Books For Me

The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story by Linda Joy Singleton

2012-03-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

ISBN-13: 9780738734668
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date: 12/1/2011
Format: eBook
Pages: 38

Genre: Short Story/ Paranormal/ Young Adult

Review: Sabine's, a psychic, boyfriend's body is taken over by a Dark Lifer (an evil soul who "borrows" others' bodies to do their dirty work) to take revenge on the man who killed him. Sabine goes to the only person she knows who may be able to help... Amber, a Temp Lifer (temporarily steps into the lives of people who are suffering to help them navigate through their problems). Together, they try to save Sabine's boyfriend, Dominic, and the man the Dark Lifer is out to kill.

This was a very interesting short story. There is minimal profanity and it was an interesting read. It's only 38 pages so it was a quick read as well. The writing could have been a little more refined but overall, it was interesting. I think this story has a lot of potential. ;)

Author: The following is taken from her website: "Linda Joy Singleton is the author of over 35 books for kids, including YALSA honored The SEER and The Dead Girl Walking trilogy. She submitted short stories to magazines when she was 14 and finished her first book during a 2 week holiday. She kept stories she wrote as a kid and loves to share them in her school presentations." To learn more about Singleton visit her website at http://www.lindajoysingleton.com/ .

Rating: *** Three Stars

Currently her e-book is free for Kindle. Use the link below and hover for details.

The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story

It's also currently free for the Nook. Link below.

The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

2012-03-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

Genre: Dystopian/Young Adult/Post Apocalyptic

Review: This is the story of Katniss Everdeen. It's time for the reaping again where two children, boy and girl, are chosen from each of the 12 districts of Panem to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. 24 children go in and only one survives. Katniss and Peeta are chosen from district 12. They don't want to kill anyone, only survive. In the arena Katniss and Peeta make some decisions to save each other which begin a rebellion in the country of Panem. This causes a full on war between the Capitol and the other districts.

These books are written in present tense first person which is my least favorite writing style. I really don't like it. It takes a while for me to get used to. However, the stories are so incredible that I'm able to overlook my pet peeve and get absorbed into these books. I started reading The Hunger Games before Catching Fire was out. If you've never read these, make sure you have all three of them. The Hunger Games ends with a few loose ends but Catching Fire ends with a monstrous cliff hanger. It was horrible waiting for MockingJay to come out. What torture! I have read this entire series 3 times and each time I find myself staying up into the early hours of morning because I can't put the books down even though I know what happens.

Author: The following information is from Goodreads: Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.

While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.
Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part series, The Underland Chronicles.

Suzanne also has a rhyming picture book illustrated by Mike Lester entitled When Charlie McButton Lost Power.
She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.

The books she is most successful for in teenage eyes are the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. These books have won several awards, including the GA Peach Award.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

The reason I wanted to re-read these again is because on March 23 the new movie for The Hunger Games is being released in theaters and I am BEYOND excited for it!! YAY!!! Here's the preview:

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs By Molly Harper

2012-02-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Heidi Angell, author of Royal Prince Vince and Creative Exercises to Inspire, blogger of An Angell's Life and NFSBA. Heidi is soon to publish All is Well, the first novel in a psychic thriller series.

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review: In this book which plays on the vampire craze; Jane Jameson lives in a world where Vampires are out, but no one in her small home town would admit it. After getting fired and having just a little bit too much to drink, Jane finds herself on the side of the road with the handsome stranger she met earlier that night at the bar. This was the last night of Jane's life, literally. She wakes up three days later a newly formed vampire and has to adapt to her new lifestyle.

I will admit that in general, I am not a vampire fan. Of course I read Twilight, but when people ask team Edward or team Jacob, the idea of warm and soft versus cold and hard... yeah. I have not read the Sookie Stackhouse series yet (even though HBO's summer series is a dirty little secret of mine!) So, perhaps you will not agree with my opinion on this book. It was well-written (though didn't feel so original) and I found myself to be a little more sympathetic for Jane than for some of these Vapid Vamp girls in other books (not including the aforementioned and most popular). It just didn't do it for me. I really want to be a vampire girl, I do. (Mainly because all of my friends are. That is probably why I keep reading these books, even though I complain a lot!) I am just old school, I guess. I am all about staking vampires, not kissing them.

Author: Molly Harper started writing in third grade, where she reports that she set up a "writing office" in her parent's living room complete with type-writer and play telephone. She then attended the University of Kentucky and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism. Her husband was a police officer and after having children, she took a nice nine to five job to be home with her children. When her husband was working nights, she decided to start writing a novel. From that came the Nice Girls Don't Have fangs series, which was first published in 2009. Since then she has had three in that series, two werewolf-based novels, and one wife gets revenge on a cheating husband novel published. She has another in the Vampire series coming out this year. To learn more about her, check out her official website.

Rating *** 3 out of 5 stars.

Honor & Entropy by J.E. Rainey

2012-02-14T17:37:00.000-05:00

Guest review from my husband, Paul. :)

Genre: Epic/Fiction

Synopsis: From Author: Telly Brensen longs for his father, missing since WWII, and despises his mother’s suitors; and when her priceless ring disappears, this ignites his long smoldering rage. He hunts down the ring, maiming the thug who has it; and even though this frees a man wrongfully imprisoned for taking it, he is prosecuted into choosing between the Marines or jail. His choice lands him in Vietnam, where he carries out an act of extraordinary valor. This time, though, a gunfight with a jealous NCO turns a Medal of Honor nomination into a dishonorable discharge. Four years later, with reasons to live fading fast, Telly gets a tip concerning his father. He tracks down old friend Arthur Spevak, solicits him for backup, and sets off alone…for Borneo.

Unknown to Telly, Spevak is a tormented soul in his own right. Once orphaned, a sense of worthlessness sabotages his every attempt at romance, and in desperation, he, too, joins the Marines. When sent to Vietnam, though, anger at the world for driving him to such measures will not abate, and he becomes a notorious rogue – until the death of a brave friend sends him home with new self-loathing. By the time Telly finds him, he is living on a Chinese mountainside, alone, aimless, and broke. Now since they never crossed paths in the war, each is ignorant of the other’s disgrace, and they make an awkward pact. Then Telly vanishes, and Spevak reluctantly picks up the trail, unaware of how far the journey will one day take him.

Review: I’m not sure why I chose Valentine’s day to review this book as The author sounds more like Vonnegut than Nick Sparks, but since Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors I’ll let it slide. This is the authors attempt at retelling ancient epic adventures in a modern moral dilemma. I’m not saying Honor and Entropy is a new favorite, but it is epic. Epic in its length and in its meat. It is not an easy read, nor is it a simple plotline, it will require the reader to sit and properly digest the entire meal before forming a full comprehension of the depth of this novel. Although it may not be so applauded in all literary circles, I love the almost over-use of description. By thoroughly enveloping the reader in the environment the reader can fully envision the leftovers and fill in their own environment to become even more deeply attached to the story. The dialogue at times feels forced but at others flows from the story as if without it the story would end and collapse. In full disclosure there is foul language, but most of the story deals with the Vietnam era and the fall out. Several of the characters are War vets, and I have been around the military long enough to know that foul language is a part of everyday language. I did get drawn into parts of the story line, (the escape of the General), but not so much that I regretted putting the book down for the night. I attribute that more to the fact that I don’t normally read war stories than the skill of the author.

Rating: **** four stars

The Source

2012-02-09T08:58:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Heidi Angell, author of Creative Exercises to Inspire, Royal Prince Vince, blogger for An Angell's Life, a blog for writers, and National Foot Soldiers For a Brighter America, her latest pet project.

Genre: Horror
Review: The Source is an interesting and exciting book about vampires from another dimension and how Russian scientists manage to develop a gate which ends up connecting our world to theirs and dragging some of them here. When British spy Jazz Simmons gets caught investigating the research facility, a cruel KGB officer decides to use him as a test subject to see what happens when humans go to the vampire world.

In the meantime a man whose own scientific experiments have given him access the Mobius continuum, a sort of teleportation process allowing him to slip through time and space, becomes involved as the only person who can save Jazz. Harry Keogh's psychic ability to communicate with the dead will not help him in this world where nothing dies, but instead becomes servant to the Vhampyri.

I loved this book! Honestly, when I was reading it I had no idea that it was supposed to be horror. It rides a fine and exciting line between action/adventure, courtesy of the great spy novels of the 1980's; while dabbling in science fiction and fantasy along the way! I will admit that for the more timid reader, this is kind of a scary story, particularly because Lumley's use of description is masterful to the point that you can picture everything in your mind without ever getting bored with too many words. The concept of vampires existing in alternate dimensions is absolutely fascinating and far more scary to me than even the traditional Stoker version of vampires. (Though for most of us, these vampires are safely locked away in another dimension!)

Author: Brian Lumley is a retired soldier of the British military and is an avid fan of H.P Lovecraft. Early in his writing career, he followed Lovecraft's style of writing. His first love was science fiction, but he was attracted to the macabre. While still in the British military, he had several short-stories published and a handful of novels published, but did not consider himself a professional writer until his retirement from the military. The Source is the third book in a five-part series that spawned a massive following in the 1980's and 1990's and led to several other series about the vampires, a comic series, graphic novels, figurines and even a role playing game. I had no idea of any of this, but am excited to have a whole new series to buy and to read! To learn more about this brilliant writer, check out his website.

Review: **** Four out of Five Stars

Wednesday's Weekly Giveaways from around the Bloggosphere

2012-02-08T15:09:00.000-05:00

Do you have giveaways? Here's a weekly meme hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer that shows all the giveaways around the blogger book reviewing world. Check out the list below and don't forget to enter my giveaway of Venom by K.C. Grant (link on the right side of the blog). ;)

Gods and Fathers by James LePore

2012-02-07T07:57:00.000-05:00

Published by: The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880297
ISBN-13: 978-1611880298

Publish Date: 02/07/12 300 pages

Genre: Suspense

Synopsis: Nationally bestselling author James LePore has established a reputation as a writer whose vividly drawn characters and morally complex plots have kept readers up to all hours turning pages. His new novel promises more sleepless nights and more nonstop thrills.

Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

GODS AND FATHERS is at once a powerful mystery and a provocative international thriller, all of it presented with LePore's signature fascinating characters placed in dire circumstances where every choice poses new and potentially fatal challenges.

Review: I will be honest, I had a little bit of trouble get into this book at the beginning but, before long, I was sucked in.Matt DeMarco lacks fatherly charm and his relationship with his son is very frail. I love that he is flawed and 'real'. I also love that he shows that the love of a father will sacrifice everything for his son no matter how "tight" they may be. The characters in this novel are realistic as their lives get incredibly messy which brings those flaws to light. LePore's writing is fantastic! Sometimes during dialogue, I got a little annoyed b/c it kept going and going and I got lost of who was speaking which line so I had to back up and figure it out. haha!! I think that can just be related to my ditzy-ness (I'm making this a real word) though. ;) There was some strong language in it but it wasn't too often. Overall this was a great read. ;)

To read more reviews today then click on any of the blogs below:

Donna Brown @ Book Bags and Cat Naps

Mary Reiss @ Sweeping Me

Eileen Burmester @ Books R Us

Krystal Larson @ Live To Read ~Krystal

Kathleen Anderson @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Molly Edwards @ Reviews By Molly

Vicki Newell @ I'd Rather Be At The Beach

Inga Kupp-Silberg @ Me and Reading

Misty Rayburn @ The Top Shelf

Linda Smith @ Books For Me

Rick Rhodes @ Rhodes Reviews

Jodi Webb @ Words by Webb

Alan Williams @ Tontowilliams Electronic Scrapbook

Kathleen Kelly @ CelticLady's Reviews

Paula Phillips @ The Phantom Paragrapher

Dorothy Torres @ Alaskan Bookie

Amber M @ Sapphyria's Book Reviews

Crystal Fulcher @ My Reading Room

Gautami Tripathy @ Everything Distils Into Reading

Autumn Crochet @ From the TBR Pile

Cheryl "Mash" @ CMash Loves To Read

Excerpt: “Why can’t you stay at your mother’s when they’re away?”
“I told you, Basil’s worried about security.”
Though this statement was challengeable on several levels, Matt let it pass. The marriage six years ago of Debra DeMarco, nee Rusillo, and Basil al-Hassan, a rich and handsome Syrian businessman, had marked the beginning of the end of Matt’s long and tortured fight for a place in his son’s heart. Armed with the ultimate weapon—-her new husband’s money—-Debra had made quick work of destroying the last vestiges of Matt’s hopes. A penthouse on Park Avenue, a beach house in Easthampton, a flat in Paris, a “cottage” in Bermuda, clothes and cars virtually on demand, Matt had no way of competing with all this, and no way of expressing his anger—-until tonight.
“What about Mina?” Matt asked.
“What about her?”
“Why aren’t you seeing her?”
“She’s studying.”
“Studying?”
“Yes, studying. You keep repeating what I say. She’s a student. Students study.”
This statement was delivered dismissively, not sarcastically. You’re stupid, Dad. I’m tired of you. Why am I bothering with you? are what Matt heard, and it occurred to him, with a clarity that shocked him after all these muddled and painful years of effort and rejection, effort and rejection, ad nauseum, that he could not hurt Michael, that his own son was indifferent to him, and this was a blow, and strangely a release.
“Well, your friends are assholes, and you are too, Michael. You’re an arrogant, shallow asshole. Where you came from, I don’t know. But not from me.”
“That could be. Maybe Mom had an affair–like you did--and I’m not your son. Do I care? No, I don’t. Can I go upstairs now? I’ll leave in the morning.”
In the kitchen, Matt poured himself another scotch. He took the pizza out of the refrigerator and sat down to eat it, surprised to find that he actually had an appetite. Until tonight, despite the bad cards he had drawn, he had never stopped trying to break through to his son. It’s over, he said to himself, over and done. He’s not your son. He’s Debra’s son, Basil’s son. You lost him a long time ago.
He finished the pizza and was wrapping the garbage to take out in the morning when the doorbell rang. Looking out the kitchen window he saw that it was snowing heavily. Those idiots, he thought, they’re probably stuck someplace. No choice but to let them in. But when he swung open the front door, it wasn’t Adnan and Ali, but his friends Jack McCann and Clarke Goode, homicide detectives who he had worked with for many years, standing facing him. He could see their unmarked car at the curb, and behind it, blocking his driveway, a Pound Ridge patrol car, its engine running and headlights on, two uniformed officers in the front seat. McCann, a florid Irishman whose blue eyes were usually lit by some inner secret joke, looked grim; and Goode, a gnarled black man who never failed to greet Matt with a big smile, was not smiling. Far from it.
“Come in. What’s up?” Matt said. Then, nodding toward the street where the patrol car sat: “What’s with the uniforms?”
The two detectives stepped into the foyer.
“Take your coats off,” Matt said. He could see they were dressed for work, sport jackets and ties on under their trench coats.
“Matt...,” McCann said.
“Talk, Jack,” Matt said. “Is somebody dead?”
“Is Michael home?” Goode asked. He had not taken off his coat, and neither had McCann.
“That’s his car out there,” Matt said. “You know that.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s upstairs.”
Matt looked from McCann to Goode, then back to McCann; looked in the eyes of each, and did not like what he saw. “What about Michael?” he asked.
“We’re here to arrest him,” McCann replied.
“For what?” Drugs, Matt thought, good, let the kid get a taste of the pain he’s always inflicting on others. Him and his two Arab suppliers.
“For murder, Matt,” Goode said.

Author: James LePore is an attorney who has practiced law for more than two decades, and an accomplished photographer. He is the author of three previous novels, A WORLD I NEVER MADE, BLOOD OF MY BROTHER, and SONS AND PRINCES, as well as the story collection, ANYONE CAN DIE. He lives in Westchester County, NY with his wife, artist Karen Chandler. For more info on author check out his website www.jamesleporefiction.com.

Rating: **** Four Stars

To purchase your own copy of this book click on the link below (hover for details).
Gods and Fathers

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Flashback Friday: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

2012-02-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

Genre: Fiction/Classic/Adventure

Review: Let me start by sharing that when I am asked "What is your favorite book?" This book is always my answer. I have read this one over and over and over again. I had watched the BBC Robin Hood Television show and wanted to learn more about what really happened. So, I found this book at the library and fell in love with Howard Pyle's novel. If you go into this book expecting the Hollywood stories, well, you'll be a bit surprised. I won't say disappointed because I LOVED it! It is just extremely different. It's a bunch of short stories of Robin's and his men's adventures. There isn't a single plot that flows through the whole story but many.
I loved Robin's personality in this. He's so carefree and laughs all the time. Only a few of the Hollywood Robins came close to portraying his fun-loving personality correctly. This is an awesome book and I recommend it to everyone. :)

Author:He was born on March 05, 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware and died on November 09, 1911. For more information click here.

Rating: ***** FIVE stars

Venom by K.C. Grant -- Giveaway and Author Interview! :)

2012-02-02T16:21:00.002-05:00

Genre: LDS Fiction/ Suspense

Synopsis by author: Samantha Evans is determined to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of advertising. Newly hired by a prestigious ad agency, she volunteers to work on location in Mexico City as a personal assistant to the beautiful and driven creative director Katrina Edwards. At first the association seems promising. But Ms. Edwards seems preoccupied in a way that makes Samantha increasingly uneasy. In fact, many in the group seem like they are not being completely open about the project including David Ayala, the mysterious and moody photographer for whose attention the two women find themselves competing. After several strange accidents and numerous appearances by an unknown man, Samantha discovers the truth: not everyone on the team is in Mexico to create a stellar advertising pitch. When her sleuthing leads to her abduction, she is brought to the pyramids of Teotihuacán and comes face-to-face with the venomous evil of the South American crime boss known as “The Serpent.” Now Samantha must not only fight for her life, but she must also discover if she can trust the man she’s come to love.

If you would like to go ahead and purchase your own copy and not wait to see if you win your own copy then click on the link (hover for details).
Venom

Author: K.C. Grant was born in rural Idaho, but has made Utah her home for most of her life. After serving an LDS Spanish-speaking mission to Anaheim, California, USA, she returned and continued her studies at Weber State University, participating in a study abroad program that allowed her to study at the Centro Mexicano Internacional in Michoacan, Mexico. She has been a freelance writer for eight years. Much of her work appears in family-oriented magazines such as LDSLiving, Latter-Day Woman, Back Home, Parents & Kids, and Natural Life and also The Deseret News/Mormon Times. She served as president of the Bountiful chapter of the League of Utah Writers for three years and is also a member of the Association for Mormon Letters and LDStorymakers. Though raising her children is still her most important task, she combines it with the demanding job of working out the numerous plots she has for future novels. She and her husband of seventeen years love to travel and scout out new settings for books. While ancient Mexico was the setting for her first published novel, Abish: Daughter of God, which was released by Covenant in 2010 and its sequel, Abish: Mother of Faith, released March 2011--modern Mexico was perfect for her suspense novel titled, Venom, recently released in 2012. Other publications include short stories published in Covenant's seasonal compilations, How Will Christmas Find Us? and A Christmas to Remember, by various LDS authors. To read more about K.C. Grant visit her website.

Author Interview:

What book are you reading now?

I've actually started reading 'Jane Eyre' again because I found an old paperback copy in my mom's basement. My copy is a HUGE illustrated one.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
My daughter got me hooked on the 'Hunger Games' trilogy. At first I thought, "Nah, I don't know about this." But they're really interesting and now I can go see the movie with her when it comes out.

What are your current projects?

I hope to make 'Venom' a series where I focus on various drug issues around the country. The next one would take place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Definitely all of the people in my League of Utah Writers writing group. We meet once a month and cheer each other on.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Oh sure--probably a hundred things. That's why I have yet to read a finished copy of any of my books. When it's still on the computer I can change it!

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I've always loved to read and I think if you love to read enough and love to long enough you start to get ideas of your own and think, "Maybe I can try this."

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Well, I'll reveal the working title, "Deception."

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Trying to come to terms sometimes with what my editor says I need to change.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I think it's too difficult to have a favorite author but I love women authors because they were silenced for so long and to have the freedom that they do now, I find their insights and stories very compelling.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

I do like to make sure I have a good grasp on where my settings are. Because of the extensive time I was in Mexico, that's made these first three books easy. I've since gone back to California several times and my husband and I used this as an excuse to go to Canada a few years ago. I'll have to think up some really exotic locales like Fiji!

wacky question:Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?

I HATE spiders and so I'll get out the vacuum and attachment and suck them up. Trying to pinch them in a tissue is too close for comfort for me.

Giveaway: To enter the giveaway you must have a US address. Fill out the form below and you will be contacted in early March by me and will have 24 hrs to respond or I will choose another winner using RANDOM.ORG. Good luck! Giveaway ends Feb 29th.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

The Odic Touch (Thieves of the Odic Force)

2012-02-02T09:10:00.003-05:00

Guest Post by Heidi Angell, Author of "Creative Exercises to Inspire" and "Royal Prince Vince". Blogger of an angells life, a blog about writing.

Genre: Thriller/ Urban Fantasy

Review: The story follows Dusty Foster, a young man who, after his wife dies in a sleepwalking accident, finds out that he has the Odic touch. The Odic touch is basically the ability to take the energy from others to heal yourself (energy vampires). In and of itself, this concept would have been an interesting read. The author ups the ante when Dusty ends up attracting the attention of a psychotic cop and then someone starts killing people and draining them of blood. The cop decides that Dusty's wife's death was not an accident and begins trying connect Dusty to the serial killings.

This book is an indie publication and the editing (or lack thereof) really shows in the last 1/4 of the book. Fortunately, the author is a decent writer so it is stuff that a lot of people won't catch, but as an author it drives me nuts! This is Roy's second book and he is still developing as a writer. I started out intrigued (despite the difficulty of imagining a cop like Argo) and was pretty hooked with the story until about halfway through the book. I figured out the killer pretty early on (Darn my need to beat everyone to the punch!) and then all the red herrings were so blatantly red herrings (at least to me) that it began to feel like filler. There is a really graphic sex scene at the end of the book that was uncomfortable for me, particularly because I was not expecting it. I knew that was where the characters were headed, but up to that point the book just didn't feel like one of those books so it hit me out of left field. I was expecting a cut scene leaving you knowing they had sex, but not all the nit and grit!

That being said, Roy has an interesting mind. His creativity for story telling is definitely there and with some more experience he will be a top notch writer. If you are offended by language, graphic sex or like to figure things out ahead, then this book is probably not for you. If you are a reader who is along for the ride and you like books that make you think about the paranormal, then you probably will enjoy the book. I plan on keeping it, so that is a good sign!

About the Author: Roy Hudson is a local of Augusta, Ga. where the novel takes place, and is a student at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. He has published one other book, "Halloween Tales", a compilation of horror short stories to get you in the spooky mood. There are other books that he is shopping around and I look forward to what he has coming out next!

Rating: *** 3 out of 5 stars

Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb

2012-02-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Genre: Juvenile, Fiction

Review: Mo Wren has lived her whole life on Fox Street but things have changed. Her mother died and her father is left raising Mo and her sister, Dottie, all on his own. He decides to follow his dream and start his own restaurant in the city... away from Fox Street. Mo must learn to adjust to the new lifestyle as her father learns to trust the young woman she is becoming in this heartfelt coming of age story.

I, instantly, fell in love with the characters in this story. Mo tries to be mature while dealing with middle school life. Dottie is quirky and just a fun kid who, in her own way, deals with these situations by caring for old bottles or newts. Mr. Wren, who struggles with the balancing act of business owner and dad. Shawn and Carmella who welcome the Wren family with open arms but both have their own skeletons they must deal with. There is such a great collection of characters in this book that the reader just can't help but to love. This is the stand alone sequel to What Happened on Fox Street and I think that I am going to have to go out and buy that book now b/c this one was so great! I loved it!

Author: Springstubb was born in New York City on September 15, 1950. She currently lives in Ohio with her husband and two cats. She is also a mom to three adult daughters. When she's not writing she enjoys gardening, swimming and biking. To learn more about Tricia Springstubb click here.

Rating: **** FOUR Stars

If you would like to purchase your own copy of this book then click on the link below (hover for details). Mo Wren, Lost and Found

This was a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Collin's Corner: Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis

2012-01-28T15:27:00.000-05:00

I know that this is “Collin’s Corner” but today I am going to talk about one of my daughter’s favorite books, Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis. My daughter is four years old and we often call her Ronni. It’s not short for anything, just a name she was stuck with as a child when Collin couldn’t pronounce her name. Ronni is obsessed with two things – her father (total Daddy’s girl) and ladybugs. In fact, her request is that everyone calls her “Lady Ronni-bug”. Yes, she came up with that all by herself.

When we found these Ladybug Girl books we were so excited. There are actually several of them and they are picture books, so absolutely perfect for her. In this particular story of Ladybug Girl she finds herself alone with her dog, Bingo. Her mom and brother are both busy so she has to entertain herself. Of course, she’s Ladybug Girl so she can do anything! She saves some ants, braves a [possibly shark infested] pond, helps to build a stone wall and accomplishes several other feats as she deals with being on her own and having to entertain herself.

I love this story for my daughter. Ladybug Girl, also known as Lulu, is just a normal little girl who can get dirty, have fun and uses her imagination. I feel like imagination is such a huge thing and it needs to be nourished and developed, especially for little girls who seem to be growing up too fast. So, the fact that I found a book that does that while entertaining my daughter is absolutely awesome! So, as a family, we give these books five stars. Yeap, they’re that awesome.

She gives it FIVE stars. :)

Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz

2012-01-26T10:27:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Heidi Angell, Author of "Royal Prince Vince" and "Creative Exercises to Inspire"

Genre: Horror

Review: Welcome to the world of Slim McKenzie, a young man wanted for murder. However, Slim tells you he is saving humanity from monsters that look like humans. If you have ever seen Frailty, they totally ripped their idea straight from this book! Slim is a good guy, despite the fact that in his introduction he tells you he is wanted for murder. Despite the fact that he goes on a killing rampage throughout the book. It is okay, because he is killing goblins. Monsters who appear to the rest of humanity as normal people, but who Slim can see for what they truly are, just beneath the surface. Looking back, this book is part of the reason that I love the T.V. series Supernatural. Same idea! Vigilantism at its finest!

I loved reading this story, but when you sit back and think about it from a real-world perspective, it is even more creepy. As mental illness is on the rise, it is surprising that we have not had a serial killer yet who claims the same. At least, we haven't that we know of. In some people's mind, this book could be viewed as giving permission to kill those that you consider evil monsters, even if in a figurative manner. The symbolism is... disturbing. Yet, I love this story. It feeds on the Zombie fanatic in me. The deep down desire to get rid of Evil in Humanity by putting a monster's face on it so that I have permission. (Don't worry, I am not going to go on a rampage!!) And I think that is the reason that books like these are popular. It gives us that permission to be disgusted and allows us the fantasy of being able to do something about it. Take it to the next level and find the figurative way to "kill" the evil and you have a parable! Love it!

Author: Dean Koontz is a phenomenal writer who has blessed the world with such brilliant works as Shattered, Night Chills, Dark Fall, Watchers, Intensity and Fear Nothing. Having published over forty novels, Mr. Koontz is a master of horror and suspense. He lives in Southern California and works full-time as a writer. To learn more about Dean, visit his website at http://www.deankoontz.com/

Rating: **** Four out of five stars.

Sunday Says...

2012-01-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

"She refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn't boring." -- Zelda Fitzgerald

I love this quote!! A great message for kids especially. There is always something to be done. No need to be idle. We're not boring and can always make anything fun. ;)

What do you do to avoid boredom?

For more information on Zelda's works click here.

Flashback Friday: The Nine Lives of Chloe King: The Fallen by Celia Thomson

2012-01-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Paranormal

Review: Chloe is a typical girl... a bit boy crazy and acts like a teenager by fighting with her mom and cuts class once in a while. Around her 16th birthday she started noticing strange changes -- a bit cat-like really, including the claws. She feels alone with these changes and doesn't understand where they came from or if there is anyone else like her. She stops worrying so much about that once she finds out that someone is out to kill her because of what she is -- whatever that may be.

I started reading this book for the same reason many others did. I saw the television show on Netflix and thought it was really cute. Then, the show was cancelled after the first season, leaving the viewers with a terrible cliff hanger. My logical solution, "I'm going to read the book then." Like many books, it is very different from it's counterpart. That was a bit disappointing and in the first book my questions weren't answered. Also, the book is more sexual and has a moderate amount of cussing in it that I didn't enjoy. I was surprised that the TV series was cleaner than the book. That was a first. Overall, I did enjoy the story and want to read the next in the series to find out what happens.

Author: The first thing I learned about Celia Thomson while trying to find info on her is that Celia Thomson, J.B. Stephens, E.J. Braswell and Tracy Lynn are all pseudonym for Liz Braswell. Here is a little snippet of her bio from her webpage.She was born in England and has many interests, but I'll let you read more about this woman with so many names at her website.

Rating: *** Three Stars

If you would like to purchase your own copy of this book then click on the link below (hover for details).

The Fallen (Nine Lives of Chloe King)

Giveaways around the book bloggosphere.

2012-01-18T15:03:00.000-05:00

I Am A Reader, Not a Writer is hosting the weekly giveaway links! YAY!! :)

Don't forget Mark McKenna's giveaway that I'm hosting. The link is on the right side of the page. :) Check it out!! :)

Everblossom by Larissa Hinton

2012-01-18T14:27:00.001-05:00

Genre: Fiction/poetry/short story

Review: This is a collection of poetry and short stories. I was super excited to read it because I loved the picture of the flower on the front and I just had high hopes from that. As I read the poetry, I loved it. The poetry made sense and was deep. Some of the poems were deep and some were a little shallow but they were all fun. Then there were the short stories. I really wasn't a big fan of them. I felt they were poorly written and could have been so much better. They had plenty of potential and covered some pretty intense topics.
One of the stories was "Born Without a Heart" and I could totally relate to it... at least the beginning. I thought it would be something sweet and sad but then it turned into boyfriend girlfriend drama... again. These stories were just not able to hold my attention but I'm sure they're great for other people. :)

Author: Larissa Hinton was born in 1989 so she's 22 years old. She is from Virginia and is a grad student working towards becoming an english teacher. She is a writer, teacher and bookaholic and keeps a blog about books. :) To read more about Larissa Hinton go check out her blog here.

Rating: ** Two Stars

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf by Michael Mullin

2012-01-10T22:53:00.001-05:00

Genre: Fantasy/Short Story/Fiction

Review: We all know the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but very few people know about the eighth dwarf the other seven locked in the basement. Few people know of the important part he played in the story of Snow White and her happily ever after. Things could have ended very differently if it wasn't for this Dwarf.

I originally thought this would be fun for the kids but it is not a children's book but an adult short story. It is clean but it is still for adults. The ending of the story was very funny and I absolutely recommend it. :)

Author: From Goodreads, "Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Los Angeles. He is the co-author of John Skewes' successful Larry Gets Lost children's book series. In late 2010, he released 8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf, the first in a trilogy of alternative/retold fairy tales. He published two novelty Mickey Mouse books, and his screenplay Zooing Time was recognized by the WGA's Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college (two positions he found disconcertingly similar)."

Rating: ***** Five stars

If you'd like to purchase your own copy of this book then click on the link below (hover for details).
8

This was a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday Says...

2012-01-08T08:54:00.001-05:00

Sundays are my day to talk about whatever I want... a quote, an article I read... just something. :) Today, I wanted to use a proverb. ;)

This is such a great quote, right? Sort of reminds you of Thumper's sound words when he said:

It's good advice and something I strive to teach my own children. Do you have any great proverbs?

Young Adult Faeries and Fantasy Giveaway Hop

2012-01-05T20:32:00.002-05:00

This is a giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and wb32reads. Who doesn't like a good young adult fantasy novel? I know I do. A very good series that I came across a while back is the Trylle series by Amanda Hocking. Only, when I read it she was an indie author. However, she has now been published by a publishing company and I'm so excited to offer this. I haven't read the new edited version but I need to get my hands on my own copy. Anyways, I'm offering the first book in the series, Switched, as a giveaway.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

To enter giveaway... fill out the form below. :) Feel free to check out any other giveaways that I may be offering and... if you want more chances to win some free books then check out the links below the entry form and hop on over to a few other blogs. :) Giveaway runs Jan 6 - 12th. Good luck!

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Author Interview & Giveaway: Mark McKenna

2012-01-05T11:01:00.006-05:00

I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Mark McKenna, author of The Word Gang. You can read my review on it here.

Would you like to tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an old hippy with short hair. I’ve spent my life doing things that interested me: music, tai chi, meditation, photography, hiking and caregiving. I only worked enough to pay the bills.

Did you have to use a dictionary while writing The Word Gang?

I used three dictionaries. I own the Compact Oxford that Mr. Spinoza gives to Kalisha. I also referred to a dictionary given me by my high school, “The American College Dictionary.” And I own the big, moldy Webster’s that Sahmbaht buys from the used bookstore. And yes, mine is moldy, too. And the pages in the front are stuck together like Sahmbaht’s. But it’s still a great book. One way I test dictionaries is I look up the word “knot” and see what it shows. The old moldy Webster’s has about 50 pictures of how to make different knots. Very cool.

Have you had anyone like Mr. Spinoza in your life?

As a caregiver I was blessed to meet and spend time with many elderly people, both men and women. Each one of them found their way into the character of Mr. Spinoza. Also, one of my favorite writers is Isaac Bashevis Singer, the Nobel prizewinner in 1978. Singer wrote a story called “The Spinoza of Market Street.” It’s one of my favorites. So that’s where the character’s name comes from, along with the Dutch philosopher, Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677).

When did you first start writing?

They made me write in the first grade. I wrote poetry in my 20s and 30s and started writing The Word Gang somewhere in my 40s. I am a late bloomer.

Do you work with an outline or just write?

Often I have a general idea like, “There’s a kid who’s a piano prodigy on his way to play a concert and he sees a dying deer while driving with his family to the recital hall.” Or, “There’s a girl living upstate NY who comes home from college and something very odd happens.” (This latter story is called “Dead To Me” and it’s online here. Warning to young readers: It’s an adult story.)

With respect to The Word Gang, I actually dreamed the story, or at least woke up with it in my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and finally had start writing it down. I tell that whole story on TWG website.

Are there any authors that have really influenced your writing?

Scores of them. I read voraciously as a youth and still read quite a lot. Mark Twain. Isaac Singer. Isaac Asimov. Leo Tolstoi, my father gave me his complete stories when I was a teen. Margaret Atwood. Barbara Kingsolver. James Joyce (the amazement factor). Hemmingway. Vonnegut. Sigrid Undset. The 40s and 50s sci-fi writers. Dostoyevsky. Tolkien. C. S. Lewis (minus the polemics). Barbara Tuchman. Bernard Malamud, Saul Bellow. Philip Roth. John Updike, all the Rabbit novels. In poetry T. S. Eliot (what I can gather) Frost (the verbal equivalent of Andrew Wyeth); Wallace Stevens. Shakespeare. Recent writers, Matt Bondurant, Tom McNeil. I just read a quirky writer named G.K. Wuori that I really liked. Cormac McCarthy is amazing, the opening of No Country For Old Men is possibly the most stark and vivid writing I have ever read. John le Carré. Rumer Godden. Maureen Dowd. Seymour Hersh. There was a thriller writer a generation ago named Mary Stewart; she was formulaic, but quite good, wrote My Brother Michael. I could go on. It’s like a trip down memory lane, this list. Seán Ó Faoláin. Roddy Doyle. Hawthorne. I’m reading The House of the Seven Gables on my phone at the moment. Willa Cather. My Antonia. Oh, Herman Hesse. Under the Wheel, Siddhartha, The Glass Bead Game. And how about Victor Hugo? And Jean Genet. I read Funeral Rites in high school. Nabokov! Stop me. Stop me, now! Edgar Allen Poe. Arthur Conan Doyle. Growing up, I read Erma Bombeck in my local paper. An influence, no doubt.

Which was your favorite part to write of The Word Gang and why?

I love the stupid drunken argument that BD’s father Ernie has with Sally, the counterman at Jack’s Drugstore.” They argue over the word “discipline”—does it have eight letters, or nine. (It has ten, to save you from counting). Then they start arguing over the meaning of the phrase “a four-letter word.” I don’t know why, that section just cracks me up. I also like the climatic scene at the P.T.A. meeting and the TV interviews preceding it. They were fun to write.

What project are you working on now?

I’m writing short stories. I’m also marketing The Word Gang, which turns out to be a full-time job. I’m also thinking about publishing . . . something. I have a book’s worth of stories, a completed science-fiction novel (completed?) and I began a sequel to TWG, which is on hold for now.

Whacky Question: Do you make your bed in the mornings?

I sleep in a sleeping bag on a futon. Each morning I lean the futon against a wall and drape it with a colorful prayer rug. Then I carefully toss the sleeping bag into a closet and shut the door.

How to win your own copy of this book? Fill out the form below! I'll leave the giveaway open until January 30th because that's my birthday!! :)Giveaway is courtesy of the author.

A few of the favorite words given so far... :)

Unencumbered: free of encumbrance which is to be loaded to excess
Quotidian: occurring everyday; mundane
Succulent: tender, juicy, tasty
Splendiferous: splendid
Whimsical: playfully quaint or fanciful
Love: an intense feeling of deep affection
Wanderlust: a strong desire to travel
Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way
Yes, Win, Faith, Cool, Optimistic.... :) The list goes on. =o)

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The Word Gang by Mark McKenna

2012-01-04T10:00:00.003-05:00

Genre: Young Adult/Fiction

Review: Kalisha's parents were just divorced and she cut class the entire school year as she dealt with the home issues. Her parents didn't know. Now it's a new year and she has recommitted to school. On her first day she is distracted by an old man, Mr. Spinoza, in her apartment building and decides to help him get the groceries into his apartment causing her to miss her bus. She's late for school and learns she has been placed in a program called "Project Restart" run by Mr. Ralston. Unfortunately for the students in Project Restart, Mr. Ralston cares more about the program than the kids in the program and makes school miserable for the students.

Mr. Spinoza offers to tutor her in exchange for her cleaning his apartment. They quickly become good friends as Kalisha discovers a love of language and accepts a gift of a dictionary from Mr. Spinoza. She begins using large words in her class and discovers her teacher doesn't know the definitions. She has a defense and convinces her friends, BD and Sahmbaht to learn the large words with her as they try to destroy Project Restart.
This was such a great coming of age story as Kalisha learns from Mr. Spinoza what words she should truly value in life and which ones are really just superfluous. The author also wrote a Teachers' Supplement to the book. It has guides for discussions and writing assignments. The author does jump around a bit on whose perspective the reader is getting which is sometimes confusing. It is written in third person but occasionally there are paragraphs of first person in there. These parts did confuse me a bit but I finally got the hang of it and the story was so awesome that I didn't worry about it too much. There is mild language. You can learn more about the book at thewordgang.com

Author: I could never rewrite this as well as he does so I'm just going to link you to it and then copy and paste it here. :) Click here to read it from Mark McKenna's site.

How I Wrote

. . . The Word Gang.
They say writers are dreamers. In my case, that’s literally true.
I woke up one morning with the basic plot of The Word Gang stuck in my head. As the weeks passed I kept thinking about the story. It’s fair to say I became mildly obsessed. New characters appeared, new plot twists. There was only one problem.
I wasn’t a writer.
Inspired, slightly mad, I came up with a plan — I’d get my friend Steve Strauss to write it, or at least, co-write it with me. Steve was a writer. He’d published a book on billboard advertising with the wonderful title: Moving Images. I’d tell Steve the story and he’d be so taken with it he’d fight to get on board.
So on a beautiful California evening I invited him to take a stroll around Mill Valley. During our walk, as we dodged skateboarders and millionaires, I laid out the whole plot. My plan worked. He loved it. I swooped in for the close — and said something that still makes me cringe.
“Do you want to write it, Steve? We can split the money!”
(That sound you hear? It’s writers everywhere laughing.)
Steve’s answer was typical of him, wise and kind. “Mark, you have to do that for yourself!” Then he said something I’ve never forgotten. “To write a book you only need two things: a voice and a story to tell.”
Well, I already “had” the story. How hard could the voice be?
(Six major re-writes over about 17 years.)
After being inspired by Steve I did . . . nothing. For at least a year. The “I’m-not-a-writer” mindset put a wall between me and any chance of starting. No wonder they say you shouldn’t hold to fixed views.
The next step involved another friend, Paul Sawyer. Paul was a computer genius, having founded SlideTek, one of the early successful Internet companies. Paul had an office full of old Macs, some even with the incredibly fast FX motherboard. Wow!
In addition to being a caregiver, I was also working as a photographer. Paul offered to give me a key to the office so I could learn Photoshop I. He claimed that digital photography was going to be the next big thing. After playing with the software I told him, “This is just a gimmick. It’ll never replace film.”
But the SlideTek office provided my introduction to computers. The little screen was magical. It was like a color TV, only better. I could control it — or at least I’d be able to, once I figured out a few things. I remember spending hours in the Apple Menu opening and closing the little icons.
What’s that one do again?
Now, after brushes with .php and .css and tricky software galore, the simplicity of those early days amazes me. But back then I was in a transcendent state of beginner’s mind. The little Apple menu was like a magical doorway into a brave, new, mysterious world.
At some point during my explorations I clicked an icon and a blank page appeared. It was like an apotheosis of “The Page,” glowing with a strange light.
And it was empty.
That’s when I started to write The Word Gang. My reasoning was simple: I may not be a writer, but I’ve spent my whole life reading. I’ve seen tens of thousands of pages so I must have internalized what a page should look like. It will simply be a matter of deleting the elements that don’t belong . . .
Whoops!
It was a nutty plan. All the pages I’d seen didn’t help at all — even simple quotations were a mystery. Comma, quote? Quote, comma? Don’t ask me. This was the beginning of a long apprenticeship, but I had two things going for me — a great story and the stubbornness of a mule.
All the things that happen to writers happened to me. Once Laura Torbet, a friend and professional writer, said, “You have to cut a hundred pages out of this.” So I did.
Another time Michael Neff, who offers writing workshops, said, “No! No! Nooooooo! You can’t start a book with the characters waking up! It’s the most boring thing in the world!” (Neff uses a lot of !!!!!! when he talks.)
So I discarded my opening pages, pages I’d changed probably a thousand times over the years. Not an exaggeration.
All writers go through this, or something like it. To be clear. Or witty. Or handle tricky plots. It just takes time.
Although the Slide-Tek office marked the official beginning of my fiction career, in a way it began when I was only five or six years old. Like most children I was often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would usually answer, “I-wanna-be-a-witer.” Of course, I didn’t know what a writer was. It’s just that the adults would usually say, “Awwww!” and as a young manipulator, I felt I was on to something.
Now, many years later, I find I have become a writer.
“Awwww.”
Looking back on it, I realize I spent many years in preparation. First I had to drop out of college, become a hippie, hitchhike around the country; become a hermit and practice piano eight hours a day (living on top of a mountain with no running water and a wood stove for heat); work every job where you can be called “Boy!”; paint things, build things, become a photographer, become a caregiver and spend years taking care of some very wonderful elderly and disabled people, sit with them while they were dying; write a slim volume of poetry — and finally start writing The Word Gang because I got the story stuck in my head and couldn’t not write it.
I write about things I love, things that scare me, or things I’ve spent years puzzling over — laughter, odd glances, the East River, bright smells of spring, sooty overpasses with mysterious graffiti, a yard filled with trees that only exists in memory.
My characters do surprising things, but I have faith in them. I trust my unconscious, keep one foot on the gas and a light hand on the wheel. I guess you could say The Word Gang was my first big road trip. So watch out for the occasional french fry stuck on the seat and enjoy the ride!

If you'd like to purchase your own copy then click on the link below (hover for details).
The Word Gang

Rating: **** Four Stars

This was a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society.

2012-01-03T08:42:00.001-05:00

Genre: Non-Fiction/Historical/LDS

Review: "Verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom." Doctrine and Covenants 25:1

When I first started reading this I expected it to be very dry and to tell me the things that I already know about church history. I wasn't really expecting to get anything from it but it was a free book so I decided to read it. What an amazing book this is. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it again.

It is about the history of Relief Society. For those of you who are not LDS (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - often referred to as Mormons), the Relief Society is the women in the church. This book tells how the Relief Society started and what they did. It talks about how the women of the Church brought relief to others in need and how they adapted what they did to fit the needs of the times and the people. What an amazing history the Relief Society has!

What did I learned personally from this? First off, I started being "just" a stay at home mom in Jan 2010. I felt that I wasn't bringing anything to the family or to our home. I wasn't bringing money in. In fact, I am generally the one who spends it -- on groceries and such but it's still me. As I read this, it became clear to me that there are so many more things to a home then just bringing in the money. My husband brings in the money and then he presides or fills any needs that are there. I make this house a home. I teach my children. I serve my family daily. I am so grateful for FINALLY learning that and what a humbling, wonderful experience it has been. This is truly an amazing book and I encourage everyone to read it! :)

You can download a PDF version of the book from here and get a bunch of information on it.

Here's a video from Sister Beck, the current General Relief Society President.

Rating: ***** Five Stars -- duh! :)

Sunday Says...

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Okay, life is getting back to normal and hopefully my routine is as well. Everyone goes back to school and work on Tuesday so I'm trying to get back to normal this week... starting today. :) So, Sundays are my day to talk about whatever I want. This week I saw this awesome Dr. Seuss quote on Pinterest (yes, I'm one of those crazy people on Pinterest... I just can't help myself.) I saw it and immediately knew that it was going to be my quote for today. So, here it is.

Source: google.com via Erin on Pinterest

Isn't this such an awesome quote? I think it's the perfect way to say why it's important to be yourself. I call myself an anti-conformist (even though I have one of the millions of book review blogs out there) and I try my best to teach my children this. I want them to do stuff because they want to and not because it is what society or their friends expect of them. This is such a great quote!

So, what are your thoughts on it?

I reached my goal!!

2011-12-31T21:56:00.002-05:00

At the beginning of the year I set up a goal on Goodreads to read 75 books this year and I achieved that goal by reading 76. YAY!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Here are the books that I read...

Books for Me - Linda's 2011 book montage

Books for Me - Linda's favorite books »

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