I was a very lucky girl this Christmas. I was given several books and I’m looking forward to reading all of them. Some have been on my wishlist for quite a while so I was so happy to get them this year!
In the Shadow of the Ark by Anne Provoost
The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing by Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards
The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice [Oh, how I love polygamy books!]
Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses by Claire Dederer
Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color by Nina G. Jablonski
The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse
The Science of Yoga by William J. Broad
Indian Cooking Unfolded by Raghavan Iyer
This Land Was Made For You and Me (But Mostly Me) by Bruce McCall and David Letterman
I also got some really fun book related gifts:
Invisible Book Shelf
Barnes and Noble gift card
A really cool bookmark that not only marks your page but marks the exact spot on the page where you left off!
What books and/or bookish gifts did you receive this holiday season? What are you favorites?
January 2nd, 2014 in
Books |
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The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats by Constance Corcoran Wilson
Publisher: Quad Cities Press
Release Date: October 22, 2013
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is a rhyming children’s book with a moral about not judging others based on stereotypes. I think that is a great lesson; however, I didn’t think that the story made that much sense. Maybe if the story didn’t have to rhyme the author could have fleshed it out more. The moral was clear because it was spelled out but the story leading up to the moral was fuzzy.
The illustrations were fun and colorful. Each page was bordered with festive Christmas lights which actually seemed to be the only thing that made this a Christmas book. Overall, this book was meh.
I received this book courtesy of Virtual Author Book Tours. You can check out the other tour stops here:
Daddy Blogger Dec 1 Live Video Interview
So Many Precious Books Dec 2 Review & Giveaway
Deal Sharing Aunt Dec 2 Review
Daddy Blogger Dec 3 Review
Mrs. Mommy Booknerds Dec 3 Review
Joy Story Dec 3 Review
Saving For Six Dec 4 Review
Rhodes Review Dec 5 Review & Giveaway
Sincerely Stacie Dec 6 Review
VW Stitcher Dec 9 Review
Books, Books & More Books Dec 10 Review
Jolly Blogger Dec 10 Review
Practical Frugality Dec 11 Review & Giveaway
The News in Books Dec 11 Review
The News in Books Dec 16 Interview
The Crypto-Capers Review Dec 12 Review
Stories from Unknown Authors Dec 12 Live Interview at 1 pm EST
Carole Rae Random Ramblings Dec 13 Review
Little Lovely Books Dec 13 Review
Bea’s Book Nook Dec 16 Review & Giveaway
Identity Discovery Dec 16 Review
Reviewing Novels on Line Dec 17 Review
Manic Mama of 2 Dec 17 Review
Hott Books Dec 18 Review
Laura’s Reviews Dec 18 Review
Sweeps for Bloggers Dec 19 Review & Giveaway
Allison’s Book Bag Dec 20 Review Allison’s Book Bag Dec 19 Interview
Sweet Southern Home Dec 23 Review
December 24th, 2013 in
Uncategorized |
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Starry Night: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Release Date: October 8, 2013
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.
Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a megabestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.
Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.
I chose this book because I wanted a light, fluffy Christmas romance to put me in the Christmas spirit. I can totally be down with some cheesiness around the holiday season. However, this book didn’t hit the spot for me. It was too sweet, too cheesy, just a little too much of everything I wanted. At the same time, I thought Christmas played too small a part in it. It was set in November and December so the atmosphere was cold and wintery but Christmas wasn’t actually mentioned that much.
The story felt rushed. It’s a short book, at just over 200 pages with a pretty big font and mass market paperback sized pages. I think if the author would have spent some more time developing the relationship between Finn and Carrie I would have like it better. They spent way to much time just talking and playing cards. Also, I should have looked into this author more before choosing a book by her – I didn’t realize her books are so chaste. I like some steam with my cheesy romance!
If you like to keep it clean, short and sweet then this may be the book for you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it.
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine.)
December 3rd, 2013 in
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Wishin’ and Hopin’: A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: 2009
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
It is 1964. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and ten-year-old Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy. But there are several things young Felix can depend on: the birds and bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’s never going to forget.
This book is being touted as a Christmas story but it’s more than just that. It’s about life for kids in a parochial school in the 1960s. There are tons of cultural references – if you grew up in the 60s, I think you’ll enjoy the trip down memory lane.
The characters are familiar archetypes . Felix is a sweet, naive boy who is trying (and failing) to be as worldly as his best friend Lonny. Lonny is a tough kid, from a poor family. There’s also Rosalie, a snotty teacher’s pet who Felix despises. Then there are characters who are new and funny, like girl whose family has just moved to the small town from Russia. And the French Canadian replacement teacher who is just trying to put on a fancy Christmas show with the best of intentions.
Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a cute and funny story. It’s great if you’re in the mood for a quick little holiday read.
Buy this book at:
Amazon
Powell’s Books
December 2nd, 2013 in
Books |
1 Comment
When “Spiritual but Not Religious” Is Not Enough: Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church by Lillian Daniel
Publisher: Jericho Books
Release Date: January 15, 2013
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
The phrase “I’m spiritual but not religious” has become a cliché. It’s easy to find God amid the convenience of self-styled spirituality–but is it possible (and more worthwhile) to search for God through religion?
Minister and celebrated author Lillian Daniel gives a new spin on church with stories of what a life of faith can really be: weird, wondrous, and well worth trying. From a rock-and-roller sexton to a BB gun-toting grandma, a church service attended by animals to a group of unlikely theologians at Sing Sing, Daniel shows us a portrait of church that is flawed, fallible–and deeply faithful. With poignant reflections and sly wit, Daniel invites all of us to step out of ourselves, dare to become a community, and encounter a God greater than we could ever invent.
Humorous and sincere, this is a book about people finding God in the most unexpected of places: prisons, airports, yoga classes, committee meetings, and, strangest of all, right there in church.
Lillian Daniel is the senior minister of a United Church of Christ church in the Chicago area. I read this book because the minister of my church (a Unitarian Universalist church) told the congregation he was going to give a sermon based on it.
The focus of this book is the importance of religious community. Daniel has a snarky, sarcastic sense of humor but stops short of sounding self-righteous. She uses personal stories to make her points. The book is a serious of thoughtful, sometimes funny, sometimes serious vignettes. The UCC is a liberal Christian denomination, which is apparent in her writing and viewpoint. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to all. If you want to read a really good discussion of this book, you should check out my minister’s sermon on it here. Enjoy!
November 20th, 2013 in
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Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic by Mark Tatulli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: October 1, 2013
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Desmond’s world is full of monster magic-packed with detailed drawings of custom-crafted wriggling worms, goblins that spring from toilets, and elaborate slumber party ghost scares. He’s an aspiring special effects wizard with dreams of creating his own dark amusement park rides, just like the Mountain Full of Monsters at Crab Shell Pier he’ll be visiting on this year’s school field trip. But when Desmond takes his frightful pranks a little too far, he finds himself in trouble and his field trip privileges in danger. Can he clean up his act, while staying true to who he is?
This book is similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. There are funny cartoons throughout and plenty of gross humor that most boys will love. I think this book probably appeals to kids a bit younger than those who read the Wimpy Kid books. There are more cartoons and less words – I would think kids around 4th or 5th grade would enjoy it. Another fun thing about this book is that the cover glows in the dark.
This book is the first in a series. I’ll be interested to see what adventure Desmond goes on next.
I’m giving a way a copy of Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic! You can enter here.
For more reviews of books for children and teens, check out Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection, posted on Saturdays. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, you can go to her site to leave a comment and your link .
(I received this book courtesy of the publicist.)
November 13th, 2013 in
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Today I am featuring the book Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic by Mark Tatulli.
Meet Desmond Pucket–master of mayhem! Will his monster-y special effects pranks get him kicked out of middle school before the class trip to Crab Shell Pier? Or will Desmond be able to keep his monster magic in check?
Watch the trailer to see more!
Get to know Desmond Pucket, one quirk at a time:
Favorite food: Gummy worms
Best prank: the shrieking rubber goblin in the teachers’ lounge toilet
Favorite movie: Alien
Character you’d like to play in that movie: the alien
Name something you find scary: extracurricular activities
Favorite holiday: Halloween (duh!)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Creator of the most amazing and horrifying amusement haunted house rides ever
Favorite author: R.L. Stine. Oh, and Edgar Allen Poe!
Pet peeves: coffee breath and over mascarafied girls
Favorite person: my mom (shut up!)
Least favorite person: my sister Rachel
Zombies or vampires: Definitely vampires
What would you want to be written on your tombstone? Here lies Desmond Pucket, Professor of Frightology and Gourmet of Gore
I’m excited to be giving away a copy of Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic to one of my readers with a US or Canada mailing address. Just fill out the form at the end of this post by 11:59PM CST on November 20, 2013. Good luck and check out the other tour stops. Also, stop back tomorrow for my review. Here’s sneak preview – I really liked it!
Tour stops:
Monday, November 11th: Buried in Books
Wednesday, November 13th: Laurisa White Reyes
Thursday, November 14th: The Official Desmond Pucket Blog
Monday, November 18th: Geo Librarian
Tuesday, November 19th: You Can Read Me Anything
Wednesday, November 20th: Novel Novice
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: February 26, 2013
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.
I loved, loved, loved this book. Rainbow gets teenage love exactly right. There’s not too much angst or drama – Eleanor and Park are REAL. Both of them are misfits in their own way. Eleanor is chubby, doesn’t dress the “right” way and comes from a troubled family. Park is half-Asian is in a basically all-white part of town. They gradually connect with one another on the bus rides to and from school, over music and comic books.
I don’t think I have ever read a more authentic portrayal of high school. I felt like I was back in high school myself while I was reading it. I wish I could have been friends with Eleanor and Park back then.
You may have heard that some parents in Minnesota tried to ban this book from their kids’ school district. These people must be dead inside. Also, their main concern with the use of the “f-word” in the book. If your kid hasn’t heard that word by the time they hit high school, you should consider unchaining them from the chair in the locked room you keep them in.
I know this review is super gushy but this book deserves it. Love, love, love!
Buy this book at:
Rainy Day Books
For more reviews of books for children and teens, check out Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection, posted on Saturdays. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, you can go to her site to leave a comment and your link .
November 5th, 2013 in
Books |
3 Comments
Kitchen Cures: Revolutionize Your Health with Foods that Heal by Peggy Kotsopoulos
Publisher: Pintail
Release Date: August 21, 2013
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
In Kitchen Cures, television personality and holistic nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos shows you how to alleviate common health conditions with a diet that’s rich in flavor and nutrient-dense whole foods. Whether you have low energy, excess belly fat that you just can’t lose or are suffering from conditions triggered by inflammation, or countless other health issues, Kitchen Cures is a unique resource that makes the simple connection between food and how you look and feel.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle or follow a rigid diet regime for weeks. Instead, Kitchen Cures offers you simple and easy-to-implement solutions to relive a host of symptoms and conditions. In each chapter, Peggy explains the health condition and what’s going on, key nutrients your body may be missing, and top nutrient-dense foods that will alleviate those symptoms.
This book is amazing! It is jammed packed with information and Peggy’s conversational bestie-to-bestie tone made it a lot of fun to read. I like that it’s not a book that expects you to overhaul your entire lifestyle and diet in one fail swoop but allows you to make gradual changes starting with whichever health issue you’d like to focus on. You can read this book cover to cover, like I did, or just pick and choose the chapters that apply to your life. If you read it cover-to-cover, you may find that some information is repeated since certain foods and supplements are good for many ailments. However, this way of organizing the book will make it super easy for me to refer back to time and again. Which I definitely will – I think I dog-eared and/or highlighted every other page!
This book was also really well researched – there are extensive resources, references and endnotes included. If you’ve been wanting to incorporate healthier foods into your diet for health and healing but have been overwhelmed with where to start, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.
There are some recipes included in the book. I’ve included one that I made and enjoyed. These cookies are supposed to be energy boosting, mood boosting, stress busting, PMS and menopause busting. Pretty sweet!
Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies (makes 24 cookies)
4 large, very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1 heaping T almond butter (optional – I didn’t use)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup uncooked quinoa flakes or rolled oats (I used oats)
1 cup unsweetend, shredded coconut (I used sweetened because it was what I had on hand)
pinch sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, mash banaas with a fork and add vanilla, almond butter (if using), and coconut sugar. Add quinoa, quinoa flakes or oats, coconut, and pinch of salt. Mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop spoonfuls of batter onto sheet. (I flattened down the spoonfuls because the cookies didn’t flatten on their own when baking.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Buy this book at:
Rainy Day Books
(I received this book courtesy of the publisher.)
November 4th, 2013 in
Books |
8 Comments
Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast Food by Eric Schlosser
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Paperback Release Date: 2007
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
In the New York Times bestseller Chew on This, Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson unwrap the fast-food industry to bring you a behind-the-scenes look at a business that both feeds and feeds off the young. Find out what really goes on at your favorite restaurants—and what lurks between those sesame seed buns.
Chew on This is written by the author of Fast Food Nation – it’s like the young adult version of Fast Food Nation. According to Amazon, it’s geared to children twelve years old/seventh grade and up. One word of warning – the secret behind Santa is revealed in this book. Probably not a problem for the target audience of this book but it was a problem for my nine-year old. He reads above grade level so he didn’t have trouble reading or understanding this book but he still has a 3rd grader’s ideas about Santa so I was disappointed that this book gave away the secret.
Other than that, I loved this book. It really focuses on the fact that fast food is marketed primarily towards children, in ways that I hadn’t really thought of before. I knew my kids like McDonald’s because of the Happy Meal toys and the Play Places but I never realized how calculated all the marketing was to be geared toward children, who would then drag their parents and grandparents to the fast food restaurants with them. I’m so naive!
It also discussed the practices of factory farming of which most kids are probably not aware. I also appreciated the discussion of how they make fast food taste good – all the artificial ingredients and so forth.
I was hoping that this book would turn my son off of fast food but I didn’t get that lucky. However, I think the ideas in this book will continue to rattle around in his head and when he gets a little older his food choices will be affected by what he learned in this book. I was certainly turned off of fast food after reading this book! I highly recommend this book. It would be a great book for a family book club that could be the jumping off point for a family discussion about the family’s food choices – I enjoyed discussing this book with my son quite a bit.
Buy this book at:
Rainy Day Books
For more reviews of books for children and teens, check out Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection, posted on Saturdays. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, you can go to her site to leave a comment and your link .
October 29th, 2013 in
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