Reading Challenge – Real Vampires Don’t Diet

Book Cover Image from IMDb.com

It is that favorite time of the month when I talk about a recent Chick Lit book that I have read for the reading challenge sponsored by Chick Lit Plus.

I have enjoyed this challenge as it has forced me out of my comfort zone of reading only Jane Austen. I love Jane, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes you have to force yourself to read other authors.

This month I decided to delve into a vampire novel. I walked around my favorite used book store and picked out something that appealed to the eye. Real Vampires Don’t Diet by Gerry Bartlett.

So this time around our vampire protagonist is a girl who wears a size 12. She has curves with real breasts and hips. Gloriana is also 400 years old and currently mentoring a new vampire who happens to be a rock star.

In this series, vampires cannot eat or drink, they will get a huge hangover if they do. And they must sleep when the sun comes up otherwise they pass out where ever they might be and the sun, yep, it can do damage.

In this book, Glory’s boyfriend is gone in order to save his daughter and Glory must handle Ray the rockstar when he decides to go on a Jack Daniel’s Binge. So she has to babysit the man and help him recover. In the meantime they get mixed up with a siren who forces the duo to bring her three males vampires or they are burning in hell forever.

I guess I was expecting a good romp, some vampire action,  and snarky dialogue. I read reviews of this book at Barnes-and-Noble which raved about what a fun read this book and others in the series were, how they were addicting. When I went over to Amazon, I could have sworn I was reading the exact same reviews.

But here is what they did not tell you.

Every other sequence is about sex. Maybe it is one character trying to seduce the other or wishing for the other or imagined sex or actual sex. But there is a lot of sex in this book and it gets a little graphic at times. After a while, it was boring. Ho-hum, she is lusting aster Ray but resisting because she loves Jerry. Ho hum, she is about to have sex with Jerry. Ho-hum, she is meeting other handsome vamps and thinking about having sex with them.

Then there are the actions sequences which are quick but nearly deadly. And yet, Glory wins every time except with the Siren. Watch her take out bad guys, watch her constantly hunt mortals, watch her fight off advances from guys who want to have sex with her.

The reviews raved by the fun banter in this series but what I found was drivel. If it wasn’t a bunch of complaining, it was sex talk or drooling over whoever was the sexiest body in the room. By page 20, I was bored with the characters. By page 70, I began shifting around the book to see how it progressed. I have not finished the book, I am not going to finish the book. But I am putting it on the pile of books that are going to the used-book store.

This was a sorry excuse of paper and Gerry Bartlett owes me an apology. If I am promised witty banter, that is what I want  and not the soft porn or half-assed action that I got instead. Would I recommend this? Only if it was the only thing available while at a summer resort before heading to the beach. You won’t mind ruining this book with water, sand and sunscreen because those three items are more interesting than this book.

Have you been disappointed by a book lately?

Book Challenge – It Takes A Witch

It is that time of the month again to talk about books that one would classify as chick lit.

I have been doing this reading challenge set up by Chick Lit Plus and it has been a blast to make myself read some new books. Thanks to Samantha for hosting this challenge.

This month, I chose It Takes a Witch By Heather Blake. Heather is a part of the Deadly Divas, a group of mystery writers who know how to put on their boas and have fun. I get regular postcards with book covers on them. I think they make great art for my refrigerator so I will remember to go buy the books.

While this book is not by a new author, it is the first in her new Wishcraft mystery series. Heather normally write under the name of Heather Webber.

Book cover image from Barnes&Noble.com

The story takes place in Salem, Mass, home of all things wonderfully witchy. What visitors to Enchanted Village do not know is that this is one of the few places where crafters live together, knowingly.

Merriweather sisters, Darcy and Harper, have recently moved in with their Aunt Ve after learning that their mother was a crafter. It was a fact their father never wanted the girls to know. But since his recent death, Aunt Ve told the girls the truth about their mother –  and themselves. They decide to leave Ohio to live with Aunt Ve and figure out the next part of their lives.

We meet Darcy as she is to play the tooth fairy, complete with a pink tutu and glitter. But soon Darcy is on the heels of a mystery when a prickly young woman is found dead in the back alley and the mayor of the town is holding the gun. That he is also Aunt Ve’s boyfriend makes things more personal.

Darcy is slowly learning the ways of a wish crafter, making new friends, and working out clues in order to save her aunt’s beau. A complication in all of this is Nick Sawyer, a former police officer Darcy wishes she was not attracted to because she is still recovering from her divorce of two years back.

I read this book in a day and loved every moment. Ok, most moments but I wanted to read more. The characters were fun, and the witchiness was not played too cutely, although when the whole town is set up for it, how can it not?

Most mysteries give away the clues and you are left catching up to the character. But this time, I was nowhere near to close. And there is a surprise at the end that you may not have guessed at all.

Since this is the first in a series, I know I am going to pick up more of these books as I can. When the next book comes out in September of this year, I will be ready and waiting.

Have you read anything new recently?

The Steve Jobs Bio or How I Learned to Love the Disortion Field

Want to know something that is a bit of a secret?

Book Cover Image from barnesandnoble.com

I do another blog for a former employer. This one is a real mish-mash of subjects, kind of like this one. The topics tend to be more local to the area where I live.

I mention it because today’s entry is about the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson. I could say more but I already have and here is the link.

So make a little visit, leave a note and tell me what you think.

http://blogs.i57life.com/mytwocents/2012/03/30/the-steve-jobs-biography-or-how-i-learned-to-love-the-disortion-field/

 

I look forwards to seeing you in my other home.

 

 

Reading Challenge – Down at the Golden Coin

It is Reading Challenge time again and I am really excited this month.

My choice for this month features a writer who is a friend, we have worked together in the past, and she has guest posted on my blog. I am talking about Kim Strickland. I love her writing because it makes me laugh on a regular basis.

Now that I have the full disclosure done, let me say that Kim has a new novel coming out called Down at the Golden Coin - her second – and she sent me a review copy. I read it fairly quickly despite the fact I was seriously distracted by the Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs bio (which I will write about later). At first I was not too keen on the location – until we get hit with the sucker punch of …”Maybe I am the answer to your prayer.”

Cover Image from Eckhartz Press

The story starts and ends in a laundromat – The Golden Coin to be exact. It is not a yuppie laundromat with ferns and a bar next door. This one is hot and humid with a limited selection of drinks in the pop machine. Our protagonist, Annie, is going through a rough time and wishing to find a way to go. That is when she meets Violet, a cobalt blue-haired punker chick who is not as tough as she may appear, and states she is a messiah. Specifically, she is Annie’s messiah. She is here to help Annie get her life back on track even if things end badly. Which they tend to do for her.

As I and other patrons of the Golden Coin listen to their conversation, I can’t tell you how much I found myself agreeing with the conversation – from both sides. I understood where Annie was coming from and understood what Violet was teaching her.

I loved this book because I related to Annie. I know what it is like to get fired from a job, to lose that income and prestige, to feel like you are spinning your wheels but are helpless to do anything else. That is where our personal similarities end, but trust me, I know Annie.

I also enjoyed the writing. It was bright, introspective, unfailingly honest. Sarcasm is spoken well here. I am the type of person who reads for beautiful descriptive sentences. There is this one… “Like no other man I’ve known, Jake reeks of success.“ It tells me everything I need to know about this guy, at least what he looks like – his confidence, his swagger.

I also look for characters to remain true to their basic personality traits. When a messiah comes along to give you a message, I wonder how any of us would act but I knew Annie was being real. She was scared but intrigued, as much as she said she wanted real answers the truth of her life frightened her. More importantly, I never felt that Annie, Violet or the other characters acted unlike themselves. They stayed true to themselves, stayed true to their codes which can be really hard when the writer is fighting for a happy ending.

The book was worth my time, a worthwhile read. If Kim tells me she has another book coming out, you can bet I am in line waiting for my copy.

Down at the Golden Coin is being released on March 20th. You can order your copy at Eckhartz Press.

Reading Challenge – The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

Remember when I said I was participating in a reading Challenge from ChickLit Plus?  The rules are that I have to read a book of Chick Lit once a month and review it on the blog.

I think I picked a good one this month.

Book Cover Image from barnesandnoble.com

I went for a historical fiction romance novel called The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig that I found in Paperback Reader in Kankakee. This is one of those stories that is a book within a book, a story within a story. The overlying story is about a history graduate student going to England to research a historical figure known as the Pink Carnation. This takes Eloise to London and the home of a grande dame as well as in the way of a handsome lord.

The second story is set in the Regency period during the semi-peaceful era between France and England, this book sets to tell the tale of the Purple Gentian and the Pink Carnation.

These are fictional spies in the manner of the Scarlet Pimpernel who foiled the French as they try to kill off their aristocracy. In this book, the Purple Gentian takes over for the Scarlet Pimpernel, rescuing English aristocracy accused of being spies.

That means we get cold-war type action, gothic Parisian houses and maidens looking for action. Not sexual but as spies. Our heroine, Amy, gets both but not before she before she brings in an entire family when a rescue is needed.

The hero of our story, Richard, is a complex character who is trying to remember all of his duties to God and country while his mother is trying to find him a wife. His work is as a scholar with the French government, placing him in Paris most of the time.

Amy is the daughter of an English woman and a French Duke who lost his life to Madame Guillotine. But now her brother is grown up and needs a ‘lady of the house.’ So Amy plans to find the Purple Gentian and join his group to save her beloved France from Napoleon.

While Amy can grow tiresome – I swear the girl has ADD or at least too much energy and enthusiasm – other characters spring into action to bring reason and a plan into action. That is what keeps the book interesting. The story with Eloise could be interesting but it is really a wrapper for the Purple Gentian. By not giving it enough depth, I found I was not really interested in Eloise and her battles with the lord who did not want her looking at family papers and solving the mystery.

I think I would read this book again and I am currently thinking about getting the sequel, The Masque of the Black Tulip, which I also saw at the Paperback Reader.

Do you have any Chick Lit suggestions for my challenge?

Reading Challenge – Destined to Fail

 

When I was still in a book group, we would have one older member who complained each month about the books we picked. She did not like that they focused on younger women who were having babies. It was very boring to her. Then again, she never made any book suggestions either despite our leader constantly making a request for book ideas.

I bring this up because at the end of the year last year, I joined the reading challenge over at Chick Lit Plus.

From My Bookpile

I said that I would read one chick lit book per month and of those twelve, two would be debut writers. As it turns out, the founder of the Chick Lit Plus Blog, Samantha March, is a debut writer. She sent me her book Destined To Fail at the end of the December and I read through it like a fiend.

There was a part of me that felt like the older woman in my book group as this story focuses on young women in their first year of college. I have not been there for thirty years but I kept reading because I was interested .

Our narrator is Jasmine who is going to school to make her dreams of being a travel agent come true. She manages to bring her friend, Abby, along. But Abby has a problem. Within two months, Abby announces she s pregnant by the boy Jasmine hoped would disappear once the girls moved three hours away.

Abby drops out and Jasmine finds new room-mates in Cari and Kiley. Soon each girl has their own drama that unfolds and Jasmine manages to find the strength to help each of her friends. And when crisis finds her door, Jasmine  digs into her own reservoir to make tough decisions.

This is a light and easy breeze of a book that deals with some tough subjects. Jasmine has many reasons to be a sad sack of a person. And yet, she is the bright light, the beacon of hope for friends who have suffered in similar ways to herself. I think young women will identify with these characters and understand how each woman reacts to her stressors in the way that she does.

As much as I liked this book, there were times I felt as if it was too unreal, too easy. I wondered how Jasmine could have something as each friend’s situation that fit into her own life. And when she chooses to start a foundation, I was amazed at how quickly everything comes together. Another issue I had is while the women in this book tend to have deeper characterizations, the men are two-dimensional in their given roles.

I had other problems in that my copy had some glaring editorial problems with mis-spellings and repeated paragraphs. BUT I also think that Samantha has a good future as a writer as she continues to grow and develop her talent. Her descriptions are good and Samantha has a knack for getting you involved in the story.  I really felt as if I was in college once more with quick friendships, big work loads and the reality of needing money for the things of life.

It is a great start for a first time novelist.

Visit with Author A. Lawati

Every now and again, I am blessed to have an author of a book to come to the blog and speak about their new book. Today, I have A. Lawati whose’ new book is called “The Jungle Adventure of Chimpoo” available through Author House in Bloomington, Indiana. I was given the book to review and enjoyed it as a bed time story with the kids although it could be read at anytime of the day.

 

I asked Lawati to talk about how he used Chimpoo to express feelings a child might have in a similar situation, which is one of the things I love about the story. While looking over the press materials I found that Lawati had a pet monkey when he was a child and I am sure that helped with his story-telling.

 

So without further ado, please welcome author, A. Lawati

 

Cover Image from AuthorHouse

When thinking up the character of Chimpoo, I wanted to express via his animal character the strong feelings children have for their parents. Children want to protect them as much as parents want to protect their children. Chimpoo displays his love and affection for his parents by showing sensitivity to his Mother’s concerns on Papa’s disappearance. He additionally showcases a coming-of-age in that short time to take up responsibility to rescue his Papa and look after his little brother, Aichoo, while guarding his innocence at the same time.

 
Chimpoo sets out alone to rescue Papa even though he has to venture into uncharted territory. This leads him to show his protective instincts for his family with his first encounter with Thinking Eyes the Owl who later becomes a trusted friend.

 

Parents may sometimes not recognize this quality in their children but it is there and is often expressed by simple reactions such as crying and being difficult. My cousin recently relocated to British Columbia and my nephew was giving the parents a hard time with the move. I advised that once his mom adjusted to the new home and starts enjoying the place, little Noah would settle down as well.

 

That is exactly what happened. As you can see, when we as parents have inhibitions or fear about something, it is automatically transmitted to our children. They, in turn, tend to respond in a protective manner appropriate to their age.

 

I wanted to show these protective feelings that our children possess via Chimpoo’s character, making it easier for parents to understand their children. Children reading this can relate to the feelings shown by Chimpoo. And if properly allowed to nurture, children will develop a personality that is based on love for people who are important parts of our lives.

 Thanks, Lawati, for stopping by and talking about your book. For more information about “The Jungle Adventure of Chimpoo” or to buy a copy, visit the website for AuthorHouse  books.

Looking at Words on a Page

Wordy Wednesday

Book Cover Image from Barnes and Noble.com.

As the summer finishes off, we are still reading. Bedtime has been filled with 3D books on weird weather and weird creatures along with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 

One might wonder why I cannot put Harry in the past. Part of it is like losing a child that you really love. Besides, my daughter enjoys reading the story out loud to her little brother. It helps her annunciation.

However, a few other choices have slipped in as well. we do read other books, other series.

One book that I flew through recently is My Sister’s a Pop Star by Kimberly Green.

Sam is an ordinary 12-year-old with a very famous sister. Sam thinks that when her sister, Danni, comes home from a year-long tour, their family will go back to normal. However, normal is nowhere in sight as the family moves into a new home that is a part of a deal with a reality TV show.

Book Cover image from Barnes and Noble.com.

With a camera crew constantly on her tail, going to a florist and the horse stable become much different experiences for Sam. Luckily, Sam has made a few good friends who clue her in to the fishbowl life.

I was given this book by the publisher to review and never expected that I would not be able to put it down. Sam is an engaging character who is a bit naive. Compared to Lizzie in My Teenage Werewolf, Sam is more like a 10- or 11-year-old. She doesn’t have drastic mood changes despite some of the frustrations of her new life (including a totally pink room).  

I gave the book to my daughter who dove into the book and had a hard time putting it down. Once she was finished, Sara declared that we needed to get the rest of the series. Yep, it was a winner.

Book cover image from barnesandnoble.com.

Last but not least, we have been having fun reading about Fluffy, the Guinea Pig. In this book of three short stories, Fluffy goes home with Ellen for spring vacation.

He has some great adventures during spring break that involve cats, a hair salon and a taxi ride.

What we have always appreciated about Fluffy, ever since we bought a pack of books from book order forms at school, is his can-do attitude. When things look rough, well, Fluffy has a way of making the best out of any situation.

That and we have guinea pigs. We imagine that Butternut or Hannah could be like Fluffy – if they talked as much as he does.

Image by J. Durham

On my stack waiting to be read is Parsifal, a German poem about a knight in search of the Holy Grail. It has been many years since I read this book and I am looking forward to filling many winter nights with images of a young man who is trying to find truth and love.

Have you read anything good lately?

Living with a Teenage Werewolf

I have never been a big fan of parenting books but then again I have been pretty lucky in the parenting role with kids who were fairly well-adjusted. 

When we have had problems, I remind myself to look at things from their side but that in the end, I have to be a parent – not a buddy or friend. However, I have mostly boys. That works for boys but for girls it is totally different.

Wait a minute, you say. Your daughter is a lovely thing that bakes and cooks and does fun stuff. She doesn’t have any issues. I would reply that this is true however, Sara is 10. She could change.

When I was asked if I was interested in reading a book about one mom’s journey towards understanding her teen daughter with mood swings and nasty attitude, I knew I had to read this. My sons are just emotional enough to make life rocky but manageable. I am wondering where my daughter will wind up.

Then I started reading My Teenage Werewolf  by Lauren Kessler. I was prepared to be bored out of my mind. Really, If you need to fall asleep there is nothing better than a parenting book. My head swirls unless the narrative is good and the information actually helpful.

Guess what, I stayed up to read this book. I avoided house work (despite having a party last friday) and lazed away part of my Saturday (without a soccer game). I enjoyed this book because the writing was superb. I loved the snarky asides, the quick lessons learned and the longer ones that took time and reflection to finally create a lightbulb moment of massive proportions.

Kessler writes about her relationship with her daughter, Lizzie and how it has plummeted down a deep ravine. It is hell to deal with because Kessler is never sure which Lizzie she is going to deal with this moment – the loving daughter or the smart-aleck-smack-down-artist.

So Kessler does what any academian would do, she shadows her daughter in various venues for the next year and a half in order to get a grasp on her daughter – what her life is in school, in sports, with friends. Kessler will shadow her in classes, in the hallway between classes and on the sports field. One memorable chapter has mother and daughter in a wrestling match.

While doing all this Kessler is reading and researching  about parental relationships and teenage brain development. She talks to therapists and her pediatrician and friends who happen to be therapists or parents of teenage daughters or both.

Kessler is also carrying around the baggage of her own relationship with her mother – what went right and what went horribly wrong so that the two women barely had a relationship until the older woman slipped away into Alzheimer’s Disease. Part of Kessler’s desire for this project is to find a way not to repeat that same pattern with her own daughter.

What Kessler gives the rest of us is a wonderful tale of how she figured it out – for the most part – and why teens act the way that they do. There are some wonderful bits as she shares the wrong moves she has done with her daughter. There are nostalgic moments as she remembers her days of teenage wrong doings. And then there are the moments when everything works.

What I like most about this book is how Kessler admits her mistakes, admits her envy of a friend’s great relationship with her own daughter, and how Kessler realizes history does not have to repeat itself.

So I have hope for the future with my daughter. I have some tactics to remember when things go bad. And when things are really bad, maybe it is best to simply take in a movie with the child.

How is your relationship with your teenage daughter?

My Teenage Werewolf  is available in paperback at the cost of $15.00 starting on August 30, 2011. This book was sent to me by Penguin Books to review. Their hope is that I would enjoy it as well. Mission accomplished. I have one copy to giveaway. Comment below with your most hair-raising tale of teenage behavior. The most needy (as determined by me) will receive my copy.

Making Hard Life Choices

When I was asked to review a book on being childless called Complete Without Children by Ellen L. Walker Ph.D, I took the book for a number of reasons.

Picture from Me

I have to admit I was intrigued by the book after reading news stories that there are more households that have a pet than have a child in the house. That’s right, 39% of households in America have a pet dog while 33.5% of households have a child under the age of 18.

I am willing to bet most of those households have dogs but that is beyond the point. Apparently fewer of us are having children or waiting longer to do it. Which means we have fewer children.

Some of my friends saw me reading this book and wondered why I was reading such a thing. After all, I have four kids. It was a bit too late to have a childless life if I so wanted.

For me the book was more of a glimspe into the life I might have had if I had not changed my mind about wanting a family. I could have travelled more, figured out my life ambitions  more, devoted more energy to a career. When I was young I stated I did not want children because I was a selfish being and kids require a certain selflessness. You have to understand that your wants and needs do not always matter.

In this book Dr. Walker looks at women who were childless by choice, by happenstance or by circumstances beyond their control. I felt sorry for the women who could not have children and grieved the loss. But for the women who did not have children and choose not to have children, I felt complete agreement.

One woman had to raise her younger siblings while their mother worked to support the family. Another never wanted children and ended a relationship with a man who did want a family. The author was involved with men who already had children or did not want to start a family. By the time she got around to thinking about children it was too late for her. Besides that, she enjoyed having freetime to work on projects. Another woman worked as a freelance graphic designer and liked having a quiet house so she could work all day and all night if need be. 

What made this reading assignment enjoyable is that the book is written in a conversational manner. I began to know people and enjoyed reading how they came to their lifestyle decisions.

When my husband saw the book I was reading, he snorted. Then he made a comment that not having a family  is un-natural. We are meant to have families, we humans are made to have families and by golly, everyone who is capable of having children should have children.

Really, I answered. Because I would rather have parents who want kids in this world. How many kids have we seen on our street and in our community where parents are parents not by choice. And the majority of those parents are angry, resentful parents who pass on those feeling to their kids, making for angry resentful kids. Yep, that’s what I want in the world. Kids raised by angry, resentful parents.

I would rather have children raised by parents who want them, by parents who give a shit about their kids. Quite frankly, it is brave of these women to stand up and say “I do not have a maternal bone in my body.” Nor I do not think they should be ridiculed or put down for that. Knowing what you do not want is just as important as knowing what you do want.

Who needs kids when you can get a puppy? Picture by Bad Robt

However, you and I know people will shake their heads and cluck their tongues at women whose life does not have a child tugging at their shirt tails. God forbid a woman should walk a different path than one of motherhood, still. I thought feminism was getting us beyond this point. We are used to women working, women being able to own their own homes and have their own credit card.

That childless woman a real threat to society. Yep, I am buying into that line thinking. Just as soon as I buy into the idea that the Moon Missions really happened in the desert.

Now if you are interested in reading the book, I am giving away my copy. Add a comment making the request and I will pick someone at random.

In the meantime, let me know what you think about women who choose not to have children. Unnatural or a good decision – tell me.