“Show me the books she loves and I shall know the woman…“

Thanks Mom

Chicken Soup for the Soul

101 Stories of Gratitude, Love, and Good Times

A mother’s job is never done, but in Thanks Mom, she gets the praise she deserves. Children of all ages share their words of gratitude and appreciation in this new collection of stories for moms. Daughters and sons retell tales of love and learning, celebrating moms, their wisdom, and all that they do. These stories of special memories, loving and hard lessons, unforgettable moments, laughter and tears, support and encouragement will bring any mom joy, inspiration, and amusement. Mothers of all ages, whether new moms, experienced moms, or grandmothers, will feel good about the recognition they receive. Expect plenty of celebrity contributors!

This has to be my favorite Chicken Soup for the Soul book in a while. Yes, yes…I know I say that often. But "Thanks Mom" is a wonderful tribute to all moms do and everything moms are. Whether you are a first time mom or a great-great grandmother you will be able to relate to the wonderful, humorous, insightful, loving, thought provoking and funny stories within this book.

I love my mom…she is a very special person in my life. Whether we agree on everything all the time is definitely debatable but I always know there is someone that I can depend on. Someone that would do anything for me. It’s a special, unique bond that we share with our mothers. I see it developing between the twins and I.

As a mom…I cried and was touched by so many of the stories. I could completely understand the sentiment and emotion behind many of the tales. As a daughter there were a few stories that were very enlightening ot me. Maybe situations where my twins and I have not yet traveled but one in which I have traveled with my own mother.

Thanks Mom is a perfect gift to give to you mom, mother in law or someone who is special to you this Mother’s day. Make sure you have tissue near by because you will have tears in your eyes. It might be because some of the stories are so touching and it might be because some of the stories will leave you in stitches. Either way….keep the Kleenex handy.

This will be one of the Chicken Soup books that will remain on my book shelves….ready for me to read again and again. Love it!

Review Opportunity Provided by Phenix & Phenix Literary
Opinions are strictly those of the blog owner.

See My Reviews at Amazon.com

“Show me the books she loves and I shall know the woman…“

Men and Dogs

Katie Crouch

When Hannah Legare was 11, her father went on a fishing trip in the Charleston harbor and never came back. And while most of the town and her family accepted Buzz’s disappearance, Hannah remained steadfastly convinced of his imminent return. Twenty years later Hannah’s new life in San Francisco is unraveling. Her marriage is on the rocks, her business is bankrupt. After a disastrous attempt to win back her husband, she ends up back at her mother’s home to “rest up”, where she is once again sucked into the mystery of her missing father. Suspecting that those closest are keeping secrets–including Palmer, her emotionally closed, well-mannered brother and Warren, the beautiful boyfriend she left behind–Hannah sets out on an uproarious, dangerous quest that will test the whole family’s concepts of loyalty and faith.

Somewhere among the gratuitous cursing, infidelity, lack of compassion and completely unlikeable characters there was an initially interesting story line that drew to accept  the review. The story of a women trying to find herself among the mystery of her father’s disappearance sounded as if it would be full of intrigue and self-revelation. I was wrong.

I was a bit shocked at the way  her characters developed and had to chuckle because “I” picked it out. It wasn’t a selection that was randomly sent to me.  I chose this book title! The initial story line and synopsis of the book was and is interesting. But how Ms. Crouch developed the story or the characters is not.

I tried, desperately, to like the characters and enjoy the story line but was in a constant struggle to do so. The main character, Hannah, is not a person that I could relate to, feel sympathy or empathy toward. I could not understand her crazy behavior or her destructive personality.

Her brother came across as vulgar, her mother seemed rude and distant and her husband…well, he wasn’t any better then the other characters.

The great thing about books is that everyone has their own opinion and that is the glory and fun of reading. But my personal pet peeve is cursing within the characters’ story line that just doesn’t make sense.  It is as if the characters can not stand alone so the author decides to add in the gratuitous “F-bomb” here and there.

If you are writing a book on criminals, cops, the underground world…then ok, the cursing may fit. I get it! But the average every day “Joe” doesn’t generally use vulgar, offensive, curse words as a way to have a conversation. Not in my “real world” anyway. For me, it seems as if the author is going for shock value rather then creating in-depth characters.

I would be willing to give another Katie Crouch book a chance but this one unfortunately was a definite thumbs down in my opinion.   Like I said…the story line was there….there were possibilities…but what Ms. Crouch created from her characters and story line was, sadly,  not the right way to start or end this journey.

Review Opportunity Provided by Hatchette Book Group
Opinions are strictly those of the blog owner

“Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man…“

The Palace of Strange Girls

Sallie Day

Blackpool, England, 1959. The Singleton family is on holiday. For seven-year-old Beth, just out of the hospital, this means struggling to fill in her ‘I-Spy’ book and avoiding her mother Ruth’s eagle-eyed supervision. Her sixteen-year-old sister Helen, meanwhile, has befriended a waitress whose fun-loving ways hint at a life beyond Ruth’s strict rules.

But times are changing. As foreman of the local cotton mill, Ruth’s husband, Jack, is caught between unions and owners whose cost-cutting measures threaten an entire way of life. And his job isn’t the only thing at risk. When a letter arrives from Crete, a secret re-emerges from the rubble of Jack’s wartime past that could destroy his marriage.

As Helen is tempted outside the safe confines of her mother’s stern edicts with dramatic consequences, an unexpected encounter inspires Beth to forge her own path. Over the holiday week, all four Singletons must struggle to find their place in the shifting world of promenade amusements, illicit sex, and stilted afternoon teas in this touching and evocative novel.

I was raised that “If you can say something nice, then don’t say nothing at all”…in which case this review would be blank!

Unfortunately as a book reviewer sometimes you have to say what is not flattering. This is the situation I find myself in with the Palace of Strange Girls.

Simply put…. I don’t get it!

I read this book from cover to cover and struggled through each and every page. Perhaps because the book is set in 1959 in England and I was born in American approximately a decade (or so) later I could not relate to the scenarios and situations within the book.  I struggled to find common ground, understanding or footing within the story line and characters. I would like to say that it is all because of my lack of knowledge of that time frame and era but I would not be telling the truth.

The Palace of Strange Girls is “strange”. I did not find the characters to be like able or enjoyable. I did not find myself sympathetic to the  controlling mother, the impulsive father with an Eeyore complex, the teenage daughter who doesn’t recognize a promiscuous friend when she sees one or the little girl, Beth, whose character narrates various parts of the story.

I found myself irritated with the mother, annoyed with the teenager, angered at the father and looking for a baby sitter for the child.

As I read the book….I continually had to refer back to previous chapters in order to connect various points. Many time it seemed as if I had missed something important because the story line jumped from one character or topic into another.

As I contemplate the characters I realize that so much of what is wrong with this family is to be blamed on the mother…yet her character, attitude and insecurities are never addressed fully. Personally, her character overshadowed and tinged all the other character in a very negative, all-consuming way.

The Palace of Strange Girls takes place in a one week time frame which is difficult to accept as it seems m-u-c-h longer. Even more difficult to accept is that I lost two days reading it.

Review posted at Amazon.com

Review Opportunity Provided by Hatchette Book Group
Opinions are strictly those of the blog owner

What Does The IE Mommy Think?:

One of the hardest things I have ever had to teach my girls was “staying in bed” until it is time to get up. I can not tell you the number of times I have heard “Mama, the sun is up…it’s wake up time”.  Which is all very cute and sweet when done at the appropriate time but the same sun that is up at 6 a.m. is not the same sun as 8 a.m….if you get what I mean?

The Kid’s Sleep clock from Live, Love, Dream not only helps your youngster know when the time is right to wake up…it also soothingly sends them to sleep with a safe, soft glowing light and a sweet sounding tune.

Although my girls are a bit older…they still that comfort and assurance that is offered by the Live, Love, Dream clock.

The Kid’s Sleep clock is a gently and effective way to lull your little ones to sleep with out the drama of getting them to sleep.

This may just be the perfect blessing for those early risers on Christmas Morning. Yikes!  The Live, Love, Dream Clock is $39.99. A more petite globe trotter version is available for $29.99.

A Little About Live, Love, Dream Clock:

Kid’Sleep

**Information obtained from the Live, Love, Dream Press Kit and/or Website.

*The IE Mommy blog has been compensated in the form of payment and/or product to provide opinion and/or reviews on services, companies and products. Even though the owner of the IE Mommy may receive compensation for posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog: 101 Stories about Life, Love and Lessons

WHAT DOES THE IE MOMMY THINK?:

From all the books that I have reviewed* for the Chicken Soup Series this has to be my favorite by far. The stories made me cry, laugh, dream and remember. They were beautifully written, orchestrated and thought provoking. I have been blessed to have a dog or two that has truly touched my life. To read story after story regarding amazing animals and relationships was inspirational I enjoyed the fact that this was a book that my twins and I could enjoy together. They absolutely adore animals especially dogs so being able to share the stories with them was a fun way to teach them about the love, care and concern for animal a pet owner must have. This will definitely become a family favorite and one that will remain on your shelves for long time.

GIVEAWAY:

TWO (2) Lucky IE Mommy readers will a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog: 101 Stories about Life, Love and Lessons Ends MIDNIGHT (PST) – October 29th .

• TO ENTER :
  • Join the Chicken Soup for the Soul Newsletter. Join “HERE” = ONE ENTRY
  • Tell me a Chicken Soup for the Soul title that you’d like to read or have read = ONE ENTRY
    
  • *These two entries are mandatory, if not followed then all other entries will be disqualified.
• EXTRA ENTRIES:

• • Follow The IE Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. RT ENTER to win – Chicken Soup 4 the Soul Book Giveaway @iemommy – http://www.theiemommy.com/2009/10/19/dog/ Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. You can do this once a day! Just come back and leave the link each time you.
    
  • Email three friends about this giveaway. Include the IE Mommy as a BCC. theiemommy(at)gmail(dot)com. Email: “Come on over and enter the fantastic Chicken Soup 4 the Soul Book Giveaway @iemommy – http://www.theiemommy.com/2009/10/19/dog/ Leave a comment for each set of three friends you send the email to.

  • Follow The IE Mommy on Facebook – Comment about this giveaway on my Wall! Chicken Soup 4 the Soul Book Giveaway @iemommy – http://www.theiemommy.com/2009/10/19/dog/

The IE Mommy is always looking for products, companies and sites to review. If you have or know of a company, product or site that could use an IE Mommy review. Email me at theiemommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

**Information obtained from the Chicken Soup for the Soul Press Kit and/or Website.

*The IE Mommy blog has been compensated in the form of payment and/or product to provide opinion and/or reviews on services, companies and products. Even though the owner of the IE Mommy may receive compensation for posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products.

Thomas Nelson

Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage

Rick Burgess & Bill “Bubba” Bussey

Synopsis: The only thing funnier than marriage is Rick and Bubba talkin’ about it!

Oh my goodness! Rick and Bubba are right on in so many ways. I have to admit that I had never heard of them before (sorry guys) but they are hilarious.

Their take and view on the way marriage and women work is hysterical yet deeply accurate.

I found myself quoting their book to my husband and for the record not just the parts about husbands. There were times I so clearly saw myself in Rick and Bubba’s descriptions of wives that I would bust out laughing. Clearly a weird moment when you do so at the doctor’s office.

My favorite concept of the book is that it is written by two men that love the Lord, their wives, their family and humor. No wonder they are considered the sexiest “fat” men alive.  What can be more attractive then men that love God and “get” their wives?

This book contains an extra added book…The Book of Blame with contains many amendments to the laws of marriage. My personal favorite was: Article XXXVIII
“If you hit a pothole in the road, it’s your husband’s fault. He should have warned you about it…on the cell phone..from his office!”

Don’t laugh! That really happened to me just recently and cost me $400 to get a new tire for the front of the car and I WAS on the phone with my husband which is why I hit the silly thing in the first place.

Rick and Bubba have a few decades of marriage under their combined belt but even more experience being men so it was an incredible insightful read.

Lighthearted, straight to the point and very informative. Give your sweetheart a chuckle and read the book together…it will definitely give you a lot of points to discuss. It did for my hubby and I and we are still married!

Great job boys!

**See The IE Mommy Review on Amazon.com

Harper Collins

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder

Rebecca Wells

Synopsis: The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is the sweet, sexy, funny journey of Calla Lily’s life set in Wells’s expanding fictional Louisiana landscape. In the small river town of La Luna, Calla bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine force that will guide and protect her throughout her life, Calla enjoys a blissful childhood—until it is cut short. Her mother, M’Dear, a woman of rapture and love, teaches Calla compassion, and passes on to her the art of healing through the humble womanly art of “fixing hair.” At her mother’s side, Calla further learns that this same touch of hands on the human body can quiet her own soul. It is also on the banks of the La Luna River that Calla encounters sweet, succulent first love, with a boy named Tuck.

But when Tuck leaves Calla with a broken heart, she transforms hurt into inspiration and heads for the wild and colorful city of New Orleans to study at L’Académie de Beauté de Crescent. In that extravagant big river city, she finds her destiny—and comes to understand fully the power of her “healing hands” to change lives and soothe pain, including her own. When Tuck reappears years later, he presents her with an offer that is colored by the memories of lost love. But who knows how Calla Lily, a “daughter of the Moon Lady,” will respond?

A tale of family and friendship, tragedy and triumph, loss and love, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder features the warmth, humor, soul, and wonder that have made Wells one of today’s most cherished writers, and gives us an unforgettable new heroine to treasure.

Where do I begin? The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder took me through so many emotions.

It was not a page turning, can not wait to get to the end type of book but rather a slow, warm, get to know the characters type of experience and I enjoyed the journey.

It is a definite coming of age book where a young woman journeys from being a child at her mother’s knee to knowing what and who she really wants to be in life.

I must warn you to have a box of tissue around as you read this book. I cried numerous times throughout this book. The book starts in Louisiana in the 1960’s. Calla Lilly is witness to a brutal racial attack on a young boy that brings tears and sadness to my heart.  My heart also breaks at the loss of her mother, at her first love and at the loss of true love. Calla Lilly is a gently, kind spirit but one that is strong, striking and resourceful.

Ms. Wells creates a world of color, mysticism and the gentle theatrics of a young girl discovering who she is away from the shelter of family and friends. As Calla Lilly matures through the decades of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s…she is introduced to a lot of “hot” topics such as homosexuality, voodoo, alcoholism and racism. Yet she remains true to what she was taught as a child by her family and friends.

You will gasp, laugh, giggle, blush and cry on your journey with Calla Lilly Ponder but you will definitely discover her Crowning Glory and the beauty of her hometown.

**See The IE Mommy Review on Amazon.com