How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth: 101 Insightful Essays from the World's Greatest Thinkers, Leaders, and Writers

* Barack Obama
* David Brooks
* Ted Turner
* Nicholas D. Kristof
* Leonard Pitts, Jr.
* Marianne Williamson
* Chris Rose
* Al Gore
* George Bush
* Dale Brown
* Tony Blair
* Thomas L. Friedman
* George Rodrigue
* Paul Prudhomme
* Poppy Tooker
* and more

Contributions from 101 of the most prestigious thinkers, writers, public figures, and other luminaries on a wide range of topics fill the pages of this meditation on how to make the world a better place. Focusing on the large problems of the world as well as the little challenges people face, How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth tackles the momentous question of what each of us can do to improve our community, our country, and our world, one step at a time.

Read an Excerpt

How To Achieve Heaven On Earth

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My Thoughts -This is a book everyone should read. It doesn't matter your political beliefs or where you are from. It's very uplifting and wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all get along and actually have world peace? It shows ways we can improve ourselves and our communities. It's very thought provoking and it's set up in a way you can read it in snippets and come back to it.

True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things with You (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

Does God hate fangs?
*
Is Sam still Sam when he turns into a collie?
*
Is coming out of the coffin the same as coming out of the closet?
*
Are all vampires created evil?

Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies, telepaths -- True Blood has it all. In a world where supernatural creatures coexist with human beings, Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton wrestle with powerful desires while facing complex issues concerning sex, romance, bigotry, violence, death, and immortality.   Now True Blood and Philosophy calls on the minds of some of history's great thinkers to perform some philosophical bloodletting on this thought-provoking series. From the metaphysics of mind reading to Maryann Forrester's cult of Dionysus, from vampire politics to the nature of personal identity, and from contemporary feminism to the rights of nonhuman species, True Blood and Philosophy mines the thinking of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and John Rawls to enlighten us on the intriguing themes that surround this supernatural world. You'll find no shortage of juicy metaphysical morsels to sink your teeth into!
 My Thoughts - I am a H-U-G-E Southern Vampire series and True Blood Fan. This book is a must have for any one who is a fan. I recently read another book in this philosophical series - Alice in Wonderland and just like that book, this one I couldn't put down either. It touches on religion, racism, violence, and immortality. There are other great books in the series I want to pick up like Twilight and House - More of my favorites :)
Make sure little eyes aren't watching True Blood season 3 trailer



Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.

Giveaway - Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction

Stop endlessly searching for "something more"

There is a new generation of high-achieving women: confident, ambitious, and driven yet anxious, discontented, and above all, restless. Constantly juggling multiple roles and reevaluating goals, today's "wander women" move from job to job, challenge to challenge, almost on impulse. Drawing on fresh research and extensive interviews, Marcia Reynolds helps you understand the roots of your restlessness and learn how to make your wandering a conscious strategy, not a series of unplanned events. She provides a wealth of exercises and practices so you can better understand the needs that drive your decisions, discover new ways of finding direction, and thoughtfully choose and plan your future -- whether climbing the corporate ladder, finding satisfaction below the glass ceiling, or setting out on your own.

Read ExcerptAuthor Bio
Dr. Marcia Reynolds is fascinated by the brain, especially the nuances of the female brain. She is a master certified coach with a doctorate in organizational psychology, focusing on the needs and challenges of smart, strong women in the workplace. She travels around the world speaking at conferences and teaching classes in leadership, emotional intelligence and organizational change. Her book Wander Woman: How High Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction was released this summer.

You can read more about the book at wanderwomanbook.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.
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Giveaway will end June 27th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S only 18+
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.

Eat and Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program to Prevent and Control Diabetes

Look and Lose -- Same Calories, More Food!
Includes tips and healthy meals for kids at risk
The most delicious way you can imagine to lose weight and manage diabetes

* Overweight and at risk for diabetes?
* Diagnosed as diabetic or prediabetic?
* Worried about heart disease?
* Need to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol?
* Need to lose weight healthfully?
* Want to prevent your children from getting diabetes?

Follow the plan in this book and you'll be on the road to health. You'll lose weight -- one of the most important components of diabetes prevention and management -- and you won't feel deprived. It's not about what you can't eat anymore -- it's about all the foods that will leave you satisfied and help you fight disease.

* The latest research, revealing the four powerful nutrients that proactively beat back diabetes and its impact
* More than 100 color photos of picture-perfect food comparisons that help you make the right choices
* Tips for how to beat diabetes in any restaurant -- from fast food to haute cuisine

Beat diabetes and lose weight!

Ask any doctor or nutritionist who treats patients with diabetes: the first focus for controlling the disease is a healthy eating plan. But typical diabetic eating plans have been all about what you can't eat and what to do if you fall prey to a craving for foods you shouldn't have.

But now a typical day in the life of a diabetic might start with a smoked salmon-and-dill omelet, continue to a lunch of three-bean chili, salsa and guacamole, and finish with a dinner of grilled shrimp and shaved fennel, topped off by a dessert of chocolate terrine. It's a kind of eating that virtually guarantees not just control of the disease and a satisfying of the appetite, but an emphasis on specific nutrients that actually target diabetes, beating back its potential side effects and maintaining the healthy weight that is key to controlling the disease.

In Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss, Dr. Howard Shapiro uses the same visual method of food comparisons that made his bestselling weight-loss books so popular and easy to use. Now he has teamed with top chef Franklin Becker, a diabetic himself, and together they reveal the secrets to a diet that can actually help you prevent and beat diabetes -- without depriving yourself of delicious food.

You'll find:

* Dr. Shapiro's Beat Diabetes Pyramid -- a simple way to understand the food groups that fight diabetes and help you lose weight
* 50 recipes from the nation's premier chefs, which range from simple to sophisticated, so anyone can make tasty meals regardless of time or skill
* A 7-day sample meal plan

Did You Know That You Can Eat and Beat Diabetes?

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My Thoughts - I don't have diabetes but I come from a line of people who do, and I could stand to lose a few lbs. Since reading this book and only making a few changes, I have already lost 4lbs and I know the following 6lbs will come off soon. This book shows you how to make better choices and even has great recipes! Sorry friends, you have to get your own, this one isn't leaving my possession :)

Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.

101 Things I learned in Culinary School 3 Book Giveaway!

Louis Eguaras, a renowned chef at the Le Cordon Bleu Program at the California School of Culinary Arts, provides readers with a terrific overview of what is truly involved in the preparation, cooking, and presentation of meals. He also provides invaluable insights into just what is involved in making this one's chosen profession.

The book will feature a wide range of illustrated lessons, from how to properly hold a knife... to the history of food... from food preparation and presentation... to restaurant hospitality and management, and much more.

The book will be presented in the distinctive and highly-attractive packaged style of 101 THINGS I LEARNED IN ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL, and will be the perfect gift for anyone who is thinking about entering culinary school, is already enrolled, or even just the casual chef.

My Thoughts - This is a must have for any kitchen. I was a GM for a fine dining restaurant BC (before children) and there were times I had to go back in the kitchen, there were so many little tricks and things I just didn't know. But now I do! This is a book that I'm keeping 4-EVER!!
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Mandatory Entry -
Hatchett Group is giving 3 lucky reader of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of 101 Things I learned in Culinary School, Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

+1 - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.)
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+1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter HERE
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Giveaway will end June 6th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curious and Curiouser

Should the Cheshire Cat's grin make us reconsider the nature of reality?
*
Can Humpty Dumpty make words mean whatever he says they mean?
*
Can drugs take us down the rabbit-hole?
*
Is Alice a feminist icon?
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has fascinated children and adults alike for generations. Why does Lewis Carroll introduce us to such oddities as a blue caterpillar who smokes a hookah, a cat whose grin remains after its head has faded away, and a White Queen who lives backward and remembers forward? Is it all just nonsense? Was Carroll under the influence? This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Alice books and reveals a world rich with philosophical life lessons. Tapping into some of the greatest philosophical minds that ever lived -- Aristotle, Hume, Hobbes, and Nietzsche -- Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy explores life's ultimate questions through the eyes of perhaps the most endearing heroine in all of literature.
My Thoughts - This was certainly an interesting read. It's one of those books that you can flip through and read what you want and come back and read more without getting lost or bored. It's broken down into mini chapters.Chapters like jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today: On procrastination, hiking, and...The Spice Girls? Or Reasoning Down the Rabbit-Hole: Logical Lessons in Wonderland.This book came out at the perfect time coinciding with the Alice in Wonderland movie. It helps you dig deeper into the story. This is a book I'll keep for a long time and pass down to my girls.
This would also be a wonderful book club read.
Read an Excerpt
Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given

What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life 3 Book Giveaway

Every woman's closet-no matter the size-is a room of her own. In that space hang side by side the special occasions and the everyday, the triumphs and the disasters, the memories we want to keep and those we should jettison. Gross helps us to reconsider our closet identity and discover who we want to be. She shares her personal journey and the intimate, poignant and often humorous stories of the dozens of women she interviewed across the country. Along with calming fashion advice about how to choose flattering clothes that will fit any woman's shape and style, Gross's engaging stories will help every woman evolve gracefully from wife to mother, from empty-nester to globe-trotting adventurer--whatever role she chooses--while letting her style express her inner beauty.

Kim Johnson Gross has worked in the fashion industry for over 30 years, as a Ford model, an editor at Town & Country, Style Director at Avenue, and Fashion Director at Esquire. She is author of The Chic Simple books, which were international bestsellers and inspired the popular Chic Simple Solutions column that appeared for five years in InStyle. Gross wrote the "What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life" column in More for two years. She's been interviewed as a style expert on the Today show, CNN, the CBS Morning Show, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Business Week, Dove.




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Hatchett Group is giving 3 lucky reader of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life. Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

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+2 - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much
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+3 -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here
+1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter HERE
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Giveaway will end May 23rd at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given

Mom Still Likes You Best: The Unfinished Business Between Siblings

“The greatest gift a parent can give a child,” one woman’s mother told her, “is a brother or sister.” If you find yourself nodding in agreement but also having reservations, you’re not alone. Most people have experienced mixed feelings about their siblings over the years. Many of us have asked ourselves:

What kind of gift are siblings, if we fight with them and if they hurt our feelings?
How could we come from the same family and have such different values?
Who needs a brother or sister who isn’t there for Mom and Dad when they are old and need our help?

Ambivalence is at the heart of our sibling relationships. These positive and negative feelings are natural, and unavoidable. When we were kids and our parents were not around, we behaved like children to each other, which means we weren’t always nice. As adults, many of us recall those childhood experiences; they often become our iconic memories, and they can make us feel good or bad. I have learned that it is possible to reframe the childhood moments we cannot forgive or forget. We can begin to see our brothers and sisters through an adult perspective, if we so choose. Brothers and sisters who are close have already done this—they don’t idealize their siblings, and they can accept and laugh at the very behavior that drives other people crazy. It’s also possible to rebuild most broken relationships—if you want to. It takes a thread of love and lots of effort and determination, but over time you will be amazed at the results.

So if your relationship with brothers and sisters is complicated, welcome to the world. Once you relax into the reality of mixed emotions, you’ll stop suffering so much from the past and stop feeling so guilty about whatever you might have done. Maybe you can enjoy more of the positive, laugh at some of the negative, and make peace with the fact that human experience is something in between.

So what is the gift of siblings? It’s the life-long quest for compromise, acceptance, and humor.
Check out Jane Isay's Blog
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My Thoughts-Jane Isay conducted many interviews between siblings for this book.She also discusses how the experiences we have with our siblings when we are young influence how we react to them as adults. The emotions we felt for our siblings as children can over ride our adult intellect and throw us right back into that conflict, struggle, or, if things went well, that comfort zone. The chapter that I found most interesting was the chapter called Message in a bottle. It shows how siblings act towards each other after a parent's death. Very sad. This was a good book, very informational but there weren't really any solutions offered to show you how to change and make things better. I'd suggest just taking what you read using it to change yourself and maybe passing this book on to your siblings as well.

The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook:

The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions!
Includes 175 Super-Slimming Recipes!

The Secret is in the Substitutions!

Diet cookbooks should be about dropping weight, not depriving yourself. By swapping this for that, you can turn your favorite foods into low-calorie creations -- proving once and for all that you can have your chocolate molten cake, and eat it too!

In this calorie-slashing collection, Bikini Chef-to-the-stars Susan Irby offers 175 inventive recipes for switching up ingredients that keep calories to a minimum. Complete with serving-size suggestions and "Skinny Secret" shortcuts to trim calories in little ways, here you'll get expertly crafted recipes that include offerings for every meal of the day, such as:

* Flat-Belly Eggs Benedict (with turkey ham instead of deli ham) -- save 411 calories!
* Gouda Burger (with lean ground turkey and portobello mushrooms) -- save 271 calories!
* Smitten for Molten Chocolate Cake (with less cream and fewer eggs) -- save 260 calories!
Get all the flavor -- minus the guilt!


 My Thoughts - This book has a lot of great recipes. I stay away from prepackaged foodsand I don't eat anything low fat or fat free because of good fats and she has a lot of substitutions with that. But who am I to argue with The Bikini Chef. I'm not going to stand around in my bikini cooking :) There are many recipes I would eat and intend on trying.  Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given

360-Degree Life: Ten Ways You Can Live More Richly, Deeply, Fully

What if you had a second chance to chart your life?

What if you only had a few days to live?
Would you love?
Would you laugh?
Would you give?
Would you live differently than you do right now?
--Billy Joe Daugherty

If possible, would you do a makeover on parts of your life? Most of us would gladly say “Yes!” to a fresh start, and that’s exactly what God offers.

So many people live empty and frustrating lives, which is tragic because God desires a full, productive, and satisfying life for His children. 360° Life explores how ordinary people, regardless of their challenges, can experience life-altering change through simple faith. Billy Joe Daugherty weaves material from the Bible, his own experiences, and riveting interviews with contemporary Christians to reveal how not just to survive struggles, but to rise above them.

That’s the fulfilling result of a 360-degree life Read Chapter 1
My Thoughts - The premise of the book is that the reader would be presented with ten ways to live move richly, deeply, fully. It was okay. The best element of the book were the testimonies but even then at times I felt like I was watching a cheesy religious t.v. show so that left me feeling a little turned off. However the message was good. I was sad to learn that he died last year of cancer. :(

Disclosure - This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for my honest opinion, no other compensation.

Put on Your Crown by Queen Latifah 3 Book Giveaway

Modeled after Maria Shriver's Just Who Will You Be, Queen Latifah's goal with Put On Your Crown is to help young women build a strong sense of self-esteem. A US Dept. of Justice survey found that females ages 16-24 are more vulnerable to partner violence than any other group, almost triple the national average. Cases like Chris Brown's assault on pop star Rihanna showed an ugly side of adolescent life. However, Queen Latifah has always been a shining example of a woman happy with herself and unwilling to compromise to fit into the "hollywood ideal" of what a confident beautiful woman should look like.

Queen Latifah was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. The Queen got her first break in music when a demo tape featuring one of her raps made its way to Tommy Boy Records. She was signed and immediately became a hit. She won the Best New Artist Award in 1990 for her album "All Hail the Queen" which also went platinum. The second single from the album, "Ladies First," was eventually named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll.

By the time her second album "Nature of a Sista'" came out in 1991, Queen Latifah had begun investing in small businesses in her neighborhood, and acting both in television and movies. After the death of her brother and a soured deal with Tommy Boy, The Queen released her third album, "Black Reign", and founded Flavor Unit Records and Management. She also landed a regular spot on Living Single and went on to star in a plethora of feature films including: Set It Off, The Perfect Holiday, Taxi, and Bringing Down the House.
My Thoughts - What can I say? Queen Latifah Rocks. She's a very confident woman & an awesome role model.
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Hatchett Group is giving 3 lucky reader of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of Put on your Crown. Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.)
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2 Extra Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much
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3 Extra Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here
Giveaway will end May 16th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.

Beyond Blue 3 Book Giveaway

Therese Borchard may be one of the frankest, funniest people on the planet. That, combined with her keen writing abilities has made her Beliefnet blog, Beyond Blue, one of the most trafficked blogs on the site.

BEYOND BLUE, the book, is part memoir/part self-help. It describes Borchard's experience of living with manic depression as well as providing cutting-edge research and information on dealing with mood disorders. By exposing her vulnerability, she endears herself immediately to the reader and then reduces even the most depressed to laughter as she provides a companion on the journey to recovery and the knowledge that the reader is not alone.

Comprised of four sections and twenty-one chapters, BEYOND BLUE covers a wide range of topics from codependency to addiction, poor body image to postpartum depression, from alternative medicine to psychopharmacology, managing anxiety to applying lessons from therapy. Because of her laser wit and Erma Bombeck sense of humor, every chapter is entertaining as well as serious.

Visit ThereseBorchard.com
And check out Therese Borchard’s daily blog on Beliefnet.com and the HuffingtonPost.com
Follow @ThereseBorchard on Twitter

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Mandatory Entry -
Hatchett Group is giving 3 lucky reader of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of Beyond Blue. Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.)
Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook HERE
Extra Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect
2 Extra Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much
5 Extra Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the left)
3 Extra Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here
Giveaway will end May 16th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes

Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.

Three Wishes

Carey, Beth, and Pam had succeeded at work but failed at romance, and each resolved to have a baby before time ran out. Just one problem: no men. Carey took the first bold step towards single motherhood, searching anonymous donor banks until she found the perfect match.

What she found was not a father in a vial, but a sort of magic potion. She met a man, fell in love, and got pregnant the old-fashioned way. She passed the vials to Beth, and it happened again. Beth met man, Beth got pregnant. Beth passed the vials to Pam, and the magic struck again. There were setbacks and disappointments, but three women became three families, reveling in the shared joy of love, friendship, and never losing hope.
Reading Group Guide

My Thoughts - You will love this "Sisterhood of the Traveling Sperm" :) Seriously, it was an amazing book, too good to be true. I was surprised to realize this wasn't fiction!

The Mommy Files - Review

SheKnows.com Presents - The Mommy Files
Secrets Every New Mom Should Know (that no one else will tell you!)
By Jen Klein
Published by Adams Media
April 2010; $12.95US/$15.99CAN; 978-1-60550-144-4

Because SHEKNOWS® Parenting
And Jen Klein knows motherhood. She's survived changing a soiled diaper in a truck-stop bathroom while suspending a baby in mid-air. She's witnessed the judgment of the so-called "Mommy Mafia." She's found dried applesauce on her shirt. And in her hair. And the baby's hair. And the dog's fur.

Here she reveals secrets she's learned along the way about mastering the art of motherhood, from how to handle strangers who ask how much weight you've gained to (finally!) getting your little ones on the big yellow bus -- on time and with clean underwear. Inside SheKnows.com Presents: The Mommy Files you'll find:

* Your mom didn't know what she was doing either

* A pediatrician is your partner, not your adversary

* Playgroups are for moms more than they are for kids

* Just because they can talk doesn't mean they can reason

* Being a supermom is all about asking for help

Disclosed here in a friendly, wry look at motherhood, Jen Klein takes you through each lovable (and less than enjoyable) step toward that coveted title that will be screamed at you so many times in the years to come: "Mommy!"

Author Bio
Jen Klein is a mother of two boys and a girl, the youngest of whom just started kindergarten. After earning a thoroughly useful degree in art history and studio art, she writes technical documentation. But in her primary job as mom, she's dealt with nearly every parenting scenario imaginable, and appreciated every slobbery toddler kiss along the way. Klein has been a contributor to SheKnows.com for the past two years and writes a weekly parenting column called "Monday Mom Challenge" in addition to regular articles. She lives near Boston, MA.

For more information, please visit www.SheKnows.com.

My Review - I remember I had so many questions when I became a new mom and frankly my pride kept me from asking my mom & mother-in-law. I wish I would have had a book like this! I did eventually ask for help and yes I am part of a play group, it's true - They are for us moms, not just the kids. New Moms need a book like this to start off with.

Queen of Your Own Life: The Grown-Up Woman's Guide to Claiming Happiness and Getting the Life You Deserve

Discover the Seven Best Gifts You Can Give Yourself

Queen of Your Own Life is a philosophy, a decision and an invitation to happiness for women who have made the tough but rewarding journey to the midpoint in their lives. Kathy Kinney (best known as Mimi on The Drew Carey Show) and Cindy Ratzlaff (marketing genius behind the launch of The South Beach Diet) have been best friends for more than thirty years, and have helped each other navigate the ups and downs of their lives with humor and grace.

In this entertaining and inspiring book, they share the tried-and-true techniques they call "the seven best gifts a woman can give herself." They reveal how they learned to value themselves just the way they are -- women in full bloom, sensual, vibrant, wise and more beautiful than ever -- and they'll show you how you can, too.

With these seven gifts you'll discover how to:

• Claim your beauty and feel your power
  
  
• Clean your mental closet and find your queen voice
  
  
• Admire yourself for who you've become
  
  
• Build deep, fulfilling friendships with other women
  
  
• Establish firm boundaries that will strengthen all your relationships
  
  
• Learn the simple trick to finally being happy
  
  
• Place the crown firmly on your head

With humor, comfort and inspiration, Queen of Your Own Life offers easy step-by-step actions to blast away at the societal tall tale that young is beautiful and old is just old. If you've been feeling that the best part of your life may be behind you, then this book will prove to you just how untrue that is, and that the door to being happy is not only never closed, but just waiting for you to fling it open. Remember, you don't have to be twenty to have your whole life ahead of you. Now is the time to become Queen of Your Own Life!

Author Bios
Kathy Kinney is best known for her iconic role as Mimi Bobeck on The Drew Carey Show. She has acted in over a dozen films, guest-starred on numerous television shows and has toured worldwide with Drew Carey and the Improv All-Stars. Kathy may also be seen in the title role of Mrs. P at www.mrsp.com, a Web site for children aimed at keeping alive the joy of books and reading.

A veteran publishing executive, Cindy Ratzlaff created marketing campaigns for more than 100 New York Times bestselling books, including The South Beach Diet. She is president of Brand New Brand You, which specializes in using new social media platforms to increase brand awareness, and is a cofounder of the online publishing company Supreme Social Media.

www.queeenofyourownlife.com

My Review - As soon as I saw Kathy Kinney was an author I had to read this!
It's a very empowering book, the kind that helps you change your way of thinking.
Make sure to visit their website,women can learn more about Crowning Ceremonies and print out their own Crowning Ceremony cards, certificates, coats of arms, and more. They lead 4-day intensive Queen of Your Own Life workshops at Miraval Resorts, a world-class destination spa in Tucson, Arizona and have partnered with philosophy on a special Queen of Your Own Life boxed set of bestselling philosophy products.

Just let me Lie Down Giveaway

Kristin van Ogtrop knows she's lucky--fulfilling career, great husband, three healthy kids, and, depending on the hamster count, an impressive roster of pets. She also knows she is tired. Always.

Using stories and insights from her own life, she provides a lexicon for the half-insane working mom. Anyone who has left a meeting to race to the Halloween parade immediately understands van Ogtrop's definition of "Kill the messenger" as "The action you must take in order to forget about the office for a time--that is, to remove your Blackberry/Treo/iPhone/whatever from your person and store it as far away as your neurotic self will allow." Filled with essays, lists, and resonant observations, JUST LET ME LIE DOWN establishes van Ogtrop as the Erma Bombeck of the new millennium.

About the Author
Kristin van Ogtrop is the editor of Real Simple magazine and has held positions at Glamour, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, and Premiere. She
lives outside New York City with her family.

My Review - I haven't been a working mom since my youngest was born but there were so many things I could relate to. Kristin is hilarious and she has even coined her own terms.....
Caller ID malfunction - when you have dialed a number and cannot remember whom it belongs to but the phone is ringing and it feels too late to hang up.... many many more.
I recommend this to any mother with a sense of humor - Working or Not!

Buy it



Win It
Anna from Hatchett BookGroup is allowing me to giveaway 3 lucky readers of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of Just Let me Lie Down. Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE
Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook HERE
Extra Entry - Follow Mommy Reads too Much Publicly on Google Friend Connect
Extra Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect
2 Extra Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much
5 Extra Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the left)
3 Extra Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here


Giveaway will end on April 14th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes

Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.

Face It - What Women REally Feel as Their Looks Change Review

Intellectually, we understand aging. So why does the first wrinkle or gray hair send us into an emotional tailspin? As smart women who were raised to believe that success and happiness are based on intelligence and accomplishments, many of us never expected to feel this deeply about a seemingly superficial issue. But let's face it, we do!

While individually we were taught that beauty is only skin deep, our youth-obsessed culture reinforces the notion that beauty is our currency, our power, and what makes us female. These conflicting messages leave many women feeling trapped in a web of confusion. Do we grow old naturally, since our looks don't define us, or do we fight the signs of aging, since beauty and youth are prized so dearly?

Whether we focused on our looks or barely noticed them, our changing appearances strike at the core of who we are. Face It is a psychological guide that provides a path out of this surprisingly difficult predicament. It helps us strike a healthy balance between letting our looks matter and accepting that they change -- between holding on and moving on.

As models turned psychotherapists, Vivian Diller, Ph.D., and Jill Muir-Sukenick, Ph.D., have had the opportunity to examine the world of beauty from two very different vantage points -- one where looks are all-important, and the other where they are often viewed as irrelevant. This unique perspective helped them develop a six-step program that starts with recognizing "uh-oh" moments, examines the emotional impact of aging on self-image, and ends by suggesting innovative ways to approach beauty throughout life, so you can enjoy your appearance -- at any age!

My Review - When I first received the book I thought "Great, these models are going to tell me how I'm suppose to find myself beautiful. These beautiful women have no idea how I feel." Once again, I was wrong. Yes, that happens a lot doesn't it. These models are now psychotherapists.
I'm not vain but I have been suffering with aging. I'm a 33 yr old mom of 2 girls and frankly I look NOTHING like I did at 25. My hubby thinks I'm a hot mama but I still have issues with aging. This book has shown me that beauty evolves as we age, into something more realistic.
Sorry, I'm never going to look like that 21yr old that has never had kids.
The book also shows you how to take care of yourself emotionally.

Disclosure - A few product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation

3 Day Cleanse Review and Giveaway

Closed - Winners a Karen K, Wendi P. & Misusedinnocence.
I have emailed you and you have 48hrs to send me your address. Congrats!

3-DAY CLEANSE
AUTHORs: Zoe Sakoutis, Erica Huss

Celebrities, foodies, and media people rely on the Blueprint Cleanse for relief from the excess, overindulgence, and toxins we are all exposed to every day. Now, the founders of the cleanse praised in Elle, Vogue, and Every Day with Rachel Ray, offer THE 3-DAY CLEANSE, an at-home juice cleansing program for everyone.

Cleansing allows the digestive system to rest so you can rid yourself of the toxins everyone accumulates, whether from unhealthy eating or simply from our environment. The 3-DAY CLEANSE offers a customized program based on your own personal health and lifestyle. Unlike other cleanses, the Blueprint Cleanse includes sufficient calories and natural fats, making for an easier yet incredibly effective cleanse.

This books guides readers through step-by-step guidelines for a 1-day, 3-day, and 14-day cleanse, as well as a long-term maintenance plan. Throughout are sidebars, quick tips, secrets and advice from people who have successfully done the cleanse. In addition to the juice, raw, and partially-raw food recipes in the book, the authors include advice on battling the urge to cheat and working the cleanse into a busy lifestyle.

Prepare to boost your immune system, alleviate allergies and PMS, improve your mood and sex drive, and clear up your skin. Finally, the juice service adored by many is available for you to create in your own home!

As soon as I got this book in the mail my hubby grabbed it and ran. When I finally got a hold of it I needed it, we had just eaten at Golden Corral aka Hog Troth. We felt like Gluttons. We've done cleanses before and I did do a modified version of this. When my calms down I plan on diving into it full force. Great Book!!!
Buy it!

Win It - Hachette Book Group is giving 5 lucky readers of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of 3 Day Cleanse. Mandatory entry!!Just tell me you want it, it's that easy. Good Luck!

Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE
Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook HERE
Extra Entry - Follow Mommy Reads too Much Publicly on Google Friend Connect
Extra Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect
2 Extra Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much
5 Extra Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right on Taking Time for Mommy's site)
3 Extra Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here

Giveaway will end on April 4th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only.
Disclosure - A product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation