Wednesday, March 31, 2010
At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost
Title: At Grave's End
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: December 2008
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Age Group: Adult
Series: Night Huntress (Book 3)
In the third book of Jeanine Frost's Night Huntress series, At Grave's End, someone is once again trying to kill Cat Crawford. But is it Cat they really want or are they just trying to get to her vampire husband, Bones? Is the killer someone from Cat's past or is it Bones's past that has come back for revenge? Can Cat and Bones survive to have an actual wedding?
In each book of the Night Huntress series, Frost takes us deeper into the vampire world through politics and cultural norms. Until meeting Bones, Cat was ignorant of the true world of vampires. Now she must learn quickly to save her own life and the lives of the people she loves most. Frost continues to blend the vampire hunting that is Cat's job with her new social life among the undead in a way that can make the reader uncomfortable with the apparent conflict yet understand it because it is exactly how Cat must live - partly in the human world - partly in the vampire world.
Bones and Cat are becoming a power couple in the vampire world and while that does give them some protection, it also makes them a bigger target. I love that Cat and Bones are both incredibly stubborn and how they instantly go into protective mode when a loved one is threatened. Neither one is afraid to do whatever it takes to prove that they do not bluff and that anyone who threatens them will end up dead or worse.
Frost has created the complete package with the Night Huntress books - great characters, vivid descriptions, a strong storyline, a vampire society with laws and social expectations, and hot romance.
I borrowed At Grave's End from my local library and was under no obligation to review the book.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
BzzAgent Product Reviews
Library Girl Reads is a book blog and it is going to stay that way. However I do mention other companies and services once in a while (Swagbucks being the main one so far) so I wanted to give you the heads up about another company that I work with. BzzAgent is a Word of Mouth marketing company that provides products and services to agents for free or a discounted price in order to spread the word and gather feedback about the products or services. Agents are invited to campaigns based on many factors including demographics. I have received campaigns for insect repellent, body wash, razors, and baby products. I know there have been a variety of food and restaurant campaigns as well.
Why am I telling you about BzzAgent? Mainly because I didn't want you to be surprised if I start doing a product review on the blog now and then. Plus, I think it is a pretty fun way to try some new products and provide direct feedback to the companies who make them.
Full Disclosure: I do not receive any compensation if you decide to join BzzAgent through the links provided. I do earn a small amount of Swagbucks if you sign up for that program using any of the links on this blog. When I do product reviews, it will be clearly stated in the blog post if I received the product being reviewed from any source including, but not limited to, BzzAgent
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Sunday Salon March 28, 2010
Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit. Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives. Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate. I admit to not being as regular in my participation as I would like to be but that is one of my goals for improving on my blog this year.
Today I am still working my way through Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. This book has been slow going for me because I have been so tired lately which makes it very hard to concentrate. I am enjoying the story quite a bit, although I don't get the appeal of Mr. Darcy at all so far, but it is taking more energy than I have to focus on the language. When I finish the book, I plan to watch one of the many movie versions to round out the experience. Do you have a favorite movie version? I'd love some input on which one I should watch.
I did finish At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost this past week. After reading the first two books in the Night Huntress series, I put it on hold at the library and waited nearly two weeks for it to come from another location. That should have been my clue to put the fourth book, Destined for an Early Grave, on hold right then but of course I didn't so now I will probably have to wait another two weeks at least before I get that one. I am really enjoying this series more than I thought I would and I think each book is even better than the one before. I should have my review of At Grave's End posted early this week. April at Cafe of Dreams has a great review posted for First Drop of Crimson by Jeanine Frost, which is the start of a related series set in the same world as the Night Huntress books. Now I can't wait to start on that series as well!
In other news, things with our house purchase seem to be moving forward. Apparently the appraisal has been completed and we should have that report Monday. If all goes well, we should then be able to set an official closing date. We've chosen the new carpet, tile, and paint colors plus purchased appliances. All of the work should be completed before we move in. It is going to be strange but wonderful to go from this small, cramped apartment into a house with so much space. Until we actually move our stuff in, I don't think either of us will really believe that we actually got this house! I know packing and unpacking is going to eat into quite a bit of my reading time in the next month or two but it will all be worth it to have our own space.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Blog Award: Humane Award
Thank you to Jennifer at Reading with Tequila and Marce from Tea Time with Marce for giving me the Humane Award. I have great fun participating in both of their wonderful blogs!
This award is to honor bloggers who are kindhearted individuals. They regularly contribute to others' blogs while running amazing blogs themselves. I appreciate the conversations we have and without them my blog would be simply ordinary. Thank you for your friendship and for being a part of Library Girl Reads.
Rule: Nominate 10 bloggers who deserve the Humane Award.
1. Jo-Jo loves to read!!!
2. Book Rat
3. BookHounds
4. oodles of books.
5. A Reader's Respite
6. Bellas Novella
7. Ellz Readz
8. Falling Off The Shelf
9. Melissa's Bookshelf
10. Reading Angel
I hope that you will go check out some of these great blogs :-)
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
This award is to honor bloggers who are kindhearted individuals. They regularly contribute to others' blogs while running amazing blogs themselves. I appreciate the conversations we have and without them my blog would be simply ordinary. Thank you for your friendship and for being a part of Library Girl Reads.
Rule: Nominate 10 bloggers who deserve the Humane Award.
1. Jo-Jo loves to read!!!
2. Book Rat
3. BookHounds
4. oodles of books.
5. A Reader's Respite
6. Bellas Novella
7. Ellz Readz
8. Falling Off The Shelf
9. Melissa's Bookshelf
10. Reading Angel
I hope that you will go check out some of these great blogs :-)
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Welcome to New Readers
photo credit: Enokson via photo pin cc |
I have noticed quite a few new readers recently and I wanted to say welcome to Library Girl Reads! I hope that you find reviews and articles here that interest you. My reading varies widely, although I have been on a streak of non-fiction reading lately, so you might have to explore some of the older posts to get a better feel for my reviews overall.
I have two giveaways currently happening here:
1. The March giveaway ends tomorrow (March 24)! and is open to the United States only.
2. One reader will win the first two books in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. That one ends March 31 and is open internationally.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will return often. I would love to hear your thoughts and get to know you all better so please comment away!
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Featured at Reading with Tequila
Yes, I know you have seen a lot about Reading with Tequila here on Library Girl Reads lately. The reason is simply that it is one of my favorite blogs and Jennifer has all kinds of fun stuff going on all the time. One of her fun features is a series of blogger interviews that she calls Getting Random With... and today I am the featured blogger! My answers are pretty short and sweet unlike my reviews which can tend to go on a bit long. You never know what random questions will be asked so head over to Reading with Tequila to find out a little more about me and to enter to win a copy of What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown. Don't forget to check out Jennifer's great book reviews, author guest posts, and other book related topics.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Master Your Debt by Jordan E. Goodman
Title: Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free
Authors: Jordan E. Goodman with Bill Westrom
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Publication Date: January 26, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
Age Group: Adult, non-fiction
When I received Master Your Debt by Jordan E. Goodman, I was expecting a finance book similar to one authored by Suze Orman or Dave Ramsey. However, instead of advice on creating a budget, lowering expenses, and paying off debt, Master Your Debt is more about helping you navigate today's financial landscape. Goodman explains how we got into our current mess of an economy and how that has changed the way loans, mortgages, credit cards, and even student loans are handled today.
Of course in order to figure out where you are going and how to get there, you still have to know where you are starting from. Goodman does provide the basics for getting a handle on the current state of your finances and emphasizes that the best way to move forward financially is to be completely honest about where you are. The next two chapters are dedicated to understanding how credit scores are calculated and what steps you can take to improve yours and how to reduce the risk of identity theft. Although identity theft can be devastating to one's finances, it is not a topical I have seen so thoroughly covered in a finance book.
Goodman offers some interesting advice on how to negotiate the best mortgage with the chances in lending practices and also on using a HELOC to repay your mortgage at a faster rate. I would caution that one must be very financially responsible to use his recommended payment methods because, unless you are paying very close attention, it would be easy to simply get deeper into debt instead of reducing it.
Goodman completely covers the new laws covering credit cards that recently went into effect and the impact those laws are having on even consumers who regularly pay their credit card bills in full and on time. Car loans and student loans are other topics with devoted chapters. There is one chapter on what to do if you are already in serious financial trouble and another on different financial strategies at different stages in life.
For the most part, I found Master Your Debt easy to read and understand with the advice given in a very straightforward manner. There were two main downsides to the book for me. First, Goodman regularly promotes companies and services to help with many different aspects of handling personal finances. While I believe that sometimes it can be helpful to work with experts, I am sure that many of these companies charge fees that many people simply cannot pay currently due to job loss or facing foreclosure. He even recommends credit counseling services despite acknowledging that this industry has been cited for promising much more than it delivers. Goodman also admits to having his favorites among these companies or personally knowing people involved in founding or running them. While this does not necessarily mean there are any type of kickbacks involved, it does raise red flags. The second issue, and this is one Goodman freely admits, is that this book will become outdated rapidly. Because Goodman discusses specific financial products and types of loans, there is no way of knowing if those products or loans will even be the same ones available in a few months. Washington and Wall Street are also rapidly changing the way our financial system works so the advice that is sound today may not work tomorrow. Goodman heavily promotes websites and the Internet is certainly not a static place for information.
Despite these flaws, I do think this could be a useful book if only for a limited amount of time and if the reader does a lot of his or her own research before making serious financial decisions.
Thank you to Julie at FSB Associates for providing me a copy of Master Your Debt so that I could write my honest review.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Authors: Jordan E. Goodman with Bill Westrom
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Publication Date: January 26, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
Age Group: Adult, non-fiction
When I received Master Your Debt by Jordan E. Goodman, I was expecting a finance book similar to one authored by Suze Orman or Dave Ramsey. However, instead of advice on creating a budget, lowering expenses, and paying off debt, Master Your Debt is more about helping you navigate today's financial landscape. Goodman explains how we got into our current mess of an economy and how that has changed the way loans, mortgages, credit cards, and even student loans are handled today.
Of course in order to figure out where you are going and how to get there, you still have to know where you are starting from. Goodman does provide the basics for getting a handle on the current state of your finances and emphasizes that the best way to move forward financially is to be completely honest about where you are. The next two chapters are dedicated to understanding how credit scores are calculated and what steps you can take to improve yours and how to reduce the risk of identity theft. Although identity theft can be devastating to one's finances, it is not a topical I have seen so thoroughly covered in a finance book.
Goodman offers some interesting advice on how to negotiate the best mortgage with the chances in lending practices and also on using a HELOC to repay your mortgage at a faster rate. I would caution that one must be very financially responsible to use his recommended payment methods because, unless you are paying very close attention, it would be easy to simply get deeper into debt instead of reducing it.
Goodman completely covers the new laws covering credit cards that recently went into effect and the impact those laws are having on even consumers who regularly pay their credit card bills in full and on time. Car loans and student loans are other topics with devoted chapters. There is one chapter on what to do if you are already in serious financial trouble and another on different financial strategies at different stages in life.
For the most part, I found Master Your Debt easy to read and understand with the advice given in a very straightforward manner. There were two main downsides to the book for me. First, Goodman regularly promotes companies and services to help with many different aspects of handling personal finances. While I believe that sometimes it can be helpful to work with experts, I am sure that many of these companies charge fees that many people simply cannot pay currently due to job loss or facing foreclosure. He even recommends credit counseling services despite acknowledging that this industry has been cited for promising much more than it delivers. Goodman also admits to having his favorites among these companies or personally knowing people involved in founding or running them. While this does not necessarily mean there are any type of kickbacks involved, it does raise red flags. The second issue, and this is one Goodman freely admits, is that this book will become outdated rapidly. Because Goodman discusses specific financial products and types of loans, there is no way of knowing if those products or loans will even be the same ones available in a few months. Washington and Wall Street are also rapidly changing the way our financial system works so the advice that is sound today may not work tomorrow. Goodman heavily promotes websites and the Internet is certainly not a static place for information.
Despite these flaws, I do think this could be a useful book if only for a limited amount of time and if the reader does a lot of his or her own research before making serious financial decisions.
Thank you to Julie at FSB Associates for providing me a copy of Master Your Debt so that I could write my honest review.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Article on the new credit card laws
I am just over halfway through Master Your Debt by Jordan E. Goodman and am hoping to have it finished up and reviewed this weekend or early next week. In the meantime, here is a good article summarizing how the new credit card laws that just went into effect can affect you.
Now that the Credit Card law has fully gone into effect, it's time for you to reevaluate your strategies about how you use your credit cards. The credit card issuing banks have changed many of their policies, and it's time for you to react and make the most of the opportunities that have been created and avoid the biggest pitfalls. Here are a few areas for you to consider:
• Interest rate hikes: Many banks hiked the interest rates on outstanding balances to well over 20% and in some cases as high as 29.9%, even for customers who have always paid on time. If your bank has done this to you, search for an issuer offering a much lower rate at a website such as www.creditcardperks.com and surf your balance to a card charging 8% or less. Don't close your existing account with the high rate, though, because you will lose the good payment history you have built up which will damage your credit score.
• Fee increases: Banks are now raising fees on credit card account holders or imposing new fees they never charged before. A few examples: Late fees, over-limit fees, inactivity fees if you don't use your account, or low balance fees if you don't charge enough on your card. Many banks have raised the balance transfer fee from 3% to 5% of the amount you transfer with no limits, compared to limits of about $100 per transaction in the past. Banks have to disclose these fees and give you the chance to opt out of them or close your account if you don't want to pay them. Switch your spending to cards that either don't impose these fees or charge modest fees.
• Credit cards for college students: The new rules stipulate that anyone under age 21 cannot get a credit card in their own name unless they show proof of independent sources of income or have their parents co-sign on the card. If you are a parent, it is a good idea to co-sign and monitor your child's spending carefully so they can start to build a credit record. Have the child pay the credit card bills so they learn to manage money responsibly by the time they graduate.
• Changes in rewards cards: Many banks are going to make their rewards programs less rewarding by requiring you to spend more money before you earn free trips, lowering cash rebates or charging higher fees to participate in these programs. Reevaluate which rewards you really use and concentrate your spending on the cards that give you the best perks, whether that be frequent flier miles, hotel rewards, retailer rebates or cash back. You can survey all the rewards programs at www.creditcardperks.com.
• Effects on your credit score: Monitor your credit carefully with a website such as www.guardmycredit.com to see how various bank actions affect your credit score. For example, if a bank cuts your credit line dramatically and you owe an outstanding balance, that can lower your score by raising your debt-credit limit ratio. For example, If you have a $10,000 credit line and owe $4000 on it, your ratio is 40%, but if the bank lowers your credit line to $5,000, your ratio shoots up to 80%, harming your score significantly.
The Credit card game has changed dramatically -- follow these steps and come out a winner!
© 2010 Jordan E. Goodman, co-author of Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free
Author Bios
Jordan E. Goodman co-author of Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free, is a nationally recognized expert on personal finance. He is the author of the bestselling Everyone's Money Book and twelve other books. For eighteen years, he was the Wall Street correspondent for Money magazine and also served as a regular commentator for NBC News at Sunrise and Mutual Broadcasting System's America in the Morning. Today, Goodman appears regularly on many radio shows, including public radio's Marketplace as well as on TV programs on Fox, CNN, CBS, CNBC, and MSNBC. He also speaks regularly to large groups such as the Harv Eker wealth seminars.
Visit Goodman's Web sites: www.moneyanswers.com and www.master-yourdebt.com.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
5 Ways the New Credit Card Laws Affect You
By Jordan E. Goodman,
Co-author of Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free
Now that the Credit Card law has fully gone into effect, it's time for you to reevaluate your strategies about how you use your credit cards. The credit card issuing banks have changed many of their policies, and it's time for you to react and make the most of the opportunities that have been created and avoid the biggest pitfalls. Here are a few areas for you to consider:
• Interest rate hikes: Many banks hiked the interest rates on outstanding balances to well over 20% and in some cases as high as 29.9%, even for customers who have always paid on time. If your bank has done this to you, search for an issuer offering a much lower rate at a website such as www.creditcardperks.com and surf your balance to a card charging 8% or less. Don't close your existing account with the high rate, though, because you will lose the good payment history you have built up which will damage your credit score.
• Fee increases: Banks are now raising fees on credit card account holders or imposing new fees they never charged before. A few examples: Late fees, over-limit fees, inactivity fees if you don't use your account, or low balance fees if you don't charge enough on your card. Many banks have raised the balance transfer fee from 3% to 5% of the amount you transfer with no limits, compared to limits of about $100 per transaction in the past. Banks have to disclose these fees and give you the chance to opt out of them or close your account if you don't want to pay them. Switch your spending to cards that either don't impose these fees or charge modest fees.
• Credit cards for college students: The new rules stipulate that anyone under age 21 cannot get a credit card in their own name unless they show proof of independent sources of income or have their parents co-sign on the card. If you are a parent, it is a good idea to co-sign and monitor your child's spending carefully so they can start to build a credit record. Have the child pay the credit card bills so they learn to manage money responsibly by the time they graduate.
• Changes in rewards cards: Many banks are going to make their rewards programs less rewarding by requiring you to spend more money before you earn free trips, lowering cash rebates or charging higher fees to participate in these programs. Reevaluate which rewards you really use and concentrate your spending on the cards that give you the best perks, whether that be frequent flier miles, hotel rewards, retailer rebates or cash back. You can survey all the rewards programs at www.creditcardperks.com.
• Effects on your credit score: Monitor your credit carefully with a website such as www.guardmycredit.com to see how various bank actions affect your credit score. For example, if a bank cuts your credit line dramatically and you owe an outstanding balance, that can lower your score by raising your debt-credit limit ratio. For example, If you have a $10,000 credit line and owe $4000 on it, your ratio is 40%, but if the bank lowers your credit line to $5,000, your ratio shoots up to 80%, harming your score significantly.
The Credit card game has changed dramatically -- follow these steps and come out a winner!
© 2010 Jordan E. Goodman, co-author of Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free
Author Bios
Jordan E. Goodman co-author of Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt-Free, is a nationally recognized expert on personal finance. He is the author of the bestselling Everyone's Money Book and twelve other books. For eighteen years, he was the Wall Street correspondent for Money magazine and also served as a regular commentator for NBC News at Sunrise and Mutual Broadcasting System's America in the Morning. Today, Goodman appears regularly on many radio shows, including public radio's Marketplace as well as on TV programs on Fox, CNN, CBS, CNBC, and MSNBC. He also speaks regularly to large groups such as the Harv Eker wealth seminars.
Visit Goodman's Web sites: www.moneyanswers.com and www.master-yourdebt.com.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Mini-Review: Halfway to the Grave & One Foot in the Grave
Halfway to the Grave & One Foot in the Grave are the first two books in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. Catherine Crawfield (call me Cat) is a half-vampire who hunts vampires in the hopes of finding the one who raped her mother. Her mother obviously hates and fears vampires and killing vampires is the only thing that Cat can do that seems to please her. One night, Cat takes on a vampire who turns out to be more than a match for her. Instead of killing her, Bones offers to train her, as he also kills vampires. The two become an unlikely team and draw the attention of the vampires that Bones has been hunting. Oh yeah, they also fall into a romantic relationship while fighting for their lives. One Foot in the Grave takes place several years after Halfway to the Grave and brings Cat and Bones a whole new set of obstacles to overcome in their professional and personal lives.
While I read a lot of urban fantasy and books about vampires, I don't generally consider myself much of a reader of paranormal romance books. I loved the action in both of these books and the political maneuvering in One Foot in the Grave. It always interests me how different authors create the rules of their vampire societies and how those rules can be used against outsiders like Cat. I think I liked One Foot in the Grave a little better out of the two books because it felt more developed but Halfway to the Grave was needed to provide the back story for the entire series. I think I was also drawn more into the second book because it seemed the sex didn't appear until later on in the story. I know that the sex is a vital element for a paranormal romance but I'm sure I turned as red as Cat did reading those scenes! Frost certainly doesn't hold back on her descriptions. Even though the books make me blush a bit, I will definitely be continuing to read this series.
I won both of these paperbacks from Drey at drey's library and I would like to pass them along to someone else to read. So on to the giveaway...
Win a copy of both Halfway to the Grave & One Foot in the Grave
Here are the rules for this giveaway:
1. This one is open internationally! I always feel bad that I have to limit my monthly giveaways to the USA so here is one for everybody.
2. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 31, 2010
3. To enter, just leave a comment. Please include your email address if it is not in your blogger profile! If I cannot contact you, I may have to draw another winner.
4. For one additional entry, blog or tweet or spread the word about the giveaway somehow and leave me the link.
Did I cover everything? I hope so. If you have any questions, please ask! Don't forget that the March Giveaway ends on March 24 so be sure to check that one out if you haven't already. There are seven books to choose from this month but that one is limited to USA only.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Sunday Salon March 14, 2010
Once again, it wasn't a big reading week around here as I've had so many other things happening. I did finish and review Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West which had some sleep tips that I'm hoping to find useful. I started Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen and Master Your Debt by Jordan Goodman. I want to say that Pride & Prejudice is a re-read but to be honest I'm not sure that I have read it before even though it has been sitting on my bookshelf for several years.
The big news for the week, and the reason my reading time may be decreased even more, is that we are in the process of buying a house. We were finally able to get the inspection completed on Friday and there were only minor things that need fixing. Now we just have to set up a time for the appraisal and then we should be able to move forward and set a closing date. It truly feels as if we were meant to have this home as it has exactly the number of rooms that we wanted, a nice big yard, is in a great neighborhood, and is very close to the library and all of the schools. It will be the house of our dreams as soon as we get new flooring and paint, which will be done before we move in. There were many times during our house hunting journey that I wondered if we would really be able to afford the house that we really wanted and the answer turned out to be YES! The house was in foreclosure and HUD accepted our offer which was significantly lower than what they were asking for the house. Our Realtor really didn't think they would accept our offer but she was willing to put in the offer with what we felt comfortable with and was completely surprised when it was accepted. This just reinforces my belief that we were meant to own this home.
With all of the packing I will need to be doing in the next month my reading and blogging may slow down for a while until we can get somewhat settled into the new house. (I know, most of the time it doesn't seem like it is possible for me to do any LESS reading or blogging as I seem to do the bare minimum as it is.) I will be continuing the giveaways though because we are trying not to take a bunch of books we aren't going to re-read with us to the new house.
The March Giveaway is still going on with the deadline for entries being March 24. There are seven titles to choose from again this month. I think Fallen by Lauren Kate must have been the big draw last month because I don't have as many entries so far but there is still some time left.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West
Title: The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight
Authors: Kim West, LCSW-C with Joanne Kenen
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Publication Date: January 2010 (revised & expanded edition)
Format: Paperback, 440 pages
Age Group: Adult, non-fiction
In The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight, Kim West provides a lot of information on the science of sleep as well as a program to teach children from newborn to age five how to sleep better on their own. The first four chapters provide a great foundation for understanding how children sleep and why it is so important to help teach them to self-soothe and to not rely on their parents to help them get to sleep in the middle of the night. Although I read the majority of the book for the purpose of doing this review, most people could then skip to the chapter that corresponds to the age of their child as much of that information is repetitive, simply adapted slightly for different age groups. The last section of the book also has some chapters that everyone should probably read on medical issues that can cause sleep difficulty, dealing with breaks in the normal routine, and taking care of mom and dad. The chapters about co-sleeping and twins and siblings will also be helpful for many families.
My daughter, Elizabeth, will be seventeen months old next week and we've gone through our share of sleep issues. I worry quite a bit about her sleep because I have major issues with insomnia and I really don't want her to go through that. I wish that I had known about the Sleep Lady and her Sleep Lady Shuffle when Elizabeth was born! Reading the chapter on newborns and infants, I was feeling like we had done everything wrong from the start. From the first nights in the hospital, Elizabeth wanted to be held constantly to sleep. Since that was the only way that any of us were getting any sleep, that is what we ended up doing. We continued to do it when we got home and one of us often fell asleep in the chair in her room with her on our lap. She seemed to have a lot of trouble with a gassy belly in the evenings so we would hold her and then I often held her for naps during the day. Then we traveled to visit the grandparents when she was six weeks old and she hated the bed so I brought her to bed with us so she would settle down and not disturb the rest of the house. When we got home, I thought it would be a fight to get her back in her bed so she just continued sleeping with us and no one was getting much sleep. We finally got her back in the crib with much less fuss than I thought there would be but she was still waking up a lot at night. We finally ended up trying the Ferber method of letting her cry it out for a period of time and that did work in only a few nights. Those nights were SO hard on me though. I absolutely hated hearing her cry. Although I know there would have been tears with the Sleep Lady Shuffle as well, I wonder if Elizabeth and I would have done a bit better with that method since it is more gradual with the parent moving away from the crib over a period of nights.
One thing I loved about this book was all the stories from parents about how the Sleep Lady method has worked for them. It helped me know that I was not alone in not starting out quite right and showing me that we can still work with Elizabeth to develop better sleep habits. The stories also show how easily the Sleep Lady Method can be adapted for different parenting styles.
West places a heavy emphasis on having a schedule and routines to help the child know when it is time to eat, sleep, and play. This gives the child a sense of security in knowing what is coming and what is expected of them West also acknowledges the need for some flexibility in these schedules and often directs parents to follow their instincts about what will work best for their child. I wish that I had developed more of a schedule with Elizabeth earlier, although for a period of time she seemed to fall into one on her own. We are now in the transition phase between needing two naps a day or only one and I think having a schedule before this would have made it a little easier. So now we are working to change the nap pattern and set up a schedule at the same time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for new parents or for parents who need help with their child's sleeping. Obviously, the earlier you start working on a child's sleep the easier it will be but West demonstrates success with her method with preschoolers as well. She packs a lot of information and advice into the book and it may be hard to remember it all for a sleep deprived parent but West breaks it down and makes it sound manageable.
I received this book from Caitlin at FSB Associates for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Authors: Kim West, LCSW-C with Joanne Kenen
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Publication Date: January 2010 (revised & expanded edition)
Format: Paperback, 440 pages
Age Group: Adult, non-fiction
In The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight, Kim West provides a lot of information on the science of sleep as well as a program to teach children from newborn to age five how to sleep better on their own. The first four chapters provide a great foundation for understanding how children sleep and why it is so important to help teach them to self-soothe and to not rely on their parents to help them get to sleep in the middle of the night. Although I read the majority of the book for the purpose of doing this review, most people could then skip to the chapter that corresponds to the age of their child as much of that information is repetitive, simply adapted slightly for different age groups. The last section of the book also has some chapters that everyone should probably read on medical issues that can cause sleep difficulty, dealing with breaks in the normal routine, and taking care of mom and dad. The chapters about co-sleeping and twins and siblings will also be helpful for many families.
My daughter, Elizabeth, will be seventeen months old next week and we've gone through our share of sleep issues. I worry quite a bit about her sleep because I have major issues with insomnia and I really don't want her to go through that. I wish that I had known about the Sleep Lady and her Sleep Lady Shuffle when Elizabeth was born! Reading the chapter on newborns and infants, I was feeling like we had done everything wrong from the start. From the first nights in the hospital, Elizabeth wanted to be held constantly to sleep. Since that was the only way that any of us were getting any sleep, that is what we ended up doing. We continued to do it when we got home and one of us often fell asleep in the chair in her room with her on our lap. She seemed to have a lot of trouble with a gassy belly in the evenings so we would hold her and then I often held her for naps during the day. Then we traveled to visit the grandparents when she was six weeks old and she hated the bed so I brought her to bed with us so she would settle down and not disturb the rest of the house. When we got home, I thought it would be a fight to get her back in her bed so she just continued sleeping with us and no one was getting much sleep. We finally got her back in the crib with much less fuss than I thought there would be but she was still waking up a lot at night. We finally ended up trying the Ferber method of letting her cry it out for a period of time and that did work in only a few nights. Those nights were SO hard on me though. I absolutely hated hearing her cry. Although I know there would have been tears with the Sleep Lady Shuffle as well, I wonder if Elizabeth and I would have done a bit better with that method since it is more gradual with the parent moving away from the crib over a period of nights.
One thing I loved about this book was all the stories from parents about how the Sleep Lady method has worked for them. It helped me know that I was not alone in not starting out quite right and showing me that we can still work with Elizabeth to develop better sleep habits. The stories also show how easily the Sleep Lady Method can be adapted for different parenting styles.
West places a heavy emphasis on having a schedule and routines to help the child know when it is time to eat, sleep, and play. This gives the child a sense of security in knowing what is coming and what is expected of them West also acknowledges the need for some flexibility in these schedules and often directs parents to follow their instincts about what will work best for their child. I wish that I had developed more of a schedule with Elizabeth earlier, although for a period of time she seemed to fall into one on her own. We are now in the transition phase between needing two naps a day or only one and I think having a schedule before this would have made it a little easier. So now we are working to change the nap pattern and set up a schedule at the same time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for new parents or for parents who need help with their child's sleeping. Obviously, the earlier you start working on a child's sleep the easier it will be but West demonstrates success with her method with preschoolers as well. She packs a lot of information and advice into the book and it may be hard to remember it all for a sleep deprived parent but West breaks it down and makes it sound manageable.
I received this book from Caitlin at FSB Associates for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Sunday Salon March 7, 2010
Good grief, it has been a month since I wrote my last Sunday Salon post. I really want to do better with this! I feel like I'm full of excuses about why I can't keep up with one simple post each week. I think my best solution is going to be to try to write this post ahead of time, maybe during my daughter's Friday nap, and then schedule it to post on Sunday. My weekends seem to just be crazy busy and I'm not on the computer as much and definitely not getting time to write blog posts.
This past week was a rough one for me. Mid-week I found out that the husband of a friend died. Although I'd never met him, I know my friend considers him to be her soul-mate and my heart is breaking for her and his children. Their love was so visible in the pictures I've seen of the two of them and I just cannot imagine the loss she is feeling right now.
My daughter has been having a rough week as well. She is working on her bottom molars and it has thrown off everything from sleeping to eating. My normally happy girl has been extra fussy and just unable to settle. Of course, this means I'm running low on sleep too. I'm working my way through The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight but I haven't hit the chapter on her age group yet. I'm thinking I may need to just skip ahead to that section and then go back to read the rest later. So far, I'm really liking the book although sometimes it seems like I did everything wrong as far as sleep was concerned during the first year.
I haven't blogged about my two most recent reads yet but I'm thinking about doing a kind of mini-review and giveaway soon. I really enjoyed Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost but don't really feel like doing a complete review on them for some reason. Maybe because I won them from drey's library instead of getting them as review books? Or maybe I don't feel like analyzing them to figure out what exactly it is about them that I enjoyed? Whatever the reason, I'll just be doing one mini-review of both books and then passing them along to another reader. In the meantime, I'm waiting for At Grave's End, the third book in the Night Huntress series, to come in at the library.
In case you haven't seen it yet, check out my March giveaway. I've got 7 books to choose from this month and entries will be accepted through March 24.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)