Book Excerpt: The Andromedans by Elizabeth Lang

   

Elizabeth Lang is first and foremost, a geek with the obligatory love of science fiction and fantasy. She spent most of her life in the computer industry designing computer systems for world domination the mundane industry of life insurance, which is surprisingly, not as exciting as it sounds. Now she creates enchanted worlds of magic, explores the human condition in the light of future technology and civilizations, and dreams about world domination. Or at least, some of her characters do. Her first book, The Empire was fortunate enough to be a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and she has never looked back.

I'm pleased to present an excerpt from her new book, “The Andromedans,” published March 4, 2015.

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As was her custom, Ren Dastrin, one of the most powerful leaders of Tellar, sat on the ledge of a large bay window, watching a violet sunset sink into the golden ripples of the sea. She relished these precious moments at the end of the day when liquid rays rubbed a healing tranquility into her soul.

“It’s beautiful,” said an unexpected male voice behind her, his voice like gentle granules of dry sand and his presence glowing with subtle power that lit up her mental landscape.

Ren Dastrin turned with unhurried concern. “Guild Master Venner, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

He bowed formally. “Will that be enough for the demands of etiquette?”

“For a meeting that has no official existence, it’s more than enough. Please, have a seat.” She gestured to the couch and sat across from him.

“You’re not interested in knowing how I entered your chambers without using the door or the windows?”

“Not particularly.”

Venner nodded, a speck of amusement sparkling in his brown pupils. “It has come to my attention that you’ve been researching certain aspects of the Guild.”

“You know why.” The more she delved into the past, the more Ren Dastrin realized the conflict with the Andromedans was not the simplistic battle between good and evil; the conflict that looked good in the holovids and the news flashes, even their daily doses of mass entertainment. Before her people joined the fight against the aliens, she needed to understand more about the history of this war.

“Of course.”

“Are you here to warn me, stop me or offer an alliance?”

It was rumored that the Guild Master knew what people were going to say before the first word left their lips—all without the benefit of telepathy.

He replied, “Charles Sester.” The name was said with finality, as if they had already reached the end of their conversation instead of the beginning.

“He’s your assistant.”

“He is also the most gifted psychostrategist of his generation, the one most likely to succeed me as Guild Master. I offer him to you as a pledge of my sincerity."

She finally understood his previous answer and was suitably surprised. Sester was Venner’s apprentice; no one knew more about him or the inner workings of the Guild. From her researches, the young man was rumored to be involved in some of the Guild’s greatest achievements. It didn’t give her a good impression of Sester, but it convinced her Venner was serious.

“You’re sacrificing your apprentice to gain my trust?”

The dry sand of his voice filled the void of her suspicions. “The nature of the sacrifice is up to you, Ren Dastrin. For the next six months, he belongs to you. Do with him as you wish, but when it is over, I expect an agreement.”

“You’re certain I will agree.”

“I have no certainty that you will agree with me, only the circumstance in which we find ourselves. That’s why you came to us first instead of the Empire.”

“You seem to know everything.”

“If I did, we wouldn’t need this alliance.”

The day after the meeting, Charles Sester arrived on Tellar. He came to her as a man laid bare; stripping himself to nothing and falling to her feet as a servant, as his Master had commanded.

“Why are you willing to do this thing?” she had asked, bewildered by the pain of his honesty, his servitude.

“Because you wish to save this galaxy.”

Author Social Media
Webpage: www.elizabeth-lang.com
Facebook: Elizabeth Lang 
Twitter: @Elizabeth_Lang
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New Book: Not Without You by Dianne Venetta & a GIVEAWAY

Grad student, Lisa Richardson, scours the high country in search of her beloved boreal toad. The amphibian is in danger of extinction, a fate she is determined to change. Single-minded in her focus, Lisa doesn’t realize that she’s being followed by a mysterious stranger. Enter McIntyre Walsh. Ex-marine with a heart of gold, this man lives and breathes duty. Protection. Content with his self-exile on a mountaintop in Colorado, he inadvertently witnesses a female hiker in danger, a situation he cannot ignore yet is unable to rectify. When their paths cross, Lisa and Walsh refuse to stray from their avowed goals and carry on–despite the other. It isn’t until a killer ramps up his game that both are forced to relent. Battling the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains and an undeniable attraction between them, Lisa and Walsh must work together against the odds if they intend to get off the mountain alive.






About Dianne - Dianne lives in Central Florida with her husband, two children and part-time Yellow Lab--Cody-body! When not whacking away at her keyboard crafting her next novel you'll find her in their organic garden chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all while drawing wild analogies between kids and plants and men. Definitely men. A girl's gotta have fun, right? When she's not knee-deep in dirt or romance, Dianne contributes garden advice for various websites and volunteers in school gardens (a crazy existence to be sure). But at the end of the day, if she can inspire someone to stop and smell the roses--or rosemary!—kiss their child and spouse good-night, be kind to a neighbor and Mother Earth, then she's done all right.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website: www.diannevenetta.com
                               Facebook: www.facebook.com/diannevenetta
                               Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/diannevenetta
                               Twitter: @DianneVenetta

Enter to win a print copy of Not Without You and SWAG. Open to US residents 18+ a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Book: Ceaseless by Mindy Marin & a GIVEAWAY

As Ember celebrates her 18th birthday, she struggles to find her true purpose in life. In a world where men rule and women are viewed as objects to obtain, love is often placed last on the list. But everything changes when Elijah, the son of a Native Shaman enters her life. Knowing true love for the first time, Ember's heart is broken when her father forbids her from seeing him again. Manipulated into marrying a man she doesn't love, Ember finds herself trapped in a sadistic game, fighting to find a way back to her soul mate, Elijah. Will a reincarnation spell that binds their souls together be enough to save their love in this lifetime? Ceaseless takes you on a magical journey of love and betrayal that will leave you asking; what happens next?!

Buy on Amazon

Mindy Marin is an up and coming author with a background in the entertainment industry. Working as an independent contractor in film and television, she pursued writing as another expression of her creativity. Ceaseless: Birth of the Phoenix is the first book in the Ceaseless series and Mindy's first published work. Mindy was inspired to tell this story of unwavering love after a near death experience where she spent two weeks in a hospital. Having the same dream repeatedly she felt drawn to the idea of past lives and reincarnation, it was then that she began to write down snippets of her dreams and her character's stories began to come to life. Mindy is a mother of three and currently lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband Alex and two younger children.

Follow Mindy Marin: 

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

 Pick up your copy of Ceaseless and enter to win a Satchel with Earl Grey Tea in it along with a bookmark and some collectable character cards from her book swag attached. Must be 14+ Open to US addresses. Ends 4/27/15 a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Book: The Inner Kingdom by S.R. Gibbs

I love fantasy fiction and I am ALL about the strong, well-developed heroine so when I had the chance to share this new book by S.R. Gibbs, I jumped on it! Three ordinary young women whisked away to a magic land of enchantment where they face danger and must learn to rely on each other in a never before needed way. Yes. AND the Kindle price is only 99¢ right now!

April, Angie, and Ashley are just three ordinary adopted sisters, just trying to survive their senior year in high school. They live by four simple rules: They must not tell anyone that they are adopted sisters, sit at the same lunch table, speak more than necessary to one another during school hours, and the most important one, Never get involved in the problems of others. The girls' rules no longer applied, when they are suddenly transported to a distant world; where they are welcomed as destined warriors, chosen at birth to save their world. In order to do this they will first have to journey to three of the four outer kingdoms, within six months to release their dragons, and defeat the evil Queen before she fully regains her strength, and continues the war she started over a hundred years ago. Even in her weakened state the Queen will not make it easy for them, with the girls' sudden manifestation of special abilities, they discover what they were really meant to be. Faced with a chance to be able to return home. They are forced to make the decision to stay in the world where they've found love, friendship, and a purpose, or go back to a world, that tried to take away their destiny. This YA book is on sale for only $.99 on Amazon

Reviews - "In the case of CS Lewis' body of work, I felt that in author SR Gibb's debut novel, there lay the hallmarks of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe." "If you are a fan of the Narnia series, or even animated shows like W.I.T.C.H, then you will surely find The Inner Kingdom by S.R. Gibbs an enjoyable read. It's fast-paced with a reveal at the end." "Author Gibbs has put together an excellent YA story. It's the first I've read in a while that has focused, believable heroines."  
S.R. Gibbs was born and raised in Florida, she have always been a bit of a bookworm. Her two daughters inspire her everyday to do what she loves, which is to create worlds and send people on an adventure from the comforts of their own homes. When she isn't writing, she can be found drawing and watching Korean dramas. Follow S.R. Gibbs Website / Facebook / Twitter

Review: Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín

Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín

Publisher: Scribner
Publication date: October 7, 2014

Publisher's description:

Set in Wexford, Ireland, Colm Tóibín’s superb seventh novel introduces the formidable, memorable and deeply moving Nora Webster. Widowed at forty, with four children and not enough money, Nora has lost the love of her life, Maurice, the man who rescued her from the stifling world to which she was born. And now she fears she may be drawn back into it. Wounded, strong-willed, clinging to secrecy in a tiny community where everyone knows your business, Nora is drowning in her own sorrow and blind to the suffering of her young sons, who have lost their father. Yet she has moments of stunning empathy and kindness, and when she begins to sing again, after decades, she finds solace, engagement, a haven—herself. 

This was a selection from my book club. No offense to my dear book club friends, but I must say this is miss number two as of late. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves was also a book club selection and also something of which I wasn't a fan. My book club usually picks two books each month. With all the other reading I do, I usually pick one of the books to read. Sometimes, I don't have a preference so I just put them both on the library hold list and read the first one that comes in. That was the case here. The second book (that still hasn't arrived from the library - I need to cancel that hold) is The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.

Not having read a lot of Irish authors, I have to ask. Do they all write in stream of consciousness? There were many instances where James Joyce's influence on Tóibín were extremely apparent. Entire paragraphs dedicated to the typical wandering around a house people do when they are alone. The whole book is about the anonymous domestic life of an Irish widow. As a whole, it seemed like an odd jumbled together set of non sequiturs to fill space and pages.

Nora Webster is not particularly likable nor loathable. While I realize the book starts in 1969 and parenting styles have certainly changed, it still felt like she was extremely removed from her children and, only late, did she really start to show them any compassion. Her late husband was obviously well loved. You get the sense, both from what was said in the book and what was left unsaid, that he was the one, true parent as well. Even her grief seemed flat in places. There are references to a deep grief that came while the husband was dying (for example, leaving her two boys for two months with an aunt and not even visiting), but I just didn't see anything more than a numbness described during the time period of the actual book.  Nora comes across as very flat, at times uncaring and absent, and certainly socially awkward. What did she do before her husband died?

And yet, the people around her act as if they are afraid of her. Her single sister doesn't tell Nora she is dating. In fact, she is engaged to be married before she tells Nora. Of course, it's a small town, Nora already knew. There are numerous instances where things are kept from Nora because people are afraid of her reaction. The only glimpse into a possible cause for this is found in a scene where Nora has been asleep and wakes up to overhear her sisters, aunt and friend discussing her. The relatives are telling the friend about what a demon Nora had been before she met her husband and how much she changed once she met him. But then proceed to give an example of "demon"-like behavior that a) came after she had met him and b) was fairly tame all things considered.

There are references to The Troubles in Ireland at the time, but even these came across as flat and merely plot devices to move along a rather dull book. I realize I'm not the biggest fan of the domestic life fiction or historical fiction (though I'm not sure that's an accurate genre for this book) so that may be why I just didn't care for this book. My favorite books are fantasy and science fiction so I am fond of a bit more action in my novels. I would recommend this to anyone who really loves glimpses into the domestic life of another culture or enjoys watching a character grow and change and Nora does do that, albeit extremely slowly and a bit dully.

New Book: The Andromedans by Elizabeth Lang & a GIVEAWAY

I just got received all THREE of the books in the Empire series by Elizabeth Lang. I'll have an excerpt of The Andromedans here on the blog soon. I'm also planning to get it read and reviewed in the very near future - after I decided if I'm going to read the first two books first!  The Empire is the first book and The Rebels is the second book.

Buy on Amazon

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find out who you really are. After being kidnapped by a bounty hunter and getting mixed up with a band of rebels, Adrian and Kali are finally together. They find a quiet corner of the galaxy to live in peace and...who are we kidding... Just when they think it's safe, the unthinkable happens. Adrian, a man who prides himself on the perfect mind, loses everything, forcing Kali to revisit what she is willing to do in order to save him, and this time the stakes are even higher. Not only does Adrian's life hang in the balance but the survival of two galaxies. Just who are these Andromedans and why are they willing to go to such lengths to destroy us? What do they want with Adrian? And who is crazy enough to go to the Andromedan galaxy to rescue him?
  About the author: Elizabeth Lang is first and foremost, a geek with the obligatory love of science fiction and fantasy. She spent most of her life in the computer industry designing computer systems for world domination the mundane industry of life insurance, which is surprisingly, not as exciting as it sounds. Now she creates enchanted worlds of magic, explores the human condition in the light of future technology and civilizations, and dreams about world domination. Or at least, some of her characters do. Her first book, The Empire was fortunate enough to be a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and she has never looked back.
Author Social Media
Webpage: www.elizabeth-lang.com
Facebook: Elizabeth Lang 
Twitter: @Elizabeth_Lang
Pinterest: Elizabeth Lang  

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New Book: Hometown Girls – Beginnings by Tressa Messenger & GIVEAWAY

I'm excited to be part of a book blast for a Tressa Messenger's latest book, Hometown Girls - Beginnings. As part of her book release, Tressa is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Woo-hoo! Enter on the Rafflecopter below and be sure to come back and let me know you thought of the book. I can't wait to read it - and can I seriously get some more hours in the day for reading?! So many books, so little time!


Life for Marissa Lou was great. She was a popular senior in high school with great friends and an even greater boyfriend. She was on top of the world. That was until she made the greatest sacrifice of her life. Daniel and Katie both loved Marissa Lou but neither of them could deny the intensity of their growing affection for one another, no matter how hard they tried to fight it. Being the selfless person she was, Marissa Lou gave Katie and Daniel her permission to date. Little did she know it would be the first day of a hellish nightmare. One where, in her depression, she falls from grace and gets mixed up in a life she never would have expected. With a growing addiction she fights to right everything that went so wrong, but will it be too late? Buy on Amazon | Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publications

About the author:

Tressa Messenger grew up in a very small town in Eastern North Carolina called Reelsboro in a coastal county called Pamlico. Being as it was such a small area Tressa developed an immense imagination at a young age. That is where she harnessed her love for writing. To date Tressa lives in New Orleans Louisiana with her husband, daughter and an assortment of critters.   As a young writer Tressa has overcome adversity of Dyslexia and continues to exceed expectations.

Follow Tressa: FaceBook | Twitter | Website

  The author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card in celebration of the new release! Giveaway ends April 12th at 11:59 EST. Open World Wide. a Rafflecopter giveaway

TBR Pile Challenge: I'll Give You the Sun Read Along: 1st Discussion

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Published: September 11, 2014 by Dial

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, LGBT

A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell 

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world. 

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

First Discussion Questions

1) How do you feel about the narration style? Was Noah's artistic voice hard to get used to? What about Jude's?

It took me a couple of Noah's references to seeing people's auras or some such to get that this was his artistic voice. And then Jude with her ghosts. I like it though now that I'm into the book more.

2) Between the two siblings/story lines, which one is you favorite?

Noah's actually. But at this point in the book it may because I'm still a bit bitter toward Jude about art school (not yet knowing the story there, of course, but still).

3) What are you feeling regarding the family dynamics: We have twins, a mom and dad, and a deceased grandmother. Noah believes his dad favors his sister and his mother favors him. Noah seems to favor his mom.

I suspect that this dynamic is a bit true in all families - merely magnified in this family due to the artistic minds, deaths in the family, etc.

4) All siblings have a bit of sibling rivalry between them? What sort of things did you and your siblings compete about? What is as serious and Jude and Noah or more playful competition?

My one sibling is ten years older than me and we are SO different. I don't recall a rivalry, but as the overachiever younger child, I can't speak for my sister. She may have felt it more than me. I was the straight A student, she was the one who was good with her hands (mechanical stuff, etc.). I could see where she might resent my grades or something. But I never sensed it in our relationship. I think the big age gap makes our relationship different than most siblings though.

5) Thus far, what has been one of your favorite scenes from the novel?

When Jude is spying on Guillermo sculpting. The author does a remarkable job of telling the intimacy of both Guillermo lost in his work and Jude lost in watching him.

Review: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

“That was it. That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word.” Ordinary Grace follows the lives of two young boys in small town Minnesota the summer of 1961. Death comes often that summer and Frank and Jake find themselves more and more thrust into a grown-up world as they navigate the dynamics of their family and their town.

My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. In the sense that this book also focused on the kids' perspective in a small town in a "simpler" time, Ordinary Grace reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm sure my enjoyment of Ordinary Grace benefited from my love of the Harper Lee classic. This book was, though, at it's core, a who-dun-it - an enjoyable one at that. Some "conclusions" were pretty obvious from the start but many twists and turns took you by surprise.

The father, Nathan, was an almost unbelievably gracious and forgiving man, while the mother, Ruth, played foil with great emotional instability. Probably my favorite character was Gus, a friend of Nathan's from the war, who was constantly a rock upon which the boys could lean and a lighthouse in the dark to help Frank and Jake navigate tough issues. Yet, he was flawed in very real, authentic ways.

The one distraction for me was the layout of the town. I don't think the author used a real town or a map of his imaginary town or he was bad at describing directions of things. Many times I found myself "lost" in town (no, the trestle is the OTHER WAY!). Or a description that something was past of the edge of town, with a real sense that it was far away - tucked away on purpose - but then it was only a 5 minute car ride later on. Or a bike ride in the middle of the night from the poor part of town to WAY up in the high rent area - again, earlier depicted as far away - that takes very little time. Given how I mentally "Google map" the books I read, these discrepancies were jarringly noteworthy as I read.

All and all, an engaging read. This was a book club selection for me and not something I would have likely picked up on my own.

TBR Pile Challenge: Throne of Glass Read-Along - First Discussion

Throne of Glass Read Along: 1st Discussion

The TBR Pile Challenge I joined this year has a Real-Along every other month. This month, the selected book was Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. 

1) Did you read The Assassin's Blade? If so, do you think it enhanced your reading of Throne of Glass? If you haven't, do you plan to go back and do so before continuing with the series?

I have not. I haven't read any of Maas's works before now. I am enjoying Throne of Glass though so I will at least add them to my "TBR" pile... because it wasn't already too big. 

2) Who do you think is behind the Champions murders?

Possessed dogs. I know... kind of silly and far fetched but the way the Champions have been mutilated and the fact that Dorian's "kennels" have been mentioned in an offhand way more than once up to this point. Whether Dorian is behind it or not, I'm not sure, but I think his dogs have something to do with it. 

3) Thus far, what are some of your favorite scenes from Throne of Glass?

All of them? Maas writes some beautiful imagery and great dialogue. 

4) Have you tried sticking to Sarah's pronunciations or did you make up your own way to say all these names

I glanced at them before I started and I'm close on some. The one key difference is the pronunciation of "wyrd". I believe Maas was referencing the Anglo-Saxon concept of fate or personal destiny. That "wyrd" is pronounced "weird". And I have friends whose last name is Wyrd and that's how they pronounce it as well.

5) Is this the first time you've read Throne of Glass? Were you like Andrea and Jessica and completely unsure as to why you waited so long to read it? Or, if you reread it for the Read Along, did your reading experience change from the first time?

First time I've read Sarah J. Maas at all. I'm really enjoying it though. 

6) Okay, let's just get into this: As of this moment, who are you more fond of--Chaol or Dorian?

Chaol, though I also think Calaena would make a fantastic queen. 

7) What do you think about Princess Nehemia and her friendship with Celaena? Are you a fan, or are you giving the princess a side-eye?

I'm a fan. I think that friendship will ultimately lead to the defeat of the king and a new era of peace for the world. 

8) How are we liking Nox? Do you think he'll end up as someone to count on in the future, or should we not trust him?

He seems okay, but Calaena's behavior toward him doesn't seem in keeping with her assassin nature. Actually, there is a lot of her behavior that seems contradictory at times. In the beginning, we're lead to believe she is nothing but a cold-blooded killing machine, but her "soft underbelly", as it were, showed more quickly than I think makes sense for someone trained to be so ruthless. Maybe something there relates back to the books before this that I haven't read. 

9) The writing! Are you loving Sarah's writing as much as I am? Because seriously--it is so gorgeous.

I am definitely enjoying the writing. 

10) Do you have any predictions for the rest of the book? Anyone finding out Lady Lillian's real identity? Betrayals? More friendships? (If you've already read the other half, skipping this one would probably be best. Ha.)  

I think Lady Kaltain will find out Calaena's identity and it will probably cost her her life. And I'm certain the other three Champions in the final four (because, let's be clear, Calaena will be in the final four) will find out who she is at some point leading up to the final battle. 

Reading Challenges... well, that didn't go so well

I had great hopes for reading more in 2014. I think I did read MORE... just not what I'd planned to read. Certainly, I read more children's chapter books since my daughter is graduating from being read picture books to being read chapter books. She can read many of them herself, but we still enjoy time with me reading to her nightly. My husband still reads to our 11yo son nightly as well, though their fare has gone more toward thought provoking works like The Orphan Train and Walden. Risa and I are more into the Animalmagic series by Holly Webb, Rainbow Fairies and the like.

I entered two reading challenges for 2014 and I pretty much failed miserably at both of them. The first was the What's in a Name Challenge. I had also done this one in 2012 (and finished it then). The 2014 categories were:

1. A reference to time
2. A position of royalty
3. A number written in letters
4. A forename or names
5. A type or element of weather

A bonus 6th category was added later: A book with a school subject in the title.

I started, but didn't finish, three books that would have fit. Wolfhound Century by Peter Higgins for #1, The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais for #3 and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell for #4. I could make an argument for #2 with American Gods by Neil Gaiman (Gods are royalty, right?). I will say that I got the bonus category simply because I'm a homeschooling mom. I've read MANY books with a "school subject" in the title... actual school books!  LOL

We won't even talk about the Color Coded Reading Challenge.  I know I finished one that fit with black or white: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Looking back at my Goodreads year in review, it's pretty sad. I am officially stating now that I WILL READ more books in 2015. And not just kids' books to Risa. Books for me. Books to escape into. Books to learn from. Books to laugh out loud with. And to that end, with the potential of a new year laid before me, I am signing up for a couple reading challenges for 2015.

I have always enjoyed the What's in a Name Challenge so it's a given. The categories this year are:

1. A word including ‘ing’ in it 
2. A colour 
3. A familial relation 
4. A body of water 
5. A city 
6. An animal 

What suggestions do you have for any of these categories?

My second challenge will be the 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge by Bookish.  

I get so excited about all the new books I hear about (and get from the library usually), that I forget about the books already sitting on my bookshelves that go dusty and unread. I'm going to be modest and just go for the Firm Handshake category of 1 - 10 books. This challenge also features Read-a-Longs which I have never done before that hopefully that will keep me somewhat on task. 

What reading challenges, if any, are you planning to join this year?

Review: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

I have struggled to write this review. This book was just "meh" for me. The first section of the book while Missy/Taylor was still in Kentucky felt oddly cobbled together. The focus on Newt Hardbine seemed out of place even then but by the end of the book when the character wound up getting but a passing mention, it really felt like a forgotten story line that never came to conclusion.

I am not a big Barbara Kingsolver fan. I don't dislike her work and I enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible but she is not an author I seek out to read. This was a book club selection for me. This definitely read like a first novel. There were a few truck-size holes in the plot that brought me up short as I was reading with their jarring presence.

I think I struggled writing this because I know so many people who really like this book. I won't say I hated it but it was just okay. Nothing great. Throughout the book the characters seemed to all just blindly accept their fate or lot without question or very much emotion. It was exceptionally hard to suspend disbelief at many points along the plot line, especially when Taylor just drives off with a baby in her car with no internal dialog or seeming care. As I mentioned already, it's as if she blindly accepted her lot without question. For someone who does NOT (I repeat, does NOT) read romance novels, I still apparently like some fiery, passionate people in my novels. The dialog often centered on how strong other characters perceived Taylor to be and yet most of her internal dialog and actions didn't really add up to a strong character to me.

If you are a Kingsolver fan, I think reading her first novel would be a good thing. You definitely see the seeds of her later, more refined style. I'd love to hear why other people love this book so much. So, what did I miss?

REVIEW: The New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, MD and Zoë François

Starting at the title, I was VERY skeptical. I mean, really? Yummy, beautiful homemade bread in 5 minutes a day? Who do they think they're kidding? I have always wanted to bake... to BE someone who BAKES. I even own a top of the line bread machine to help this time-crunched mama (ostensibly) make bread more easily. Even as "easy" as that is, it still just didn't happen all that often. And frankly, bread machine crusts are just not the same as bread baked in the oven.

Skeptical or not, I really wanted to believe that I could fit baking into my daily life. The introduction did nothing to make it sound any less "too good to be true". Then they shared their secrets: 1) "Mix enough dough for several loaves and store it in the refrigerator" and 2) "Pre-mixed, pre-risen, high moisture dough keeps well in the refrigerator." (my emphasis). This dough is WET and as a result, requires no kneading, no proofing the yeast, no resting/rising/resting, no punching down (in fact, NEVER punch it down), no stress or fuss whatsoever. With my trusty kitchen scale and my Kitchenaid mixer, I can put a large batch of dough together in under 15 minutes. The only thing I have to do each day for fresh bread is pull off a ball of dough, shape and bake. There is some resting and baking time involved, of course, but the actual active work required takes mere minutes. I have even cooked a few loaves in the slow cooker (!!!) with zero resting time. You do need to put a slow cooker loaf under a broiler for a minute to crisp up the top but this is a super SUPER easy way to make already super easy bread.

I usually get books from the library first before forking out the cash for them. I will definitely be adding this one to my cookbook collection permanently. They also have written "Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" and "Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in 5 Minutes a Day". This review is for the 2nd edition of their original book and I plan to buy this one as it includes whole grain and flatbread recipes in it, as well as recipes for pretzels, pain d'epi, pumpernickel, rye, beignets, naan and so much more.  There is a sizable gluten-free section as well! If you want to fit baking into your life, do yourself a favor and get this book. I'm not sure your waistline will thank me but your taste buds definitely will. 

REVIEW: Eyestandia, or The way other people might see us By Lynn Shroll

The following is a guest post from my awesome husband, Jason Norbury.

Thanks to NetGalley.com for early access to this book.

What would happen if the descendants of the last survivors from Earth, looking for sanctuary, finally reach another civilized planet?

I like the idea of a good, rough satire of the powerful. Afflict the comfortable and all that. I was looking forward to settling down and getting pointed criticism of our modern culture, similar as the British culture is to our American culture. The criticism was there, and it was decidedly pointed.

It was also extremely heavy-handed in the beginning of the book. The first section of the book felt more like a screed against unrestrained capitalism than a satirical examination of our flaws as humans (and bankers). This was done surely to set the stage for the events that followed, but in the main made the first section of the book rather tiresome to get through.

The middle of the book, exploring the development of new culture on the bones of the old, was a good and, I would guess, a fair estimate of what would transpire if people of Earth, warts and all, were suddenly transported to a nearly Utopian world without need or want. But again, it fell short of the promised satire.

The twist to reach a conclusion in this book was clever, if a bit of a reach, and had probably more satirical potential that was realized. Overall, however, I just found the story rather flat, and it would have been difficult to recover from a very preachy and overdone beginning.

REVIEW: Three Heinemann Read & Learn Stay Healthy! Books

Stay Healthy! What Should We Eat? by Angela Royston
Stay Healthy! Why Do We Need to Drink Water? by Angela Royston
Stay Healthy! Why Do We Need to be Active? by Angela Royston

I picked these up for some social studies work for my 6 year old daughter. As a reminder, I homeschool my daughter as well as my 10 year old son. Honestly, I don't remember how I happened to get these three. I know I requested them from the library so I picked them up without having really looked inside them. I didn't know until I got them home that they are readers (books meant for the child to read himself or herself). They were too juvenile for my daughter for me to read to her (which is what I was looking for). She could have read them herself with some assistance.

What Should We Eat? This book was published in 2006 and yet it used the term "starchy foods" instead of carbohydrates. It used other appropriate terms such as protein, fats and sugars so I'm not sure why the choice to use "starchy foods" instead of the more appropriate (and, today, more commonly used) carbohydrates.

Why Do We Need to Drink Water? Fairly basic information regarding why we need water. It did leave out the fact that our bodies are made up mostly of water. While it did enumerate various body fluids for which we need water (tears, mucus, even pee), it never mentioned that we're really just one big vessel of water. I know my own kids find this sort of trivia entertaining so I noticed that omission. I think that fact also drives home the point fairly well that we need to make sure we stay adequately hydrated.

Why Do We Need to be Active? My one complaint about this book is that it doesn't actually answer the question it poses "What Happens If You Are Not Active?" all that well. It just states simply that your body gets weaker. There are so many more reasons to stay active and so many more consequences to not being active. Regular exercise helps kids feel less stressed, build strong bones and joints, pay better attention at school, and more.

All in all, these books are fine readers if that is what you are looking for. They fall pretty short on educating the reader about the importance of making healthy food choices, drinking plenty of water and staying active. I really feel like they could and should have done both. The books did pose questions and engage the reader to answer them. If read with a parent or educator, these questions can lead to further discussion and learning. My daughter and I whipped through these three books quite quickly and now we're on the hunt to find books with more in depth information on the same topics.

REVIEW: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

This is my review of A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. This book was the January pick for one of my book clubs. Unfortunately, the title doesn't fit either the What's in a Name or Color Coded reading challenges. 

A Moveable Feast is a memoir of the years Hemingway spent in Paris in the 1920s. He wrote it in the 1950s after recovering notebooks he'd filled during the Paris years. In some ways, the book reads as a tabloid magazine with what feels, at times, like heavy name-dropping. Hemingway did spend a lot of his time with well-known writers of the day, such as Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein. I got the sense he plucked the most famous people from his notes to reminisce on. While Hemingway brought the book to final draft form during his life, his fourth wife and widow, Mary Hemingway, did the final edits on the book that was published posthumously in 1964. There is a restored edition that is supposed to be more in keeping with what Ernest Hemingway had intended that includes some of his sketches, a foreward by his son, Patrick, and an introduction by his grandson, Sean. I did not read the restored version but the original 1964 edition. I almost would be interested in reading the restored version too to see what differences there are. It is possible that Ernest Hemingway did not feel the need to name-drop as much as his widow? Fortunately, I know some of the women in my book club have read the restored version so I will just settle with the book club discussion on the differences.

My number one comment on this book is that it just didn't stay with me from reading to reading. It may be because it was a memoir and not a novel. I don't read a lot of memoirs so I don't have prior experience to go on. With novels, however, I find myself thinking about the characters and the story a lot throughout the day, even when I'm far from reading time. It may also be that Hemingway's writing style doesn't resonate with me. He was known for a simple, direct and unadorned style. I really like vivid descriptions that paint a full color tapestry scene in my imagination.

One personal struggle I had with reading it is that I really have no clue on how to pronounce French words. I have no background in the French language at all except for singing Ah! Je Veux Vivre in college. And in that case, I only learned how to pronounce the French in that song. An audio version would have helped with the pronunciation but then I wouldn't have seen the word spelled out. I should probably start looking them up online as I'm reading. I have friends who read with little tape flags to mark words they want to look up. I might need to take up that habit... at least with books with French in them. 

I read The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms ages ago (assigned high school reading). I certainly don't remember them being favorites. Maybe I will reread one of his novels at some point. Or try another one. This was a quick read, but if it hadn't been a book club selection, I probably would have put it down a few chapters in and moved on to something else. 

Holiday Tea Party for Kids (courtesy of Pinterest)

My 6 yo daughter is a gymnast and part of a whole team of adorable tiny gymnasts. The girls are all good friends and love working out in the gym together, competing together AND playing together. Risa is an apple who has not fallen far from the tree. Just like her mama, she LOVES to entertain and have friends over. Any excuse will do. A holiday tea party and book exchange with her gymnastics teammates was a perfect way to blend a love of entertaining and love for her teammates.

The Saturday before Christmas with a winter storm on its way, we had her teammates over for "tea". (Only the grownups drank tea. The girls preferred hot chocolate.) Risa's guests all wore their holiday finery.We started the party at our dining room table making Christmas ornaments. A quick trip to Michaels had netted a kit to make adorable Creatology Felt ornaments, including a reindeer, Santa and penguin. I also set out some metallic pipe cleaners and pony beads in holiday colors. My review of the felt stickers for the ornaments is "pass" in the future. I'll stick with foam stickers instead. While the ornaments were super cute, the paper backing was very difficult to get off the felt. Most of the girls just couldn't manage it so the other parents and I spent the whole time taking paper sticker backings off and cursing under our breath. I did find that using a pin to slice the backing a bit made it nominally easier to get off. That wasn't always easy though given the tiny size of the some of the stickers.

The girls then played freely about the house while making frequent trips by the snack buffet Risa and I had prepared. Though very cute and perfectly fancy for a tea party, none of the snacks were difficult or time intensive to prepare. I'll list each separately with a link to the blog where we found the idea to give credit where credit is due. The pictures are my versions.

Snowman Popcorn Cups from Creative Kid Snacks

Grinch Kabobs from Nourishing Minimalism

We didn't use mini marshmallows. Not because I was opposed to them. But our toothpicks were too short.

Rudolph Cookies from Live. Learn. Love. Eat.

Ours were more inspired by the linked version. We cheated with Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and used dark chocolate M&Ms for the eyes and nose. Have I mentioned the one thing I hate about our new house is the stove? Expect to see a lot of OGB (overly golden brown) baked goods until I get that darn thing replaced. 

Broccoli & Cherry Tomato Christmas Tree

We found lots of inspiration for this tree so I can't give credit to any single blog. We picked vegetables my kids like. On the day of the tea party, the veggies were barely touched. The next day with close friends over to celebrate, I recreated the tree and it was GONE in an hour with a different set of kids. 

Once the snacking started to die down and the running rampant through the house was getting boring, the girls asked to play the games we'd prepared. Again, these were very simple with little prep work. The first game was Penguins. Prep work... gathering a stack of white paper. Penguins is like musical chairs but instead of chairs, the "penguins" move between "ice flows" (the sheets of paper). Everyone starts on an ice flow then the music starts. I used the Christmas music channel on our cable service. I gave each penguin a candy cane as she was eliminated. The final two were so close to hitting the ice flow at the same time we decided to call it a tie and they each got two candy canes. 

Next we played Animal Charades. I had printed up pictures of common and popular animals before the party. As each girl had a turn, she would draw a picture from the stack and then act out that animal. The animals weren't too difficult and all were fairly easily guessed but the antics while pretending to be the different animals garnered a lot of laughs. 

The final arranged game was the book exchange. Rather than making everyone responsible for yet one more gift to purchase, we did a "previously loved" book exchange. Everyone brought a wrapped book selected from her own library. For the game, the girls sat in a circle, each with her own book in her lap. Starting with my daughter and moving clockwise, each girl rolled a die. I put the die in a small, clear plastic container to keep track of it more easily. Depending on the number rolled, the girls did something with the books. We used one die and the following number instructions:

    1 - Freeze your gift (keep it for the rest of the game) OR switch with anyone. 

    2 - Switch your gift with anyone.

    3 - Switch with the person on your right.

    4 - Everyone pass to the person on your right. 

    5 - Switch with the person on your left. 

    6 - Everyone pass to the person on your left. 

We went around the circle twice rolling the die. After two passes, three girls had wound up back with their own books so we continued on until everyone had a different book. Then everyone opened her book. 

Alas I have few pictures from the actual festivities. I am just awful at remembering to take pictures while I'm hosting a party. For the kids' birthday parties, I have assigned friends who take the pictures for me. I forgot to designate a photographer this time. Fortunately, one of the parents here got this great shot of the girls during the gift exchange game.

 I would encourage anyone to jump right in with entertaining. A "fancy" party doesn't have to take a lot of prep work. This party took me about 3 hours for all the invitations (evite.com), planning and prep... 3 hours that were spent with my daughter enjoying each other's company.

2014 Reading Challenges

Fortunately, I didn't enter any reading challenges in 2013. Given how hectic this year has been (finishing up our first full year of homeschooling and buying a house/moving), I doubt I would have finished them. Looking back through my Goodreads list, I still managed to read 17 books, not including all the books I read with the kids for homeschooling and such. Not too shabby!

1) Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half by Steve & Annette Economides
2) America's Cheapest Family by Steve & Annette Economides
3) The MoneySmart Family System by Steve & Annette Economides (I met my budgeting resolution last year with the help of the Economides family!)
4) Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (finally finished that series... still haven't seen the movies)
5) The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
6) Bebe Day by Day: 100 Keys to French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
7) French Twist: An American Mom's Experiment in Parisian Parenting by Catherine Crawford (another theme... not sure I agree with the French parenting style but I did glean a few things from these two)
8) The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler
9) Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
10) I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano
11) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
12) The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
13) Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
14) The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
15) The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
16) The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
17) The Tree Shepherd's Daughter by Gillian Summers
18) More Rainbow Fairy Magic books then you can shake a stick at... but that starts getting into books read with the kids.

For 2014, I am in two book clubs so that should keep me busy. I have The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway teed up to meet those obligations in January. I have decided to tackle two reading challenges this year. I enjoyed the What's in a Name challenge in 2012 so will join it again this year, now hosted by The Worm Hole. The 2014 categories are:

1. A reference to time (Eleven Minutes, Before Ever After)
2. A position of royalty (The People’s Queen, The Last Empress, The Curse Of The Pharaoh)
3. A number written in letters (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, A Tale Of Two Cities)
4. A forename or names (Rebecca, Eleanor & Park, The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D.)
5. A type or element of weather (Gone With The Wind, Red Earth Pouring Rain) 

I was tempted by The Cheap Reader's Reading Outside the Box Challenge but was a bit intimidated by 25 books since my book club books may or may not fit all the categories of the challenge. That could result in a challenge that just isn't feasible for someone with my limited reading time. I know! I know! I should find more time to read but I want to set achievable goals. So instead I selected the Color Coded Reading Challenge from My Reader's Block as my second challenge for 2014. The 2014 categories are:

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue (Turquoise, Aquamarine, Navy, etc) in the title. 
2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red (Scarlet, Crimson, Burgundy, etc) in the title.
3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow (Gold, Lemon, Maize, etc.) in the title.
4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green (Emerald, Lime, Jade, etc) in the title.
5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown (Tan, Chocolate, Beige, etc) in the title.
6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black (Jet, Ebony, Charcoal, etc) in the title.
7. A book with "White" or any shade of White (Ivory, Eggshell, Cream, etc) in the title.
8. A book with any other color in the title (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, Magenta, etc.).
9. A book with a word that implies color (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Paisley, Stripe, etc.).

Of course, neither of the books for my January book club meetings meet either of the challenges. (sigh) Not an auspicious start but I have faith that I can meet both of these challenges this year. Are you planning to sign up for any reading challenges this year? Which ones?

Shards of History by Rebecca Roland

This is NOT a review because I haven't read it yet. I'll post that later. But Rebecca is a friend and her book is ON SALE right now for only $4.99 for Kindle! Since I live in Missouri and I am no longer an Amazon Associate because of the new tax laws here (grrrr), I can't post a fancy link to the book. So here's a text link to get your there:

Shards of History by Rebecca Roland

And here's a picture of the book cover:

Another of her books is also on sale for only $.99 for Kindle. 

The King of Ash and Bones, and Other Stories by Rebecca Roland

The sale runs until Wednesday, January 1st. 

Bargain Kindle Book in Honor of Earth Day

In Honor of Earth Day, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is only $1.99 for Kindle.