Warning! My opinion is below.

BREAKING DAWN. . . Don't bother.

I was severely disapointed in the last three books of the series. (Even more by "The Host" but that is another topic.)

Stephenie pulled me in and I was facinated with the first book, What an awesome premise and story. There was a huge setup for lots of plot twists and conflict.

Yet, like J K Rowling IMHO she dropped the ball when she became famous. Her writing style isn't bad, she is a good strory teller, but plot? There is none. It was just a story to wrap up the loose ends she created (and could have done much better with) and fulfill her fantasys.

She uses Deus Ex Machina (giving the char, duct tape JUST when he needs it rather than him picking it up days ago.) to solve her problems instead of writing a creative solution to the problems her characters get into. (Yeah I know I used the word problem twice)

By the time that Eclipse (book three) ended I shut the book with a sense of unhknown disturbance, which I later figured out was my reaction to Bella and Edwards dysfunctional and co-dependant relationship.

This is the issue that disturbs me the most. This book is written for teens and distributed and marketed as a YA novel, I don't want my 14 YO DD to think that what Bella and Edward has that passes for a relationship is normal. It is not!

And the ammount of SEX!!!!! in the fourth book has me worried that these young girl fans are getting way more than they bargained for in the realm of ADULT relationships in a book that claims to be a YOUNG ADULT book.

Michelle

Caught in the Headlights by Barry K. Philips

"If your focus is on peace rather than "happiness," You will set your goals and priorities differently because you truely want something different--something long-lasting, something better. You want peace."

I picked up this book a day ago thinking that with its length and the topic it would be an easy read. Boy was I wrong and right at the same time. The author's voice is nice, almost campy, making it an easy read. He is a bit scattered, on purpose, which I enjoy. But the subject matter is something entirely different. Although I was able to read it in an evening, I will have to go back and read it again and again. There is so much stuff in this thin 104 page book.

The author is/was a motivational speaker and knows his topic and how to present it well.

The premise of the book is that we go through life looking, searching for things like happiness and we are going about it all wrong. In fact we shouldn't be looking for happiness and doing things to make us happy, we should be doing things for our fellow man and that is what will make us truely happy.

Caught in the headlights, 10 lessons learned the hard way, delves into topics such as happiness, pride, freedom, controll, tollerance, forgivness, and sucess. My favorite chapter was the one on self esteem. I am a firm beliver that the instilling of "self-esteem programs" in places like school and workplaces can actually be counter-prodouctive. Making people selfish and afraid to compete or stretch thier self boundaries at all. Think of the "what's in it for me?" generation that is going to be the primary work force in the next few years. Whereas, I think that people need to have a positive image of their self so that they can be sucessfull and go into the world after school and make something of themselves. In my opinion, the author has hit it right on the nail.

So untill I can learn the lessons brought to me in this well written book; thanks for a wonderfull read and a book I will go back to again and again.

Caught in the Headlights

Trade Paperback: 116 pages

Publisher: Cedar Fort (June 2008)

ISBN-10: 1599551675

ISBN-13: 978-1599551678

Website: www.barrykphillips.com

Blog: http://www.barrykphillips.com/blog

Yes Virginia, I am insane. . .

Okay those of you who know me know that Dominion Day the first book in my Dominion Day series is polished and submitted. After getting a personalized rejection I realized that the plot arc in DD1 isn't as solid as I thought it is. I talked with my friend and with her helping me I decided that I should take the story back a few years. To show the reader why he is nervous around women, why, when he goes from assassin to Prophet it is such a dramatic change and why the change happened in the first place, why when he leaves the corps he comes back to it. All of these unanswered questions created by DD1 were never answered, just that is the way the story flowed.

As I was writing the rough draft of # 6 & 7 I had an urge to write #0 which it is right now, cause I am too busy to change all of the numbers. :) So
I guess I am just following my promptings from earlier.

This has been a long and agonizing decision, I have been literaly been sick to my stomach thinking that a book that I have considered finished is going to have to be rewritten. But the plot rings true to me and I feel right in my gut. I am also convinced because the writing coming out of my head is the most complete and gramaticaly correct ever for a rough draft. I love the way this is heading. I know I am doing the right thing, and it feels good.

Room for Two by Abel Keogh

The first time I saw Abel Keogh was at the conference held at CFI. His presentation was on websites and blogs. The presentation was amazing. I learned so much from him. However, the information used as his back cover was what interested me as an author.

~~

"Sweetie, I'm home." I tried to put as much kindness into my voice as possible. I didn't want to have another argument - at least not right away.
Silence.
"Sweetheart?"
A gunshot echoed from our bedroom, followed by the sound of a bullet casing skipping along a wall.
Everything slowed down.
***
When a life is destroyed, when guilt says you played a role in its destruction, how do you face the days ahead?
Twenty-six-year-old Abel Keogh chooses to ignore the promptings he receives concerning his wife's mental illness, and now he feels he is to blame for her choices. If only he had listened . . .
At some point in our lives, each of us face devastating afflictions and must eventually cope with loss. Regardless of how it happens, the outcome is still the same - we are left isolated, alone, wondering what we could have done differently, and where we can turn for peace.
This is Abel's story in his own words. His search for peace and the miracle that follows is proof that love and hope can endure, despite the struggles and tragedies that shape each of our lives.

~~

I was so intrigued by the story that I wished I had money to buy the book that day. Every time I thought about his story I wanted to go out and buy it. When the opportunity presented itself to do a review I jumped on it. As soon as I had the book in my hands I read it that day.
The story is well written and Abel has a voice that is not only easy to read; it draws you in and keeps a hold on your heart. I was not disappointed in this page turner. The story deals not only with his life starting at that fateful moment but through all of the turns and dilemmas that a young widower faces. Living through anger and guilt; blaming himself and his wife for the tragic circumstances. Dealing with dating and the repercussions that his past brings into it.
I was drawn in even more as the story began to deal with a marathon runner and what goes into the training for them, I have sisters in law that run and it intrigues me as to the mindset and the physical ability of someone who not only runs 26+ miles but does it on a broken leg. I think my favorite part was when Abel ran the training distance and kept the training pace. I was rooting the whole way for him.
The book is bitter sweet with more sweet than bitter but there were times I needed my box of tissues. This is a definite feel good book that renews the reader’s faith in the human race. I had a big happy sigh as I put the book down as I closed it for the last time. This is one of those books that I will keep on my shelf for a long time and recommend to a lot of people.
Thank you, Abel.

Room for Two
Trade Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort (August 2007)
ISBN-10: 1599550628
ISBN-13: 978-1599550626

Preparedess Principles By Barbara Salsbury

Okay the geek part of me is coming out of the closet.
I am a food storage nut. I have, from day one of my marriage, worried about, studied, and purchased food storage. When we lived in Logan we had an all day power outage and we were able to dig a pit in our backyard and cook with a Dutch oven and feed us and our neighbors. I also stocked up on food storage every chance I got when we lived there. Every one of my friends over a month’s time said that their leaders had spoken about food storage. I took it to heart and purchased more than I normally would of flour and rice and other things.
When we moved and took all of it with us I was a little confused. I had suspected a disaster because of the feelings I had. It turned out that two years later my DH who had just graduated from BYU this time was laid off and spent 6 weeks looking for a new job. We lived off of that food for those 6 weeks except for perishables. Now with the sell of our old house I have managed to almost finish our food storage for a family of eight.

Do you know how many 45 roll boxes of toilet paper you need for a year for eight people?
21!!!! Where do you put them all? Don’t know, still trying to find out.

If you have EVER wanted a comprehensive book about food storage and emergency preparedness this is it.

Preparedness Principles by Barbara Salsbury.

I was excited to read this book, it is truly a find. There is so much information she has prepared and presented in this one book. Its 356 pages are chock full of information on emergency’s, food storage, water storage and purification, gardening, making storage in the home and 72 hour kits. It has recipes in it to use with your storage, even how to make a simple cottage cheese out of powdered milk.

This book is a well written, easy to read reference. It has a bare bones chart for basic food storage that I have used myself for figuring out how much I need to buy. There are diagrams on how to store your food in a small space. (Think of the movie, The RM, the bed out of boxes and mylar packages. ) How to build shelves on the inside of closet doors. Indoor and container gardens. And lots of other information. The book is also peppered with quotes from people from all over. They are very thought provoking.

In all, it was a pleasure to read. And I will be recommending it to my family and friends. It would be a good Christmas present for those you care about.

You can buy the book by using the link in my side bar.

Decisions...decisions

So I joined the BIAM challenge and I was plowing through my first chapter I got 4000 words in a DAY! then I hit the second chapter and WHAM! I hit a wall.

My dilemma is this, in DD1 Noble has a spirit guide called a Tantra, this tantra is in the form of a talking cat. (think Salem in Sabrina the Teenage Witch) This Tantra named Quelix bothers Lyris it makes her irritated.

So now Lyris needs a spirit guide and I am stuck. Do I ponder and think about giving her a diferent type of spirit guide since she dosen't like Tantras, or do I erase the few lines about him irritating her in DD1 and give her a tantra of her own.

I am leaning toward editing the few lines out of DD1 and giving her her own tantra, I can see her tantra telling her that she is superior to Noble's tantra etc.

The plight of being overwhelmed...

We hear it all the time... Kids are too busy with lessons clubs etc. Let them be kids, time to prioritize, take less lessons. The experts say.

But what about mothers?

A few years ago I was like that myself. Swimming in the ocean surrounded by sharks trying to keep everything in my life afloat. Trying to be a mother, wife, writer breastfeeding counselor/advocate, scrapbooking, artsy tallented, church going/calling serving woman. (I'm sure I left some of it out) Then I hit a wall of depression and dysfunction. I couldn't keep it up and I began to drown in everythiung that I represented and resembled. I dropped everything for a while (yes even being a mother) and recouped.

At that point I decided that I had it all wrong. I had way too many things in my life and keeping all of them afloat was impossible. I had to realize that I had to be true to myself and no one else, and that when I did it became easier to do what was truely required of me.

I am a Wife and Mother. Those are my most important callings. They are the ones that I will be forever asked to fulfill. But I can't be just a mother and a wife. To do that denies my creative muse any stretching. I have found that when I feed my muse I am happier, and therefore a better wife and mother. So I am a Writer and an Artist also, regardless of what the art is. I am a breastfeeding advocate also but my Heavenly Father has moved me to a place where I am not needed in this calling for the moment and for this moment I am content to let this part of me rest. I have two church callings and they are perfect for me one is a once a month and one is once a quarter. I can deal with that.

I had to learn at a tremendous price to myself my marriage and my family that trying to keep everything afloat was impossible. I steped back and reassessed and pared down. This is a good thing.

I am Michelle, I am a Wife and Mother, I am a Writer, I persue artistic tendencys when I have time or need a creative distraction. I am other things, but they will not detract from those things I deem most important.