Soccer Mom Knits

I Signed Up for the Chaotic Goddess Local Flavor Swap!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 22:36:00 +0000

I love swaps! I have been so busy with work lately that I feel like I haven’t had a minute to relax. So as a treat to myself, I will be participating the Chaotic Goddess Local Flavor Swap. There are still a few more days to sign up. Sign ups close on July 6th. If you’re interested in participating, sign up here.

I have already started thinking about some cool stuff to put in my partner’s package!!!

Book Review: 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake by Jade Lee

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 May 2015 23:54:00 +0000

I didn’t like this book at all. The cover was nice but the story left much to be desired.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

I didn’t like the main characters. At first Melinda starts out as a strong woman taking control of her destiny. She won’t give her uncle her cosmetic formula because she wants the money for herself so she can go to London and find someone who will love her so she isn’t stuck marrying her cousin Ronnie. This sounds good but several times throughout the story she says that Ronnie will probably be the one she winds up marrying even though she doesn’t want to. If she is strong enough to stand up to her family, why would she later give in and marry Ronnie?

Also, I didn’t like how she later is willing to give the formula over to a man so he can make lots of money and she would be his mistress. What happened to wanting the money so she can control her own life?

I also don’t like how she gives herself to Trevor when he is drunk and leaves when he is asleep and then gets mad when he doesn’t act like she wants. She also complains a lot about the duel that Trevor and Ronnie fought in the beginning of the book but then later makes a spectacle of herself. I felt that for a woman who was strong enough to fight for what she wanted – a chance to go to London to find someone to love her – she is awfully quick to give up on the man she loves and accept someone who doesn’t love her and never will.

As for Trevor, he is selfish and continuously refers to Melinda as being “beneath him”. He also caves to Eleanor’s suggestion and abandons her once they get to England. He also says no kissing but then keeps kissing her and being intimate. Even after he decided he wants her, he never has a conversation with Melinda to if that is what she wants. He just assumes to know what she wants because of the deal they made – which he convinced her to make. He should have known then that she didn’t really want the deal.

As far as the secondary characters, they were irritating. Her father was a jerk who doesn’t know his own daughter. Ronnie is an idiot. Her uncle is a bully. Eleanor acts like she is jealous and wants Trevor for herself.

I also don’t like how there was no epilogue to tell us if Trevor ever makes it right with his family.

*I received a free book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book Review: Kissing Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 May 2015 03:18:00 +0000

Kissing Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter was more of a novella than a novel. The writing was good. There were no errors. I loved the cover too. I wasn’t sure about the title though. There were not many mentions made in the book about John being “Mr. Wrong” so the title didn’t seem to fit too much.

I liked Vanessa and John very much. However, I did not like Jess, Vanessa’s friend, very much at first but I did get over that.

Even though this was a short story and there were some things that I didn’t like about this story (things I can’t get into without giving too much of the story away), I still felt this was a sweet story.

*I received a free book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Book Review: The Canterbury Sisters by Kim Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 May 2015 23:00:00 +0000

About the book:

Che Milan’s life is falling apart. Not only has her longtime lover abruptly dumped her, but her eccentric, demanding mother has recently died. When an urn of ashes arrives, along with a note reminding Che of a half-forgotten promise to take her mother to Canterbury, Che finds herself reluctantly undertaking a pilgrimage.

Within days she joins a group of women who are walking the sixty miles from London to the shrine of Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, reputed to be the site of miracles. In the best Chaucer tradition, the women swap stories as they walk, each vying to see who can best describe true love. Che, who is a perfectionist and workaholic, loses her cell phone at the first stop and is forced to slow down and really notice the world around her, perhaps for the first time in years.

Through her adventures along the trail, Che finds herself opening up to new possibilities in life and discovers that the miracles of Canterbury can take surprising forms.

This was a beautiful book. The writing was superb and the story was touching, funny and thought provoking.

I loved Che. I felt a deep connection to her. I understood her connection to her mother but also her frustration with her mother and some of the choices that she had made. I also loved all of the secondary characters, the rest of the “Canterbury Sisters” and I loved how they evolved throughout the book and how the author used the telling of stories of love to show each person’s character.

This book is perfect for women-for daughters and for mothers-because I think that the mother-daughter relationship is probably one of the most difficult relationships to understand. I think most women will enjoy this book because at one time or another, we all have complicated relationships with our mothers. Wright did a fantastic job illustrating that complication.

I have no criticism of this book at all. It was so good and I will recommend it to anyone who will listen to me.

*I received a free book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book Review: Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 May 2015 23:42:00 +0000

I absolutely love Jill Shalvis. She is amazing so when I got the chance to review Second Chance Summer, I jumped at the chance. I love the cover. I think it does a great job depicting Aiden. I also liked the writing and it the book was well edited.

As for the characters, I loved Lily. I felt that the author did a great job portraying all the aspects of Lily’s character; her pain, her passion, her love and sadness.

I loved Aiden as well. His dedication to his jobs and his family is well-portrayed.

With respect to the secondary characters, I loved Aiden’s mom. She is funny and doesn’t let anyone run her life. I also loved Jonathan, Lily’s best friend. I love how supportive he is of Lily and how he encourages her.

As for the rest of the Kincaid family, I love them. I love how they look out for each other and how they are a true family, regardless of the circumstances which I won’t get into here. Although, I feel sorry for Kenna as the only girl with all those brothers.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series and getting to know the rest of the Kincaid family better.

*I received a free copy of this book for my unbiased opinion.

Books & Bloggers Swap Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 May 2015 14:44:00 +0000

I recently participated in Chaotic Bloggers Books & Bloggers Swap. My partner was Emilie from http://www.emilielimaburke.com/.

According to the Guideline of this swap, you should send three books:

A book from your partner's wishlist.
A book you have read and loved.
A book you haven't read, but think looks interesting

Emilie sent me:

A Mother’s Cry.
The Fault in Our Stars
Elsewhere.

She also sent a super sweet Mother’s Day card with a nice note. Here are some pics.

Books 'n' Bloggers Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 13:02:00 +0000

I am super excited. Why? Because I joined the Chaotic Goddess’ Books ‘n’ Bloggers Swap. I am huge fan of swaps and I espscially love book swaps. I have been wanting to join one of Chaotic Goddess’ swaps for some time but just wasn’t ever able to so when I saw that the Books ‘n’ Bloggers Swap was coming up, I actually put the sign up dates on my calendar with a reminder. Now I am in the Swap and am really excited.

If you want to join the swap yourself, here is a link to the Chaotic Goddess Swaps Books ‘n’ Bloggers Signup Post

I can't wait to get my partner's name so I can go book shopping.

Book Review: Declan by Tiffany Lee

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 22:31:00 +0000

I received a free book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I loved this book. Tiffany Lee is an amazing author and I can’t wait for more from her.

I adored Lizbeth. I like that she is a paralegal, since I am too. I also liked that she is a survivor. She is an amazing mom and woman. I loved that regardless of what had happened to her, she wasn’t afraid to let Declan in. I admired her for not ever giving up.

As for Declan, holy smokes, he is amazing. He is sweet, fierce, loving, tender, incredibly sexy…the perfect package and just what Lizbeth needs so she can see that not all men are horrible.

The plot was well thought out with believable characters. The writing was really good with very good editing.

I do wish that she had elaborated a little bit more on the bad guy and their connection to others in the book. She told us some detail but never really clarified how that relationship had come to be and how it had evolved over the years.

I can’t wait for the next book and I love that the epilogue takes place seven years after but it doesn’t give away any details of the next book and how it turns out. I am really excited to see what happens to Sophia but I really hope it doesn’t take seven years to get it all straightened out.

This was a fabulous book and I will recommend it to all my romance reading friends as well as telling them to keep an eye on this amazing new author.

Book Review: Love Garage by Liz Crowe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 16:45:00 +0000

I received a free copy of this book for my unbiased opinion.

I did not like this book and I would not recommend it. I felt that the characters were very immature. No one talked to each other. The brothers resolved things by beating each other up and the couples just had sex. Even at the end of the book when they were supposed to have a conversation with the matriarch of the family, they still didn’t say anything. Considering none of the couples had a conversation, the “happily-ever-after” end seemed very far-fetched to me.

I also didn’t like that there were random sex scenes just thrown into the book, including a three-some that had nothing to do with the plot. This scene to me just highlighted how immature Aiden was.

I loved the little boy, Jeffrey. He brought character and humor to the book. Unfortunately, those were missing from the other characters.

I did like the way the author made sure that you knew what month it was and showed the passage of time. I also liked how she wrote about the complex relationships between the brothers and highlighted how different they were from each other.

I would have liked this book if it was just about one brother and his story and not about the whole family. It felt like the author was forcing the story to go one way when it really wanted to go another because there were too many players involved. If she had focused on Antony and his healing so he wasn’t so grumpy and could accept love, instead of bringing in Aiden and the love triangle plots, it would have been better. Honestly, because of Antony and Rosalee’s actions, I seriously disliked both of them and didn’t want them to have happy endings. I felt they were both selfish and didn’t care who they hurt in the process.

The author's writing style and prose is nice. She uses descriptions well so you can see the scene. Unfortunately, the character development was lacking in this book.

What I’ve Read from my Show Your Shelves Some Love Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 04:42:00 +0000

I took a week and a half off of work and during that time, I actually read some books on my To Be Read List in the Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge! #ShelfLove

What I read from my shelf:

Barely a Lady; Never a Gentleman; Always a Temptress; Once a Rake; and Twice Tempted all by Eileen Dreyer. These were really great.

My goal was the Purple Belt which was 31 to 40 books. I have read 5 so far so now I have 26 to 35 books left to meet my goal.

As for book buying, I have done really well and have not purchased any books. In April our local library is having a Friends of the Library book sale. I allotted myself $30 to spend at the book sales. They have two a year so now I have to decide whether to spend it all in April or divide it up.

My To- Be-Read List

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 02:00:00 +0000

I finally finished gathering every book in the house that I haven’t read and taking pictures. Here is what I will be reading in 2015 in the Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge! #ShelfLove

I guess I will work on a list but I at least wanted to post some pics. The total count….55!! I can’t believe I had 55 books on my bookshelves that I have not read yet. Now, I just have to decide which book to read first????

This only includes my physical shelves. I am going to have to work on my electronic shelves since I have Kindle books, BookShout books, Smashwords books….well, you get the idea.

New Year, New Rear Fit Bottomed Challenge!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 13:50:00 +0000

I am supposed to be writing about breaking bad habits and failing but I am not really feeling that. So instead, I am writing about the fact that I am participating in the New Year New Rear Fit Bottomed Challenge.

Day 1 Challenge: Pick a food resolution that works!

I am sticking with my no dairy unless it’s lactose free which I posted about earlier this week.

I have been lactose intolerant for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, I haven’t eaten the way I should for a long time. I am not sure what excuse I have except stubbornness. I didn’t want to stop eating the things that I like, like ice cream and cheese. However, this stubbornness is catching up with me between stomach issues and, as I suspect, aggravation of my autoimmune disorder. Plus, I sure not feeling well is contributing to my emotional well-being, too.

But 2015 is the year I change all that!!!

To get started, I bought So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt. I tried the blueberry yesterday. I really liked it. I have tried soy yogurt before but I didn’t like it at all. Not the case yesterday. I really like the taste and the texture. I will be buying more So Delicious Yogurt. And as a positive, I have coupons too.

I also bought So Delicious Coconut Milk “ice cream” in milk chocolate. This is heavenly. It tastes like a Mounds bar. It is yummy.

With respect to cheese, I bought some but I have to make eating it a habit because I am not super excited about the texture yet.

I got bad habits, bad habits

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 15:19:00 +0000

I have habits. Bad ones. I swear a lot but I don’t really care. I;m from Massachusetts so I just consider it part of my Yankee flair. I also peel my nails if one of them breaks or chips. I really should file it and fix it but I’m usually too lazy. I also think it’s because I used to bite my nails really bad for years and years so peeling them is kind of the same thing.

The worst habit that I have though is not only a bad habit but it is also pretty yucky.

I have plaque psoriasis. It gets pretty bad on my elbows and my scalp. My bad habit is that I pick at my psoriasis scaly skin. When I pick my scalp, I also lose pieces of hair. I’m okay right now because I have thick hair but I worry that some day that may change so I really need to stop doing that. I guess I should add that to my “taking better care of myself” goal.

What I’ll be doing in 2015….

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 02:33:00 +0000

For many years I made resolutions and then I never followed up on them so last year I had this brilliant idea to stop making resolutions. The only problem….now that 2014 is over, it feels like I got accomplished nothing. I decided that also won’t work so I’m going back to setting some goals.

2015 Goals

Apply to college to start in the Summer semester.
Make decision when it comes to work.
Take better care of myself by walking at least 8,000 steps a day and realistically add more until I am at over 10,000 steps; work on my flexibility by doing some yoga at least twice a week; after three months of yoga and watching what I eat and walking, transition to the Couch to 5K program; and stop eating things that are not nice to me. (I am lactose intolerant and have been my whole life but I still ate ice cream and cheese and then just put up with being sick. Now I resolve to stop doing that.)
Read some books.
Knit some stuff.
If I don’t get out of my dark place, resolve to go to a therapist.

None of these resolutions or goals are extremely difficult but I have been in a seriously blue place for the past year and I am being gentle with myself.

The only time I have been successful with my resolutions is when I quit smoking.

Another Reading Challenge…its the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 00:51:00 +0000

Since I have a Kindle I read a lot of books from my local library’s digital collection so when I read about the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Challenge hosted by The Book Nympho and The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog, I knew I had to join in.

Reading Challenge Details:

• Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015. You can join any time.
• The goal is to read at least twelve (12) books from the library. Twelve should be easy, that’s one a month. While twelve is the minimum, there is no maximum limit. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you.
• Any format will work for this challenge (print, ebook or audio) as long as you checked it out from the library it counts.
• Books can be any genre (fiction, nonfiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.).
• Crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed, including re-reads. The goal is to support your local library and save money.
• To join this challenge, grab the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Reading Challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads (so as long as you have a dedicated shelf and Felicia has created a Goodreads group), Shelfari (I’ve created a Shelfari group. You can join and post your progress within the group), or BookLikes, etc., for the 2015 Snagged @ The Library Reading Challenge. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Levels:

Dewey Decimal: read 12 books
Thrifty Reader: read 24 books
Overdrive Junkie: read 36 books
Stalking the Bookstacks: read 50+ books

Goal: I am aiming for Overdrive Junkie.

#FrostyVoxBox Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 01:01:00 +0000

I got my Frosty Vox Box from Influenster. I love getting boxes from Influenster. It is always a pleasant surprise to see what’s in the boxes. Influenster sends me a free box of goodies for my honest opinion.

This box contained Red Vines licorice, an EcoTools Hairbrush, NYC lipstick, Rimmel eyeliner, McCormick Thyme, No. 7 serum, Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Tea, and Rimmel Eye Makeup Remover.

The only thing I have used so far is the McCormick Thyme.

I use thyme in a lot of recipes like chicken noodle soup. I also use it when I make Princess Ivi her Thyme-Roasted Carrots. The original recipe came from Epicurious.com. I use the original recipe except I cut the butter in half because I find that with the olive oil and the butter, it is a bit too much.

Recipe:

ingredients

2 pounds medium carrots, peeled, cut on deep diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss carrots, oil, and thyme in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread carrots in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet; dot with butter. Roast until carrots are tender and brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes

I am a big fan of McCormick spices. I really like the thyme. It has a rich flavor and smells very fresh. It really enhances the flavors of the food too.

I am very pleased with my #FrostyVoxBox and I can’t wait to play with the rest of my box items.

2015 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 20:51:00 +0000

I love reading challenges so I am looking forward to participating in the Book Vixen's 2015 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge.

Reading Challenge Details:

Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015 (books read prior to 1/1/2015 do not count towards the challenge). You can join anytime before 9/30/2015. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
The goal is to read as many romantic suspense novels as you’d like. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. You can move up a level as often as you’d like but no moving down. Remember, the idea is to challenge yourself.
Books can be any format (print, ebook, audio).
Novellas that are 100 pages in length (give or take), as well as full-length novels, will count for this reading challenge.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
To join the challenge, grab the 2015 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge button below and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, etc., so as long as you have a dedicated shelf for the 2015 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge and yourprofile is not private. The point of linking up is to have a place where people can see what you’re reading.

Levels:

Civilian: read 1–5 romantic suspense novels
Hunter: read 6–10 romantic suspense novels
Marksman: read 11–15 romantic suspense novels
Sniper: read 16–20 romantic suspense novels
SWAT: read 21+ romantic suspense novels

I think I’m going to go for the Sniper level. Have fun!!!

Join me in the Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge! #ShelfLove

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:55:00 +0000

My bookshelves are overflowing with books that I haven’t read yet and let’s not even discuss my virtual shelves on my Kindle. To fix that, I am going to participate in the Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge! #ShelfLove.

The Guidelines

Abstain from spending money on books for one calendar year (or follow a monthly book budget).
Gift cards OK, audible account OK, but no buying extra credits (Rose!!!)
Encourage other challenge participants via comments, social media and emails.
Participate in the monthly posts. (The link up post will go live on the first of each month and be open for 30 days.)
Library books do not count for this challenge. This challenge is mainly for books you already own.
Netgalley books can count for this because you have the book, so read it!

No Book Buying Challenge Step 1: Select your goal

Yellow Belt —-> 1-10 books: shake hands with your shelves

Blue Belt —->11-20 books: pat your shelves on the back

Green Belt —->21-30 books: give your shelves a warm friendly hug

Purple Belt —->31-40 books: regular date night with your shelves

Brown Belt —-> 41-50 books: my shelves are now my bff

Black Belt —->51+ books: my shelves and I are going steady

My Spending Goal: Because we have our local Friends of the Library book sales twice a year, I am not going to kid myself into thinking that I will not buy any books. Instead, I am going to set a spending goal of $30 to spend on books purchased from the FOTL book sale only. I will either spend it all in April or October or divide it between the two sales.

Other than that, I will not purchase any other books this year. My shelves will be thankful for that.

My Reading Goal: I am going to be realistic for 2015 and aim for the Purple Belt. I usually read a lot of books. In 2012, I read over 300 books, over 200 in 2013, and over 100 in 2014. But I am starting school in 2015 so I am setting my goal lower this year.

To join the challenge check out Chapter Break's site.

Book Review: A Promise to Protect (Logan Point Book #2) by Patricia Bradley

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 02:07:00 +0000

In a steamy small town riddled with broken promises, one woman's secret could change everything.

Acting Sheriff Ben Logan hasn't heard from Leigh Somerall in a very long time, but it doesn't mean he can get her--or their whirlwind romance of ten years ago--out of his head. When she calls out of the blue, it is with a strange request to protect her brother, Tony. But all too soon, Ben is charged with a different task--protecting Leigh from the people after her brother. With Leigh doing everything in her power to avoid Ben, it's no easy task. And the secret she is keeping just may change their lives forever.

"A taut story of mistakes and betrayal, a mother's fierce love, revenge and danger--and the redeeming wonders of faith and love."--Lorena McCourtney, author of the Cate Kinkaid Files and the Ivy Malone Mysteries

"Old secrets, second chances at love, and a skillfully crafted small-town suspense. You will fall in love with Ben and Leigh and cheer them on as they fight for their happy ending. I'm making room on my shelf for all of Patricia Bradley's novels!"--Susan May Warren, bestselling and award-winning author of When I Fall in Love.

Patricia Bradley is the winner of a 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award and a 2012 Touched by Love Award and was also a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award. The author of Shadows of the Past, she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com.

*******

This book was not one of my favorites. I felt the story was not original. I also felt there were critical conversations between Ben and Leigh were missing.

This book was also very unrealistic. The author expects you to believe that Leigh went to college, then went onto medical school and got a job as a doctor all while raising a baby with no delays. I am not saying that it would be impossible to do this, but I think it would be very difficult and parts of your education process would be delayed. As a single mom, who had her baby when she was 19, I can tell you that it took me longer to get my degree.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.

Book Review: Breathing Room by Leeana Tankersley

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 02:45:00 +0000

AN INVITATION TO BREATHE: Catastrophe or no catastrophe, if you are unhinged, disoriented, suffocating, or otherwise generally dragging, I'm inviting you to pull up a chair at this table . . .

Breathing Room is a beautiful release of self-condemnation, a discovery of the rest that comes when we offer ourselves some space to breathe. Vulnerable and winsome, Leeana Tankersley shows you how to stop beating yourself up, how to be radically on your own team, and how to truly experience grace. If you've been putting on a strong front and yet are secretly coming apart, you'll find in these pages a trusted friend.

"Leeana says out loud the things we all feel, and she says it with grace and eloquence. Reading these pages is like sitting with a friend."--Shauna Niequist, author of Bread & Wine.

"Leeana refuses to reach for easy answers, instead leading the reader on a journey of accepting our own humanity. Quite simply, this is one of the most thoughtful books I've read all year."--Emily P. Freeman, author of A Million Little Ways.

Leeana Tankersley holds English degrees from Liberty University and West Virginia University. She and her Navy SEAL husband, Steve, are currently stationed in San Diego, California, with their three children: Luke, Lane, and Elle. Leeana writes about living from the spacious place on her blog, www.leeanatankersley.com

*********************

I love this book. Leeana is a real person and you can tell from this book. You can feel it in what she says and how she says it. My favorite quotes:

“I haven’t always known how to inhabit my own feelings. I haven’t always known how to let life be both hard and good. I haven’t always known how to make peach with the paradoxes and texture of life…”

“Let go of the lies on the exhale, so we can take in the truth on the inhale.”

“If today, if this hour, if this year has not been what you had hoped you can begin again…We must wake up and choose to live in each minute, each day, each year. Moment by moment…”

“We know it’s not OK to bully other people, but somehow we forgot—or never learned—that it’s not OK to bully ourselves.”

“The opposite of holding our breath isn’t inhaling. It’s letting go.”

“Show up and participate in what life has in front of you, in what God is doing in your life. Continue to lean in. Continue to open your eyes. Continue to scout the beauty. Continue to create. Continue to love. Continue to get well. Continue to breathe.”

Leeana reminds us of the most important thing….it is okay to feel what you are feeling. Sometimes when we voice our feelings, those around us tell us we are not “allowed” to feel that way because life is too good, or you’re too skinny, or so good at your job, or whatever, to feel that way. Leeana reminds us that you don’t have to justify your feelings, whatever, they may be. You can feel it. It’s okay.

Leeana is so good at encouraging you to keep going. I would recommend everyone who is going through a rough patch or has ever gone through a rough patch to read Breathing Room.

This book is considered a Christian book which is good. What I really liked is that it talks about faith and grace. I found it refreshing to read about a woman who has faith who still experiences sadness and depression and everything that goes with those feelings who takes a normal, healthy approach to getting through it.

I consider myself a Christian in that I believe in God and have faith but I don’t particularly care for books that tout Scripture endlessly. I want to hear from real people like me who experience these feelings but find a way to pull through it. So this book was perfect for me!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.

Book Review: Thunder:A Stone Braide Chronicles Story by Bonnie S. Calhoun

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 01:32:00 +0000

The Time of Sorrows is long past.
The future of Selah and her people is shrouded in mystery.
And the clock is ticking.

Hidden in the tall grasses along a shore littered with the rusted metal remnants of a once-great city, a hunter crouches. It is the eve of her eighteenth Birth Remembrance and high time she proves to herself and her brothers that she can stand on her own two feet. Selah Rishon Chavez waits not for game but for one of the small boats that occasionally crash against the desolate shoreline. Because inside one of these boats she will find her quarry--a Lander.

These people from an unknown land across the ocean are highly prized by the Company and bring a good price--especially if they keep the markings they arrive with.

Everything falls to pieces when the Lander whom Selah catches is stolen by her brothers, and Selah wakes the next morning to find the Lander's distinctive mark has appeared on her own flesh. Once the hunter, Selah is now one of the hunted, and she knows only one person who can help her--Bodhi Locke, the Lander her brothers hope to sell in the Mountain.

With evocative descriptions of a strange new world that combines elements of disturbing scientific advances, devious political conspiracy, and survival in a hostile wilderness, Bonnie S. Calhoun weaves a captivating tale of a society more like our own than we may want to admit. From the tension-laced first scene to the captivating last page, Thunder is an epic journey into the heart of humankind that explores how far we are willing to go when we're pushed to the limit.

Bonnie S. Calhoun loves to write, but it doesn't make her happy unless there are the three Bs: body count, blood, and blowing things up. She also has mad skills at coding HTML and website design. Bonnie lives in a log cabin in the woods with fifteen acres and a pond full of bass. But she'd rather buy fish, ready to eat and under plastic, at the grocery store. She shares her domain with a husband, a dog, and two cats, all of whom think she is waitstaff.

To see an exclusive video trailer and to get more information on the Stone Braide Chronicles, go to www.BonnieSCalhoun.com.

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I am not usually a fan of the whole dystopian future books. However, there was something about this book that I enjoyed. The writing was clear and evocative. The storyline was intriguing. The characters were very well developed.

What I liked best about this book was the interaction between Selah and the Lander. It was very realistic. I also liked the portrayal of Selah and her feelings when the mark appears.

What I did not like about this book was how many extra characters there were . It felt like there were too many names and people to keep track of.

Right now, you can get the prequel Tremors: A Stone Braide Chronicles Story for free on Amazon here:

Tremors was great because it did a really good job of setting the scene. I would recommend everyone go and grab this now and read it. Then, be sure to read Thunder and keep an eye out for the next Stone Braide Chronicles Story.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.

Deceived by Irene Hannon

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:43:00 +0000

A grieving mother. A mysterious child. And a dedicated PI who's determined to solve the puzzle.

For three years, Kate Marshall has been mourning the loss of her husband and four-year-old son in a boating accident. But when she spots a familiar-looking child on a mall escalator, she's convinced it's her son. With police skeptical of her story, she turns to private investigator Connor Sullivan for help. As the former Secret Service agent digs into the case, the boating "accident" begins to look increasingly suspicious. But if Kate's son is alive, someone is intent on keeping him hidden--and may go to lethal lengths to protect a sinister secret.

This was an awesome book. Ms. Hannon blew me away. I loved the main characters and how complex they are. I can’t go into too much detail because I don’t want to give any spoilers but Hannon did a great idea pulling this story together. This was by far one of the best books I have read in a long time.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a mystery with some romance thrown in.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.

Prescription for Life by Richard Furman, MD FACS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 01:36:00 +0000

Vascular surgeon gives readers medically sound strategies and tools to avoid prevalent health problems like heart disease, cancer, and dementia--and to turn back the clock on their physiological age to live younger longer.

This was an interesting book. Dr. Furman is obviously very passionate about his work as well as very knowledgeable. This book was great because it described a lot of information such as how the heart works, what can cause strokes, and most importantly, how your diet and exercise can limit the risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. He also emphasized how healthy eating and exercise can prolong your life.

What I like about this book is how it gives some great ideas for food and your diet. He also gives great ideas for exercise, even for couch potatoes. He also does a good job in showing the effect certain foods have on your body. He suggests you stop eating those foods altogether which for some may be very difficult.

This book was very informative and I feel energized to put what I learned into effect.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.

Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll….Sort Of

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:25:00 +0000

I recently read a post on BlogHer by PurpleClover entitled “I Gave My Daughter Her First Joint”. Here’s a brief synopsis: Mom provides her 14 year old with her first joint rolled from Dad’s stash. Daughter takes it to friend’s house to share. Mom continues to provide 14 year old with pot.

There were a ton of comments on this post and it got me thinking about my daughter, who is now 18, and how I feel about pot and her.

I understand a lot of people commenting have bigger problems with this post than the fact that she “let” her daughter smoke pot but I don’t want to get into those. I likely share some of those opinions myself. These are just thoughts I have on sex, drugs, alcohol and teenagers in my experience.

I’ve always been the type of mom who doesn’t bury my head in the sand when it comes to my kid’s behavior. I know she is going to have sex which is why we had the safe sex conversation when she was about 11 and I would randomly start the discussion whenever I felt it had been too long since I had brought it up. I knew she was going to drink alcohol which is why I would make sure she understood to never drink and drive and if she found herself in a situation where she needed me, to call me, even if she was drunk as a skunk. I also knew she was going to have friends that drank and I made sure I told her to never get in a car with someone who was driving after drinking.

I have always tried to encourage her not to smoke cigarettes or pot. Cigarettes because they are poison and disgusting. I used to smoke so I know what I am talking about. But mainly, I encouraged her not to do these things because she has asthma and asthma and smoking don’t mix. I know she smoked a cigarette with a friend when she was in 9th grade. She didn’t like it. I don’t think she has smoked pot but I could be wrong.

I think if she didn’t have asthma, I would be the type of mom who would recognize that it is hypocritical of me to say that she cannot smoke pot. I did. In fact, I was 13 when my brother, 18 months older than me and oh so much cooler, gave me my first joint. I smoked pot until I was a junior in high school. I stopped because a boyfriend let me smoke a laced joint and I did not react well to it. At that point, my brother was out of the house and living his own life so I didn’t have him to watch out for me and make sure I was not getting pot from shady dudes. After that incident, I realized that I didn’t know for certain what I was smoke and it wasn’t worth it to me to continue smoking.

I would, however, encourage her to wait until she was older to smoke pot and I would also have to set some ground rules like not sharing pot with her friends because her friends’ parents may not feel the same way as me. Also, I would worry about her smoking pot away from home because I know what it feels like to wake up in the morning beside some guy and having very fuzzy memories of how I got there.

I found that being open with her and explaining to her how it made me feel (out of control) and stupid decisions I had made while under the influence (with guys, mainly) and the shame I felt after being with a guy while under the influence, this had a bigger impact on her than just telling her not to do it.

I don’t have access to pot as an adult so obviously, I couldn’t provide it to her but if she wanted to get it, I would talk to her to make sure she is getting from someone she trusts. I would also want her to smoke it at home so I would know if there was something wrong.

I know that pot is being legalized in a lot of places. I don’t have any particular opinion on that. Actually, I feel that the government has more important things to spend their money on, like ending homelessness, than worrying about whether people are smoking pot. The problem I have with people who smoke pot is when that interferes with their life. If they aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing, at work, at home, as students or parents or whatever, then I have a problem with pot. I also have a problem with people saying they “need” to smoke pot to relax. That is like someone saying “I need a few drinks every night to relax.” I think when it gets to that point, you can consider yourself an addict and I have a problem with addiction. Addiction makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do.

Thankfully, I was never faced with this situation where I had to outright “condone” any sort of pot smoking. My baby is an adult now, but I would like to think that the lessons I taught her about drugs, alcohol and sex, stayed with her and whatever choices she chooses to make, she makes smart ones that are right for her.

My only comment to other parents who criticize this mom for condoning pot smoking is: Be careful not to be a hypocrite. If you smoked pot when you were young and you turned out fine, is it right to say outright that your kid cannot do it?

Please know that I am not saying you should tell your kid it is okay to smoke pot, if that is not how you feel.

What I am saying is that sometimes honesty helps. Admitting to your kid that you smoked pot when you were in high school but that you didn’t like how it made you feel, or what you did when you were stoned, or whatever you want to share with them, may be a better alternative to getting your kids to “just say no.” Kids are smart and they respect honesty so be honest with them.

Book Review: Kate’s Escape from the Billable Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:43:00 +0000

Kate's Escape from the Billable Hour by Petula Parker is a great book.

Having been a paralegal for the past 16+ years, I found this book to be a lot of fun to read. Anyone working in the legal field and familiar with "Big "Law" firms and the never-ending need for more billable hours, will find a lot of humor in this book. However, this book is so fun it is for everyone, not just those of us slogging it out in the legal field.

This book is for those people with a first crush they can't move on from and those of us stuck in a job we hate who ask “what am I going to be when I grow up” and “is this really all there is”. This is also perfect for people who love a lot of humor in their books.

I found this book to be particularly funny because it made me remember working for an attorney who used to lecture us to bring a file into the bathroom with us so we could count it as billable time.

The cover of this book is cute although maybe the suitcase should be a little bigger to more accurately reflect the baggage we all carry. The book was also well written and well edited.

Disclosure: I received a free book in exchange for my unbiased review contained herein.