Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs by Heather Lende

Sometimes I don't think I am meant to read memoirs.  Once in a while one really resonates with me but the majority of the time I read knowing I am supposed to be gaining some kind of understanding of a universal truth but not quite grasping it within the stories.  I think a good part of my difficulty with memoirs is that they often do not run in a linear fashion with the story moving in chronological order.  This is certainly true of Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs by Heather Lende.

This is Lende's second book with the first being If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska.  Both books revolve around the citizens of Haines, Alaska and the impact that living there has on the author.  Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs begins as Lende prepares to go on a book tour for her first book but is literally hit by a truck instead.  Her months of recuperation, the illness and death of her mother, and writing obituaries for the town residents lead her to reflect on her community and her faith.  The book is deeply spiritual without being preachy and Lende is able to add some humor to what might otherwise be a very somber story.

Lende moves fluidly throughout time tying together the past, the present, and even hopes for the future.  One memory or story gives birth to the next as she tells the stories of those she knows and has known.  While the book was interesting in parts, there was much that simply failed to capture my attention.  I am not sure if it is because the wilderness setting of such a remote Alaskan town has no connection to my life or if it was because I was unable to relate to the various characters and events portrayed in the book.  It is also very possible that I was simply not in the right frame of mind when I was reading it due to my own personal circumstances.

I think Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs will appeal and resonate with a great many people.  I just don't happen to be one of them.

Find our more about Heather Lende and her books at www.heatherlende.com

I received a copy of Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs from FSB Associates (although I don't remember requesting it) in exchange for 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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

OTL: About.Me

I was introduced to about.me through an invitation to a Bzz Agent Campaign. About.me is an easy way to keep all of your online information in one place. You can add links to your profiles on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others. Now you can direct people to one page that allows you to connect through all of your online avenues.

Check out my about.me page at about.me/LibraryGirl  I chose one of their preset backgrounds but it looks easy enough to add your own photos and customize your page.  My page didn't take very long to set up at all.  I didn't include my Facebook page on there because I don't have one for the blog, just a personal account.  I have links to Twitter, LinkedIn, and this blog as well as a way to email me.  Through about.me I received a customized email address which I am now using for blog business (LibraryGirl@about.me) and I can also receive a package of business cards with my about.me information for the cost of shipping.

It is really interesting to browse through the profiles on about.me and see how people have customized their pages!  There are some really creative people using the service from actors and business entrepreneurs to bloggers and musicians.

An about.me page would be easy to include in a media kit or business proposal so that contacts would have all of your information in one place and know which social media and online outlets you use the most frequently.

Overall about.me was very simple to set up and won't take much updating to keep current.

I wrote this post while participating in a campaign for about.me through bzzagent.com, a word of mouth marketing company.  I will receive MyPoints for my participation.  All opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

William Goldman's The Princess Bride

The story of William Goldman's The Princess Bride is a classic for anyone who has seen the movie.  It has everything one could want in an adventure story -- sword fights, a giant, strategic thinking, deadly creatures, a princess, a pirate, and true love.  Add in some incredibly humorous descriptions and dialogue and the book should be a best seller.  Unfortunately this is one case where I think the movie vastly outshines the book.

Oh all the good parts are in the book.  Some of the best lines in the movie are taken straight out of the book.  The action, the adventure, and the emotion are all there.  It isn't what is missing from the book that is the problem - it is the extras that are included.  William Goldman constantly interrupts the main story to interject what is supposed to be the tale of his first having heard this story read by his father when he was sick as a child.  These interruptions really bothered me while reading this book.  Perhaps the feelings of irritation with the author came from the introductory section when his description of himself was not very likeable.  After hearing how he considered cheating on his wife and his feelings about his son, I didn't really care to hear his thoughts on the actual story.  As I was reading the book, I found myself wondering if these asides were even a true story or if everything in the introduction and interruptions was made up as well.  Although it has been a while since I have seen the movie, I do remember the grandfather reading the book to the boy and the occasional flash back to these scenes which took the viewer away from the main action.  I do not remember these asides bothering me nearly as much as the italic sections in the book!

One advantage that the book does have over the movie is that we learn a lot more about the pasts of the individual characters.  Buttercup, Fezzik, and Inigo all have their stories told.  This allows for deeper character development than is shown in the movie but does not substantially change the over all story.

If Goldman had stuck with the story of Westley, Buttercup, Prince Humperdinck, and the rest, leaving out the bits about his childhood, I would have enjoyed it much more.  As it is, I'll stick with the movie.

Although this book has been sitting on our bookshelf for so long that neither my husband or I can remember who it belonged to initially, this is the first time I have actually read it (and I'm pretty sure he never has).  I read it while participating in the Reading with Tequila Book Club on Goodreads.  No one associated with the book had any expectations of a review.

For another review of The Princess Bride, check out this one at Reading with Tequila.



 
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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

New Email

photo credit: JASElabs via photo pin cc

I have created a new email address specifically for all matters relating to Library Girl Reads & Reviews.  If you have a book or product that you would like reviewed or need to contact me about anything else blog related, please email me at LibraryGirl@about.me  This information has been updated on the Review Policy page as well.  I recently updated the About Me page too.

Thanks for stopping by!  I would love to hear what you think of the books I'm reading or anything else that is on your mind.

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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Mom Energy by Ashley Koff and Kathy Kaehler

Mom Energy is packed full of information. Some of it is quite scientific to gain a deeper understanding of how the body uses energy and the impact that the lack of energy has on health. The rest is strategies for making lifestyle changes that will increase your energy level. Nothing in this book is a quick fix for energy. The only way you are going to see results is if you are willing to put in the effort to make taking care of yourself and your energy levels one of your priorities.

The quiz to determine how what your energy level is was an eye opener for me. I knew I was tired most of the time but didn't realize that I was quite as bad off as I am. I wish there had been more questions on the second quiz for determining Energy Profile as I felt I fit into several categories based on the limited questions. These profiles are helpful throughout the book as they are used to identify key strategies that will be most helpful. The Energy Matrix profile in Chapter 3 was also a huge eye opener for me. I found that section to be extremely helpful in determining the best place to start getting my energy back on track.

The authors address the usual suspects when dealing with energy: diet, exercise, and sleep but they also include organization and scheduling. I had never thought of this as being something that affected my energy before but now I am seeing how much time I waste by not having a schedule (or basic routine) and knowing what is ahead each day. Taking time for yourself is another big area that moms often give up to take care of their families.

There are no recipes in the book but what to eat and what not to eat is thoroughly addressed. The authors do seem to advocate vegetarian protein sources but I believe that is a decision each woman must make for herself. Supplements are addressed but I was happy to see that specific brands were not pushed at all.

The authors provide some basic exercises in an appendix but the chapter on exercise is more of a general overview on why it is important to fit it in, how to schedule it into your day, and the best types of exercise to get your metabolism moving.

Overall this book is truly packed with information even if some of it is a repeat of what you have already heard (as most diet, exercise, and self-help books tend to be). There is a lot to get through and it is not a quick read because you need to take time to digest the information and figure out how to implement the suggestions in your life. If you are looking for a quick fix or aren't interested in the science behind your body's use of energy, this book probably isn't for you. But if you have an interest in knowing how and why things work and are willing to put in effort to make lasting changes, this book could help you get your energy back up.

I received a copy of  Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for providing 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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Grave Dance is the second book in Kalayna Price's Alex Craft series. I loved the first book in the series, Grave Witch, and am very happy to say that Grave Dance met the very high expectations I had for it.

It has been a month since Alex worked her last case and she is ready to get back in the game.  The Nekros City police bring her in to consult on a possible serial killer but the only remains of the victim are feet.  Since Alex can't raise a shade with just a foot, she must rely on the magic of others and her investigate skills to solve this crime.  Her lack of knowledge could have deadly consequences for herself and her friends.

Price created wonderful characters in Grave Witch and they become even more complicated in Grave Dance.  Death and Falin Andrews are back to confuse Alex a bit more with conflicting feelings.  Each of them reveals a bit more about his past and his nature in this book.  I love how Price is taking the time to reveal secrets instead of having Alex discover too many things all at once.  Alex learns much more about her history in this book as well.  It will be interesting to see how what she learns plays out in future books.

While some of the action in this book takes place in Nekros City some of it takes place in the realm of Faerie.  The expansion of Alex's world and the collision of the two realms brings in more characters and more magic.  Price paints each scene with detail even as the action continues at a fast pace.

The books of the Alex Craft series are ones I don't want to put down once I start reading them and Kalayna Price is now an author on my "Must Read" list along with Kim Harrison and Kelley Armstrong.  I don't know how many books are currently planned for the Alex Craft series but I hope we get to have adventures with Alex and her friends for a long while.

My review of Grave Witch

I originally borrowed Grave Dance: An Alex Craft Novel from the library but then was lucky enough to win a copy from All Things Urban Fantasy. No one had any expectation of a 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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

OTL: Mega #Swagbucks Friday

The first Friday of each month, I post about Swagbucks.  That is because every Friday means Mega Swagbucks for searching (but I don't want to overwhelm people with reminders every Friday)!  Haven't tried Swagbucks yet?  It is super easy - simply use the Swagbucks search engine to do your normal Internet searching and sometimes you will be rewarded with Swagbucks which can then be redeemed for some great prizes. My theory is that if I'm going to be searching the Internet anyway, I may as well get rewarded for doing it.

My favorite prize is the Amazon.com gift card.  I earned almost $200 in Amazon.com gift cards through Swagbucks last year.  There are also tons of other gift cards available plus you can redeem for various merchandise as well.

On Fridays, Swagbucks gives out more Mega Swagbucks (anything over 10) than usual which means you can earn your desired prizes even faster.  The most I've gotten from one search so far is 59 Swagbucks.  I'd love to hear if one of my readers finds a high value one today or any other day!

Swagbucks has added a lot of options for getting bucks on a daily basis even without searching.  There are Special Offers, Daily Polls, Surveys, Tasks, Swagbucks TV, and games to play.

With all of these great ways to earn Swagbucks and get gift cards or other items that you really want, what are you waiting for?!  Sign up and start searching :-)

Swagbucks links contained within this post are referral links and I will earn some Swagbucks if you sign up using those links.



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. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.