CursingMamas Not So Humble Opinions

Wicked Games

2011-12-05T13:28:00.001-08:00

Wicked Games by Jill Myles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An odd read for me.... I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about it. I liked the first three-quarters of it, but the last 1/4 wasn't as strong and almost felt as though the author had hit her page limit and needed to wrap it up quick. I'd be interested to hear what other readers thought and if this is standard operating procedure for this author.

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You do know that the "holidays" are almost here

2011-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

(sponsored post)

It should be unsurprising to anyone that has been here before that I am what is often referred to in the religious circles a lapsed catholic. What this means is that I was raised, confirmed and married in the catholic tradition. My children were not only baptized catholic but have also done First Eucharist, Penance, and attended catholic schools...one still does. But I haven't willingly seen the inside of a church in years.

When I was growing up everyone was something, attending Sunday services at one of the 8 churches in our small town.. Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist or Baptist...everyone went somewhere. Not being a christian was something we read about in english class (Diary of Anne Frank, Night...etc...), not being anything was unfathomable.

I grew up, moved away and met people who were not anything like those I grew up with.... and my eyes were opened and the way I think and the way I do things has changed. One of the biggest changes I've made in my way of thinking happens every year when I send Christmas cards. Before I wouldn't give a second thought to sending a card with a deeply religious message or one that included scripture, things have changed.

My initial reaction was to avoid the whole thing and stop sending cards...then I started sending funny card or cards with snowmen and nothing that could be remotely connected to any religion or set of beliefs...today I like to send photo cards that I can easily make and personalize with a warm message.

And this is where Shutterfly comes in...

When I was approached by Shutterfly to blog about their holiday cards & products it was an easy answer; it's a product I use, like, and happily endorse. This time of year you will find me searching through the stacks of photos I've uploaded along the way and those I've finally released from the camera card on a mission to find the best of the best for the Infamous (in my mind) Motorcycle Holiday Greeting. Best part is, I can get them from Shutterfly with my own personal, not religiously affiliated message. Yipee.

I have a few favorites this year, and if you know me in real life & are on the Infamous (in my mind) Motorcycle Holiday Card mailing list please act surprised when this years selection makes it's way to your mailbox.

Modern Pinecone - A nice presentation for black & white photos (I've got tons!)

Colorful Warm Wishes - A cute idea if you live in a northern climate (like me!)

Holly Year - A nice idea if you have a lot of news but aren't into the annual letter (Me Too!)

I don't usually stop with cards from Shutterfly, I have made & ordered a ton of photo books a great gift for the relative that has everything but enough pictures of their families.

A suggestion for those of you looking at a graduation party in the near future a couple of these featuring the graduate through the years are awesome at the party in place of the standard photo board - and then you can send the extra home with special friends & relatives (be sure to save 1 for you & 1 for the graduate!)

LETS HAVE A GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Nice Folks at Shutterfly have given me 3 codes for 25 free cards! Comment on this post before Friday November 11th to enter (1 per person/email please) and I'll draw 3 names from the magic hat so you too can have Shutterfly fun. Standard Contest Rules can be found HERE!

***As a reviewer I am occasionally given things (for free) to try out so I can impart my opinion about them, this would be one of those times. In exchange for telling you about (my real life love & usage of) Shutterfuly I received a code for my own 2011-2012 Holiday cards.

Cowboys & Mistresses Oh MY!

2011-10-21T07:22:00.001-07:00

McKettrick's Heart (McKettrick Men, #3) by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It doesn't seem to matter that this installment in the McKettrick Men uses an abundance of an oft used plot devices to move this story forward, I still loved this story! Almost every possible, slightly plausible plot element is in here (divorce, custody battles, cancer, mistresses, death bed decrees, blackmail...the list goes on!)and somehow Linda Lael Miller not only kept them tied together but did it all in a way that I never rolled my eyes once.

View all my reviews

The Cowboys just keep riding through!

2011-10-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

McKettrick's Pride (McKettrick Men, #2) by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another day, another cowboy. The 2nd in the McKettrick Men (which is in the middle of the McKettrick's series) features the very proud Rance McKettrick, Echo (not her real name)Wells, along with Rance's daughters and his former MIL. Unlike Jesse (McKettrick's Luck) the widower Rance McKettrick is a business force to be reckoned with at multi-billion dollar McKettrickco even if it means sacrificing a relationship with his daughters and possibly another chance at love.

View all my reviews

Heh - I'm Reading Cowboy Books Now

2011-10-11T10:46:00.001-07:00

McKettrick's Luck (McKettrick Men, #1) by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Apparently I'm now on a "Cowboy Kick". Picked up the McKettrick Men bundle from B&N as a relaxing vacation read and am thoroughly enjoying these. Suspended disbelief is required a bit and I don't recall a single reference to spurs... but it was a quick,fun read and I am happily on to the second, nope... third.

View all my reviews

Reviewing: Fatal Judgement

2011-10-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Fatal Judgment: A Novel by Irene Hannon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A little preachy for my taste, but a well written and enjoyable story otherwise.

View all my reviews

Sometimes Summer Reading Has A Purpose

2011-06-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Title: Girls Like Us: Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not for Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself
Author:Rachel Lloyd
Publisher: Harper
Genre: NonFiction
Pages: 288 (hardcover)
On Sale: April 1, 2011

Indiebound Link

Authors Website

Synopsis:

A deeply moving story by a survivor of the commercial sex industry who has devoted her career to activism and helping other young girls escape "the life"

At thirteen, Rachel Lloyd found herself caught up in a world of pain and abuse, struggling to survive as a child with no responsible adults to support her. Vulnerable yet tough, she eventually ended up a victim of commercial sexual exploitation. It took time and incredible resilience, but finally, with the help of a local church community, she broke free of her pimp and her past.

Three years later, Lloyd arrived in the United States to work with adult women in the sex industry and soon founded her own nonprofit—GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services—to meet the needs of other girls with her history. She also earned her GED and won full scholarships to college and a graduate program. Today Lloyd is executive director of GEMS in New York City and has turned it into one of the nation's most groundbreaking nonprofit organizations.

In Girls Like Us, Lloyd reveals the dark, secretive world of her past in stunning cinematic detail. And, with great humanity, she lovingly shares the stories of the girls whose lives she has helped—small victories that have healed her wounds and made her whole. Revelatory, authentic, and brave, Girls Like Us is an unforgettable memoir.

My Take:

A profoundly difficult book to read; not because there is anything wrong with the writing, its presentation or it's organization, in every regard those elements are top notch, but the subject is one that tore at my heart and my soul. With every page I read I forced myself to understand how we as a society are failing some of our most vulnerable citizens and took to hear the things I can do to affect the change needed to protect the innocent victims and punish those who are the true villains. This is a book I recommend to everyone, including the health & religion teachers at the high school.... the kids need to read this too.

It's Still Summer Reading Time!

2011-06-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Title: The Summer We Came To Life
Author: Deborah Cloyed
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 320 (Paperback)
On Sale: May 31, 2011

Indiebound Link

Authors Website

Synopsis:

Every summer, Samantha Wheland joins her childhood friends—Isabel, Kendra and Mina—on a vacation, somewhere exotic and fabulous. Together with their mixed bag of parents, they've created a lifetime of memories. This year it's a beach house in Honduras. But for the first time, their clan is not complete. Mina lost her battle against cancer six months ago, and the friends she left behind are still struggling to find their way forward without her.

For Samantha, the vacation just feels wrong without Mina. Despite being surrounded by her friends—the closest thing she has to family—Mina's death has left Sam a little lost. Unsure what direction her life should take. Fearful that whatever decision she makes about her wealthy French boyfriend's surprise proposal, it'll be the wrong one.

The answers aren't in the journal Mina gave Sam before she died. Or in the messages Sam believes Mina is sending as guideposts. Before the trip ends, the bonds of friendship with her living friends, the older generation's stories of love and loss, and Sam's glimpse into a world far removed from the one in which she belongs will convince her to trust her heart. And follow it.

My Take:
Such an interesting book... I loved it, then I was disappointed in it, and then I loved it all over again. None of which I can really explain without giving up all of its secrets and ghosts and ruining the story for you. With a critical eye I can tell you that the language and writing is pleasantly wonderful, the story well crafted, the characters developed enough for you to care... and if you take this story all the way until the end you might find the meaning and lesson I did.

I long ago abandoned the stars & hearts system - but I've given it 4 stars on GoodReads if that helps.

I received this book from PTA for reading & reviewing.

It's Summer Reading Time! Book #1

2011-06-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

It's no secret, I LOVE summer reading time. Sitting in a comfortable chair, letting the sun tan my skin, waves gently rolling on the lake, kids frolicking nearby, perhaps a nice cold adult beverage easily at hand.....

Don't get me wrong, I love spring, fall and winter reading time too... but summer holds a special place in my sun starved heart!

Recently I scored a reviewers trifecta from PTA (not the school parent organization) and todays book is the first one I read in my most recent shipment....

Anthology Title: More Than Words, Volume 7

Compassion Can't Wait by Carly Phillips
Someplace Like Home by Donna Hill
What the Heart Wants by Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Fiction/Romance - Inspriational stories inspired by real people and real organizations
Pages: 352 (Paperback)
On Sale: March 29, 2011

Indiebound Link

Synopsis:

Each and every one of us has the ability to effect change—to make our world a better place. The dedicated women selected as this year's recipients of Harlequin's More Than Words award have changed lives, one good deed at a time. To celebrate their accomplishments, some of our bestselling authors have honored the winners by writing stories inspired by these real-life heroines.
In Carly Phillips's Compassion Can't Wait, two high school sweet hearts are reunited years later, as if by fate, and discover that if you believe in yourself and each other, anything is possible.
Donna Hill's Someplace Like Home tells the story of how one woman's dream becomes reality, as three special people learn that it's never too late to form a loving family.
In Jill Shalvis's What the Heart Wants, an honorable man must learn to forgive himself to regain the trust of the dedicated teacher who is the love of his life.

My Take:

I really enjoyed these short stories from some of my favorite authors. All excellent stories based or inspired by real people who are heroines in the community. A fantastic selection for the beach, treadmill, or curled up on the couch it should come with a warning to pack tissues though.

Not So Happy

2011-06-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I've been busy doing is reading, reading, reading, and then reviewing. Not that you've seen the reviews here, they are a work in progress and are to be revealed.

The first one is available today as part of the Blogher Book Club for Getting To Happy by Terry McMillan. I know that not every book is not meant for every person, and as I worked my way through this book I knew how my kids feel when they have to read something they aren't enjoying for school....

Take this with grains of salt, I still can't make it through Eat,Pray,Love....

TBR - Yours To Keep

2011-06-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

I received an email from those book loving book reviewing contemporary loving bloggers this week (that would be Sarah from Smart Bitches and Jane from Dear Author) alerting me to a book they both loved, a rare occurrence indeed! When the planets align and they both recommend a book I know that I need to take note & get shopping...

Save The Contemporary -

Title: Yours To Keep

Author: Shannon Stacey

Publisher: Carina Press

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Pages: Ebook

On Sale: June, 2011

Authors Website

Synopsis:

Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancé. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.

Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are…

It's the 3rd book in the series so I'll be starting at #1...

When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.
Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town—and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.
He proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.
But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever.

The First Husband

2011-05-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

As someone who reads more books in a year than some people read in a lifetime I have become more and more selective about which books I recommend to friends and family. If I recommend every book I enjoy I’m likely going to overwhelm people with my suggestions; now I only recommend the best, and even then I’m selective about what I recommend to whom. The First Husband, is one of those gems I’ve told everyone about.

Title: The First Husband

Author: Laura Dave

Publisher: Viking

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Pages: 256 (hardcover)

On Sale: May 12, 2011

Indiebound

Authors website

Synopsis:

Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found some happiness. She visits the world's most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she's happily cohabiting with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka "futures counselor") and announces that he's taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin-a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn't know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie's husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts.

My Take:

Smart, funny, poignant and sweet; The First Husband is an insightful and heartfelt look into the quest of finding oneself, ones’ home, and The One.

I didn’t even know where to start with a review of this amazing novel; I couldn’t find a single word to fault. I enjoyed it so much, from the very first page, that before I was half way through I was telling every reader I know to put it on their own Must Read list. And, when I finished, I closed the book, held it tight, and told my husband that it wasn’t a good book, it was/is a great book. This is one you’re going to want on your bookshelf so order your copy today!

Already Home

2011-04-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when there is a lot going on around me, with me, I like the option of turning off my own drama and taking up with someone elses. I'm sure the therapists of the world are diagnosing me as an avoider as I type... my response:
What's your point?
Sometimes it's nice to check out, realize that maybe your problems & issues aren't the worst ever....

Title: Already Home
Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Pages: 368 (softcover)
On Sale: March 29, 2011

IndieBound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis:

After nearly a decade as a sous-chef in a trendy eatery, Jenna is desperate for a change. She's supported her ex-husband's dreams for so long that she can't even remember her own. Until she sees a for-lease sign near her parents' home and envisions her very own cooking store.

Her crash course in business is aided by a streetwise store manager and Jenna's adoptive mother. But just as she's gaining a foothold in her new life, in walk her birth parents—aging hippies on a quest to reconnect with their firstborn.

Now Jenna must figure out how to reconcile the free-spirited Serenity and Tom with her traditional parents, deal with her feelings for a new love interest and decide what to do about her ex's latest outrageous request. In the end, Jenna will find that there is no perfect family, only the people we love….

My Take:
A fairly quick read for me with an enjoyable storyline and plot. Some of the dialog seemed a bit too perfect and I did feel emotionally manipulated a bit when it was all done, but I think when you pick up a Susan Mallery book you have to expect to shed some tears. The characters were fun to get to know, although their surface wasn't scratched nearly enough. I would be interested to read another book based on the secondary characters of Dragon(fly) and Violet.

On a personal level, the reminder that there is no perfect family came at a pretty good time as I posted on Tuesday.

Guilt by Association

2011-04-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

In June of 1994 I was a married mother of one with a full time job in addition to a demanding college schedule. I was young, I was crazy, I was busy, and none of those things kept me from paying close attention as the saga of OJ Simpson began to unravel.

I remember the slow speed chase, the jury selection, and on January 25, 1995, when the trial began I was captivated. It was, after all, hard to avoid the spectacle with all the media coverage it garnered.

For lead prosecuting attorney, Marcia Clark, the trial ended on a sour note. Not only did OJ Simpson & his team walk out of the court room victorious but her career as a D.A. was over... even though this wasn't her first high profile murder trial (she did prosecute Robert John Bardo successfully), it was quite decisively her last.

Perhaps it was my own past with Ms. Clark that drew me to her novel, but what ever it was - I am pleased to have read it.

Title: Guilt By Association

Author: Marcia Clark
Publisher: Mullholland Books (Little Brown)

Genre: Fiction/Crime/Suspense

Pages: 368 (hardcover)

On Sale: April 20, 2011

IndieBound Link

Authors Website

Synopsis:

Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight is a tenacious, wise-cracking, and fiercely intelligent prosecutor in the city's most elite division. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel is shaken to the core. She must take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family.

But she can't stop herself from digging deeper into Jake's death, a decision that exposes a world of power and violence and will have her risking her reputation--and her life--to find the truth.

My Take:

An amazing first fiction novel from the prosecutor made famous through the OJ Simpson murder trial. Grounded in what she knows Marcia Clark introduces us to gritty LA District Attorney Rachel Knight. With a supportive team of fellow attorneys and investigators Rachel digs into the mysterious death of a colleague and uncovers something quite unexpected.

It was not lost on me that the authors middle name is Rachel nor that the characters last name could very well be a play on the heroic white knight. I really felt a piece of the author in this, as though she were reliving or wishing for the career she left behind. None of these things affected the quality of the story or the writing, which they very easily could have.

Fantastically paced with an engaging storyline and characters I want to know more about; I'm hoping that Ms. Clark has more Rachel Knight stories to offer.

Actually, Just Like Love

2011-03-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sometime last week I entered a contest sponsored by Julie James to support her latest novel A Lot Like Love. The idea behind the contest was that we were to plan a Girls Night In Book Club Bash for A Lot Like Love - what would you serve? The winner will receive a box of Godiva Bakery Dessert Trufﬂes, a $50 Visa Gift card and twelve signed copies of A Lot Like Love.

I was making a trip to Trader Joes for a few bottles of vino (Pino Noir) and some cheese (Stilton with Apricots) and crackers for my pairing.

Typically once I enter a contest like this for a book I'm looking forward to reading I wait until I've heard I'm not a winner until I go out and get it. That didn't apply this time. At all.

Friday night, right before a weekend booked full of activities for my daughter I got my hands on a freshly minted copy of A Lot Like Love & started reading. Despite having no time to read all weekend, I still managed to consume the book and finished less than 72 hours after getting it.

That says something...

Author: Julie James

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Fiction/Romance/

Pages: 304 (Paperback)

On Sale: March 1, 2011

Indiebound Link

Authors Website

Synopsis:

THE FBI WANTS HER COOPERATION.
As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city’s top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there’s only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fundraiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother’s release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.

AGENT MCCALL JUST WANTS HER.
As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This “date” with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they’re both determined to pull off even if they can’t be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick’s investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they’re a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more. . .

Julie James is high on my list of authors I recommend and her latest novel A Lot Like Love is an excellent example of why I love her writing. With engaging characters you can't help but love and a story line with legs you find yourself going through emotions and pages faster than you expect or realize. A Lot Like Love left me wanting more and I am eagerly waiting for the story promised at the end of this one.

Here's what my immediate Twitter impression was when I finished reading...

The Complaints - (not complaining)

2011-03-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've been sitting on this review for quite awhile because I personally get frustrated when I read a review, want the book NOW, and then can't get it. Previously released in the UK popular crime writer Ian Rankin's newest offering since retiring his popular hero Det. Insp. John Rebus should start appearing on US shelves this week!

The Complaints

Title: The Complaints
Author: Ian Rankin
Publisher: Little Brown & Company (Hachette Books)
Genre: Fiction/Crime/Suspense
Pages: 448 (Hardcover)
On Sale: March 7, 2011

IndieBound Link
Authors WebSite

Synopsis:

Nobody likes The Complaints--they're the cops who investigate other cops. It's a department known within the force as "The Dark Side," and it's where Malcolm Fox works. He's a serious man with a father in a nursing home and a sister who persists in an abusive relationship, frustrating problems about which he cannot seem to do anything.Then the reluctant Fox is given a new case. There's a cop named Jamie Breck, and he's dirty. The problem is, no one can prove it. As Fox takes on the job, he learns that there's more to Breck than anyone thinks--dangerous knowledge, especially when a vicious murder takes place far too close to home.

My Take:

Twist and turns and kept me guessing until the final chapter, even though I announced more than once I had "figured it out". Set in Scotland there was a bit of learning curve figuring out the police hierarchy & system but I loved hearing the voices of the characters in my head speaking with an accent.
Certainly a step out of the box for me genre wise (not an ounce of steam involved) this is a great story, well written and worthy of a mention to those who enjoy the crime/mystery genre.

A Secret Society for your Teen Girl

2010-10-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Shop Indie Bookstores

Title: The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

Author: Risa Green

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 315 (Trade Paperbook)

On Sale: September 1, 2010

IndieBound Link

Authors Website

Erin inherits a Magic 8 Ball and a set of cryptic instructions from her free-spirited aunt. Erin and her two best friends give it a try and discover that this particular 8 Ball has an uncanny knack for being accurate. But as with all magic, it comes with limits and a price.

An engaging novel, with well developed characters and a unique storyline this novel is another great option for those of you looking for age appropriate books for your teens and pre-teen girls. A total lack of vampires, but with a dose of mystical magic in the form of a pink plastic crystal ball, the heroins of this novel have their hands full trying to crack the code of the ball, navigate the mine field of high school, and keep their social lives moving forward. I couldn't stop reading it and neither did ThePrincess.

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

What’s in your future? Maybe a signed copy of Risa Green’s new novel, The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball, or maybe even a $250 shopping spree! Enter Risa Green's “What Would You Wish For?” Video Trailer Contest and find out if winning is your destiny! See Risa' Greens Website for all the details!

Watch out word, Becky Bloomwood is back!

2010-10-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Shop Indie Bookstores

Title: Mini-Shopaholic

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Publisher: The Dial Press

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 432 (Hardcover)

On Sale: September 21, 2010

IndieBound Link

Authors Website

Becky Brandon thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true: a shopping friend for life! But it’s trickier than she thought. Two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping.

Minnie creates havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “Mine!” and she’s even trying to get into eBay! On top of everything else, Becky and Luke are still living with her parents (the deal on house #4 has fallen through), when suddenly there’s a huge financial crisis.

With people having to “cut back,” Becky decides to throw a surprise party for Luke to cheer everyone up. But when costs start to spiral out of control, she must decide whether to accept help from an unexpected source—and therefore run the risk of hurting the person she loves.

Will Becky be able to pull off the celebration of the year? Will she and Luke ever find a home of their own? Will Minnie ever learn to behave? And . . . most important . . . will Becky’s secret wishes ever come true?

Becky's personality and regular antics are coupled with a determination to prove to everyone she is capable of anything and everything lead to a fun quick read with disaster looming at every turn. Lovers of Kinsella's previous novels are sure to enjoy the latest installment in the life of Becky Brandon 'nee Bloomwood.

A Peek Behind the Veil ~ City of Veils

2010-09-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I've been sitting on this book for longer than I should admit. When it was sent to me I giggled with excitement because it was (a) hardcover and (b) for me. Sometimes I am easily impressed, but sometimes I'm a tougher nut to crack and when it comes to reading my shell is pretty thick.

City of Veils by Zoë Ferraris is not the typical CursingMama reading material but something about this title and its subject matter drew me in. It could have been the headlines generated recently regarding the proposed Islamic Center in New York, maybe it was curiosity, and it just might have been a desire to learn and understand in a different way. Regardless of my motivations I am certainly glad that I stepped out of my literature box and had the opportunity to take a peek into the culture of Saudi Arabia and the Muslim religion while reading this engaging novel. The second in a series this novel easily stands on its own but I have to admit I wish I'd read the first (Finding Nouf) so I'd have had a better insight into the characters of pious dessert guide Nayir (a single man) and forensics lab worker Katya (a single woman) and how their relationship began.

Title: City of Veils
Author: Zoë Ferraris
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 440 (Hardcover)
On Sale: August 9, 2010

IndieBound Link
Authors Website

Women in Saudi Arabia are expected to lead quiet lives circumscribed by Islamic law and tradition. But Katya, one of the few women in the medical examiner's office, is determined to make her work mean something.

When the body of a brutally beaten woman is found on the beach in Jeddah, the city's detectives are ready to dismiss the case as another unsolvable murder-chillingly common in a city where the veils of conservative Islam keep women as anonymous in life as the victim is in death. If this is another housemaid killed by her employer, finding the culprit will be all but impossible.

Only Katya is convinced that the victim can be identified and her killer found. She calls upon her friend Nayir for help, and soon discovers that the dead girl was a young filmmaker named Leila, whose controversial documentaries earned her many enemies.

With only the woman's clandestine footage as a guide, Katya and Nayir must confront the dark side of Jeddah that Leila struggled to expose: an underworld of prostitution, violence, exploitation, and jealously guarded secrets. Along the way, they form an unlikely alliance with an American woman whose husband has disappeared. Their growing search takes them from the city's car-clogged streets to the deadly vastness of the desert beyond.

I Spy With My Little Eye

2010-08-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

When I was a young reader there weren't a lot of options for those tween/teen years; once I'd exhausted and outgrown Laura Ingalls Wilder and Judy Blume the options became less compelling and eventually I wandered down the slippery slope of Harlequin Romance. Not that there is anything wrong with Harlequin Romance, it just wasn't really age appropriate at 13 and I wonder how I ever got away with reading them.

I marvel at the books available for girls today. With strong authors like Meg Cabot, Ann Brashares, Lisi Harrison, Stephanie Meyer, Sara Dessen, and others focusing on this group of readers they have every kind of age appropriate genre at their disposal.

One of our favorite YA authors is Ally Carter. I stumbled upon her book "I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You" at Christmas a few years ago when it was still just available in hardcover. I picked it up to give to ThePrincess and it became the first book she ever read straight through stopping only to eat and sleep.

She get's that from her mom.

As each installment in the Gallagher Girls series has been released we've been sure to pick it up and my daughter has never been disappointed, when Planned Television Arts offered me the latest installment to read & review I knew I couldn't turn them down.

Shop Indie Bookstores

Title: Only The Good Spy Young
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: YA Fiction
Pages: 272 (Hardcover)
On Sale: June 29, 2010

Indiebound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.

In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth.as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past.

Another quick paced and well written story Ally Carter keeps thickening the plot of who Cammie is and just what it is that puts Cammie in so much danger. Age appropriate and compelling for a wide teen/tween audience I feel comfortable recommending them to most anyone fitting into that category. Although this book could be read out of order, I just can't imagine why anyone wouldn't start at the beginning of the series.... I know I did. I also know that I've also read them each straight through...stopping only to eat, sleep, and go to work.

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In exchange for reading & reviewing this book PTA supplied ThePrincess & I with our very own copy. She took it the minute it came through the door, read it in 3 days, finally let me have it and then when I finished she took it back for her bookshelf. Apparently it was lonely when it wasn't with the first 3 books.

Skinny Substitutions

2010-06-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite hobbies is cooking. Sadly it tends to be one of the hobbies that gets pushed aside to take things off the to do list but it also gets set aside because I have a tendency to gravitate toward the cooking and baking of things that don't align themselves with one of my ultimate goals "get & stay healthy".

Never one to shy away from the use of butter and other naughty ingredients I have to admit that if you're getting something from my kitchen chances are its not low calorie, low fat, or heart healthy unless it's a plain lettuce salad.

Over the last several years I've been attempting to change this quirk of mine by subscribing to healthy cooking magazines and when time permits tweaking my own recipes to make them healthier without sacrificing the qualities that made the original dish a keeper. I've had some luck adapting a few by changing ingredients and cooking methods but there are other things that have bombed...miserably. Which is why the new cookbook Substitute Yourself Skinny by Susan Irby intrigued me.

Title: Substitute Yourself Skinny
Author: Susan Irby
Publisher: Adams Media Corporation
Genre: Nonfiction Cookbook
Pages: 240 (softcover)
On Sale: May, 2010

Indiebound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis

Known as the Bikini Chef, Irby serves up 175 inventive ideas for switching up ingredients in favorite dishes to cut calories and keep the flavor. Includes Skinny Secret sidebars, serving-size suggestions, and more. Full color.

I approached this cookbook as I do most from a review standpoint:

Are the recipes something a typical home cook would use?
Are the directions written in a manner that allows a novice cook to be successful?
Are cooking techniques explained properly?
Are the ingredients relatively easy to get?
Are the tools used common?
Is the book easy to navigate?
Are the dishes photographed or represented well?
Is this something new or just a new version of things commonly available?

Obviously not all cookbooks can be judged by these standards, but I feel as though most can and Substitute Yourself Skinny does an admirable job in every test. A well thought out book the dishes are organized and presented in a manner which makes them easy to find, follow, and understand. I particularly appreciated knowing what the substitutions are, why they were made and seeing the caloric impact the changes made for each dish. Some recipes are new & refreshing, some are healthy versions of things I didn't think could be made healthy and still taste good (ALFREDO PEOPLE!), and a few are variations of others I've seen but are still nice to have packaged in one place. I really just have nit-picky things to point out which may be personal preference things; I like my cookbooks to be spiral bound or similar so they lay flat when I'm working, and I like to see a photograph of every dish rather than every few.

How good is this book??? I had a hard time prying it out of ThePrincess's hands. She has marked things she is going to make and a few things that she's only going to eat the new healthier way. No more restaurant molten chocolate cakes for her................ or me.

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In exchange for reading & reviewing this book I was given a copy of my very own. If you'd like a copy of an article the author wrote, 10 Simple Food Substitutions to Get Bikini Ready, and a copy of one of the recipes, It's Greek to Me Greek Salad let me know in the comments!

Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright

2010-05-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

Boy do I love this book jacket!

Title: Love in Mid Air
Author: Kim Wright
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Hachette Book Group)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 320 (hardcover)
On Sale: March 10, 2010

Indie Bound Lin k
Authors Website

Synopsis

A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane sends Elyse Bearden into an emotional tailspin. Suddenly Elyse is willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb, and her position in the community. She finds herself cutting through all the instincts that say "no" and instead lets "yes" happen. As Elyse embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly and the other women in their book club begin to question their own decisions about love, sex, marriage, and freedom. There are consequences for Elyse, her family, and her circle of close friends, all of whom have an investment in her life continuing as normal.

As a married person I am against cheating, have a very difficult time finding sympathy or compassion for a character who is a cheater and I never find a kinship with them. None of this mattered while reading this compelling tale of a woman who finds herself not only in a place she never expected but with a person she realizes she doesn't love sometimes doesn't even like. With an tone bordering on poetic the reader joins Elyse on her journey to find her true place and partner in life.

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I'm Hosting a contest for Hachette Book Group on CursingMama - Don't miss out!

Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Notaro

2010-05-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

Boo!

Title: Spooky Little Girl
Author: Laurie Notaro
Publisher: Villard (Random House)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction bordering on Sci-fi Paranormal'ish
Pages:304 (trade paperback)
On Sale: April 13, 2010

Indie Bound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis

Coming home from a Hawaiian vacation with her best girlfriends, Lucy Fisher is stunned to find everything she owns tossed out on her front lawn, the locks changed, and her fiancé’s phone disconnected—plus she’s just lost her job. With her world spinning wildly out of her control, Lucy decides to make a new start and moves upstate to live with her sister and nephew.

But then things take an even more dramatic turn: A fatal encounter with public transportation lands Lucy not in the hereafter but in the nearly hereafter. She’s back in school, learning the parameters of spooking and how to become a successful spirit in order to complete a ghostly assignment. If Lucy succeeds, she’s guaranteed a spot in the next level of the afterlife—but until then, she’s stuck as a ghost in the last place she would ever want to be.

I managed to snag my copy of this book through the GoodReads FirstReads giveaway and it sure was a lucky win for me! I loved this book and plan on reading more from Laurie Notaro in the future. Well written with a unique story line this offbeat book kept me guessing. Filled with twists, turns and enough mystery to keep me guessing I had a hard time setting this one aside; one really late night was all it took to read it....Of course after I finished I ended up laying awake thinking about it.

Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch

2010-05-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

I happen live with a man, a pre-man, and a fog - so the title of this book caught my attention when it was offered to me by Hachett Books.

(that's a really mild 2nd star)

Title: Men and Dogs
Author: Katie Crouch
Publisher: Little Brown & Company (Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages:288 (trade paperback)
On Sale: April 2010

Note: it is not Men ARE Dogs, it is Men AND Dogs. Something I happen to know a lot about.

Indie Bound Link

Authors Website

Synopsis

When Hannah Legare was 11, her father went on a fishing trip in the Charleston harbor and never came back. And while most of the town and her family accepted Buzz's disappearance, Hannah remained steadfastly convinced of his imminent return.

Twenty years later Hannah's new life in San Francisco is unraveling. Her marriage is on the rocks, her business is bankrupt. After a disastrous attempt to win back her husband, she ends up back at her mother's home to "rest up", where she is once again sucked into the mystery of her missing father. Suspecting that those closest are keeping secrets--including Palmer, her emotionally closed, well-mannered brother and Warren, the beautiful boyfriend she left behind--Hannah sets out on an uproarious, dangerous quest that will test the whole family's concepts of loyalty and faith.

A well written, engaging story that surprised me when I realized it wasn't so much about men, dogs, or uncovering long held secrets but is really about loyalty. A kind of loyalty that, although not misplaced, was stretched, misshapen, and life altering.

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I'm Hosting a contest for Hachette Book Group on CursingMama - Don't miss out!

Things I've Learned While Running a Contest For a Diet Book

2010-03-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

I have some things to clear up hear before I get going on revealing who the winner of the contest is. First, I am surprised by the number of people who have never followed a fad diet. I really truly 100% thought that I was normal and that all people had followed all of those diets and used all those different meal replacements and now I find out it's just me and Oprah. I feel pretty confident mentioning her here because I have watched her show since it was first syndicated in my market (dear tv people note my use of industry language would you like to hire me so I can pay a personal trainer and chef and get off this apparent fad diet abuse lifestyle?)

So, I've been watching Oprah for years and I can tell you that I have listened to her tell me many times that the newest diet is THE ONE! Remember when she drank that shake and came out in skinny for Oprah jeans, or how about that time she started running and admitted to peeing herself during the marathon?

It's no wonder I'm opposed to running. I wonder if there is a 12-step program for fad diet followers. Maybe I really just need a 12-step program to get off "The Oprah"

So! I also learned that people eat better breakfast than I do. And by better I mean more flavor, more imagination, healthier, not plain steel-cut oatmeal.

We had 7 entries but we can only have one winner -
*Fires up the Random Number Generator*

Congratulations MoMMY! My verification email to you is on it's way.

For those of you who didn't win I offer you this fancy totally awesome badgey thing I made with not graphic design software for your blog should you have one and if you want it. (just you know, save to your own server etc...) (No restrictions apply, yada yada yada)

Mr. Motorcycle wears one as a badge on his person.

The Original post, my review of The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, and the comments answering the burning question

Of all the diets you've tried, what was the most insane? Or, if you've never tried a diet, what did you eat for breakfast last Sunday?

can be found Here!

Morning Glory Muffins

2010-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I reviewed The May Clinic Diet, Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight by the weight-loss experts at the Mayo Clinic. Enjoy the following excerpt and don't forget to enter the contest on the review post!

Since it's the weekend and you're most likely to have the time to bake a little something for the week I thought I'd share these with you ~ enjoy

Morning Glory Muffins

By the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.
Authors of The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

15 MINUTES PREPARATION TIME + 35 MINUTES COOKING TIME
MAKES 18 SMALL MUFFINS

1 c. all-purpose (plain) flour
1 c. whole-wheat flour
¾ c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. egg substitute
½ c. vegetable oil
½ c. unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. chopped apples, unpeeled
½ c. raisins
¾ c. grated carrots
2 tbsp. chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

3. In a bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to blend evenly.

4. In a separate bowl, add egg substitute, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Stir in apples, raisins and carrots. Add to the flour mixture and blend just until moistened but still slightly lumpy.

5. Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and bake until springy to the touch, about 35 minutes.

6. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely. Serve.

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The above is an excerpt from the book The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight., by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Reprinted from The Mayo Clinic Diet, © 2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About Donald Hensrud, M.D.
Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H., is chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine and a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. He is also an associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. A specialist in nutrition and weight management, Dr. Hensrud advises individuals on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. He conducts research in weight management, and he writes and lectures widely on nutrition-related topics. He helped publish two award-winning Mayo Clinic cookbooks.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy that the needs of the patient come first. Over 3,600 physicians and scientists and 50,000 allied staff work at Mayo, which has sites in Rochester, Minn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Collectively, Mayo Clinic treats more than 500,000 patients a year.

For more than 100 years, millions of people from all walks of life have found answers at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic works with many insurance companies, does not require a physician referral in most cases and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

For more information, please visit www.goodbooks.com/mayoclinicdiet.

Action Guide to Weight-Loss Barriers

2010-03-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Action Guide to Weight-Loss Barriers

By the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.

Authors of The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

Long term success with a weight program sometimes follows a bumpy, uneven path. Many obstacles can keep you from achieving a more healthy weight.

Learning to identify potential roadblocks and confront personal temptations is an important part of being successful in losing weight. To make it past the rough spots, it's important to have strategies ready to guide your response as problems arise.

This easy-to-use action guide identifies common weight-loss barriers and practical strategies for overcoming them. If you find a strategy that helps you, include it with your weight-loss program.

The barriers are grouped into three categories: nutrition, physical activity and behaviors. To lose weight -- and to maintain that weight loss -- it's important that you address all of these components.

Behaviors obstacle
I've tried to lose weight before, but it didn't work. Now, I don't have confidence that it'll work this time.

For many people, losing weight will be one of life's most difficult challenges. Don't be discouraged if you've tried losing weight in the past and you weren't able to -- or you lost weight but gained it all back. Many people experiment with several different weight-loss plans before they find an approach that works.

Strategies
Following these tips may help you succeed this time around.

* Think of losing weight as a positive experience, not a negative one. Approaching weight loss with a positive attitude will help you succeed.

* Set realistic expectations for yourself. Focus on behavioral changes and don't focus too much on weight changes.

* Use problem-solving techniques. Write down the obstacles that you experienced in previous attempts to lose weight, and come up with strategies for dealing with those obstacles.

* Make small, not drastic, changes to your lifestyle. Adjustments that are too intense or vigorous can make you uncomfortable and cause you to give up.

* Accept the fact that you'll have setbacks. Believe in yourself. Instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day.

Behaviors obstacle
I eat when I'm stressed, depressed or bored.

Sometimes your most intense longings for food happen right when you're at your weakest emotional points. Many people turn to food for comfort -- be it consciously or unconsciously -- when they're dealing with difficult problems or looking for something to distract their minds.

Strategies
To help keep food out of your mood, try these suggestions.

* Try to distract yourself from eating by calling a friend, running an errand or going for a walk. When you can focus your mind on something else, the food cravings quickly go away.

* Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you turn to high-fat, high-calorie foods whenever you're upset or depressed, make an effort to get rid of them.

* Identify your mood. Often the urge to eat can be attributed to a specific mood and not to physical hunger.

* When you feel down, make an attempt to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. For example, write down all of the positive qualities about yourself and what you plan to achieve by losing weight.

Behaviors obstacle
I have a hard time not eating when I'm watching television, a movie or a live sporting event.

There's nothing inherently wrong with eating while watching a show, film or live event, but when you're distracted, you tend to eat mindlessly -- which typically translates into eating more than you intended to eat. If you're unable to break this habit, at least make sure you're munching on something low in calories.

Strategies
Here are suggestions you might consider.

* If you're at a theater or stadium, order a small bag of popcorn with no butter and work on it slowly.

* Eat something healthy before you leave home so that you're not extremely hungry when you arrive.

* Drink water or a calorie-free beverage instead of having a snack.

* Try to reduce the amount of time that you spend watching television each day. Studies show that TV watching contributes to increased weight.

Behavior obstacle
When I go to parties, I can't resist all of the snacks and hors d'oeuvres.

In most social situations where food is involved, the key is to treat yourself to a few of your favorite hors d'oeuvres, in moderation. If you try to resist the food, your craving will only get stronger and harder to control. By following a few simple strategies, you can enjoy yourself without overeating.

Strategies
Next time you step up to the hors d'oeuvre table, try these strategies.

* Make only one trip and be selective. Decide ahead of time how much you'll eat and choose foods you really want.

* Treat yourself to one or two samples of high-calorie or fatty foods. Fill up on vegetables and fruits, if you can.

* Take only small portions. A taste may be all that you need to satisfy your craving.

* Nibble. If you eat slowly, you'll likely eat less -- but don't nibble all night long.

* Don't stand next to or sit near the hors d'oeuvre table. As the old saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind."

* Eat something healthy before you arrive. If you arrive hungry, you'll be more inclined to overeat.

Behavior obstacle
I'm a late-night snacker.

Avoid eating late at night because loading up on calories right before bed only intensifies the challenge of not overeating. There's less chance for you to be active and burn off those calories until next morning. It's better to eat during the day so that your body has plenty of time to digest the food before you go to bed.

Strategies
Here are suggestions if you often find yourself battling the late-night munchies.

* Make sure you eat three good meals during the day, including a good breakfast. This will help reduce the urge to snack late at night, simply because you won't be so hungry.

* Don't keep snack foods around the house that may tempt you. If you get late-night munchies, eat fruits, vegetables or other healthy snacks.

* Find something else to keep you busy in the hours before bedtime, such as listening to music or exercising. Your snacking may be more of a mindless habit than actual hunger.

Behavior obstacle
When I lapse from my eating plan, it's hard for me to get back on track.

Lapses happen. Many times a minor slip -- a busy day when you couldn't find the time to eat right or get exercise -- leads to more slips. That doesn't mean, though, that you've failed and all is lost. Instead of beating yourself up over a lapse, accept that you're going to experience bumps along the way and put the incident behind you. Everyone has lapses. Think back to the initial steps you took when you first began your weight program and put them to use again to help you get back on track.

Strategies
Here are suggestions to prevent a lapse from turning into a full-blown collapse.

* Convince yourself that lapses happen and that every day is a fresh opportunity to start over again.

* Guilt from the initial lapse often leads to more lapses. Being prepared for them and having a plan to deal with them is important to your success.

* Keep your response simple. Focus on the things that you know you can do and stick with them. Gradually add more healthy changes until you're back on track.

* Open up an old food record and follow it. Use those meals like a menu to help get you back to a healthy eating routine.

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Healthy Cooking

2010-03-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

Healthy Cooking

By the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.
Authors of The Mayo Clinic Diet: Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

Healthy cooking doesn't mean you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in special cookware. Simply use standard cooking methods to prepare foods in healthy ways. You can also adapt familiar recipes by substituting other ingredients for fat, sugar and salt.
Use these methods

These methods best capture the flavor and retain the nutrients in your food without adding too much fat or salt.

• Baking. Besides breads and desserts, you can bake seafood, poultry, lean meat, and vegetable and fruit pieces of the same size. Place food in a pan or dish (covered or uncovered) and bake. You may need to baste the food with broth, low-fat marinade or juice to keep the food from drying out.

• Braising. Braising involves browning the meat or poultry first in a pan on top of the stove, and then slowly cooking it covered with a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth. In some recipes, the cooking liquid is used afterward to form a flavorful, nutrient-rich sauce.

• Grilling and broiling. Both grilling and broiling expose fairly thin pieces of food to direct heat and allow fat to drip away from the food. If you're grilling outdoors, place smaller items, such as chopped vegetables, in a long-handled grill basket or on foil to prevent pieces from slipping through the rack. To broil indoors place food on a broiler rack below a heat element.

• Poaching. To poach foods, in a covered pan gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or juice, until cooked through and tender. For stove-top poaching, choose an appropriate-sized covered pan and use a minimum amount of liquid.

• Roasting. Roasting uses an oven's dry heat at high temperatures to cook the food on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. For poultry, seafood and meat, place a rack inside the roasting pan so that the fat can drip away during cooking.

• Sautéing. Sautéing quickly cooks small or thin pieces of food. If you choose a good-quality nonstick pan, you can cook food without using fat. Depending on the recipe, use low-sodium broth, cooking spray, water or wine in place of oil or butter.

• Steaming. One of the simplest cooking techniques to master is steaming food in a perforated basket suspended above simmering liquid. If you use a flavorful liquid or add herbs to the water, you'll flavor the food as it cooks.

• Stir-frying. Stir-frying quickly cooks small, uniform-sized pieces of food while they're rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan. You need only a small amount of oil or cooking spray for this cooking method.

Find new ways to add flavor:

Instead of salt or butter, you can enhance foods with a variety of herbs, spices and low-fat condiments. Be creative.

Poach fish in low-fat broth or wine and fresh herbs. Top a broiled chicken breast with fresh salsa. Make meats more flavorful with low-fat marinades or spices -- bay leaf, chili powder, dry mustard, garlic, ginger, green pepper, sage, marjoram, onion, oregano, pepper or thyme.

To bring out the sweetness in baked goods, use a bit more vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Adapting recipes using the techniques from the book & shared here

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The Mayo Clinic Diet, Eat Well, Enjoy Life...

2010-03-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

**Contest Alert** (following my review)

I would venture to say that if universities bestowed honorary degrees* in dieting I would be the (not-so proud) recipient of at least one. Over the years I have tried more diets and lifestyle plans than is reasonable; I don't even want to think about various foray's into "nutrition supplements". I've read more books about metabolism theory than a Registered Dietitian and I can say unequivocally that the scientific community is clearly conflicted about metabolism, what slows it down, how to increase it, or if you are just stuck with what you've got.

The one diet craze I managed to avoid was the phase where everyone stopped eating carbohydrates. I could not imagine a life of peanut butter without bread, tomato sauce without pasta, pizza without a crust and decided that the no/low carb lifestyle would not work for me. The one diet I failed before I even tried.

While those around me were slathering tons of peanut butter on celery sticks I was spending time figuring out what my body needed to run in defense of my refusal to adapt to the newest diet trend. I learned more in those months of carbohydrate defense than in the 15 previous years of diets; it was an eye opening experience and I learned that there is really only one way to be healthy and very few popular, easily followed books existed to support this kind of lifestyle plan. In my years as a semi-professional dieter & carbohydrate defender I also learned that most diet books are poorly written, hard to follow, and less engaging than my text books from college math. (I hated math)

The Mayo Clinic enjoys a very prestigious reputation, so I was intrigued when I was offered the opportunity to read & review The Mayo Clinic Diet, Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic. With my extensive diet background I've become skeptical when it comes to diet & lifestyle books but I went into this one with high hopes & am pleased to report that I was not dissapointed.

The Mayo Clinic Diet, Eat Well, Enjoy Life, Lose Weight by the the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic is a long awaited common sense approach to weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle; unlike your typical diet books, the design, colorful presentation, and engaging way information is provided makes this a stand out in a genre typically crowded with dry, hard to follow offerings.

Divided into two parts "Lose It" and "Live It" this book makes it easy to take advantage of the burst of motivation which led to it's purchase by offering a two-week quick-start plan in the first section which you can begin right away and takes those first steps at healthy living a further in the second section.

Because I am me and I have rarely met a diet plan I won't try (except that whole carb thing) I was all over the two-week quick-start plan which was designed to help dieters lose 6 to 10 pounds in just 14 days. With simple instructions about what to eat, what not to eat, and how to keep moving the initial phase of the Mayo Clinic diet was not only easy to follow but also not so regulatory that I had to change everything about how I eat or exercise. I didn't lose a single pound, but I was not deterred because I did feel different in my clothes and a lot of the things that I was told to eliminate (soda) haven't been a part of my diet for a long time. I believe that for some people losing 6 to 10 pounds in that first two weeks would be easily achievable. Although there were days I thought it was too much (what do you mean NO Sugar?) I knew that I could stick to it for 14 days and at the end there was reward.

After finishing the "Lose It" section I moved on to the "Live It" section and found the relaxed standards very easy to follow after the more rigid (although not horrible in the land of diet) rules of the first 14 days. There is a lot of information about living a better, more healthful lifestyle in the 2nd part of the book; advice on food choices, portion control, exercise, following the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, and even some recipes.

In addition to the main Mayo Clinic Diet book I also received it's companion, The Mayo Clinic Diet Journal. Like the Diet itself, The Journal is easy to use, is divided into two sections and follows the book to help keep you on track and figure out what your weaknesses are when falling off the wagon.

Over the next several days I'll post some excerpts from the book & articles so you can get a feel for this best selling book

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CONTEST!
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The folks at FSB Associates have agreed to provide one copy of The Mayo Clinic Diet to a Stateside CursingMama Reader! All you need to do is answer the following question in the comments to enter:

Of all the diets you've tried, what was the most insane? Or, if you've never tried a diet, what did you eat for breakfast last Sunday?

Comments will close at 10 AM CST Wednesday March 17th and I'll draw a winner from the hat.
One entry per person please.
Entry Must Include a valid Email Address
Book can only be shipped Stateside (US)
Refer to the General Contest Rules for all the details

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FCC Bru HaHa - This is a review website and as a reviewer I am occasionally given things (for free) to try out so I can impart my opinion about them. This would be one of those times. In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I was sent a copy to keep as my own. Also, any purchases made through my links to IndieBooks results in an affiliate payment to me.

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NOTE:
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*The practice of handing out honorary degrees to famous people in real (or sometimes imagined) areas of study drives me insane. I realize that often times the purpose behind this practice is to entice a famous person to speak at commencement exercises or to feel aligned with a specific institution in hopes of securing some financial support; however I can not help but feel this practice has not only been exploited to the point that those receiving the "degrees" are receiving them for no meritorious acts whatsoever but cheapens the hard work and dedication of the students who earned the degrees. Keep your eyes and ears open as we head into the college graduation season, will this the year a celebutaunt receives a degree in paparazzi media studies?

Pick A Winner Already!

2010-02-19T11:54:00.001-08:00

Hello!
I totally forgot to post this entry.
You know the one....where I went home
fired up the Random Number Generator
got a winner
emailed the winner
told you all about it

I did all of those steps except emailing and then telling. Remember, The BUSY. So, here I am today to tell you that I ran the little number generator (Chris commented first, but chose not to enter, so that made Kailyn eligible contestant #1) with the 14 entrants and got this:

(yes, I even remembered to validate my results with an actual screen shot)

Then I totally dropped the ball, didn't check to see who was #4, didn't email #4 and didn't do anything else.

Until now. Please, do not sue me.

Congratulations to my Knit/Photo/Blogger/Soon to be AWESOME MIL/Friend

Knitorious Vicki

Who graciously shared the following for her chance to win a copy of The Field Guide to Burying Your Parents

I broke one of my mother's favorite, gorgeous, expensive, and very slippery-when-wet cut glass bowls -- dropped it in the sink, practically under her nose, cleaning up after a party. She got over it and probably even forgot, but I still remember.

I decided today, on a whim, that I would like to thank everyone who played along and ponied up their less than graceful geekiness. Sadly, I have no extra prizes laying around or a prize fund (ahh to be P-dub with her traffic & thus awesome giveaways) so this is what the players get:

A mention:

Chris from Stumbling over Chaos

Kailyn from Kaylin's Creations

Hillary from Knitting for Shirley

Keri from KinnicChick

Knitorious Vicki

Nino at cease cows, life is short!

Julie from Random Thoughts (Sewknitful)

SherryPG from If it's not one thing, it's your mother

Heidi from Mom of Many Male Youngsters

Jason from SlavetoPassion

Now Blogless Jeanne

Kym from Stepping Away from the Edge

Ruth AT 5elementknitr

Amanda

Katherine from Kmkat and her kneedles

AND (this is the best bit) this totally awesome badgey thing I made with not graphic design software to display if they feel like it. (just you know, save to your own server etc...) (No restrictions apply, yada yada yada)

The Original post, my review of The Field Guide to Burying Your Parents, and the comments spelling out the brokeness can be found HERE

Times Up on the Field Guide Give-Away

2010-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Wow - you guys are kinda clumsy aren't you?!? Although I still bet you aren't as clumsy as I am; not to many people have perfected the fine art of tripping up stairs, tearing doors off of sheds with riding lawn mowers, AND overshooting boat lifts with dad's new ski boat. Sure, you might tackle one of these specialties - but I've got the trifecta.

Thanks to everyone for sharing. I'm going to head home tonight, fire up the magic number generator, and will get back to you with the winner. Good Luck!!

Not the Field Guide You Were Expecting

2010-02-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

**Contest Alert** (following my review)

(does math) Nearly 15 years have passed since the last time I sat in a college classroom discussing and dissecting the finer (or not so fine) points of a literary work. It is, undeniably, a long time to be away from such a critical practice for someone who once announced that literature was her life. Obviously my lifes work did not find itself in literature; I became a mother, a wife, a homemaker, a Widget Factory Goddess (even says so on my business cards), and a devout reader of the books that would make my very religious (it was a religiously affiliated university after all) literature professors stab their eyes out with mutant plastic sporks.

What I've found in the years since I gave up the pursuit of so called high brow literature is that, in the works which would have been summarily dismissed by academia, I routinely find all of those things I was once taught to search out, quantify, qualify, and dissect. Often, the only difference I find is that the works are not dripping with condescending religious or moral lessons and are instead enjoyable to read and easy to recommend.

It is not uncommon when you are a prolific reader to encounter stories about people who reach their breaking point. As a literary tool the breaking point gives an author a place to build toward, the opportunity to allow a character to change, and in some instances growth or resolution. At least, that is what I remember from those many long hours in the stuffy classroom with the hard wooden chairs of torture. What I don't recall having read very often is encountering the main character after the breaking point, when that rock bottom moment has come and gone and as the reader we must read between the lines, put the pieces together, and wait patiently for the author to reveal just what it was that caused main character to shatter.

Title: A Field Guide To Burying Your Parents
Author: Liza Palmer
Publisher: 5 Spot (Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages:304 (trade paperback)
On Sale: December 23, 2009

Indiebound Link

Authors Web Site

Synopsis:

Grace Hawkes has not spoken to her previously tight-knit family since her mother's sudden death five years ago. Well, most of the family was tight-knit-- her father walked out on them when she was 13 and she and her two brothers and sister bonded together even closer with their mother as a result.

She's been doing her best to live her new life apart from them, but when their estranged father has a stroke and summons them, Grace suddenly realizes she's done the same thing he had done...abandoned those who need her most.

And need her they do, for inside the hospital walls, a strange war is unfolding between the pseudo-kindly woman who is their father's second wife and the rest of the original Hawkes clan. Upon reconnecting with her brother and sisters, Grace will find a part of herself she thought was lost forever. As they unravel the manipulative deception of the second Mrs. Hawkes, Grace will finally be able to stand up for her family-- and to remember what a family is, even after all these years.

My Review:

Brilliantly told, A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer tells of the kind of love that binds people together, tears them apart, and forgives even in the bleakest of circumstances. An engrossing story that unfolds at a nice pace, we learn just what it was that caused Grace to shatter and how her choices affected those who loved her most.

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CONTEST TIME!!!
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I happen to have an extra copy of A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents available to send your way. All you need to do is answer the following question in the comments to enter:

I'm not know for my physical grace or athletic prowess, one of the reasons may be my propensity to break things. Oops! What is the worst thing you've broken and why?

Comments will close at 10 AM CST Tuesday February 10th and I'll draw a winner from the hat. One entry per person please. Refer to the General Contest Rules for all the details

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FCC Bru HaHa - This is a review website and as a reviewer I am occasionally given things (for free) to try out so I can impart my opinion about them. This would be one of those times. In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I was sent a copy to keep as my own.

Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes A Day - Really Just 5 Minutes!

2010-01-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

In 2007 when Dr. Jeff Hertzberg and Chef Zoë François rocked the world with their book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking I waited a long time on the library list to get my hands on a copy so I could understand the secret. You see, I love bread. I love to make it, I love to smell it baking, I love to eat it, I love to share it, I even love kneading it.

I love it enough to prefer making it by hand rather than using my bread maker.

I was impressed by the first book and was therefore excited when the opportunity to receive, read and review Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients By Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoë François came my way.

When the book arrived I decided the best way to honestly review it was to actually READ the book. A lot easier said than done with a cookbook, a BREAD cookbook, filled with recipes for breads that make you want to start baking immediately. Much like the first offering Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day begins with some lessons for the average person who has maybe never attempted to bake a loaf of bread from scratch before. (bread machines do not count) With chapters covering topics from why a person should choose to make their own whole grain breads, to detailed analysis of the ingredients, equipment and techniques necessary to create your own artisan bread a novice baker has all the information to dig in and get baking.

The recipes offered cover a wide range of bread flavors, types, and styles. (There are even some dessert like donuts and crescent rolls that I'm looking forward to making and eating as soon as my Not New Years Not Resolution has accomplished something positive - we'll call it a reward!) (And gluten free offerings too!) The directions for each recipe are clear and easy to follow including hints to help make a better loaf along the way. If all you ever make is the Master Recipe, offering your family a wonderful loaf of freshly baked whole grain bread made of ingredients you can trust this book is worth the investment.

I've posted a recipe that the authors wanted to share for Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread (YUM!) separately.

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About the Authors:

Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., coauthor of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients, is a physician with twenty years of experience in health care as a practitioner, consultant, and faculty member at the University of Minnesota Medical School. His interest in baking and preventive health sparked a quest to adapt the techniques of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for healthier ingredients.

Zoë François, coauthor of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients, is passionate about food that is real, healthy, and always delicious. She is a pastry chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America. In addition to teaching baking and pastry courses nationally, she consults to the food industry and is the creator of the recipe blog www.zoebakes.com. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two sons.

The authors answer bread questions at their Web site: www.healthybreadinfive.com.

******************************************************
FCC Bru HaHa -
This is a review website and as a reviewer I am occasionally given things (for free) to try out so I can impart my opinion about them. This would be one of those times. In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I was sent a copy to keep as my own.

Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread

2010-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoë François,
Authors of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients

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"I was so pleased when the nutritional powers that be deemed dark chocolate and espresso 'good for you'. Considering what a large portion of my diet they occupy, I was relieved to know I no longer needed to feel guilty, not that I ever really had. So in an attempt to make you all a bit healthier and a lot happier I've come up with Chocolate Espresso Bread. Not too sweet but packed with flavor." --Zoë

Makes enough dough for at least two 2-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved. Use any leftover dough to make cupcakes.

2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1½ tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets
1 tablespoon kosher salt (increase or decrease to taste)
¼ cup vital wheat gluten
1 cup lukewarm brewed espresso or strong coffee
1¼ cups lukewarm water
4 large eggs
½ cup neutral-flavored oil
¾ cup honey
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) for brushing on top crust
Raw sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Combine the liquid ingredients and the chopped chocolate and mix with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you're not using a machine.

3. The dough will be loose, but it will firm up when chilled. Don't try to use it without chilling at least 2 hours.

4. Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

5. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond that, the dough stores well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Freeze it in 2-pound portions. When using frozen dough, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before use, then allow the usual rest/rise time.

6. On baking day, grease an 8½× 4½-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

7. Elongate the ball into an oval and place it into the loaf pan; your goal is to fill the pan about three-quarters full. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise for 1 hour 45 minutes.

8. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack placed in the center of the oven. If you're not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate. Steam is not needed.

9. Just before baking, Use a pastry brush to brush the loaf's top crust with egg wash, and then sprinkle with the raw sugar.

10. Bake near the center of the oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes, until firm.

11. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool on a rack before slicing and eating.

VARIATION: Cupcakes

1. On baking day, grease a muffin tin. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1½-pound (small cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a smooth ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

2. To form the cupcakes, divide the ball into 12 roughly equal portions (each about the size of a golf ball). Shape each one into a smooth ball as you did above. Place the buns in the prepared muffin tins. Allow to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 40 minutes.

3. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack placed in the middle of the oven. If you're not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate.

4. Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top crust with egg wash, and then sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are richly browned and firm.

5. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool on a rack before eating.

It's true, chocolate may have powerful health benefits: Moderation is the key, because chocolate is high in sugar and fat. But chocolate contains phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) that may increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and decrease the likelihood of blood clots. Milk chocolate has less of these phytochemicals than dark chocolate because some of the cocoa is replaced by milk, and white chocolate doesn't have any at all.

Feeling better yet? Well, your coffee contains antioxidants. According to one study, Americans get their highest dose of antioxidants from coffee. It's not yet clear whether that translates into higher body stores of antioxidants, but it's opened up a whole new area of research, not to mention apparently justifying those mocha lattes (careful: sweetened or creamy coffee drinks are a major source of unnecessary calories).

The above is an excerpt from the book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoë François. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2009 Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., and Zoë François, authors of Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients

Simon & His Cat

2009-11-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

From Goodreads - a First Reads book:

Cat Training Manual

Simon's Cat by Simon Tofield

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every person in my house, possibly the cats included, has really enjoyed these fun, true to life story lines of Simon and his lovable, destructive, hungry cat. I am a little afraid to keep the book in the house just in case Jack & Benny try use the book as a training manual.

I don't need no stinkin' training manual! ~ Benny

And, in case you have no idea about Simon or his cat..... here is a YouTube Introduction:

Green, Greener, Greenest!

2009-11-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

I have had one heck of a time putting into words just how much I love this latest book I was sent by fsb associates. Ecoholic by Adria Vasil is the guidebook to living responsibly I have been searching for. Covering topics from your toothpaste to your career Adria Vasil explains the steps and choices consumers can make to protect the planet and their own health.
Easy to navigate and filled with resources to help make your green living easier this book has found a permanent home in my shopping bag.

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Title: Ecoholic (when you're addicted to the planet)

Author: Adria Vasil

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 384 (Paperback)

On Sale: July 20, 2009

Authors Website
IndieBound Link

Synopsis:

Ecoholic is an eye-opening guide to separating the green from the greenwashed in the maze of products lining our shelves. Unlike other eco guidebooks, Ecoholic names names and gives you the dirt on what not to buy and why, as well as the dish on great clothes, beauty products, home supplies, and more.

We all know that the earth is in trouble, but we’re often left scratching our heads over how to change things. How do we avoid poisoning the planet and ourselves with the products we slather on our scalps and squirt onto our floors? And what safe alternatives actually get the job done?

Filled with tips on everything from which seafood is safe to eat to getting the hormone disruptors out of your kids, your carpets, and your love life, Ecoholic is a witty and indispensable guide to the small ecochoices that make the biggest difference.

I've also posted an article written by the Adria Vasil to give you a taste of the book, the authors writing style, and maybe in hopes that you'll green up too.

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In exchange for writing this review I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from fsb associates.

Save Cash and Trash: Packing Healthier Waste-Free Lunches

2009-11-02T19:23:00.000-08:00

By Adria Vasil,
Author of Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products & Services

I won't lie. I loved my juice boxes, pudding cups and classic cream-stuffed snack cakes as a school kid -- but they were all wrapped in plastic destined for the lunchroom garbage can (not to mention totally unhealthy!). Add them all up and a typical student trashes a whopping 70 pounds of lunch packaging every year!

Now, what if instead of reaching for pre-packaged munchies, parents everywhere bought snackables in bulk and placed them in their own reusable containers? By god, we'd have a lunchtime revolution! In fact, if every student packed a zero-waste lunch, we'd save 1.2 billion pounds from landfill a year. You'll also be saving some serious coin (since individually wrapped foods tend to cost more) and coincidentally cutting out many of the not-so-healthy heavily processed ingredients that often come with pre-packaged snacks.

So how do you lighten your lunch load?

Say goodbye to disposable plastic baggies. Get reusable sandwich-size sacks like Lunch Skins (3greenmoms.com). They're perfect for, yes, sandwiches, as well as chopped up veggies like carrots, peppers and celery.
Buy yogurt, dried fruit, snackables like pumpkin seeds or even organic cookies in bulk, then pack them in reusable food containers (just not the kind made of clear, shatterproof polycarbonate plastic since those contain hormone disrupting bisphenol A -- the same stuff that made headlines in clear plastic baby bottles).
Pass on pricey, packaging-heavy drinking boxes and buy juice in large cartons/jugs. Pour a single portion into a polycarbonate-free drink canister like Thermos' Foogo (keeping in mind that a stainless steel container of tap or home-filtered water is way healthier than a shot of sugary, nutritionally dead boxed OJ).
Pour last night's soups and even stews in an insulated thermos for a homemade meal on the go.
Don't forget to toss a cloth napkin and, if necessary, washable cutlery into your lunch box.

Keep the lead out of lunchtime
Speaking of lunch boxes, stay away from anything made of vinyl, aka PVC. Back in 2005, California's Center for Environmental Health filed a lawsuit against some big-name makers of soft PVC lunch cases (including Toys"R"Us, Warner Brothers, DC Comics and Time Warner) after testing revealed that their products contained high levels of lead.

Better to go for all-natural cloth or even nylon.You'll find a bunch of alternatives online at sites like www.reusablebags.com (think funky organic and recycled cloth bags, stainless steel containers and compartmentalized bento-box-style Laptop Lunch kits).

Move the message school-wide
Once you've got the knack of trash-free lunches, why not spread the message throughout your child's school? Consider forming a zero-waste lunch committee. If you've got a keen teacher on your side, you might even get students to kick things off with a garbage audit (think garbology 101). That means measuring how much trash goes in bins before and after lunch hour. The mini researchers can put on rubber gloves and note what kind of disposables are taking up the most room.

Raise cash for trash
Whatever you do, don't let any disposables that you and other parents might still use end up in landfill. Talk to your kid's school about saving them up and sending them packin' to be made into purses and pencil cases! Once you've collected a bunch of branded drink pouches, candy/cookie/energy bar wrappers, chip bags and yogurt cups, ship them off to TerraCycle and the upcycling company will give you 2¢ to 5¢ per package for your trouble (terracycle.net). Call it a cash-for-trash fundraiser and you'll be garbage-free in no time!

©2009 Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products & Services

Author Bio
Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products & Services, is a best-selling author and journalist for Canada's NOW, where she has been writing the "Ecoholic" column for five years. She lives in Toronto.

For more information please visit www.ecoholicnation.com

A Change in .....

2009-10-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

One of the spawns of CursingMama and Mr. Motorcycle is the kind of spawn (is that anyway to speak of my darling children? Yes - some days it is) who is wholly opposed to change. This child would prefer to eat the same food at the same time, wearing the same clothes, in the same chair, watching the same television show, with the same pet attempting to get the same food out of the same bowl every single day. I wish I was exaggerating, but I assure you this is one of the few times I am not.

My child doesn't like it when things change, it doesn't matter if the change is for the good, for the bad, or has no real affect other than coffee cups are kept on a different shelf. The kid doesn't even use those coffee cups.

I tell you this because I have a habit of falling into habits which appear as though they are an aversion to change; I swear that this isn't really true. I'm not a huge proponent of change, I like to know what is coming, I may have a wee tendency toward finding comfort in sameness and being able to control things; but I'm not totally and wholly opposed to change. In fact I occasionally welcome change, maybe even ask for it.

It was a need for change that had me looking at my stack of books to read (actually it is a basket, a stack, and a pile but who is keeping track of that) and selecting A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve.

Prior to this book I had been on a bender of books that featured brooding hard bodied hero's, hapless tiny waisted heroins, undercover operations, questionable literary value (depending on who you ask the Smart Bitches would have been all over their value) and reviews that would have included the Spicy kind of heat sensor

Although I enjoyed most of the books, I will admit that I found myself overloaded with the spice and in need of something that was a little deeper (so to speak) than a tequila popper in the nightclub of books.

A Change in Altitude is no hard shot, it is much more akin to a full bodied wine developed in rugged oak casks stored in a centuries old winery. A substantial change from the pass the salt, where's my lime, party-girl stuff I'd been reading.

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Title: A Change in Altitude

Author: Anita Shreve

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 320 (Hardcover)

On Sale: September 22, 2009

Authors Website
Indie Bound

Synopsis:

Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.

A literature professors dream, A Change in Altitude is filled with the elements I was taught make a good work of fiction; the most important being a compelling story. Taking this book on was a challenge compared to what I had been reading and I occasionally found myself going back and rereading to ensure that I was following, wasn't missing the symbolism, the foreshadowing, the themes, the allegory. I finished this book nearly a month ago and it has taken me some time to feel the full effect, to no longer need to reflect; reading A Change in Altitude was a challenge for me, one that I occasionally questioned the sanity of, but one that I ultimately enjoyed.

I give A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

and

PS. doesn't Anita Shreve have wonderful book covers ?!? They easily pass the good cover test & tempt me to grab them off the shelf regardless of what the books might be about.

PPS I am tempted to write Ms. Shreve and ask her if she kept all those pesky literary terms and elements in mind as she wrote or, as I often suspect, if the reader is the one who makes the connection and it was never the authors intention.

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In exchange for reading & reviewing this book I was provided my own copy by Little Brown and Company.

The Hard Way

2009-09-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

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Title: You Don't Have To Learn The Hard Way
Author: J.R. Parrish
Publisher: Benbella Books
Genre: NonFiction(motivational & inspirational_
Pages:283 (hardcover)
On Sale:May, 2009

Indibound Link
Author's Website

Synopsis:

Full of practical advice for recent grads, such as how to nail that first big job interview, avoid dangerous relationship mistakes, and manage one's finances, this valuable guide synthesizes a life's worth of wisdom into one engaging volume.

My Review:
You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way by J.R. Parrish is a well organized guide to help find and achieve success in your life. I received this book from FSB Associates for review whilst in the midst of a large project at work. Initially I set the book aside, needing a diversion from the serious reading my work project demanded; however, after finishing this book, I realize I could have benefited from it immediately and possibly had less frustration with the entire project process. The book is divided into 6 sections, each building on the next but also focusing on a particular aspect of life:

Human Relations
Habits
Making Your Dreams Come True
Dating, Marriage & Parenting
Career & Finance
Love & Truth

The author begins each section with a personal story and relates the mistakes he made, the lessons he learned to the advice he gives. I found each of the sections relevant and credible with the exception of the section on dating, marriage & parenting; with three marriages and little evidence of being an active and involved parent I had a hard time believing the author has any authority in this area of life.

Although aimed at recent graduates I would argue that certain sections would be of benefit to anyone including younger high school students, anyone embarking on a new path, most working adults, and certainly anyone unhappy with how their professional and personal lives are heading.

I Used To Remember That!

2009-09-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today we throw all review conventions out the window and I am instead featuring a set of books that although technically reviewable aren't something I typically review and I just don't see how the hearts & stars will apply. Even though my typical reading leans toward a genre that many would consider of little educational or literary value (I do have this on my nightstand so hopes of having a better defense for my usual reading selections perseveres) I do love learning. The textbooks that have made their way home over the last few days in need of paper covers have been paged through and read and I've been reminded of all those things I used to know.

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It should come as no surprise then that I've really enjoyed each of these books, they've been very hard to put down and I find myself saying "did you know" or "did you remember" a lot. What might come as a surprise is that Mr. Motorcycle has called "dibs" and expects to be the next in line to read them. These little books work well not only as something to read but are also organized to work as reference books in case of an emergency homework disaster.

Sad to say - we do have homework disasters quite frequently around our house.

Rather than spout on about the books I thought the best way to really tell you about them and give you a feel for what they contain would be to share this article from the author of I Used To Know That and co-author of My Grammar and I or Should That be Me? Caroline Taggart.

You know how it is -- the kids come home from school full of enthusiasm for a new subject, ask you to explain something, and you think, "Oh, yes, I used to know that." When I started to write a book on things you'd forgotten from your schooldays, I realised that I half-knew lots of stuff. I'd heard of phrases and clauses, but did I know the difference between them? I had a vague idea about photosynthesis -- it's to do with how plants grow, isn't it? But doesn't being green come into it somewhere? And then there was the War of 1812 -- what was that all about?

So there are three Top Trivia Questions to start with; I'll answer them and then I'll give you seven more. That way, even if you can't answer the kids' questions, you can quickly change the subject and throw in some knowledge of your own.

1. Language: What's the difference between a clause and a phrase? These are the building blocks of a sentence. The difference is that a clause contains a subject and a verb. It often stands alone as a simple sentence (He loves dogs), but may also be part of a longer sentence (He loves dogs, but he doesn't own one). A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that does not contain a subject and a verb (In the afternoon, he took his mother's dog for a walk).

2. Biology: What is photosynthesis? It is -- as we suspected -- to do with how plants grow. It's the process by which they convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, using the energy they absorb from light by means of a green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is stored mainly in the leaves and is the reason most plants are green. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere, enabling the rest of us to breathe.

3. History: The war of 1812, between the U.S. and Britain, actually lasted nearly three years, from 1812 to 1815. Britain was already at war with France (under Napoleon) and the U.S. sided with the French. American ships, trying to break a blockade that would prevent supplies from reaching France, were being seized by the British, who then coerced American seamen into the Royal Navy. On top of that, the U.S. was disputing British control of territories in Canada; New England's support for Britain complicated the issue further. This war -- the last time the U.S. and Britain fought on opposing sides -- ended in stalemate when the British defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and subsequently lifted their blockade.

4. Literature: Where does the expression 'It just growed' come from? It's a misquotation from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-96), a fiercely anti-slavery novel published in 1852, when this was the political hot potato in America. The most famous character is the slave girl Topsy, who didn't know where she came from (i.e. didn't realise that God had made her) and said, 'I s'pect I growed.'

5. Math: who was that Pythagoras guy anyway? He was a Greek mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 6th century BC. His theorem (the word comes from the same root as "theory" but means something that can be proved) states that in a right-angled triangle "the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides." The hypotenuse is the longest side of the triangle, opposite the right angle. This theorem really really matters to mathematicians, because it is fundamental to calculations used in architecture, engineering, astronomy, navigation and the like.

6. Geography: which were the original 13 states of the Union? In alphabetical order: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia. Delaware was the first to ratify the new constitution and is nicknamed "The First State" to this day.

7. Chemistry: what's the Periodic Table of Elements? It's a way of setting out the names of all the known chemical elements so that the vertical columns contain groups or families with similar properties. It was devised in the 19th century by a Russian chemist called Mendeleev and has been in use ever since. An element, by the way, is a substance that cannot be decomposed into a simpler substance by a chemical process. Groups of elements come together to form compounds. So, for example, a combination of the element hydrogen (H) and the element oxygen (O) can form the compound water (H2O).

8. Physics: what are conduction, convection and radiation? These are the ways in which heat is transferred from one "body" (that is, "thing") to another. Put simply, conduction means that a cool thing -- whether solid, liquid, or gas -- is warmed up by coming into contact with a hot thing. Convection occurs in liquids and gases and is the basis of the principle that hot air rises. A hot liquid or gas is generally less dense than a cool one; as the hot particles rise, cooler ones rush in underneath to take their place. The hot particles, having risen, cool and come down again, and so on. Radiation involves the energy that all objects emit. It is the only one of the three methods that works in a vacuum and is how the sun's rays manage to warm the Earth from so far away.

9. Art: who was Jackson Pollock? He was what is called an Abstract Expressionist and he believed that the act of painting was more important than the finished product. His paintings are therefore highly colourful, often huge, and (like his life) chaotic to the point of frenzy. He died in a motor accident in 1956, aged only 44.

10. Music: why should I care about Johann Sebastian Bach? He was incredibly important in the development of classical music: without him, some say, there might have been no Haydn, no Mozart, and no Beethoven. He wrote mostly organ music, church music, and orchestral music; his most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos, the St. Matthew Passion, The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. He had many children, including the composers Carl Philip Emmanuel and Johann Christian.

Win This - These - Giveways.....

2009-09-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

I love me a giveaway!
My favorite part is being the winner.
My second favorite part is being the giver.
Lets start with the giver part!
The very lucky winner of their very own copy of

Red Velvet Cake!

The Divorce Party is
Ninotchka!

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

Now's our chance to try and be the winner - like Nino!

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

Today is day one of The Book Binge’s Back-to-School Extravaganza and they’re giving away a book bag that contains these four books:

Black Hills by Nora Roberts
Bound by Honor: An Erotic Tale of Maid Marion by Colette Gale
Heart of a Warrior by Johanna Lindsey (an older release)
Dirty Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgway

AND bookmarks, magnets and other promotional items

All in a nice little tote bag…. you know how I feel about tote bags.

All the details can be found here!

Book Binge: Book Bag Giveaway: Day 1

Go Forth and Enter!

What Kind of Party is That?

2009-08-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Red Velvet Cake!

Title: The Divorce Party
Author: Laura Dave
Publisher: Penguin Books- Viking Press
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages:246 (trade paperback)
On Sale:May 15, 2008

IndieBound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis:

A multi-generational story about what it means to share a life with someone, "The Divorce Party" presents two immensely appealing women: Gwyn, who is facing the end of her marriage, and Maggie, who is trying to navigate the beginning of hers.

Review:

Not an entirely new concept- throwing a party to celebrate the end of a marriage - more than one divorce has been celebrated with copious amounts of tequila and rakish Ex bashing. However, a couple throwing a party that would rival most wedding receptions to toast the years they had together and wish each other best in the future is something out the pages of a self-help book.

This enjoyable novel by Laura Dave uses such a celebration as the catalyst behind The Divorce Party told fromthe perspective of the parties hostess and her soon to be daughter-inlaw. As the parties final preparations are put in place for a perfect party it becomes clear that things are not as they seem and the party begins to unravel.

Another fantastic book you can recommend to just about anyone - and I've got one to give away!

I give The Divorce Party

And

for just a little more adult activity and themes than I want my daughter to read

To win your own copy of The Divorce Party leave me a comment on this post before 10 AM CST Monday August 31st and I'll draw a winner from the hat. One entry per person please.
Refer to the General Contest Rules for all details

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

In exchange for reading & reviewing this book I was provided a copy for my own library - and one to give away.

I get the allure of the Big Yellow Dog

2009-08-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Note the Big Yellow Dog!

Title: Gone To The Dogs

Author: Mary Guterson

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages:278 (trade paperback)

On Sale:July 7, 2009

Authors Website
Indiebound Link

Synopsis:

Unfortunately, being a dog-napper is the least of Rena's problems. Her mother’s dating a “potential” serial killer, her dope-smoking-turned-Orthodox-Jewish sister’s having an identity crisis, and she’s the target of one hopeless fix-up after another—most recently, the highly moral Chuck, who just happens to know all about Rena's dog-napping escapades.

My Review:

It is amazing what the green eyed monster can drive good people to do. After years of believing shes found "The One" Rena finds he didn't feel the same way when he goes and moves in with a tall, athletic, blond; what other choice did she have but to ~~steal~~ borrow what she sees as the symbol of this new relationship..... their dog.

This not so simple act leads the reader down a fast paced and cleverly written tale of learning to lift the veil of self deception and accept that things aren't really always how you see them, or how you want to see them.

I give Gone to the Dogs

because I've added this to my to be read list

Shop Indie Bookstores

and

because I've handed the book off to ThePrincess with a smile, she's gonna love it

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

In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a copy for my own personal library through the FirstReads program at Goodreads.

The Castaways

2009-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

As promised! I've been reading!

This Cover Screams

Summer Read!

Title: The Castaways

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages:368 (Hardcover)

On Sale:July 7, 2009

Authors Website

Indiebound

Synopsis:

Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. After Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes, the islanders mourn the loss. But nothing can prepare the MacAvoys' closest friends for what will be revealed.

My Review:

The Castaways explores not only the aftermath of an unexpected and tragic accident but also the relationships adults form. Written from the perspective of each of the adult survivors of this seemingly close knit group of friends the reader experiences the revelations of how couples friendships form, what binds them, the secrets they keep from each other, and what it is that can destroy them. An enjoyable read I had a difficult time putting down Elin Hildebrand has written a compelling novel I can easily recommend to anyone.

I give The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

and

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

In exchange for reading & reviewing this book I was provided my own copy by Little Brown and Company.

Whats your lucky number?

2009-08-04T19:53:00.001-07:00

I know this was due yesterday - but I've gotten caught up in all the details of my staycation.

So - the lucky number winner of the $100 visa gift card And a years supply of Pantene (ARV $47.88) is the person whose answer to the all important question

what was your worst hair day ever-

Was......

My worst hair day ever actually went on way too long because I neglected to take a good, long, look in the mirror. What started as a few well-placed highlights done by someone competent morphed into an all-over blonde dye job done by someone far less talented. It wasn't until someone took pictures that I realized that my hair was orange. Really, nasty orange. I made an appointment at a pricey salon to have it dyed back to my natural brown and at dinner that night my grandparents were so relieved that I'd finally fixed it that they paid for the dye job.

I think I can be forgiven for this mistake because I was only 19.

Congratulations Hillary!

I had a lot of fun reading all these really bad hair day stories - and now I feel a lot better about mine....sorta.

Sucked In!

2009-07-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

A few years back I read in the newspaper (back when the Widget Factory didn't have internet) that certain schools and some churches were telling people not to let their children read Harry Potter and the Sourcers Stone so I, being the kind of person I am, bought it, read it, and quickly passed on for my children. I've been hooked ever since and have even forgiven JK Rowling for Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows (sort of).

Having devoured each of those books and being willing to admit that I have enjoyed a Star Wars movie or two (and maybe a book) I became the kind of person who was willing to step outside of the realm of romance & chicklit to dabble in paranormal. I am sure there are people out there who will argue that neither Harry Potter nor Star Wars are paranormal, but I believe that wizards and ewoks are definitely in that genre.

I have not however typically been a fan of vampires or anything that includes shape shifters… until I discovered what I think of as Lite Vampire Lit.

Actually I have to thank Jill Shalvis for Get A Clue which opened me back up for paranormal books…..

After reading Get A Clue I stumbled upon High Stakes by Erin McCarthy (who also wrote Flat-Out Sexy & Hard and Fast) and I managed to get myself SUCKED in. (Do Not Groan!)

Through the 4 books in the series you get to meet & greet the whose who of the vampire underworld and follow along as the fight for political power turns ugly and leads to more than one mortal finding themselves an immortal…

I give the series

because I was really disappointed when I discovered Erin McCarthy’s website notes this as a completed series….

And

For the steamy vamp love.

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Teaser Tuesday ~ July 28th

2009-07-28T05:48:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title & author

Okay, so I only posted one sentence and I purposely plucked it from the book...but I could not help myself.

Gone to the Dogs by Mary Guterson

Seattle is an indoor kind of place, big on reading and knitting and high in suicide statistics - probably from all the lonely reading and solitary knitting going on behind closed doors.

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Teaser Tuesday ~ July 21st 2009

2009-07-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title & author

The Divorce Party by Laura Dave

"There are rumors, you know. There are always rumors. Rumors that people take as truth without ever getting into it."

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Misery & Cabernet Giveaway

2009-07-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

Times Up!

Shop Indie Bookstores

The magic Random Number Generator has been busy deciding who I should mail copies of Misery Loves Cabernet by By Kim Gruenenfelder to:

Congratulations!!!

#3 - Chris

#13 - Julie

#10 - Becky S

Drop me an email with your mailing address & I'll get the books in the mail ASAP.

Stay tuned for my next book giveaway....and don't forget about the Pantene $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

Teaser Tuesday ~ July 14, 2009

2009-07-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read & Open to a random page

* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

Delilah had been fantasizing about a showdown, but now that it was happening, she was uncomfortable. She had been ambushed; she didn't have her footing. It was a tug of war, and Delilah was about to end up face down in the mud.

Misery and Makeup Do Go Together

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

***Contest Alert***

Details on how you can win a copy of Misery Loves Cabernet follow my review!

I received Misery Loves Cabernet through Library Things Early Reviewer program; when it arrived I was surprised to find it was the 2nd book in a series - knowing my love for the series you know I wasn't upset. So, off I went in search of the 1st book A Total Waste of Make Up.

Title: A Total Waste of Makeup

Author: Kim Gruenfelder

Publisher: St. Martins Press / Griffin

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 384

On Sale: December 27, 2005

Authors Websit e

IndieBound

Synopsis:

Charlize "Charlie" Edwards certainly knows, in theory, what it takes to lead a successful and happy life. She owns a nice house in Silverlake, LA's trendiest neighborhood. She has glamorous and loyal friends who accompany her to the hottest clubs in town. And she works as the personal assistant to Drew Stanton, Hollywood's sexiest movie star. But she's also turning 30, chronically single, and faced with serving as maid of honor at her younger sister's wedding. Charlie finds herself struggling to juggle the chaos of wedding planning (while wondering if she'll ever wear the white dress herself), her all-consuming job for lunatic boss Stanton, and a serious crush on Jordan, a photographer on the set of Drew's latest feature--a man who might actually return her feelings.

My Review:

A wonderful debut novel with likeable & loveable characters that left me wanting more so I quickly cracked the spine on the next book in the series.

Title: Misery Loves Cabernet

Author: Kim Gruenfelder

Publisher: St. Martins Press / Griffin

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 358

On Sale: April 14, 2009

Authors Website

IndieBound

Synopsis:

Charlize “Charlie” Edwards finally has it all: a house in Silverlake, L.A.’s hippest neighborhood, two fabulous best friends who always have her back, and a great (though hectic) job as the personal assistant to Hollywood’s hottest movie star, Drew Stanton. ..... Maybe Charlie’s journal of smart-alecky life advice—which she’s always been better at writing than following—has finally helped put her on the right track.
Unfortunately for Charlie, Drew is causing complete havoc on his new movie set, her eccentric family is descending upon L.A. for the upcoming holiday season, and her love life may be back to square one. ........ But there’s nothing misery—or seduction—loves better than a great glass of Cabernet.

(Synopsis has been edited to protect the outcome of A Total Waste Of MakeUp!)

My Review:

Another quick & enjoyable read from cover to cover with enough action, angst and advice to keep the pages turning. Much of the content is built from things readers learn in the first book, so don’t skip ahead, enjoy the entire bottle of wine, I mean series….just grab a glass of your favorite vino and get reading.

CONTEST!!!!!!!!!

If you weren’t lucky enough to score your own copy of Misery Loves Cabernet when it was featured on Free Book Friday (which includes an interview with Author Kim Gruenenfelder) here’s your chance to make this a part of your own private library. St. Martins Press/Griffin has sent me 3 extra copies of Misery Loves Cabernet to be awarded to readers of Not So Humble Opinions.

To enter:

Comment on here with the answer to this question:

Everyone likes to bring wine as a hostess gift at holiday parties, what other great ideas do you have?

The contest will begins at 6:00 AM CST on Thursday July 9th and will end at 3:00 PM CST on Wednesday July 15th. Winners will be posted on Thursday July 16th.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and then leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and then leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over
Winners will be selected via random draw, using the Random Number Generator, and will notified by e-mail.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Good Luck!

WoW ~ July 8th

2009-07-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

When a Man Loves a Weapon by Toni McGee Causey

Due from St. Martins Press on August 4, 2009

Shop Indie Bookstores

If you haven't yet read the 2 books preceeding this latest installment in the Bobbie Faye triology - I didn't officially review them but I did love reading them - they were known as Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day and Bobbie Faye's (kinda, sorta, not exactly) Family Jewels. They were both rereleased, retitled, and recovered in June to Charmed & Dangerous and Girls Just Wanna Have Guns (confused? me too)

Doesn't matter - the next installment is due out August 4th and I can't wait!

Teaser Tuesday - July 7th

2009-07-07T05:47:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's this weeks teaser....

Riding Wild by Jaci Burton

"Lilly climbed up his body and grabbed for the serum.
Goddam, she was a wildcat. While still struggling for breath, Mac rolled her over and pinned her to the ground.
Now this was a familiar position."

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Waiting On Wednesday ~ July 1st Edition

2009-07-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that readers are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Double Play by Jill Shalvis

Pace Martin is the ace pitcher for the Pacific Heat. He’s got the arm, the experience and the wins. He’s also got the pain, the pressure, and the possible end of his career looming over him. The last thing he needs now is a distraction, even if it comes in the form of a tough, beautiful,
tell-it-like-it-is writer who sees past his defenses.

Holly Hutchins knows a good story when she sees one, and the tall, dark and slightly attitude-ridden Pace Martin fits the bill. But when she realizes there’s more at stake than just the win, she starts to notice the handsome broad-shouldered jock in a different light.

Pace and Holly begin a seductive game in which neither wants to drop the ball, but in the face of an unexpected betrayal and challenge, they’ll have to find the courage to swing for the fences…

Due out July 7th from Berkely this one promises to be a hot beach read!

Contest! Pantene Full & Thick

2009-06-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

Times UP!!!!

The winner will be drawn using the Random Number Generator

and Announced Monday August 3rd.....Good Luck!

**CONTEST ALERT**

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Pantene Full & Thick

Although my daughter did recently tell me that 50 is the new 40 - making 40 the new 30 - I'm still not real comfortable with the idea of not being a spring chicken. I'm doing some things to combat it, trying to make lifestyle changes to make the process less tiring, and some things to make it less noticeable; what I'm not really doing is anything to reverse the signs of aging...except when it comes to my hair.

I get that grey hair can be colored (which I'm not doing yet) and I'm still ticked off that I can have pimples and grey hair at the same time; what I wasn't ready for is the other things aging & hypothyroidism have done to my hair.

I have always had a full head of fine hair. Fine hair I could deal with as long as it looked good, had a nice texture and was manageable. Never the master of my hair I have always had "help" along the way from various products, friends and more than occasional stylist intervention. Sure, I have had more than my fair share of bad hair days so I was certain that as I aged the cosmos would balance themselves out and I would be one of those really lucky people whose hair got better with age. I was, quite apparently, wrong.

Over the last year things have changed; my fine hair has gone through a texture change, it is not naturally lustrous anymore, it has thinned, and there are these wild looking wiry grey hairs popping out everywhere. The hardest things to take have been the changes in texture and the thinning so when I was approached by Pantene to try their Full & Thick Shampoo and Conditioner I was immediately on board.... and it's working.

Sure, I still have those wiry grey hairs popping out here and there, but I really feel like my hair has a better texture, I know for a fact that the thinning has slowed considerably, and I might even refrain from calling my hair fine for the first time ever.

After just 2 weeks of use - I'm sold.

So - I bet you're wondering about that contest I may have mentioned up there....

The wonderful people at Pantene are giving away A $100 Visa gift card AND a year-long supply of Pantene (ARV $47.88) to one of my lucky readers.
To enter, leave me a comment below and telling me

what was your worst hair day ever-

(or you can blog your worst hair day and leave a link to your post in the comments below)

The contest will begins at 9:00 a.m. (PST) July 1, 2009 and will end 5:00 p.m. (PST) August 1, 2009. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over
Winners will be selected via random draw, using the Random Number Generator, and will notified by e-mail.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Please see the official rules here: Pantene Full & Thick

I don't suppose it's fair that I demand you tell me about your worst hair day without going first....I have so many to choose from.....the poodle perm in high school comes immediately to mind (when I was hoping for one of those really neat perms that were all the rage in the 80's)...I'll go more recent....something fresher....

Eleven years ago my company decided to make some major changes and, as part of the changes, every employee was to have new head shot taken and be part of the great big company photo. Given my history of bad photos I was paralyzed with fear and rightfully so. as the details of this photo shoot unfolded.

The morning of the big shoot I spent a lot of time and used a lot of "product" in hopes of taming and keeping calm my hair in the overwhelming July humidity. Knowing I would be outside for only minutes (from house to car and from car to office) wasn't comforting, my hair only needed seconds to stage a rebellion.

I went heavier than I typically would with products and I sprayed my hair within an inch of it's life (my apologies to the ozone I had no idea). I dressed carefully, even requiring assistance to get my sweater over my head without disturbing the hair that had taken an hour to shellac, and braved the elements.

The first phase of my trip wasn't too bad, the humidity was shockingly high but my hair managed to stay calm and I appeared well kept. I know because I checked my hair and make-up obsessively as I navigated through heavy traffic. During the drive I began to sweat from nerves and anxiety over my hair....so I turned the A/C on full blast and pointed all the vents directly at my fact to reduce the chance of my make-up running down my face.

And then the worst thing ever happened; it started to rain and I had left my umbrella at home.

Despite my usual "no running" policy I ran from my car to the office door, but all my effort was futile. I arrived looking like a drowned rat and had no hope of restoring what had been. I tried to comb out my hair in an attempt to look somewhat presentable but all of the product I had used that morning began to reacting against each other and started making these little white balls of goo all over in my hair, not even a ponytail made things okay.

The look was so awful HR offered to reschedule my head shot for a different day - but the big company photo, well that lives on.

Fortunately I won't be having these kinds of hair days anymore, all I have to do is figure out why I keep getting pimples... I bet it can be blamed on stress from the teenagers.

Don't Forget to enter, leave me a comment below and tell me
what was your worst hair day ever-
and you don't have to be as wordy as I am....that's just my personality....

You also have Check out the rest of the BlogHer reviews for 8 additional chances to win!

Teaser Tuesday ~ June 30th

2009-06-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's this weeks teaser....

She didn't suppose she would have appreciated seeing Roberto with another woman, either. Oh, wait. She had. A dozen times or more while they were still married.

From the Vegas Vampires series
Sucker Bet by Erin McCarthy

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2009-06-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

I've got a big stack of books on my Just Read But Need to Review pile. None of these are reviews that are "required" by any obligations I have to authors or publishers, but I like to keep my reviews going because I know this is one way people like to choose books for their own To Be Read pile and I've got some selections that just might fit the bill:

Title: The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square
Author: Rosina Lippi
Publisher: Berkely Trade
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 368
On Sale: March 3, 2009

Authors Website
IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

For John Dodge, moving to new places and reviving ailing businesses is a way of life. So when he sees an ad for Scriveners, a stationery shop in a small town in South Carolina, he decides to take the plunge.

As soon as he arrives in Lambert's Corner, Dodge falls happily into the whirl of gossip, gifts, and quintessential Southern hospitality. Link Kay, one of his employees, warms up to him after Dodge admires his expertise on pens. Bean Hurt-a feisty and outspoken ten-year-old-becomes a fast friend. And Maude Golden, the mayor, supplies him with indispensable information. But the one person who really catches Dodge's eye is Julia Darrow-the beautiful but aloof pajama-wearing owner of the Cocoon, a popular store specializing in luxury linens. Dodge tries to befriend her, but she remains elusive and mysterious. Everyone knows that she is a widow, but no one seems to know why she came to town or why she never leaves Lambert Square-or does she?

Like Dodge, Chicago-born Julia is fleeing a tumultuous past. But with the help of a hilarious and endearing cast of characters, Julia and Dodge learn that, sometimes, you don't need to go far to find home.

My Review:
I received this book from Lynn Viehl of Paperback Writer (who is actually an author of 40+ books) in a contest where we named our favorite read of the year. The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square was Lynn's favorite read and it is easy to see why. Rosina Lippi spins an amazing story will characters that are not only 3 dimensional, but with believable flaws and strengths. An enjoyable read from beginning to end this would make a fantastic book club selection with plenty of topics, plots and surprises to need more than one bottle of wine.

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Title: How To Score
Author: Robin Wells
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 400
On Sale: June 1, 2009

Authors Website Don't miss the contest Robin Wells is running!
IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

Museum curator Sammi Matthews isn't just in a dating slump, she's putting men on the injured list. After giving one date a black eye and cracking another's rib, Sammi decides she needs professional help. Enter life coach Luke Jones, who advises Sammi on how to overcome her klutziness. And their phone sessions work Sammi soon meets a sexy FBI agent who seems to know just what she needs.
When his brother Luke goes into federal protection, FBI Special Agent Chase Jones agrees to cover for him. Then Sammi's hot voice sizzles down the line, and the usual "phone only" rule is out. With "Luke" coaching her by day, and Chase dating her by night, Sammi's confidence soars, along with her appeal. Chase falls hard, but how will Sammi feel if and when he comes clean? Chase would rather she break all his bones than risk breaking her heart.

My Review:
I received this book from Kelly Moran in, you guessed it, another contest. If you require that every book be true to life, I'm not going to tell you to put this book down, but I am going to ask you to give Robin Wells a little slack and check your believability hat at the door and curl up in a comfy chair to just enjoy this new well paced selection from Robin Wells. Sure, Chase breaks all the doctor patient rules in dealing with Sammi Mathhews but you can't blame him for keeping his charade going. It was a nice story with maybe a bit too many plot lines but not too worry it'll fit nicely into your beach reading this summer.

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Title: Best Enemies
Author: Jane Heller
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 352
On Sale: April 6, 2004

Authors Website
IndieBound

Synopsis:

Book publicist Amy Sherman tripped over it when she caught her fiance horizontally attached to her best friend, the impossibly tall, inexcusably blonde, and insufferably gorgeous Tara Messer, who added insult to injury by marrying the cad right out from under her.After four years of therapy, Amy's finally back on track-until she has to publicize the hottest new book of the season by "the next Martha Stewart." Nightmares do come true. It's the dreaded Tara who's the author, and why shouldn't she write a bestseller about perfection? She's the perfect woman enjoying the perfect life with the perfect man. Who'd ever guess she's living the perfect lie?When Amy tries to save face by roping a handsome mystery writer into posing as her fiance, her little white lie leads to yet another romantic triangle. She just might find true love this time-if she lets herself-but first she and Tara must settle old scores and team up against the man who played them both...

My Review:
This selection came from my local library sale shelf and was so exciting from the uptake I HAD to use it for my Teaser Tuesday this week. With great dialog, a unique story line and a plot that doesn't stop Best Enemies was difficult to put down. With really two different plot arcs this could have easily been split into two different novels so there are no wasted pages here. A great beach read selection and an author worthy of another spot on my To Be Read list.

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Title: Instant Attraction
Author: Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Brava
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 320
On Sale: February 1, 2009

Authors Website
IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl—working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn’t fit in anywhere. That’s all she wants. Well, that—and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she’s crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed—that part defies explanation…After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he’ll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie’s killer smile triggers something deep in his gut…among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a checkbook is the biggest rush he’s ever felt—and an adventure Katie’s wishing would never end...

My Review:
I am a big fan of Jills' books and her blog so I'm not sure what took me so long to grab Instant Attraction out of my To Be Read pile. Lucky me, I was able to read this one cover to cover (ahh the road trip), unfortunately I still have to wait a few more days for the next installment in this series about the rough around the edges Wilder brothers who not only run Wilder Adventures but also run up the temperatures of just about every woman in town. Great characters with fantastic dialog are hallmarks of a Jill Shalvis book and this one doesn't disappoint. If you haven't read it yet I can't imagine what you're waiting for, it'll melt the snow and curl your toes.

WoW ~ June 24th

2009-06-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book. When Stones tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here - in this town, in his life. It is convincing that this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist.

Due out June 30th! I read the precursor to this book Instant Attraction during the long drive and am looking forward to the next installment.

Teaser Tuesday ~ June 23rd

2009-06-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's this weeks teaser....

"To add further insult to injury, she was the one on top when I walked in on them midcoitus. She was crying out "Take me home, Hondo!" even though my fiance's name is the far less studly-sounding Stuart, and she was riding him as if he were a horse, even though he is hung like a very small dog."
~ Best Enemies by Jane Heller

Shop Indie Bookstores

Muesing Mondays ~ June 22nd

2009-06-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Todays topic is library orientated:
Do you restrict yourself on how many books you take out from the library at a time?
Do you borrow books if you already have some out?
Do you always reborrow books you don’t get to?

I am a big fan of the public library system and am always perplexed when I hear that there are people who don't take advantage of this tax supported resource. My use of the library system is pretty well documented on my Library Challenge update page...
I will admit that I do limit myself on how many books I've got checked out from the library at one time and it isn't about the library having a shortage or my conscious keeping me in check; it is all about keeping up appearances at home. Too many books from the library will make my waiting to be read stack appear higher than I'm willing to draw attention to so, instead, I usually reserve the books I'm hoping to read a few days before I'll need them. Of course I always have a few unslotted books waiting in the wings just in case I finish earlier than expected or the book I'm waiting for isn't readily available. And, if I haven't gotten to something but it looks wonderful I will renew it but then put it to the top of the stack.

With all of the library activity you'd think I never buy books...but of course there is that stack too.

Musing Mondays are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page!

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

2009-06-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

As you may be able to easily guess my time on the road allowed for the opportunity to read
I read a lot. So much in fact that Mr. Motorcycle wanted to know if I realized it was possible to get too much of a good thing.

I've been thinking about his statement and have decided that the beauty of reading is that I'm not really getting too much of a good thing...it's a lot like knitting in that way. There is a definate beginning and end; and, no matter how many different books I pick up (or knitting projects) no two are the same.

Although they can be a lot alike.....a pair or socks or mittens.....maybe something in a series.....

After getting hooked on Stephanie Bond's Body Mover Series by Chris I found myself on a personal mission to get up to speed on Carlotta, Wesley, Cooper and Jack. I don't really care much for Peter so his piece of the storyline was not something that kept me coming back for more. I think I'm rooting for Jack.....

Title: Three Men and A Body
Author: Stephanie Bond
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Fiction, Mystery & Romance
Pages: 320

IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

When hunky body mover Cooper Craft invites Carlotta along for a VIP body pickup in Florida how can she refuse? Sure Cooper has more than body moving in mind - but so does Carlotta....

Title: Four Bodies and a Funeral
Author: Stepanie Bond
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Fiction, Mystery & Romance
Pages: 320
On Sale: April 2009

IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

Fresh off the disaster of VIP body moving a serial killer with an unsettling signature starts targeting women in Atlanta. Nobody is safe and it appears everyone is a suspect, even those you'd least expect.

Title: Five Bodies to Die For
Author: Stephanie Bond
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Fiction, Mystery & Romance
Pages: 320
On Sale: May 2009

IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

Caught up in the terror of the Charmed Killer and the turmoil of accusations Carlotta takes up residence in Peter's house for her safety. Whether the high buck suburban neighborhood with gated entrances and fancy security systems can provide the protection she needs remains to be seen.

Title: Six Killer Bodies
Author: Stephanie Bond
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Fiction, Mystery & Romance
Pages: 320
On Sale: June 2009

IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

With her haphazardly constructed world and new odd ball family falling apart Carlotta has a lot of work to do to put things back together. Someone's been arrested as the Charmed Killer, someone is battling addiction, and then The Charmed Killer goes in for the final kill.

My Review:
Obviously I liked this series enough to get caught up to date in a very short period of time. The story lines move quickly, even with The Charmed Killer trilogy taking place over three books, the dialog is fantastic, and the intrigue is top notch. My only problem was the repetitive "catch us up" passages - where we are given bits and pieces of back story over and over again. I have to say although the back story might help you jump in mid series there is no way it will live up to reading the whole thing. Overall 3 Stars because it kept me coming back for more (and whining for miles over the forgotten book 6) BUT has me seriously concerned the publisher (Mira Books) may not be picking up the seventh book...Which will leaves the reader hanging with the ending from Six Killer Bodies - a big no no for me.

Books 1 & 2 reviewed

Cross Posted at my personal blog CursingMama

Contest Alert!

2009-06-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

WoW June 17th

2009-06-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

UNBUCKLE YOUR BELT AND PULL UP A CHAIR. IT'S THE SPICIEST, SAUCIEST, MOST RIB-STICKING PLUM YET.

Recipe for disaster:

Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head --literally.

Throw in some spice:

Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli.

Pump up the heat:

Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers.

Stir the pot:

Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah.

Add a secret ingredient:

Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur. Enough said.

Bring to a boil:

Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, A.K.A. Ranger, during the day. Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones?

Warning:

Habanero hot. So good you’ll want seconds.

~from www.evanovich.com

Teaser Tuesday June 16th

2009-06-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"And don't let her drink any more blood. She's had enough" More than enough. He'd let her feed off him three times.

Bit The Jackpot A Tale of Vegas Vampires by Erin McCarthy

Shop Indie Bookstores

Teaser Tuesday - June 9th

2009-06-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme,
hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

From 5 Bodies To Die For by Stephanie Bond

"Because getting you back home gives me that much more incentive to get The Charmed Killer off the streets." He grabbed the red panties in her hands, and walked away, holding them high before shoving them into his jacket pocket with a grin. "I'll hang onto these for motivation."

IndieBound:

Your Personal Economic Power

2009-06-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Title: Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success
Author: Claire Shipman & Katty Kay
Publisher: Harper Business
Genre: Non-Fiction, Business
Pages: 256
On Sale: June 2, 2009
Authors Website

IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

You are not alone. Finally, here is a book that gets to the heart of what professional women really want. You have had enough of sixty-hour workweeks, the day care dash, and the vacations that never get taken. You want to work, but on your own terms.
Women have power. In Womenomics, journalists Shipman and Kay deal in facts. Companies with more women managers are more profitable and report higher levels of employee satisfaction. With a new generation of women who are demanding more flexible ways to work, you have a workplace revolution that is great news for professional women and for businesses alike.
It is personal. Womenomics shows women how to redefine success, be more productive, and have more satisfying careers that don’t require an all-or-nothing lifestyle.
It is possible. Shipman and Kay show women how to chart an empowering, exhilarating course to a richer life. Inspiring, practical, and persuasive, Womenomics offers a groundbreaking blueprint for changing the way you live and work—with advice, guidance, and fact-based support that proves you don’t have to do it all to have it all.

My Review:
I've been slowly working through Womenomics for a few weeks, not because it is a difficult or uninteresting book to read, but because I want to ensure that I am understanding the evidence and the strategies that the authors are offering. Packed with powerful research Womenomics clearly demonstrates what we've known for years, Women are more valuable in the workplace than we often give ourselves credit for. Womenomics will show you where your power lies and how to put it to use to achieve the work - live balance you desire.
A great book for women already in the rat race or thinking of getting in. I also happen to think it would make an excellent college graduation gift -- with that ever important cash tucked inside too.

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Disclosure: In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a review copy of the book for my bookshelf.

I'm Not Gonna Let 'Em Win!

2009-06-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterdays lull in busyness was not long lived. Once again, I was totally unprepared for what this day has brought.

What I would like to know today is who has all this time to make mischief just for me? I don't go around setting up mischief for anyone else so why am I being targeted? A person can only take so much before they start giving....

But - I don't have a category for WTF Wednesday or Whining Wednesday so I guess I'll have to buck up, paste on a smile and find something to smile about.... which won't really be that hard because I just read a book by Carol Leifer, who happens to be a comedian and all I have to do is think about the book to get the giggles - and remember not to fret about the small stuff.....

Title: When You Lie About Your Age The Terrorists Win Reflections on Looking in the Mirror
Author: Carol Leifer
Publisher: Villard Books
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir
Pages: 208
On Sale: March 10, 2009
Authors Website
IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

Comedy veteran Leifer tells hilarious stories about herself, in her laugh-out-loud literary debut that looks at life, love, family, and the aging process.

My Review:

Note that this book is not all fun and games, because it isn't. No, When You Lie About Your Age the Terrorists Win is also a lot about growing up, figuring out who you are, and being happy with it. Carols thoughts, insights and and honesty are not only fun & funny to read; but also touching and often heart warming.

If you are even questioning whether this little number is for you may I suggest you read this Excerpt which was provided to me for your enjoyment:

A Dozen Things Men Should Know (But Most Don't)

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Disclosure: In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a copy of my very own!

A Dozen Things Men Should Know (but Most Don’t)

2009-06-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

by Carol Leifer,
Author of When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror

1. Running Water Is Your Friend

Never forget that cologne is for after showering, not instead of showering. And as far as cologne goes, it's not flea dip, guys. A little drop goes a long way. Believe it or not, you could toss all that manly perfume stuff, anyway -- and not just because most guys in cologne commercials look like they have the hots for other guys in cologne commercials. It's because women like the way you smell. There's this little thing nature came up with called pheromones that cologne just gets in the way of. So don't mess with animal instinct, and let the "natural you" do its wafting -- after, of course, a shower.

2. Ponytails

On us? Cute.
On you? Not so cute.

3. Your Back Should Never Be Mistaken For A Throw Rug

If there's a thicket of brush back there, call the fire department to have it cleared, or take it like a man and have it waxed.

4. Skip The Dumb Questions

If your girlfriend is quiet for a while, never ask her, "What are you thinking?" I guarantee the answer won't be "How attractive and unannoying you are" or "The Mets are up seven to six." The same goes for the question "Why aren't you smiling?" That answer will never be fun.

5. Don't Trust The Ladies' Room

When you're out somewhere and two women go to the bathroom together, they're definitely talking about you. (Sometimes, I swear, they never even go in the stall, there's so much to discuss.)

6. Just Put It Out!

A man's breath after a cigar is akin to the odor of a skunk's track shoe after running a marathon. Save the stogies for when you're hanging with your own kind.

7. Don't Get It From The Radio

Taking advice about women from overweight Hawaiianshirt- wearin' radio shock jocks will get you where they are . . . sitting alone by themselves in a very dark room.

8. It's A Numbers Game

If you ask a woman for her phone number but she asks for yours instead, she's not interested in you. In fact, she's more likely to call that 800 number promising a six- figure income buying homes in foreclosure.

9. Pull It Out

When the check comes on a first date, if a woman takes out her wallet, it's purely for show. She has no intention of paying, nor should you let her. I know it's not fair, but in exchange you get to run the world.

10. Put On Your Walking Shoes

Always walk a woman to her car. Even if it's Gloria Steinem and she declines, walk her to her car. Or in Steinem's case, offer to walk her across the street. (Sorry, Gloria. We're all getting older.) And always wait until a woman's car has driven safely away. (Then you can ask an even bigger man than you to walk you to your car.)

11. The Unfriendly Skies

Never take your shoes off on a plane. Please find other ways to show your "relaxed side."

12. Keep It Shiny

If you're bald, be bald. Women much prefer "no hair" to "dead squirrel hair."

(I'm from New York, and the thirteenth bagel is always free when you order a dozen, so here's an extra added tip.)

13. Stay On Your Side

You never need to ask a woman before going on a date if she would like to drive. She never wants to drive. Even if it's Danica Patrick, the answer is no.

The above is an excerpt from the book When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror by Carol Leifer. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Excerpted from When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win by Carol Leifer. (c) 2009 by Carol Leifer. Reprinted by arrangement with The Random House Publishing Group.

Author Bio
Carol Leifer, author of When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror, is an accomplished stand-up comedian and an Emmy-nominated writer and producer for her work on such television shows as Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Saturday Night Live, and the Academy Awards. She has starred in several of her own comedy specials, which have aired on HBO, Showtime, and Comedy Central. Her "big break" came when David Letterman unexpectedly showed up one night at the Comic Strip in New York City and caught Carol's show. His visit led to her making twenty-five guest appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. Carol has also been seen on The Tonight Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She starred in and created the WB sitcom Alright Already. She lives in Santa Monica with her partner, their son, and their seven rescue dogs.

For more information please visit www.carolleifer.com

Teaser Tuesday for June 2nd ~ 2009

2009-06-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"When I think about it, I was probably happiest phonewise in 1973. It was all so simple then.The phone rang, you answered it and talked."
When You Lie About Your Age The Terrorists Win by Carol Leifer

The Leaning Tower of CursingMama!

2009-06-02T13:09:00.001-07:00

OH MY GOODNESS has it been busy at the Widget Factory this week. I'm not sure what has caused this wide reaching string of busyness but I was totally unprepared for it.

Completely & totally blind sided.

In moments when I have had time to possibly show you what I am hopefully (oh please let the lull last) about to show you I have had people in close proximity and between you and me I was so not in the mood to try and explain why I had pictures such as these up on my computer screen. I'm sure you understand.

So - Rock Stacking 101 - Step by Steb

1.) Order new camera
2.) Receive new camera from nice UPS man
3.) Go buy XD card because they never come with that
4.) Charge battery - duh

5.) Turn to page 9 in your text books...

I mean The Double Daring Book for Girls

6.) Try to explain to your husband why you are about to mess with his pile of rocks which he has now magically deemed a "sculpture"

Mr.Motorcycles Rock Sculpture

"It's for the blog" is apparently not sufficient explanation to mess with someones sculpture.

7.) After photographing the sculpture so that you may return it to its previous state begin building. Note that you are not allowed to use glue.

8.) Start off basic and try to not draw too much attention to yourself.

This is harder than it looks and
this tower could go at any moment

9.) Be bold! Be Brave! Go to new heights!!!

Kinda looks like a person don't you think?

10.) Take it even higher!

Nobody MOVE!!!
Yes, I realize its not that much higher - but it is higher!

11.) Attempt to recreate the "sculpture" now that you've messed with every single one of these rolly polly rocks

12.) Receive a look that tells you that your sculpting abilities are sub-par and be banished from ever playing with rocks again.

Oh well..... there are plenty of other activities to keep me busy anyway.

Crossposted at CursingMama

I Double Dog Dare You!

2009-05-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I did all sorts of things that I can not for the life of me remember how to do. There were those hand clapping games with rhymes (Say-Say Oh Playmate is the only one I remember but there were quite a few), there were jump roping games, we made cootie catchers and folded notes to each other in super secret ways. All of these childhood memories are happy ones, but they also all lack details. Details like how to play different games and who it was that taught them to me. When I happened upon the Pocket Daring Book for Girls Things To Do at my local bookseller last summer I was immediately entranced and knew we had to have it in our house. It held the secrets to many of the games I played as a child.

That book has gotten quite a work out over the last year, and although it isn't nearly exhausted I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get my hands on the newest addition to the Daring series..

Title: The Double-Daring Book for Girls
Authors: Andrea J. Buchanan, Miriam Peskowitz
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Genre: Non-fiction YA
Pages: 288
On Sale: March 24, 2009
Authors Website
*A great place to peek at the book & get a few free ideas to give you a good feeling for what this book holds!

IndieBound

BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling phenomenon The Daring Book for Girls is an even more daring guide to everything from making a raft to learning how to play football to the art of the Japanese Tea ceremony. This second volume, with all new original material, promises to be even more of a daring adventure than the first. Girls will learn how to surf, get horseback riding tips, make a labyrinth, find out about April Fool’s Day history and pranks, how to organize a croquet tournament, find out about cowgirls, the Nobel Prize, being a detective and much more! Just as packed with creative and exciting material as the original, but twice as fun, this book will be beloved by all Daring fans everywhere!

My Review:
I had a rather difficult time trying to review this book, not because the book is anything but wonderful and amazing. No, I had to wrestle The Double Daring Book for Girls away from my daughter, ThePrincess. ThePrincess is a big fan of this book and has discussed at great length which activities she is going to attempt this summer and which ones she is going to use when baby sitting to keep the kids occupied & out of trouble.

If you are going to be stuck at home with children this summer I highly suggest you run out & get a copy of this book to use as your guide to summer fun - very few activities require any money or special gear - and there is such a wide variety you could fill every day this summer. Even those rainy ones.

I'm not sure how many ways I can say that this is an amazing book for girls anyone that knows a girl, boys and anyone that knows a boy - okay, ANYONE. From the moment The Double Daring Book for Girls arrived in our house it has been the thing to read. From Star Gazing to Quiling and how to play Cricket (and Lacrosse!) there are a lot of activities packed into this book. One activity that caught my eye is rock stacking.

You see we are a family of rock collectors - we have vases filled with agate's, we have large crystals and we have fossils. We also have some lovely granite specimens taken from the shores of Lake Superior, rounded smooth by the crashing waves of the lake I love so very much. (as an aside, when I am totally stressed out and can not handle things I will take one of these pieces of granite and hold it. If I happen to be away from home and the stress hits, I have a small polished agate to remind me that life is not all about the material things)

So - Rock Stacking. I have spent a little time studying our rounded rocks & with the help of
The Double Daring Book for Girls I think I may have a handle on the craft. (not unlike my masterful knitting skills!) This weekend I'm going to stack those granite beauties from Lake Superior - and with my new purse cam I'll show you the results on Monday.

Bet you can't stack better than me....double dog dare you.....

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Disclosure: In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a copy of The Double-Daring Book for Girls, which is no longer in my possession because some crazy 13 year old is off doing every activity she can.

Body Movers & Out of this World

2009-05-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

I have quite a few more books on the burner that I want to share and, rather than dedicating a single entry to each book I thought I'd give a quick synopsis kind of update on each of them:

Body Movers - by Stephanie Bond. I received this from Chris and am passing it on to my mother who will surely love this new to us series. Carlotta Wren is a former pampered princess who had to give up her life of luxury when her father was indicted on fraud charges and skipped bail with her mother - leaving Carlotta penniless and charged with caring for her younger brother Wesley. 10 years later Carlotta finds herself working retail and not much else - until her brothers delinquent behavior brings her fathers case back into the spotlight, her former fiancee pops up and his new wife (one of Carlotta's best customers) drops dead. A fun, funny, and great story I couldn't wait to get my hands on -

Body Movers - 2 for the price of 1 - by Stephanie Bond. After working out those pesky murder charges that nearly cost her her life Carlotta should be in the clear but then someone steals her identity, her car, and winds up dead. How much can one girl take? It isn't too bad considering the cast of characters willing to help a girl out.... I've got the next book in this series qued up!

Out of This World - Jill Shalvis. My attempt to dip my toe in the paranormal/sci-fi contemporary novel pond. A fun, fast moving story surrounding a not your normal run of the mill bed & breakfast in Alaska - with super powers, heightened sexual awareness, and pirates you never know what is going to happen next.

There will be more, bigger better book reviews coming in the following few days. I hope that you aren't tiring of them, but with my knitting on the slow boat and my everyday life being not too terribly exciting or sharable books is what I have right now. And, I love books!

Is anyone else watching Real Housewives of New Jersey? I swear that I saw Stephanie Plum & Joe Morelli run by in an episode..... okay, not really. But! I have started my countdown to the release of Finger Lickin 15. It was supposed to be released on my birthday, but now the book has been pushed out 7 days to June 23rd.

I was surprised to hear that the book I reviewed yesterday A Map of the Known World wasn't available at quite a few libraries so I checked mine, and since sent in a request that they add A Map of the Known World to the shelves. I had thought of offering up my copy for raffle - but I think it would be best used if I donated it to the school library after The Princess gets her chance to read it. Hope you don't think me selfish.

A Map of the Known World

2009-05-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

It happens every once in a while. A book that is outside my typical genre and interest sneaks up on me, grabs hold, and refuses to let go. These are the books I cherish, the ones I think of when I can't sleep or when I'm sitting in traffic. These are the books I tell everyone to read right away. I've been lucky in books this year, it wasn't that long ago that I read just such a book, and now, I've finished another.

Title: A Map of the Known World
Author: Lisa Ann Sandell
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 272
On Sale: April 15, 2009
Authors Website

IndieBound

Synopsis:

Cora Bradley dreams of escape. Ever since her reckless older brother, Nate, died in a car crash, Cora has felt trapped in her small town. Her parents are increasingly overprotective, and even her best friend, Rachel, has begun to slip away.

So Cora seeks solace in art, drawing elaborate maps and envisioning herself in exotic locales. Then Cora’s maps lead her to something unexpected: to Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died. Cora forms a tentative bond with Damian—himself an artist—who reveals to her the truth about who her brother really was. As Cora begins to piece together the fragments of her life, she finds herself falling for Damian. But will she have the courage to follow the chart of her heart?

My Review:
I've had to sit with this book for more than a week to try and find some way to put into words how amazing this book was. A powerful and gripping story that reveals lifes truths and emotions in an effortless manner, it transcends age and should be read by anyone and everyone. Fantastic! Just make sure you have a few tissues handy.

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Disclosure: In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a copy from the publisher through GoodReads

Who Do You Think You Are?

2009-05-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Who Do You Think You Are?
Author: Alyse Myers
Publisher: Touchstone
Genre: Memoir - Non-Fiction
Pages: 250
On Sale: April 28, 2009

Authors Website
IndieBound
BooksOnBoard

Synopsis:

After her mother's death, Alyse Myers covets only one thing: a wooden box that sits in the back of a closet. Its contents have been kept from her for her entire life. When she was thirteen years old her mother promised she could have the box, "when I'm dead. In fact, it'll be my present to you." Growing up in Queens in the 1960s and '70s, Alyse always yearned for more in life, while her mother settled for an unhappy marriage, an unsatisfying job, and ultimately a joyless existence. Her father drifts in and out of their home. There are harrowing fights, abject cruelty, and endless uncertainty. Throughout her childhood Alyse adamantly rejects everything about her mother's lifestyle, leaving her mother to ask "Who do you think you are?"

My Review:
This story grabbed me from the first page, the wooden box and it's contents became something I needed to know more about. Written in a conversational manner the story of Alyse and her relationship with mother and father unfolds slowly, its details revealed in much the same way Alyse discovers them. With haunting undertones and an honest voice we see the struggles of Alyse and her mother as she looks back and tries to decide just exactly who she thinks she is and what exactly it is she deserves in life.

I gave this book 1 heart for no heat whatsoever
2 stars because it is a worthwhile story to read and its very well told, but I'm not sure if I would run out and read another story by this author; It's hard to follow up a memoir with the same kind of feelings and reactions.

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Disclosure: In exchange for reading and reviewing this book I received a copy of Who Do You Think You Are?

Crossposted at Cursingmama.blogspot.com

More from Wendy Chant

2009-05-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I posted a wee update on my get healthier mission. It was a small update because to be honest I've hit a plateau of sorts and have been uninspired as to what to do about it. My update included my review of Wendy Chant's new book Conquer the Fat-Loss Code, and as promised here is an article from Wendy to help you kick start your summer too!

HELP! I've Been Working Out Like Crazy, Eating Right
and STILL Can't Lose weight -
A Do-Now, 4-Step Guide to Kick Starting Summer Weight Loss

By Wendy Chant,
Author of Conquer the Fat-Loss Code

Few things in this life are as frustrating as working hard to look better, firm up or slim down and, after a few weeks -- or a few months -- of eating right and exercising STILL having nothing to show for it! But take heart; often it's just the few, simple things we do to "kick start" our program that can make all the difference.

And let's not forget: progress shows up on the inside first and the outside second! All that hard work and effort is creating a healthier, heartier, stronger you, even if you can't see it right away. With spring nearly over and beach weather almost here, sometimes we just need a pre-summer "booster shot" to make sure that our outside catches up in time for bikini season.

The following 4-Step Guide will help you find the hidden saboteurs in your current diet and fitness plan and help you overcome the spring plateau to find you facing summer with a brand new you -- inside AND out:

* Step 1 – Hit the "Reset" Button: When something isn't working, it's insanity to keep doing what isn't paying off. If the scale isn't budging, if your pants still feel the same around the middle, if you know you've been trying your hardest and nothing is simply working, stop beating your head against the same brick wall and start all over again. That's right; hit the "reset" button. Treat tomorrow like the first day -- not the 101st -- and use this time to reexamine how you're approaching whatever system you've been using. Don't see it as a failure but as a new opportunity to reinvigorate and reexamine your current plan for cracks and leaks to see what might be going wrong.

* Step 2 – Write it Down: The best way to start from scratch is to go back and start writing down everything you put in your mouth for a few days. You may or may not have done this at the beginning of your program but, if so, do it again. Oftentimes we work so hard at the basics -- setting the alarm, exercising, cutting out one food group, etc. -- that we let other bad habits slip in, forgetting that our after-work out smoothie has more fat grams, sugar and calories than breakfast and lunch combined. It is often these systematic saboteurs that can derail an otherwise healthy fitness plan and the only way to properly identify them is to see them, in black and white, in a Food Diary.

* Step 3 – Give it Up: If, thanks to Step 2, you notice that those granola bars you've been nibbling on for breakfast are packing a whopping 340-calories and 16 grams of fat, not to mention 23 grams of sugar, try something else for a week and see if you notice a difference in either your weight or the fit of your pants. If you do everything the same and, one-by-one eliminate or replace one item at a time, like a sugary-sweet "healthy" granola bar or a calorie and fat-packed "health" smoothie, you have probably just identified your plateau culprit and by eliminating or replacing it you will see more and more progress as the weeks go by.

* Step 4 – Switch It Around: Lastly, the body doesn't respond well to routine. By that I mean the Law of Adaptation states that if you do the same thing, at the same pace, at the same time, for the same length of time every single day, even if it's something absolutely great for you like walking around the block six times or riding your bike for 35-minutes, your body WILL adapt and the exercise won't be as effective. It's always good to keep your body, and the Law of Adaptation, on their toes by switching up your workouts, your pace, your duration, even your mealtimes to keep the body active, your metabolism perky and your diet and fitness goals on track.

As you can see, as hard as you work, if you're not paying attention to those little details they can easily sneak up and derail all your hard work and effort. But fear not; now you have the tools -- four of them to be exact -- to be alert and vigilant for these fitness foes and diet disasters to look and feel great anytime of the year.

©2009 Wendy Chant, author of Conquer the Fat-Loss Code