPR swag

Don’t forget Sparks, join in the conversation and tag @BookSparksPR, use #SRC2013, post on the official Facebook event page and be entered to win great prizes all summer long! Each Wednesday we post a new question (This week’s question) and announce winners on Friday.

5. In your opinion…

We get a lot of great answers to our weekly SRC-themed questions and Annie McDonnell’s answer to this week’s question (At what moment in your life did you realize you were no longer a child?) was one of our favorites.

6. A book that will leave you hooked

Caroline Leavitt’s novel Is This Tomorrow was reviewed by  Hanging Off The Wire who had this to say, “I love this book! I love life in suburbia, and this plays it perfectly for the time period. This is a very climatic book. You will be hooked! You will be shocked by the ending! A great read!”