Wow, it’s been a month since my last MM post! Guess that’s not to hard to do when you aren’t receiving many books. I told myself at the end of last year that I was going to cut way back on accepting books for review, and I did. But I still get a few here and there, and these are the ones I’ve gotten since my last MM which was 4/15:
Lake Rousseau was formed in the 1920′s by the construction of a dam on the Withlacoochee River near Inglis, Florida. A man was paid to cut down all the trees on the land before it was flooded. I’m not really sure why some of the stumps are above water. Maybe it’s due to low water levels in Florida the last few years.
In this irresistible memoir, the New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Anna Quindlen writes about looking back and ahead—and celebrating it all—as she considers marriage, girlfriends, our mothers, faith, loss, all the stuff in our closets, and more.
As she did in her beloved New York Times columns, and in A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Quindlen says for us here what we may wish we could have said ourselves. Using her past, present, and future to explore what matters most to women at different ages, Quindlen talks about
Marriage: “A safety net of small white lies can be the bedrock of a successful marriage. You wouldn’t believe how cheaply I can do a kitchen renovation.”
Girlfriends: “Ask any woman how she makes it through the day, and she may mention her calendar, her to-do lists, her babysitter. But if you push her on how she really makes it through her day, she will mention her girlfriends. Sometimes I will see a photo of an actress in an unflattering dress or a blouse too young for her or with a heavy-handed makeup job, and I mutter, ‘She must not have any girlfriends.’ ”
Stuff: “Here’s what it comes down to, really: there is now so much stuff in my head, so many years, so many memories, that it’s taken the place of primacy away from the things in the bedrooms, on the porch. My doctor says that, contrary to conventional wisdom, she doesn’t believe our memories flag because of a drop in estrogen but because of how crowded it is in the drawers of our minds. Between the stuff at work and the stuff at home, the appointments and the news and the gossip and the rest, the past and the present and the plans for the future, the filing cabinets in our heads are not only full, they’re overflowing.”
Our bodies: “I’ve finally recognized my body for what it is: a personality-delivery system, designed expressly to carry my character from place to place, now and in the years to come. It’s like a car, and while I like a red convertible or even a Bentley as well as the next person, what I really need are four tires and an engine.”
Parenting: “Being a parent is not transactional. We do not get what we give. It is the ultimate pay-it-forward endeavor: We are good parents not so they will be loving enough to stay with us but so they will be strong enough to leave us.”
From childhood memories to manic motherhood to middle age, Quindlen uses the events of her own life to illuminate our own. Along with the downsides of age, she says, can come wisdom, a perspective on life that makes it satisfying and even joyful. Candid, funny, moving, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake is filled with the sharp insights and revealing observations that have long confirmed Quindlen’s status as America’s laureate of real life.
This was my first Quindlen book, and I loved it. It’s funny, sad, insightful and somewhere along the way, she’ll say something that will connect you to a situation or feeling that you’ve had in your own life.
The author opens up many doors in this collection of essays…being a woman, a wife, a working mom, losing your mother, watching your children grow up, aging.
This is a perfect book for Baby Boomers, but also for women of any age. I loved that Anna Quindlen embraced the fact that she’s getting older. That’s the way I want to feel when I reach her age.
Since I’m all for getting healthy(ier), I was thrilled when I was recently contacted by Sandra from Everest Nutrition with a request to do a review of their Krill Oil. We all know how important Omega 3 is for our bodies, so of course I accepted.
From the website: Krill Oil Benefits
Clinical data has shown Krill Oil seems to possess numerous benefits and has the ability to: protect your heart, lower your cholesterol, fight PMS symptoms, combat inflammation, optimize your brain’s capabilities, fight aging AND boost your overall health and well being!
Even better, krill oil’s Omega 3 structure is linked together in a different form compared to fish oil. The essential fatty acids in fish oil are made up in triglyceride form, whereas krill oil is linked together in phospholipid form – the same structure as the fat cells in the human body! This makes absorption of Omega 3′s faster and easier.
Overall Health: Numerous studies prove that krill oil’s benefits can improve your overall health by strengthening your immune system, optimizing kidney function, regulating the body’s hormone levels, elevating your mood and emotional well being, balancing blood sugar levels, regulating blood pressure levels, supporting eye health, boosting your energy AND much more! In fact, Woman’s World Magazine reported: “Krill oil is so potent; women who took it for three months reported a 51% boost in energy, alertness, memory, concentration and stamina in a recent Canadian study. And almost 100% described having a greater sense of well-being and happiness — plus a 31% reduction in aches and pains!”
Krill Oil can improve your Cardiovascular Health, Cholesterol Levels, PMS Symptoms, Inflation, Brain Function, and is also Anti-Aging.
The recommenced dosage is two-capsules, once a day.
This dosage contains:
1,250 mg of 100% Pure Krill Oil
300 mg of Omega-3
165 mg EPA
95 mg DHA
500 mg Phospholipids
1.6 mg Astaxanthin
It is also said to be 54 times more powerful than fish oil supplements.
Caution: People with seafood allergy, coagulopathy or taking anticoagulants or other medications should consult their doctor before taking this product.
Thanks to Sandra & Everest Nutrition, I’m able to offer one of you a bottle of Krill Oil.
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When Eve Marryat’s father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve’s uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.
St. Paul seemed like a haven for gangsters, and Eve had grown fearful of living there. At seventeen, she considers her family to be “good people.” They aren’t lawbreakers and criminals like so many people in her old neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a “safe haven,” Eve is blissfully unaware that her uncle’s lodge is a transfer station for illegal liquor smuggled from Canada.
Eve settles in to work and makes new friends, including an enigmatic but affecting young man. But when the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faced with a dilemma. How can she ignore what is happening right under their very noses?
Yet can she risk everything by condemning the man whose love and generosity is keeping her and her family from ruin?
I loved reading about this time in history, which surprised me.
The book is about Eve, a 17 yr. old girl who is learning that life is way more complicated than she thought. It had prohibition, bootleggers, gangsters, and even some romance.
The book is a pretty quick read, and the words flow so easy that you loose track of time. The characters are well defined have many different personalities, which makes the book even more interesting.
I think this would be a good book for anyone to read, even those who don’t think they’d like a book set during this time period.
When Eve Marryat’s father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve’s uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.
St. Paul seemed like a haven for gangsters, and Eve had grown fearful of living there. At seventeen, she considers her family to be “good people.” They aren’t lawbreakers and criminals like so many people in her old neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a “safe haven,” Eve is blissfully unaware that her uncle’s lodge is a transfer station for illegal liquor smuggled from Canada.
Eve settles in to work and makes new friends, including an enigmatic but affecting young man. But when the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faced with a dilemma. How can she ignore what is happening right under their very noses?
Yet can she risk everything by condemning the man whose love and generosity is keeping her and her family from ruin?
Thoughts
I loved reading about this time in history, which surprised me.
The book is about Eve, a 17 yr. old girl who is learning that life is way more complicated than she thought. It had prohibition, bootleggers, gangsters, and even some romance.
The book is a pretty quick read, and the words flow so easy that you loose track of time. The characters are well defined have many different personalities, which makes the book even more interesting.
I think this would be a good book for anyone to read, even those who don’t think they’d like a book set during this time period.
Guest Post
Four Famous Gangsters
And how they influence Sweet Mercy
Instead of creating a better and safer America, Prohibition led to an explosion of organized crime. The once-legal business of producing, importing and distributing alcoholic beverages became the territory of criminal gangs. Four of these gangsters made their way into Sweet Mercy.
Al Capone – Undoubtedly, everyone has heard of Al Capone, otherwise known as “Scarface.” Head of what became known as the Chicago Outfit, he made his fortune in bootlegging, racketeering, prostitution and gambling. He had the dubious distinction of being named Public Enemy No. 1 by the Chicago Crime Commission in 1930. He was a ruthless murderer and is believed to be the mastermind behind the Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929. When Capone was finally arrested and sentenced to Alcatraz, it was for the relatively benign crime of tax evasion. (Al Capone has a cameo appearance in Sweet Mercy.)
George “Bugs” Moran – Bugs Moran was Al Capone’s greatest rival in the bootlegging industry, never hesitating to hijack Capone’s booze whenever possible and sell it himself. Moran led the Northside Gang in Chicago, whose members often came to loggerheads with Capone’s men. For years the two gangs treated each other to shootouts, torture, kidnappings and murder. This culminated in the Valentine’s Day Massacre, in which seven of Moran’s men were gunned down in a warehouse in cold blood. Moran was supposed to have been there but he stopped for a haircut on the way. (In Sweet Mercy, young girls moon over the handsome Bugs Moran.)
Dean O’Banion – The owner of a flower shop in Chicago, his main business was bootlegging. He was aligned with Bugs Moran and was therefore a rival of Al Capone. A family man, teetotaler and former acolyte and choir boy for Holy Name Cathedral, a church he loved all his life, O’Banion was eventually murdered by Al Capone’s men. (One of the off-screen characters in Sweet Mercy is modeled after O’Banion.)
George Remus – A Cincinnati lawyer, George Remus specialized in and became rather famous for criminal defense, especially murder. But when Prohibition came around, he saw another way to add to his already considerable wealth. He became a bootlegger, and a very successful one. In 1925, Remus was arrested and indicted for thousands of violations of the Volstead Act, for which he served time in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. (The Cincinnati bootlegger in Sweet Mercy is based upon George Remus.)
Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy Award-winning novel Promises to Keep. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association “Book of the Year” in fiction for both All the Way Home and I’ll Watch the Moon.Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her “one of Christian fiction’s better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories.” Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.
Now, from Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove Cookbook, you can relish in your own home the same superb meals found in Cedar Cove’s households. Charlotte Rhodes, one of the series’ most beloved characters, invites all fans of Cedar Cove, as well as anyone who enjoys classic home cooking, to join her in touring the town’s kitchens as she shares more than 130 of her treasured family recipes. (And she’s got plenty to tell you about the people of Cedar Cove, too!) You’ll find such mouthwatering dishes as:
• Justine Gunderson’s Grilled Salmon with Lime-Jalapeño Butter
• Teri Polger’s Macaroni and Cheese
• Charlotte Rhodes’s Cinnamon Rolls
• Olivia Griffin’s Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad
• The Pot Belly Deli’s Broccoli and Cheese
Soup in a Bread Bowl
• And many more
Whether you’ve just discovered the world of Cedar Cove or have devoured all the books, you can now partake of the town’s culinary traditions and cook just like Charlotte, her family and friends!
I love this cookbook! Lots of colorful photos and lots of great categories:
Breakfast at 16 Lighthouse Road with Olivia Griffin
Lunch at 204 Rosewood Lane with Grace Sherman Harding
Tea at 6 Rainer Drive and the Victorian Tea Room with Justine Gunderson Appetizers at 311 Pelican Court with Zach and Rosie Cox
Dinner at 44 Cranberry Point with Bob Peggy Beldon
Dessert at 50 Harbor Street with Roy and Corrie McAfee,
Easter at 15 Eagle Crest Avenue with Ben and Charlotte Rhodes
Fourth of July at 92 Pacific Boulevar
d and the Waterford Park with Troy Faith Davis
Thanksgiving at 74 Seaside Avenue with Bobby and Teri Polar
Christmas at 8 Sandpiper Way with Dave and Emily Fleming
The book starts with an Introduction from Debbie, then goes on to the recipes. Each section of recipes starts with an introduction from the Cedar Cove characters for that specific category.
Every recipe doesn’t have a photo, but the ones that do are clear and very yummy looking. None of the recipes look very hard or have a huge amount of ingredients. Most of them have items you’d already have in your pantry or fridge.
I got this cookbook from the library, but I liked it so much I’d like to own a copy.
There were quite a few recipes I wanted to try, but decided to start with the Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil and Swiss Cheese Pita Croutons first. I’ll be posting a review of the recipe within the next few weeks.
LOVE it!! You’re never to old or overweight, and diabetes shouldn’t stop you from getting fit. If anything, those things should make you want to get fit and healthy even more.
Last week was the worst week I’ve had all year. Thought Mr. Vicki was getting better, but nope, he’s worse. Somehow I pulled a muscle in my left arm so it’s sore and tingly from my shoulder to my fingers. I also have a pulled hamstring so it’s hard to walk, sit, stand, lay…to bad I can’t levitate!!
Still, I know “This too shall pass”. I’m hoping the pain eases up enough that I can get back to some sort of routine in a few days.
The Baskerville family has been haunted for generations by a fearsome hound – a phantom beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws. Surely it is just a legend? Then Sir Charles is found mysteriously dead in the grounds of Baskerville Hall. It is time to bring in Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, to discover the truth about the family curse..
This is my first time joining the Unputdownables Read-A-Longs, and I’m really excited. I’ve never read this book and am looking forward to it. I put the book on hold at the library and will pick it up tomorrow!
READING SCHEDULE:
Week One/ Chapter IV
Week Two/ Chapter VII
Week Three/ Chapter X
Week Four/ Chapter XIII
Week Five/The End
POSTING SCHEDULE:
Week One/ May 3rd
Week Two/ May 10th
Week Three/ May 17th
Week Four/ May 24th
Week Five/ May 31st (Final Review)
I am seriously addicted to Pinterest. So you know how excited I am that Trish is doing another Pin It & Do It Challenge for May!! I didn’t do so great on the last one because…well, I just didn’t. I bought everything for the pins I planned to do and then ran out of time to do them. So this time around I’m going for a lower level.
I’d like to change that from “The Skinny Rules” to “The Healthy Rules”. I don’t want to get skinny, I want to get healthy.
And I don’t agree with all the things in the list, like:
1) no carbs after lunch. I agree you should eat very small amounts of carbs after lunch, but no carbs?
2) And what about going to bed hungry? What? Why?
Question:
Is it just me that thinks they shouldn’t be on the list? If you think they should be on the list, let me know your reasons. Maybe I’m missing something.
Anyway… Not much to report for last week. I’ve been sick, hubby’s been dealing with some health issues. It’s not been fun at all.
The plan is still the same for this week, upping my workouts to 45 min., walking 1 1/2 – 2 miles a day, stretching my leg, deep breathing, Qi-Gong, drink lots of water, eat meatless a few times…
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.
This book had me hooked right from the beginning. I’ve read a few books about teen suicide, but this storyline was so different. Reading the thoughts of the girl who committed suicide, in her own words, was what sets this book apart.
Hannah gives all the reasons why she decides to commit suicide, and even though some of them seem a little small to me, to a teen living through it, it could be a big deal. Our words and deeds can have such a huge impact on others, we all need to be careful what we say and do. And of course, lots of small things can become one big thing. Plus, we all know that everything doesn’t affect each of us the same.
I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone, no matter their age, and think this book should be required reading for schools.
The power of the tongue is life and death Proverbs 18:21
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 4/30/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.
First I’d like to take a moment and say that I feel horrible about what happened yesterday at the Boston Marathon.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was injured or lost their lives, and also with their family members and friends.
A few years ago I was in the best shape I’ve ever been in. Then I stopped exercising. Boy, was that a bad decision!! Now I want to get back to that strong state, and I have to keep reminding myself that I will get there.
Last Week:
More of the same, I was under the weather for a few days, but still did lots of walking and drank lots of water.
I tried a few more new to me fruits, a Mexican Mango and a Minneola. Both were good, but then today I Googled a Minneola because I wasn’t sure what it was. Come to find out it’s a hybrid citrus fruit made by crossing a Duncan or Bowen grapefruit and the Darcy variety of tangerine. Hmmm, that might be why I was sick. I’m not supposed to eat grapefruits or drink grapefruit juice with one of the medicines I’m taking. Thankfully it didn’t make me sicker than I was. Lesson learned. Google food I don’t know anything about BEFORE I eat it.
Next Week:
I plan on upping my workouts from 30 min. to 45 min. I’d also like to start walking 1 1/2 – 2 miles a day. I also have to get busy stretching my leg. Nope, didn’t do that last week. I wish I had someone who lived near me who could be my workout buddy. I need someone to help keep me consistant.
Question:
Do you have a workout buddy, or do you go to classes where you know people are expecting you to be there?
In Cassidy’s battle against human trafficking there are two choices: run or be captured.
Cassidy’s humanitarian mission takes an ugly turn when human traffickers attack. Cassidy doesn’t know where to run—home to America, into Jesse’s arms, or any direction she can to escape the traffickers. Innocent families are being ripped apart and Cassidy must decide if she’s brave enough to stop running and join the fight.
“Cami Checketts has done it again! Running Home is fast-paced and action packed with enough romantic moments to satisfy any romance junkie. It’s a wonderful third installment of the Run series and a really fun read.” Rachael Anderson, Author of The Reluctant Bachelorette
Cassidy Christensen wants to run.
Captured by the traffickers who killed her mother, Cassidy’s only hope is Dr. Tattoo, a man she loves but nobody trusts. When she finally gets a chance to run, someone else she cares about is taken. Running might be her only chance at survival, but Cassidy won’t allow another family member to be killed in her place.
Cassidy Christensen is running.
Running from the mercenaries who killed her parents.
Running from a scheming redhead intent on making her life miserable.
Running from painful memories that sabotage her dreams of happiness.
With two very tempting men competing for her attention, she hopes she’ll finally have someone to run to, but can she trust either of them? When secrets from her past threaten her family, Cassidy decides to stop running and fight for her future.
“Dead Running was everything I was hoping it would be, captivating, invigorating, and a page turner that I could not, would not, put down! Cami Checketts writes books that will make you think, and make you feel. She captivated me with The Sister Pact, and doesn’t lose speed with her newest ‘must read’, Dead Running.” Sheila DeChantal, Book Reviewer – Book Journey
“Dead Running can make a claim not many mystery/thrillers can, and that is that it is also really funny. I loved everything about the book. There was murder, romance, family bonds, 5K training, humor, good guys, bad guys, and an ending that left room for a sequel.” Vicki, Book Reviewer – I’d Rather Be Reading At The Beach
