Warning!!!! Women in this book are not afraid. They’ll snatch off their sling-backs, shimmy out of their couture, slip into overalls and strap on tool belts in the making of their perfect space and, in that, the renovation of their state of mind.
When A Woman Takes An Axe To A Wall explores the synergy between a woman and the four walls she calls her own. Through anecdotes and incidents, it shows us that a woman, or indeed all women who take on their own home repairs embark on more than just superficial fix-it-jobs, they dip into the renovation of their own spirits.
My Thoughts - This was a wonderful collection of stories from powerful women who could do anything once they set their mind to it. The take control of their situations and rebuild homes that no one else wanted.
I want to call this a feel good book but it really is more than that. After reading this you feel you can accomplish anything!
Buy it
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The Writer's Lair is allowing me to give one Lucky Reader of Mommy Reads too Much a copy of When a Woman Takes an Axe to a Wall
Mandatory Entry - Tell me what you need to remodel - whether it's emotionally or part of your house
+1 Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.) +1 Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook +1 Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect +1 Follow Mommy Reads too Much on GFC +2 Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much (You can this this as much as you want) +5 Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right) +5 subscribe to our feed (right) +3 Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles +1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter +3 Follow Tawdra's Blog Publishing Quest +10 Blog about it and leave me the link to check it out +5 Add the Contest in a link on the side of your blog, remember to leave me a link
Giveaway will end August 1st 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 and Canada 18+
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
Adopted as an infant, Jane Aaron longs to know the identity of her birth mother and why she gave her up. Her only clue is the name of the small Texas town where she was born, so she's come to Cedar Springs for answers.
Handsome ad executive Asher Price lost his wife, the beautiful, mysterious Susanna, in a terrible car crash eighteen months ago. When he hires Jane as the nanny for his two children, sparks fly. Jane finds herself falling in love with both Asher and his children, but begins to suspect that Susanna was not the perfect mother and wife the family portrays her to have been.
As Jane gets closer and closer to finding out the truth about both her own and Susanna's past, devastating secrets begin to emerge that may be more than anyone can bear. Will the truth bring Jane and Asher closer together or tear them apart forever?
My Thoughts - I stayed up late last night reading this, I couldn't put it down. That's saying a lot
because I read a lot of books, not to mention value my sleep. Jane has everything, her life is perfect - a loving adopted family who love her, a hot musician boyfriend who adores her and wants to marry her - but something just isn't right. She doesn't fit in and she needs to find herself. She moves to her birthplace for the summer to start her search and becomes Nanny to widower Asher Price's children.
Julia nailed Asher's daughter, Riley's teenage angst and how her little brother Levi dealt with his mom's death and his dad going away on business by acting out. The characters were very likeable and you always understood where they were coming from. I'm not going to give away any spoilers but I will say I was sitting on the edge of my seat towards the end of the book. This would be a great book club pick, there is soooo much to talk about.
Olivia Grace has secrets that could destroy her. One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.
But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can remember nothing of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married.
To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.
In the end, can they risk everything to help Jack recover his lost memories, even though the truth may destroy them both?
My thoughts - This was a very interesting story. Talk about forgiveness! Jack divorces a PREGNANT Olivia due to a misunderstanding and listening to his cousin instead of her. Then 5 yrs later she stumbles over him and realizes he's lost his memory. This really was a great historical romance with great characters.
Win It Anna from Hatchett book group is allowing me to give away 5 copies to my readers.
Mandatory Entry - Tell me what the last historical fiction you read was
+1 Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.) +1 Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook +1 Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect +1 Follow Mommy Reads too Much on GFC +2 Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much (You can this this as much as you want) +5 Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right) +5 subscribe to our feed (right) +3 Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles +1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter +3 Follow Tawdra's Blog Publishing Quest +10 Blog about it and leave me the link to check it out +5 Add the Contest in a link on the side of your blog, remember to leave me a link
Giveaway will end July 28th 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 and Canada 18+
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
This is hilarious, I couldn't quit laughing when I first saw this and I had to share. I'm not very tech savvy and even though I really want an e-reader(because so many good books are only available as e-books), I will always also have books. I love the feel and smell of them. :)
Mandie Stevens is owner of Taking Time for Mommy & Mommy Reads too Much. She's a homeschooling mom of 2 girls and believes every mom should take a little time for herself.
Like most parents, you probably notice -- and often worry about -- every little change in your growing baby. Why is one of his pupils bigger than the other? What's that bald spot on her head? Why is he walking on tippy toes? Drawn from the latest research and reviewed by a panel of pediatricians and other medical experts, Baby Body Signs will answer these and other troubling questions. You'll also learn
* when snoring is normal and when it's a sign of sleep apnea
* what type of freckles may signal a rare genetic disorder
* how a simple baby photo can help uncover an eye tumor
* when swollen breasts in babies are a sign of a hormonal problem
This indispensable book will help you decide when to call the pediatrician and when to relax and stop worrying. You'll want to keep it close at hand throughout your baby's infancy and toddler years.
My Thoughts - After you have a baby mother's intuition sets in so you know what kind of cry means they are tired and what cry means they are hungry etc.
This book covers so much more!! You learn about all of the abnormal things, or things you don't know if they are abnormal or not. It's a really great book for anyone with a baby or having a baby. So many things in there I didn't know and I've had 2 babies already.
Take the Baby Body Signs Quiz By Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph.D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan, Authors of Baby Body Signs: The Head-to-Toe Guide to Your Child's Health, from Birth Through the Toddler Years Baby Body Signs contains a myriad of medical information that can help parents and other caregivers prevent and detect various disorders in their babies. It's also chock full of fascinating historical and other tidbits about babies and their health. The answers to the following questions can all be found in the pages of Baby Body Signs, as well as in medical textbooks, journals, and history books.
1. If a baby's eyes tear up while drinking from a bottle or breast, it can be a sign of:
A. Sour milk B. Readiness to be weaned C. Cry-baby syndrome D. Crocodile tear syndrome
2. Babies should occasionally have their picture taken without the "red-eye reduction" camera feature because:
A. They'll be less likely to become camera shy B. It's easier on babies' eyes C. It can reveal a serious eye problem D. It extends the camera's battery life
3. Hair products that contain estrogen should not be used on a baby because they can cause:
A. Acne B. Premature puberty C. Hair to fall out D. All the above
4. If your baby girl has Epstein's pearls,
A. It's a sign she'll marry a rich man B. It's a sign she has infected earlobes C. She has white bumps on the roof of her mouth D. She should give them back to Mrs. Epstein
5. What was an American folk remedy for earaches?
A. Putting cockroach juice in the ear B. Using eardrops made from goose manure C. Rubbing the ear with rabbit urine D. All of the above
ANSWERS: 1. D Crocodile tear syndrome 2. C It can reveal a serious eye problem 3. B Premature puberty 4. C She has white bumps on the roof of her mouth 5. D All of the above
If you got all the answers right, you either:
A. Have read Baby Body Signs very, very carefully, probably several times. B. Are writing or have written your own book about babies and health. C. Are a doctor or are on our panel of medical experts.
If you got most of the answers right, congratulations! You probably have:
A: Already read Baby Body Signs. B: Are a very knowledgeable parent and/or medical professional. C: Love reading about babies. D: All the above.
Author Bios Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph.D., co-author of Baby Body Signs, is a medical sociologist and award-winning medical writer specializing in women and children̢۪s health. She is a member of the advisory board of Healthy Children Healthy Futures.
Jacqueline Nardi Egan, co-author of Baby Body Signs, is a medical journalist who specializes in developing and writing educational programs with and for physicians, allied health professionals, patients, and consumers. visitwww.BabyBodySigns.com.
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
"There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who don't cook out of and have NEVER cooked out of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK, and the other kind...The I HATE TO COOK people consist mainly of those who find other things more interesting and less fattening, and so they do it as seldom as possible. Today there is an Annual Culinary Olympics, with hundreds of cooks from many countries ardently competing. But we who hate to cook have had our own Olympics for years, seeing who can get out of the kitchen the fastest and stay out the longest." - Peg Bracken
Philosopher's Chowder. Skinny Meatloaf. Fat Man's Shrimp. Immediate Fudge Cake. These are just a few of the beloved recipes from Peg Bracken's classic I HATE TO COOK BOOK. Written in a time when women were expected to have full, delicious meals on the table for their families every night, Peg Bracken offered women who didn't revel in this obligation an alternative: quick, simple meals that took minimal effort but would still satisfy.
50 years later, times have certainly changed - but the appeal of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK hasn't.
This book is for everyone, men and women alike, who wants to get from cooking hour to cocktail hour in as little time as possible.
My Thoughts - I actually love to cook but I still enjoyed this book. It has a lot of simple recipes. Peg is funny too. This book is the 50th Anniversary Edition but you'd never know it. Definitely recommend whether you cook or not.
Buy it
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Anna from Hatchett is allowing me to give away 2 copies of The I Hate to Cook book. Mandatory Entry -
What is your favorite thing to cook? Must do before any other entry to count. +1 Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.)
+1 Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook HERE
+1 Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect
+1 Follow Mommy Reads too Much on GFC
+2 Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much (You can this this as much as you want)
+5 Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right)
+5 subscribe to our feed (far right)
+3 Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles Here
+1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter HERE
+3 Follow Tawdra's Blog Publishing Quest
+10 Blog about it and leave me the link to check it out
+5 Add the Contest in a link on the side of your blog, remember to leave me a link
Giveaway will end July 25th 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 and Canada 18+
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station—and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour," a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it’s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew…
My Thoughts- A werewolf named Kitty is hilarious to me. Someone highly recommended this series to me and I Love it. It's funny. I was a little disappointed in Kitty in the first part of the book, she was very subservient but you get to watch her character grow. Kitty's position as 'baby' in the pack is no longer working and she starts to move up the ranks, she's outted as a werewolf on her nationally syndicated radio show , & there are a string of murders (committed by a werewolf)and Kitty has to deal with the cops. Did a mention vampires and a hot werewolf hit man? This story has it all! It was a very lighthearted paranormal book, perfect for the beach.
Interview with Author of Hunted of 2060, Ami Blackwelder
What is your idea of happiness?Some people think happiness comes with money. Some think fame. For some it is deeper than that and they chose love. For myself, it means to do what you love and spend time with something you are passionate about. For me that would mean to write.
Are you doing what you really want to do in life?I am a teacher and I am a writer and so yes, I am doing what I want to in life. I would like to add settling down and having a family as I have not had that opportunity, but hope that will come to me later in life. Yet, I have been able to travel the world, particularly eight years in Asia, and for me that satisfies a lot of what I have want in life.
In your career as a writer - what do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses? I am well travelled and have a lot of experience with various struggles and emotions as well as with different cultures and peoples and feel that would be my greatest strength. I am a fountain of ideas. But a weakness of mine would include my elation at finishing a novel and becoming too excited, resulting in early release when the novel should be through more edits. I have learned from the past not to release a novel too soon, so that it has the chance to develop more fully and successfully.
What are some of the tools you use for marketing?I enjoy using online services for my eBooks such as public publishing services by smahswords and scribd and some editorial public services like urbis and authonomy. I also like to market on blogger and a bit on word press and weebly. Some other marketing techniques include virtual book tours and facebook...as well as some of my favorite sites listed above. Offline, I like to create bookmarks, posters and sale my books locally at bookstores, libraries, and in schools, markets, malls and anywhere I am welcome. I enjoy speaking with fans and telling people about my novels. Flyers, and business cards are also useful. Giveaways and contests both offline and online are also great promotional devices! I have used all the above:)
Are you satisfied with your experiences as a published author? (things you’ve noticed that could be improved, what you’ve enjoyed, what you’ll do better next time…)I started publishing novels about a year and a half ago and I have learned quite a lot! I’ve learned to properly edit and have a variety of eyes on your novel before allowing the public to buy and view it. I have learned that reviews online through blogs and ezines are very useful for promoting. Word of mouth is very important and building friendships as well as networking is vital to success. I am satisfied with my experiences of having my novel for myself to enjoy; however, I do things differently now than when I first started publishing in 2009. I have learned and I am very happy with what I have discovered and the changes I know I can make to improve the publishing and marketing processes.
Win a copy of Ami's book Hunted of 2060 HERE and visit her site http://amiblackwelder.com to preview or purchase her books
Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?
My Thoughts - I'm a huge fan of fantasy and the paranormal. I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover, it just called to me and I certainly was not disappointed.
The Hunted of 2060 was very fast paced with beautiful descriptions, action, and a nice romantic story line . Ami made me feel like I was part of the world she created. She did a wonderful job of taking the shifter concept and making it her own. I highly recommend this book for all of my paranormal book reading friends who are looking for something new and fresh to read.
Ami is allowing me to giveaway a copy of her book. It will be a limited edition, only 20 will be printed and she is signing it!
Mandatory Entry - Tell me why you want it and friend Ami on GFC wither HERE or HERE
or join her Blog Frog Group below. Tell which one you did :)
For more chances to win, Join Ami's Blog Frog Group and tell her you found the site from Mommy Reads too Much.
She gives away a book EVERY month!! Make sure to come back and tell me you joined :) I'm there too.
Extra Entries
+1 Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on Twitter HERE Tweet about it (1 entry per tweet per day.)
+1 Extra Entry - Follow Taking Time for Mommy on FaceBook
+1 Entry - Follow my other blog Taking Time for Mommy Publicly on Google Friend Connect
+1 Follow Mommy Reads too Much on GFC
+2 Entries - Comment on any non-giveaway post on either Taking Time for Mommy or Mommy Reads Too Much (You can this this as much as you want)
+5 Entries - Signing up for our weekly Newsletter (form to the right)
+5 subscribe to our feed (far right)
+3 Entries -Fan our writer Tawdra Kandle on Associated Content and comment on one of her articles
+1 Follow Tawdra on Twitter
+3 Follow Tawdra's Blog Publishing Quest
Giveaway will end July 9th 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 and Canada 18+ Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S TIME TO REALLY MEET THE BEATLES.
For John Lennon, a young, idealistic zombie guitarist with dreams of global domination, Liverpool seems the ideal place to form a band that could take over the world. In an inspired act, Lennon kills and reanimates local rocker Paul McCartney, kicking off an unstoppable partnership. With the addition of newly zombified guitarist George Harrison and drummer/Seventh Level Ninja Lord Ringo Starr, the Beatles soon cut a swath of bloody good music and bloody violent mayhem across Europe, America, and the entire planet.
In this searing oral history, discover how the Fab Four climbed to the Toppermost of the Poppermost while stealing the hearts, ears, and brains of smitten teenage girls. Learn the tale behind a spiritual journey that resulted in the dismemberment of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Marvel at the seemingly indestructible quartet’s survival of a fierce attack by Eighth Level Ninja Lord Yoko Ono. And find out how the boys escaped eternal death at the hands of England’s greatest zombie hunter, Mick Jagger.
Through all this, one mystery remains: Can the Beatles sublimate their hunger for gray matter, remain on top of the charts, and stay together for all eternity? After all, three of the Fab Four are zombies, and zombies live forever. . . .
My Thoughts- I have to admit I gave this book a big eye roll when I read the back. It seems everyone is jumping on the zombie bandwagon & Zombies = Gore and I'm not big fan of blood and guts but I forgave it because this book was funny I mean REALLY funny! I mean Mick Jagger is a Zombie Hunter & Ringo Starr a Ninja Lord! I enjoyed the dark humor although I admit this book won't be for everyone.
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
