Teaser Tuesdays

I try not to participate in too many memes, but I like this one and I wanted to put up a new post while I work on the 4 reviews I need to post and my post for this Saturday's Book Blog Tour of Megan's Way by Melissa Foster.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My sentences:

Years had been lost. I felt that Ben was slipping in over the sill of language just before the window was slammed shut.

p 72 Saving Ben A Father's Story of Autism by Dan E. Burns

Show Me 5 Saturday

This meme will give each blogger an opportunity to give a brief description of a book they have read or reviewed during the week.

It will work like this:
Each Saturday You will post the answer to these questions. The number indicates the number of answers you will provide.

1 Book you read and/or reviewed this week (you name 1 book)
2 Words that describe the book (2 descriptive words)
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met (name 3 places or characters in the novel)
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it (4 likes or dislikes)
5 Stars or less for your rating?

After each of you complete the meme on your blog add a comment here and I will put a link on my post.

1 Book: A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

2 Words: Adulterous Do-gooder

3 Settings/Characters: Nantucket, Claire Crispin - the mom and wife who can't say no and finds herself in a compromising situation, Lock Dixon - the lonely billionaire who's heading the Nantucket committee and in love with Claire

4 Likes/Dislikes: 1. liked the depth of the characters in the novel I knew more than their surface level issues I knew what made them tick 2. I liked the realistic nature of how things were happening 3. I enjoyed that it was more than a story about an affair - it had other stories woven in and Claire and Lock were good people with unmet needs in their life 4. I couldn't put the book down becuase I needed to know what was going to happen
5 Stars or Less: I would give this 4.5 stars

Don't forget to leave a comment with your link!

Other participants
Laurel-Rain Snow
Bloody Bad

Book Review of A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake, Author Guest Blog - Shelly Nicholson and GIVEAWAY

Jake the Snake is back for his second adventure in the series. This time his mom and dad have a surprise - a new baby is on the way! Jake and his brother Johnny are not excited to have a "stinky" baby. They especially aren't excited when they find out that baby is a girl! Jake the Snake even barfs at school when he talks about it. When his mom has the baby there are surprises for everyone!

I think I liked this story even better than the first one in the series. This is such a cute series and Jake the Snake is written in the thoughts of Jake himself. This time Ms. Nicholson did a great job with tackling the emotions that kids feel when they find out their mom is going to have a baby. She is also good at putting a lesson at the end.

I read this one to my 5 year old son and he really enjoyed it. It had less hi jinx then Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time Out Chair, but it had surprises and barf (what boy doesn't like that in a book). I only had a pdf copy with no pictures and would have loved to have been able to show him pictures and let him hold the book a little more, but even with that this one kept his attention. We can't wait to get the actual book in our hands!

See my review of Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time Out Chair here.

Author Interview:

Today I am also lucky enough to be hosting Shelly Nicholson, the author of these 2 very cute and funny childrens books Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time Out Chair and A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake. Shelly has graciously provided a post for my blog that I am excited to share with you. Thanks so much Shelly for stopping by and sharing with us about your family and your inspiration for your adorable books.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Alison for hosting me on her blog. Thanks, Alison! Just like Alison, I am a mom. A mom of four sweet, yet sometimes unruly children! I have 3 boys and one precious yet high maintenance princess (well at least she thinks she is a princess. Lol).

I remember when each of my boys was going through the “terrible twos.” My oldest son liked to write on walls, my middle son liked to chew on electrical cords, and my youngest son, who was inspiration for my early chapter books Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time-Out Chair and A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake didn’t just go through the terrible twos. He also went through the “terrorizing threes,” the “frightful fours” and the “fearsome fives!” I used to think those were the worst stages of childhood. From swinging off chandeliers, painting furniture with hand lotion, building sandcastles with laundry detergent, climbing on every piece of furniture known to man, eating cat poop, washing matchbox cars in toilet water, and snacking on doggie biscuits…how could being a mommy to a terrible toddler get any worse? And then the teenage years began. I'm learning that the “terrible twos” were nothing more than lots of inspiring memories for hilarious stories. As a matter of fact, I'd trade almost anything to get those years of “terrible two-hood” back! It’s the “terrible teens” mom’s across the nation should truly fear.

Being stuck in a house with teens and pre-teens for a few weeks during a very rainy summer has made for lots of "I hate yous, “I wish you weren't my brothers” and “I wish you were never borns.” And then there is the whining, "Mom, he touched me!" or "Mom, he ate the last grape!" or "Mom! He called me stupid!" They never fought like this as toddlers! And back then my name was always “Mama,” never “Mother!” I think adolescence is a disease. Someday I might write a book about it. And I probably will, because that’s where the inspiration for my writing comes from: my kids!

In my books and stories, it is my intention to get young readers interested in reading through realistic situations and humor. My four kids are the biggest fans of my stories, and I can even get my teenaged son to laugh at the antics of Jake the Snake when I proofread my manuscripts over and over. I truly think humor is the key to getting kids interested in listening, reading and comprehending. And I hope other children out there will think Jake the Snake is a hilarious kid, who might be a little misunderstood, but who is very endearing and always learns a valuable lesson in the end.


Happy Reading and Writing! –Shelly Faith Nicholson
Be sure to visit me at my website: http://www.booksbyshelly.com/

I am happy to announce that the author is allowing me to giveaway one copy of Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time Out Chair.

For a chance to win just leave a comment with your name and email address.

This contest will end September 25th at 11:59 pm Central time and is only open to US and Canada residents.

Thursday Thunks

Kids falling out, revenge and unmentionables

Welcome to the September 3rd version of Thursday Thunks!
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the number one thousand twenty six and the color of the dirt spot you need to wipe up on your kitchen floor.

1. Your thoughts on truck drivers?
I like 'em. My grandpa drove a truck when I was little so I thought they were all nice old grandpas. I think my aunt did for awhile too - drive a truck I mean.

2. Did you hear Michelle Duggar is pregnant for the 15th time? (but that will be kid #19 if you lost count....)
I heard. I don't want to sound disrespectful because they are doing a good job with their family, but WTH???

3. Have you ever done something to hurt someone intentionally... just for the sole purpose of hurting them because you thought they deserved it? Maybe a paybacks a bitch sort of thing?
Can anyone say they haven't? I mean I have done it to hurt feelings not physically. Nothing I am proud of.

4. Is there anyone in your life that when you go to their place of residence, you just walk in without bother knocking? Does anyone just walk into your house without knocking?
Sure. I do the knock while I am walking in at several houses. Those same people do that with me too.

5. Whats in the trunk of your car? Do you even have a clue?
Right now: dog food, cat food, bag of trash, maybe a book or two

6. When you go to a family holiday get together (such as Christmas or Thanksgiving), about how many people are there?
2oish. When I was a kid it was ALOT more

7. What is in your kitchen sink right at this very moment?
Dishes from dinner. Half the gang just got home from football and ate so I haven't done them.

8. You go to a store to buy an expensive item... say $150. You pick up that item and a couple other this n' thats. You get to the register and the expensive item rings up at $40. The cashier doesn't seem to notice and tells you your total. Do you go with what they say and pay it or do you question the price difference? You know you would question it if your $40 item rang up at $150....
I would like to say I tell them, but I don't know if I would. Depends on the day and how much I am struggling financially. Or, if I blurt it out without thinking.

9. Do you fold your underwear or do you just toss it in a drawer?
toss it. What's the point in folding?

10. There is a Harley-Davidson giveaway. Chances are $100 and they are only selling 250 tickets. Do you buy one?
Nope, wouldn't even think about it

11. Who is your favorite Disney character?
Hmmm....I don't really know. I like Tink I guess

12. It's September - most of the weekly sitcoms/dramas are starting new seasons again. Which one are you most looking forward to?
I really only watch on occasion except for Psych on USA, sometimes House and Law and Order, I also watch True Blood

13. You are at a grocery store and are on your way out to your car with your cart full of grocery bags. On your way to your car you see a black kitten in an empty cart. What do you do?
Start feeling all worried about it, because I know I can't take it home and I don't want it to die. I would stand there for awhile and then call friends or something. I would also call Mark and ask him what he thinks I should do

14. Is there anything that you do for a hobby that you are asked to do for friends/family that most people would hire a professional to do? (example: cake decorating, fixing cars....)
I have helped several friends put together furniture but it really isn't my hobby

15. Are we there yet?
Oh man I really hope so. This has been long. One question though...where are we going?

www.thursdaythunks.com

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a new found respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto.
www.hachettebookgroup.com

Thanks to Anna at Hachette Book Group I was able to giveaway copies of this book and got a review copy for myself.

Because I had recently read another memoir tied to cooking I put this to the side for a bit. I am glad I finally picked it up.

Julie Powell had hit a point in her life where she felt she needed to make a drastic change or accept that she was nothing more than a secretary. After learning more about her possible difficulties with having a child, Julie is at the end of her rope with life in general. She works for a government agency that deals with the 9/11 crisis and has even become a bit jaded there as well. To get some fresh air and time away she decides to visit her parents. While there it seems as if Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is staring her down from the shelf. Julie pops it in her bag with a grand idea to take one year and make all the recipes. Her husband one ups the idea and tells her to start a blog detailing it.

Over the course of the year Julie makes some tasty and some pretty disgusting dishes. She bonds with friends and with her husband. She screams, she cries, she throws fits, and sometimes she fails miserably. The big difference is that she has purpose and direction. Julie went from waking up and watching the day go by to really living. I think that is the lesson learned. Find something you love (even if everyone else thinks you are crazy) and just do it! You never know what might happen - can you say book deal, movie rights??

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I could not even begin to imagine trying to eat bone marrow, livers, aspics...on and on the list goes. Reading about Julie doing it was great. She wrote this with honesty and shared even her most selfish moments. Julie became obsessive, but found her purpose through it. She developed deeper connections with friends and family, because she became more comfortable with being herself and liking herself. She and her husband also learned a lot about their relationship. Though there are moments in this book where they wanted to kill each other, they realized that they had love and a deep respect for each other.

My only gripe with this book was that in her jaded view of life Julie sometimes came across a bit harsh regarding September 11th. I know it was really more about her work environment and the bureaucratic bull involved, but this could touch on a sensitive spot for some. I also worried that anyone personally affected by losing family would be offended if they read certain parts. Also, this didn't offend me in the least, but there is quite a bit of foul language. Just thought you might want to know in case it bothers you.

Overall, this book taught lessons on going for your dreams, being comfortable with you, and looking around you to develop your relationships with others. Pretty good for a chick who just wanted to cook some French stuff and forget about all the deep issues in her life.

Giveaway - The Smart One and thePretty One by Claire LaZebnik

Thanks to Miriam at Hachette Book Group I have 5 copies of this for giveaway!

When Ava Nickerson was a child, her mother jokingly betrothed her to a friend's son, and the contract the parents made has stayed safely buried for years. Now that still-single Ava is closing in on thirty, no one even remembers she was once "engaged" to the Markowitz boy. But when their mother is diagnosed with cancer, Ava's prodigal little sister Lauren comes home to Los Angeles where she stumbles across the decades-old document. Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava's constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she's in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister's childhood fiancé. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to re-enter the Nickerson sisters' lives, and always-accountable Ava is forced to consider just how binding a contract really is . . .

Reading Group Guide

Author website

This contest will run until September 16th at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

To enter the giveaway:

* Post a comment with your email address.

*tweet for an additional entry and make sure you include me @alipet813 in it

* post about it on your blog for another entry

Open to U.S. and Canada residents only

Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time Out Chair Shelly Nicholson

Jake the Snake is a rambunctious kindergartner who is always getting into mischief! And when that happens, he is sent to the “stupid time-out chair.” Jake the Snake is scared Santa Claus is watching and will bring a stupid lump of coal for Christmas ’cause Christmas isn’t far away! When Jake the Snake drowns his brother’s pet lizard in chocolate sauce, he is really afraid. But things only get worse when Jake the Snake goes to the mall to visit Santa and barfs in the mall elf’s hat! Will Jake the Snake get a stupid lump of coal for Christmas? Or will Santa forgive him for all the naughty things he’s done all year?

I was sent this book by the author and my two younger kids could not have been more excited. They went to the mailbox with me everyday - well my stepdaughter did when she was with us and my son went everyday. When it arrived we had to drop everything and read the entire book. My son is 5 and we read it a few weeks before he started kindergarten. My step-daughter is 7.

The kids thought the mischief in the book was hilarious. When he hung on a chandelier and lost the lizard in the chocolate sauce they giggled. They knew that time out chair was coming!

The lesson in the end was great. It was nice to see the brothers showing love to one another since they fought like brothers for the rest of the book. I grew up with 3 brothers and the picking and arguing was pretty true for my house.

I do wish the pictures had been in color. The book was a bit long for my 5 year old since it didn't have bright colorful pages. He really enjoyed it and didn't leave while I was reading, but he did get a little fidgety. The book did say "stupid" and "ain't" which I teach my kids not to say, but that wasn't a biggie. The writing/talking narrative of the 5 year old was pretty true to their speech.

I knew the book was a success when I told the kids there was another book in the series and they wanted to know when it would arrive in the mail.

I have also read A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake and will be reading it to the kids mid-week. My review will be posted after I get their reactions to it.

Blog Tour Schedule for A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake

August 30- www.kennedyandzach.blogspot.com
Aug 31- www.Booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com and
www.maymaysmemos.blogspot.com
Sept 1- www.mindingspot.blogspot.com
Sept 2-www.reclaimdinner.blogspot.com
Sept 3- www.molcotw.blogspot.com
Sept 4- www.molcotw.blogspot.com
Sept 5 www.thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com - The author will do a guest post!
Sept 6 www.theclockmonkey2.blogspot.com