Book Review - " Tales from the Crib" by Jennifer Coburn

Ok...first off, I am very discriminating as a reader. I have been an avid reader since I first learned how, 25 yrs ago, and there are, sadly, many many books that I stop reading a few chapters into them, for one reason or another. This book, tales from the crib, never even made me come close to putting it down. It quite simply is the best book I have read in some time. I immediately felt bonded with the main character...and truly felt her ups and downs. The pages just flew by, I almost cried a few times, and snickered or laughed out loud many many times. The author puts so many small things into this story that helped me, as a reader, to get more involved, care more, and remember the story as unique and standing out among so many other chick lit books and authors.

Jennifer Coburn does the most fantastic job of going between side splitting humor, heart touching moments, and a bit of poignancy here and there that just made me love it more and more with each page, and root for this woman more and more. It has the feeling throughout that she's a good friend of mine, so easy to relate to it appears deceptively simple. Outstanding. My fave authors right now are Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult. Jennifer Coburn just joined them on my short list. I would buy this book again any day. The most important thing that this book has, and that is the test of a truly excellent read: you finish it feeling great, smiling, and yet sad that its over...wishing you could read it again fresh, or had a sequel you could hop right into. This book had that feeling.. i only wish she's written more books for me to read now! absolutely insanely wonderful... 5 stars

Book Review - " The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" by Joanne Fluke

ok im going to make it short and sweet. the writing was bad. really, really bad. like a high school english project...but probably not as good as some of those. lol. im a discriminating reader, and i read a lot. so i just don't have time to waste on these kinds of books, especially with my kindle so full of really good books that im dying to get to. i did not read the whole book however. when my kindle said i was at about 15% through, i had mercy on myself and stopped. i would have given it 1 star instead of 2..if not for all the recipes she mixed in the book. there are 7 pretty good sounding cookie recipes in the book and another 9 in the bonus novella at the back. i paged quickly through the rest just to bookmark the recipes, and do plan on trying some, because they sound pretty good. it might be worth it to some people to buy this book for the recipes alone, but if you're buying it for a good read, compelling characters, an entertaining plot or to get happily lost in a page turning mystery... i'll do you a big favor. look elsewhere....- 2 stars

Book Review - " The Family Man" by Michael Patterson

I first started reading "The Family Man" on a cross country flight. It was my very first book read on my new kindle so i was very hopeful for a good read. I have to say i read it quite happily and was engrossed for the entire flight, and finished 2 days later. The first half of the book was better than i expected and virtually flew by. The plotting of the psychotic villain was well thought out, brilliant in its simplicity and was so realistic it was scary. The fact that any of this could happen easily to you or a loved one is apparent and adds to the suspense and intensity.

My main gripe is that it ended abit too cheesily and simply to be satisfying. There was a huge amount of build up that seemed to leave you hanging at the end...A cpl storylines went in ways that i didnt entirely like, a cpl things and people were talked about too much to be left without resolution...and i guess it just ended too abruptly for how much buildup was put into it. It left me with a feeling of a longer book that was edited down with too much taken out, so it feels anticlimactic at the end. I would still recommend it to a friend though..it was mostly satisfying and suspenseful reading. If the ending were abit better and a cpl of people/stories brought together at the end more, i would have given it 5 stars..as it is, i give it 4. Worth reading though for sure.. 4 stars

campin cookin

This iron cooker by rome pie irons for camp cooking is so cool!!! Sweeps4bloggers is giving one away here. http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22680&cpage=5#comment-1111655

i can tan too!

Being so fair I can't tan...but I'd love to try these tanning gels from Hampton sun, the prize in this sweeps4bloggers giveaway!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22722&cpage=3#comment-1111617

owie lips

I know when my lips are really chapped the only thing that helps is carmex. And this summer my lips are always chapped! So I need this carmex prize package on this sweeps4bloggers giveaway!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22693&cpage=6#comment-1111586

smelly bye bye!

I really could use these all natural pet odor eliminator products by clean + green..and hope I win them in this sweeps4bloggers giveaway!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22644&cpage=4#comment-1111521

yummy AND healthy???

I want to try these renew life products that are good for you and taste good too. Or so I hear! I have to try this!!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22228&cpage=5#comment-1111469

math helper yay!

This graphing calculator from Texas instruments is so cool! Makes math more understandable. Finally! Sweeps4bloggers is giving one as a prize in this giveaway!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22823&cpage=4#comment-1111419

pearls rule!

This pearl necklace from Pearlotica is so pretty! I hope I win it in the sweeps4bloggers giveaway!

http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22768&cpage=8#comment-1111342

makeup mayhem

I totally need new makeup and hope I win this makeup prize from lamik beauty, that is being given away on sweeps4bloggers!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22336&cpage=12#comment-1110462

acupressure me!

I so want this Acupressure mat from heavenly mats. Sweeps4bloggers has a giveaway for one I want to win really bad!!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22298&cpage=12#comment-1110436

yummy snacks

I would love to be munching on these farm rich appetizers that sweeps4bloggers is giving away. Mmm. Yum. I'm really hungry too. Lol
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=21995&cpage=13#comment-1110417

pampered feet time

I think my feet would love this microdry memory foam bathmat that is a prize in this sweeps4bloggers giveaway. Looks cushy
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22307&cpage=19#comment-1110371

dress divas unite!

This book " quest for the dress" looks like the perfect book to guide u in the wedding dress search! I want it! Sweeps4bloggers is giving it away!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22252&cpage=3#comment-1110334

camera pretty!

These camera bags from Jo totes that sweeps4bloggers has a giveaway for right now are so cute! Love them!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22192&cpage=16#comment-1110314

team ice cream !!

Mmmm...sweeps4bloggers has this ice cream breyers Klondike popsicle giveaway that sounds so delish!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22208&cpage=17#comment-1110283

whole new world of chips!

Yummy! I really want to try these CrispRoot chips, all made from cassava root...sweeps4bloggers has a giveaway for some now!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22089&cpage=9#comment-1110120

dehydration no bieno

For water drinking nuts like myself, this Nalgene water bottle that sweeps4bloggers is having a giveaway for right now is perfect! I need it!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22180&cpage=11#comment-1110095

kitty fun!

Cats are so fickle and that's why I would love winning this prize of play-n-squeak cat toys for my kitty that is at sweeps4bloggers right now! Yay toys!
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=22167&cpage=14#comment-1110044