WAITING ON TUESDAY

Yes, I know its usually waiting on Wednesday, but I wanted to be diffferent :)

Here is a book I just heard about and I am dying to read:  Zitface by Emily Howse..... love the cover and the story sounds great.

Also, enter this giveaway - http://sheknownasjess.blogspot.com/2011/03/published-author-interview-and-giveaway.html if you are interested :)  I just did.

IN MY MAILBOX - Week Ending March 26, 2011

Today is my BFF (I feel like a 12 year old when I write that :)  Sharon's birthday - so Happy Birthday Sharon!!!

On the book front - a few great books came into the house this week (mainly books I purchased, but I can't wait to read them all).

From the publishers:

• Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal by Bruce Black (for review);
• My Life, the Theater and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff (for review);

From the author:

• The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin (for review) (I AM LOVING THIS ONE) and the author inscribed it with a wonderful little quote that I am going to try to live by :)

From Abebooks:

• You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz;
• Yogi in the Kitchen by Elaine Gavalas;
• OverProtected by Jennifer Laurens;
• The Marriage Diaries by Rebecca Campbell;

From the Book Depository:

• Prom, a Novel;

That's it.  I was good about not buying any books at Chapters/Indigo this week - not that they usually have a great selection.

What did you get this week?

REVIEW for I am J

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Younger Reads for sending me this great book!

TITLE:             I am J

AUTHOR:       Cris Bream

GENRE:         YA

RATING:       4 Stars

It seems to me as though there are more and more YA novels on the subject of sexuality - more specifically on teens discovering who they are and what they want in life and I think this is a blessing.  Unfortunately, when I was younger, books did not tackle the social issues that are so important to bring out in the open and honestly talk about.

This is where the book I am J comes in and is at its mos valuable.  While it is in novel form, I can very well imagine quite a few teens (and not so teens) who are struggling with issue of sexuality, transgender and most importantly of feeling good in their own skin.

Firstly, I have to admit to feeling completely confused when I began this novel.  Our main character J is a girl on the outside who is, deep inside, a boy.  While I grasped this early on, I found myself confused at times with the pronouns being used - depending on who was speaking to J.  This was a bit jarring at first, but once I got into the storyline I was fine.

What follows is an extremely touching and deep story about a human being who is struggling to find his place in life - not only to the outside world, but also to himself.

This novel is incredibly well written and talks about the subject of transgender in a moving and respectful manner that made reading this novel a joy.

I have to be honest, I did not know much about transgender issues at all.  But after reading J's story and of feeling what he felt, I have a new appreciation for the pain and the struggle that can be experienced.

Having said that, I also have to say that this book is about empowering teens to be who they truly are and to walk through the pain and stay true to themselves.

I loved it.

REVIEW for Hamilton Beach SUper Sear Grill

I recently had the opportunity of receiving this beautiful counter top grill to review from the wonderful people at CSN STORES.

This Hamilton Beach Super Sear Grill is extremely practical, user friendly and more importantly quick and efficient.

The Grill is easy to work - you plug it in, punch in the cooking time and then simply wait for it to heat up to the required heating temperature (it beeps you when it is ready).  You plop your food and wait for it to cook - it is fast and quick and the food comes out perfectly cooked and tastes like it was lovingly prepared on an outdoor grill.  I also highly appreciate the fact that the cooking surface is huge - you can easily put at least 4 meat patties on there - not to mention potatoes or other "sides".

The clean up is okay - as I use the tip that came with the user manual (use a damp Scott towel and put it on the grill  while it is still hot- close the cover for a second (while the grill is unplugged of course) and then, with tongs simply remove the Scott towel.  Does not remove all of the dirt, but makes the grill much easier to clean aftewards.

Overall, this is a great product and I am so thrilled to have it.  By the way, there is also a little drip tray - perfect for scooping up all the fat that may drip when you are cooking your food - a healthy option that I use each and every time.

REVIEW for The Anti-Prom

Thank you, thank you Jess at Random House Canada for sending me this very anxiously awaited book :)

TITLE:                    The Anti-Prom

AUTHOR:              Abby McDonald

GENRE:                 YA

RATING:                4 Stars

I had been waiting forever to read this book as it was on my "list" for months and months.  I simply love reading any YA book that centers, at least in part, on the prom - I guess it makes me relive my own prom experiences which were, UGH! quite a few years ago.

Anyway, this book actually has a very interesting "twist" quite early on in the storyline (and I feel as though I can share it without spoiling it for anyone as it is indicated right on the back cover).  Yes, our main character discovers, while at her prom that her "perfect" boyfriend is actually "doing it" with another girl. 

 Bliss freaks out, however, decides to get even.  Coincidentally, she comes across Jolene who has issues of her own - starting with her father and ending with her reputation as a rebel at school.  Together, they start to plot revenge against Bliss' so called boyfriend.  Then Meg enters the triangle, bringing along her own set of issues.  Together this little trio will end up finding more than just revenge.

I loved the writing style.  Breezy and down to earth, the author tells her story by inviting us to connect with the characters (the good and the bad).  I immediately connected with Bliss - I know how hurtful it can be to discover that the guy who are with can cheat on you so easily!  I also believe in karma!!!! which is a huge reason I enjoyed this book so much.

Additionally, I am always entranced by stories about people finding each other and while the anti-prom is meant to be cute and funny, it also sends another message - one of friendship and hope.  People in need automatically find each other.

I loved this one.

IN MY MAILBOX - Week Ending March 20, 2011

Wow! another week has just gone by -lately, it seems as though I blink and the week is over, except, of course, when I am at work where time just feels like it is dragging and dragging!

From the secondhand used bookstore:

• Born to Run by James Grippando;
• The Washingtonnienne by Jessica Cutler(already read this one, but I liked it so I will reread it);

From The Book Depository:

• Prom by Disney Enterprises;

From the publisher:

• My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff (for review);

From Abe Books:

• Back When you Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith;

From Chapters bookstore:

• A Course in Weight Loss by Marianne Williamson (I had to buy this one new);

From the library:

• Season 1 of Reba DVD (this is the last one I needed to watch in the series);
• Season 2 and 4 of Numbers DVD (never saw this one but it looks good so I am going to try it;

From Ebay:

• Season 1 of The Commish DVD (I loved this show when it was originally on, so I am going to try to watch all of the seasons)

That's it.

REVIEW for The Glory Wind

Another thank you goes out to Fitzhenry & Whiteside for sending me this wonderful novel.

TITLE:                    The Glory Wind

AUTHOR:              Valerie Sherrard

GENRE:                  YA

RATING:                4 Stars

In full disclosure mode, I have to say that I love, love reading books published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside.  They are always publishing timely, entertaining and beautiful CANADIAN books, which are always, always a joy to read and review!

The Glory Wind is set in rural Ontario in the 1940's.  Now, I am not a small town girl and, of course, I was not born anywhere near that era, but I do know that everytime I read books set in that time period I pretty well always get the same reaction - anger.  Specifically, anger at how women were viewed and treated - the prejudice against them just irks me and I want to scream - "girl power".  So, this is pretty much my state of mind throughout the entire novel, considering the fact that our main character - Luke ends up being friends with a girl that he likes, who also happens to have a mother with a "questionable" past!  Grrrrrrr!

Fortunately, while this book does a great job of exploring just how small minded people in this area and time period really were, we also get, as a great contrast, to see how one boy, who believes in friendship is actually more human than most of the people in the town he lives in.

This book made me mad, mad, mad, but at the same time, it gave me hope.  Wonderfully written and full of beautiful images that I loved.

REVIEW for Beyonders

Thank you goes out to Simon & Schuster for sending me this book.

TITLE:               Beyonders

AUTHOR:          Brandon Mull

GENRE:             Middle Grade YA

RATING:            4 Stars

For those who read this blog regularly, you know that I don't normally read this type of book, however, I was quite curious by the book, having heard quite a few things about it before reading it.

I felt myself "adopting" the main character in this book - Jason who is a cute 13 year old who is, surprisingly, NOT annoying!  His love of animals was another aspect of his "personality" that I really liked and something we share.

In association with this, Jason finds himself in a very different universe - in, of all things - a hippos mouth, in the land of Lyrian - which makes him a "Beyonders"....  or outsider.

What follows is an absolute world of magic, wizards and secrets.  Extremely well weaved together, the basic premise is very clever and entertaining.  I love how the author creates such a make believe world that is both good and bad, where things and events you could only imagine in your mind can become real.  I especially loved the luscious descriptions of the cool landscapes - making my mind work overtime, imagining what it all looks like.

Smart and fun, I actually found myself enjoying this very different kind of storytelling (for me at least).  Yes, to some, it might sound a bit like Harry Potter, but I think this author went a step further. 

It was fun to read!



IN MY MAILBOX - Week Ending March 12, 2011

Wow! another week has gone by.  It feels as though I am writing these In My Mailbox posts faster and faster each week.

This week was another busy one and we had some absolutely horrible weather. On the positive side, I aced my mid term exam with an 84% - which is cool since I studied my "derriere" off.

This week was so-so for books, the only books I received were books that I ordered, but I did get another wonderful item from the CSN Stores.  A gift horse in the mouth :)

This is what I got in my mailbox this week:

From AbeBooks:

• Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave
• Sean Griswold's Head by Lindseay Leavitt
• My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe
• Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooking by Lynn Alley
• She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not by Julie Anne Peters

From Rodmell Press:

• Watch Me Do Yoga by Bobby Clennell (for review by the publisher)

From Chick Advisor:

• Febreze Noticeables (for review from the manufacturer)

From CSN Stores:

• Hamilton Super Sear Nonstick Indoor Grill 

REVIEW for Zero Day

TITLE:             Zero Day

AUTHOR:       Mark RUssinovich

GENRE:           Thriller

RATING:         3 Stars


Thank you to Amy at Phenix and Phenix Publicity for sending me a copy of this book.

I had extremely high hopes for this book as I use to absolutely love to read this type of "armagedeon" type of scenario.

How things have changed from a few years ago.  Now, they write these type of books using a computer virus as the deadly weapon - scary stuff, especially since I am one who believes that our world is already moving way too quickly.

Having said that, Zero Day's main plotline sounded wonderful and I happily dove in.  While the book is not horrible, it is also not all that compelling and I tried to figure out why, until I realized that this book seriously suffers from "TMI" - too much information.

The thing is, when you read about technology, two things happen - either a) you know exactly what all the technical terms mean or b) you have no clue and don't really want to discover it.  Either way, the author uses wayyyyy toooo much info to get the knowledge across.

This ended up being a serious detriment to the pace of the book and this is something that is crucial for me - especially in a thriller.

I liked the main characters Jeff Aiken and Daryl Haugen and I was really rooting for them to figure out who was doing what and, more importantly, how to "save" the world - but, for the most part, I also find myself putting this book down pretty often - which is a sure sign that I was not all that engaged in the first place.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011

Let's celebrate -  today is International Women's Day -  in honor of all the wonderful women in the world.

to my wonderful mother - who is the most amazingly strong woman I know and to my grandmother who was my second mother and a strong influence in my life - thank you!

Let's hear it for GIRL POWER!!!!!!!!!!

REVIEW for Twin



Thank you to the wonderful people at Penguin Group US for sending me this beautiful, beautiful memoir.

TITLE:                     Twin

AUTHOR:                Allen Shaw

GENRE:                   Memoir

RATING:                  4 Stars

Twin made me smile and cry at the same time! That pretty well defines my state of mind for the entire book. I found this book absolutely touching and at the same time, I felt hope and love. I don't normally like to read books that make me cry - I find that life is hard enough without having to seek out books that can add to the sadness, but I have to say that this book was so beautifull written and the author's love for his sister so apparent, despite their differences, that I JUST COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

I have also been thinking alot about destiny lately and this book certainly gave me a lot to think about. Can you imagine being born a twin -where you get all of the creative gifts and your twin, whom you adore, is stricken by Autism. I kept wondering how I would have functioned in my life had this happened to me.

The author writes a beautiful account of his life and that of his twin sister. We get to discover just how wonderful both twins are and that while autism can and certainly did affect this family - it never took away the most important thing - love.

Beautiful memoir.

WE HAVE A WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO:    bookflamereviews@gmail.com who is the winner of the Sarah Dessen book!

REVIEW for Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger AND Molly Cooper's Dream Date

Thank you! thank you to the wonderful people at Mills & Boon who recently contacted me and sent me a great goodie bag full of gifts.  Included:  a very practical tote bag (which I am using every day), a chocolate bar (yum!) a mud pack for my face and two paperback books - both of which I am reviewing here.  Love, love this company!!!!

TITLE:                         Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger

AUTHOR:                    Heidi Rice

GENRE:                        Romance

RATING:                       4 Stars


As you know, I am a huge fan of chick lit which, of course, has its own brand of romance.  Having said this, I have tried to stay away from the more "romantic/romance" type of novels because I feel they have been, in the past, kind of silly and unrealistic.  However, I have to say that I was immediately attracted to the Mills & Boon books for a few reasons.  The first one - I loved the covers - they felt "chick litty" (yes, I make up my own words) to me.  Secondly, I started reading a few lines and felt as though I was reading a chick lit novel and not one of those sappy romance novels.  I was hooked.  Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger is a great read (although very short).  I loved the basic premise - a  wounded (both physically and emotionally) rich boy gets saved by a sexy, yet hard nosed woman - who has had her share of pain, but finds herself attracted to this wounded man.

Ryan, the main character is a very interesting character and not one dimensional at all.  The author took great pains to make him very real, with his own insecurities and drama and this worked well for me.  It created a wonderful tension filled - toe to toe type of relationship between Ryan and Maddy (the other main character) - providing lots of great dialogue and, while, of course, these books can be predictable up to a point, I found myself completely involved in the back and forth between these two.  I loved that Maddy is a strong female character who does not expect Ryan to be "her prince and save her from the world".  Great read.

TITLE:               Molly Cooper's Dream Date

AUTHOR:         Barbara Hannay

GENRE:            Romance

RATING:          4 Stars

This book was interesting to me because the two main characters - Patrick and Molly, don't actually really get together for a while.  I loved that this book, while obviously a romance, also has, in my opinion, subtext - mainly that a) destiny is always present and, while you may not see the big picture, it is working for you and making sure that you get to where you need to be  and b) you may "think" you know what is best for you, but you don't really.
Through a series of emails exchange between Patrick and Molly, we get to discover who these two are and what it is that they are hoping for in their lives, which I thought was a very clever way of creating and building a storyline that I felt quite engaged in.  It worked because it is gradual without feeling too rushed.

The "little twist" was also a nice touch and kind of made me stop for a second and consider that what I was thinking wasn't actually the truth (sorry, don't want to give away any spoilers).

The author does a wonderful job of creating two interesting characters, as well as a premise that offers up alot of possibilities.  I really liked this one as well.

IN MY MAILBOX - Week Ending March 5, 2011

Wow! I think that the winter months have been slowing just about everything down because I have had yet another very, very slow book week.


Here is what I found in my mailbox this week:


From the publisher:

• I am J by Cris Beam (from the publisher for review) (this one was on my wish list so I am thrilled!)

From a Facebook Giveaway that I won:

• Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson
• Fairy Tale of New York by Miranda Dickinson

That's it! What did you find in your mailbox this week?

REVIEW for Victim Rights

Thank you to Red Deer Press for sending me this book.

TITLE:              Victim Rights

AUTHOR:         Norah McClintock

GENRE:            YA

RATING:           3 Stars

I wasn't aware that this book was part of a series, but I have to say that it works as a stand alone, although it would probably be great to read the entire series.


I rated this book a 3 star because, while I thought it was a good read, I found myself taking a long time to get through it, which is always a sure sign that I am not as engaged as I should be.

I like that the author touches on some very difficult situations - making our main character Ryan Dooley a very flawed character that is always "this close" to the brink of doing something that will hurt him and other people.

There is a dark tone to this novel that gives it a sharp edge. On the other hand, the relationship between Dooley and his girlfriend (who serves as the catalyst in propelling the story forward) sounded a little bit off to me and I am not sure why.

I think that is my entire problem with this book - there was something a little off, but I can't quite figure out what it is.

REVIEW for The Fifth Rule

Thank you to the wonderful Melissa at Harper Collins Canada for sending me a copy of this book.

TITLE:                  The Fifth Rule

AUTHOR:             Don Aker

GENRE:                YA

RATING:               4 Stars

I really try very hard to stay "on top" of  book titles that sound like my cup of tea.  For some reason though, I completely missed the boat on this one! which is why I was so thrilled when I got home and opened the package to discover The Fifth Rule.

Firstly, this book is actually Canadian, set in Canada and written by a Canadian which I love.  Secondly, the story is right up my alley.  While this one is promoted as a YA, I have to say that the storyline is so compelling and the writing so good that it is a great read for ANY avid reader of any age.

Reef, the central character has alot of baggage, but when he discovers that his old mentor has died, he is determined to attend the funeral.  But there is a catch - Leeza - and that restraining order - both of which are excellent reasons for Reef to go to the funeral and then get out of town.

Of course, as life (and plotlines) would have it, things don't quite go as smoothly for  Reef and he finds himself having to come face to face with alot of "truths" he had been pushing to the back of his mind - including some about Frank.

For the most part, what kept me going was the plotline and the wonderfully developed characters.  I have to admit that, at times, the writing (and the pace) were a little too slow for my taste, which made me want to jump ahead a few paragraphs. Having said that though, anytime the characters interacted with each other, the novel took on a life on its own and I found myself completely involved in their conversations and actions.

The characters are very well fleshed out and continually grow as you actually can feel them experience and deal with their feelings and thoughts - its not always pretty but it is always incredibly compelling.

This is a coming of age story that is pretty raw - not a lot of pretty, pretty prose here - but it works.

MY SPECIAL READING AREA

I have two very special areas in my home.  One is my little "spiritual" area, where I practice yoga, do some meditation and write in my journal. I love my little space.

However, being a true book lover, I have also decided that I needed a very special reading area.  This is definitely going to be a "me" space, where I can sit down, relax with a good pot of tea and read, read, read. 

I have of late been giving this area alot of thought - I want to make sure it looks and feels just right. I want it to be soothing, but I also want it to be "perfect" for reading - day or night.  Thankfully, I already have the wing back chair and ottoman and, I have recently bought a great little side table.  However, I have been wondering exactly what kind of lighting will be best.  This means I get to pick and choose from a variety of great table lamps (a great reason to go shopping!). 


Here is "the" one that I have fallen in love with - perfect for my home.  Definitely practical, but also wonderfully zen looking.

Of course, I love the fact that table lamps are great accessories for any room, but in my case, because it is going to be used for such practical reasons (ok, I admit, I also want it to be pretty), I am thrilled that I can sit back in the comfort of my home and browse through one of my favorite online stores, CSN Stores.  I love the amazing amount of choices I am offered and I find that, for someone like me, who has limited (read - almost none) decorating skills, I get some great ideas on how to turn my home (and my reading space) into the kind of spot I can truly feel comfortable, cozy and happy in.


Its always a mystery to me how we managed to get anything done before the Internet (yes people, I am THAT old that I can actually remember a time when shopping meant spending hours and hours walking from one store to the other :)

REVIEW for Recovery Road

Thank you to Scholastic Canada for so kindly sending me a finished copy of this book.

TITLE:                        Recovery Road

AUTHOR:                  Blake Nelson

GENRE:                     YA

RATING:                   3 Stars

This book posed a special challenge to me.  I loved the premise, but I had a very hard time working my way through the writing style.  I had the exact same issue with the author's previous book - Destroy All Cars, but I really wanted to read this book because of the subject matter.

Recovery Road is, as you might expect, about substance abuse ( a subject that is very close to my heart) and, traditionally, I do try to read as many novels and non fiction books on the subject as I can.


Maddie is a compelling main character and you immediately feel as though there is way more to her than just the alcohol addiction, but is she capable of finding her own inner strength (along with the help of the people in rehab and those who love her) to find her way back to her life again.  As we explore Maggie's feelings about being "dropped" into rehab by her family, we also get to discover who Maggie is and we also start to understand how screwed up her thinking is.


Maggie's experiences in rehab (and in her addiction) are incredibly raw and harsh.  This is definitely not a fluffy, carefree read, but it delivers a serious punch - one that wants to make you desperately want to help her - all the while also making you want to smack her "out of it"(if only it were that simple!).

My favorite part of this book was definitely the slow but painstaking liberation that Maggie starts to feel - and as a reader I felt it also.


Having said all of that, I still have to say that the writing style is just not for me.  The author tends to write what I call "choppy writing".  He tends to start chapters that don't necessarily pick up from the previous ones and he also tends to write very short chapters, which normally I don't have a problem with (I love this about James Patterson actually), but i always feel as though I am missing something when I read his stuff.  Nope, simply not my type of writing.


Too bad because I loved the premise and the main character of this book - but I have to go with a 3 star rating.