Monday, April 25, 2011

Don't Breathe a Word

Don't Breathe a Word: A Novel
Don't Breathe a Word by: Jennifer Mcmahon
Release Date: May 17, 2011
Rating: ****

I am totally one of those people that totally commits to a book, I dive right in and become totally invested in the story.  I can suspend reality for a brief time and swim in the pool of make-believe.  Then I leave the water and come back to reality where everything is real and explainable.  Where everything has a reason and a place...

Okay I am not that delisional.  Not everything is explainable.  Not everything is cut and dry. 

Fantasy has really become a booming genre.  Fantasy is fun and not your everyday.  Don't Breathe a Word embraces the idea of what if your normal, real life holds an element of fantasy.  Our those stories that seem un-real real?  Can you easily explain them away?   What do you do when a fantasy becomes your reality?

This book is not to be read in the dark, the subtle suspense leaves your heart racing and your palms sweating.  If you like the fantasy genre but want to read a more thought-provoking book this ones for you.

Book summary from publisher Harper Collins:
They say if you pass by on the right night of the year, you'll hear the devil whisper your name . . . 

Once upon a soft, summer night in a small New England town, a 12-year-old girl named Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother Sam about a door—hidden among the ruins of an old town long forgotten—that led to a magical place.

A series of eerie occurrences—beginning with a mysterious phone call—begins to challenge Sam's hard-headed realism. Could there be a world beyond their own and is Lisa somehow a part of it? As events spin out of control, the couple finds themselves falling deeper into a vortex of evil and  terror. And suddenly Sam is reminded of a terrible promise he made years ago . . . a promise that could destroy them all.


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Everything.

*This blog is beginning to look like a book review blog.  Reading has been taking over my life.  My mother says reading could be my way of escaping from reality.  I say better then smoking crack.  My mom jokes.  I do not.
Do you do that?  Put off everything and anything and pull yourself into one thing to avoid the everything.  I am so guilty of this.  Soo guilty.  Of course I blame the anxiety, because it is so easy to blame the anxiety.  Of course I realizing I should be working through the anxiety, but sometimes, like now sometimes, I am so sick of it.  I hate that I have to plow through and except.  I hate working on my feelings first.  Sometimes I want to just do and when that anxious feeling comes to play, I retreat.  Does that mean I let anxiety win?  Probably.

*On Facebook I magically joined a group that is connected with my high school.  I didn't request and/or approve to be apart of the group.  It's all good though. 
One thing that I realize is that I do NOT recognize over half  the people.  They are like "Remember when our small little organization, that this Facebook group is based on, did that one time-specific thing?"  And I am like "OH yeah I remember when our small little organization, that this Facebook group is based on, did that one time-specific thing!  But who the fuck are you???" 
Is this bad? 

*My (cough cough-ahem)-teen year high school reunion is this year.  I think the concept of school reunions are weird.  I think the whole concept of having a desire to meet up with people you couldn't wait to get away from is weird.  I really wonder if in going to a reunion you have the desire to relive some of those days from your younger, more carefree days.
Although I admit there is a few bitches, from those carefree days, I won't mind slappin'.

*I voted today.  Did you?

Monday, April 4, 2011

Semi-Sweet: A Sweet Story

Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes
Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney
Release date: April 25, 2011
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Just in time for that self-induced sugar Peep coma you will so wonderfully enjoy this Easter Holiday I bring you more sweet sweet goodness.  No worries this little treat will not add those dreaded "L.B.s."  It's a book.  A good, super sweet book.  But not super syrupy sweet.  It's a subtle sweet.  Like a nice little sea-salt caramel truffle.  Sweet and salty melt in you mouth goodness...mmmm sea salt caramel.*

Top 5 reasons why I love this book:

5. The little sugary sweet stories that were sprinkled throughout the book.  As much as the main character's story was important, so too were the supporting cast of characters.  Every character played a role in the story and in a way each person's actions directly effected the next character. The author did a great job pulling you into everyone's story and weaving all the characters' story together.

4. CUPCAKES.  Keep a few on hand while reading this book.  Okay, you might add a few pounds, but it's all in good fun.

3. You will stand and cheer for the main character, Hannah.  It's a perfect boy leaves girl, girl kicks boy's arse in game of life kinda story.  I love when girl kicks arse.
Hannah didn't really kick guys arse, but she did overcome a HORRIBLE break-up while starting her own business.
See kick arse.


2. It takes place in Ireland.  I love stories that take place in Ireland, they make me feel all happy and stuff, and Irish people love to say arse.  Thank you Frank McCourt for introducing me to that wondrous word.


1. CUPCAKES.  Oh dear lord the diet starts tomorrow.
Funny thing about cupcakes, they go right to my arse.  Sorry, it couldn't be helped....

You can go to the author's website to find out more information on Semi-Sweet and her other books.  Pre-order at Amazon here.

*If you would like more information on sea-salt caramel truffles go here.

Summary from Amazon.com:
Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Made to Play

Photo from MadebyJoel.com




I had the unique opportunity to preview a copy of Joel Henriques' new book Made to Play  (release date Oct. 11, 2011).  I do so enjoy children's crafts, as you well know...or if not go here.  Or maybe see here...
ROAR!!
Or if you happen to be a neighbor of mine you were already on the receiving end of my manic Kool-aide-Glitter-play-dough-making festivities this week.

Good times. Good Times.

I am a crafting nut.  So this book was right up my alley.  I am in no way an expert at the fine art of children's crafting.  I know this much though, a novice I am not.  I recently graduated from the Tacky Glue Group to the Glue Gun Crew last month.  Proud day. 

OH NOES!  "I can't craft!"  you say.
"No worries!" I say!
That is what makes Made to Play by Joel Henriques so great, there are crafts for every skill level.

Glue Stick Brigade?  How about some animal finger puppets?  If you can trace and cut and glue you are set!

Don't even know what the heck glue is?  How about some portable zoo animals, trace and cut and you are set.

These are just not crafts, these are toys that are to be played with and treasured.

The beauty of Joel's book is that everything in it is simple, clean and free from all the noise that plagues modern day toys.  Truthfully our children crave simplicity.  On Christmas morning, among all the bells and whistles of today's toys, our children gravitate to the boxes those noise-making toys come in.  It is in their nature.  Isn't our job to nurture that?

Toys are to be played with and enjoyed, and the toys I make bring my children great joy.  The toys we create together makes memories. What's better then a toy made with love by you?  A toy you made and played with together.

Check out and pre-order Made to Play today!  And check out the author's blog here!