Today = day one of the magic lady serum from Young Living. For over a year my oil guru Vanessa has been telling me to try Progessence Plus. According to her, "If I stopped using oils tomorrow Pro would be the one I would keep. Forever."

As a woman bogged down by PMDD, I'm willing to try something natural and as easy as a daily swipe across my wrists. My daily anti-depressants make a difference with PMDD, yet there are some months that my hormones are out of control. It's like when Hulk gets angry. He goes from a nice little nerd looking guy to... well.. Hulk. That's me!!

This isn't really a post that has any value to the interweb. I just need to revisit this over time and document how this works. Fingers crossed.

My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson

What would you do for the friend who broke your heart?

The short description of My Best Friend's Girl makes it pretty clear that reader will shed some tears. A woman discover's her ex best-friend to be dying, leaving behind a young daughter. That in itself is a heavy load to handle. Don't forget though, the little girl is also the child of her ex-fiancé. What was surprising in this story was the resilience of both Kamryn and Teagan, our main characters. Kamryn is easy to relate with. Her worries and her guilt make her so human, it's as if she's jumping out of the book.

Dorothy Koomson dives right into the thick of story line from page one. The reader doesn't have to sift through a lot of backstory to get to the root of the issue. As the story progresses and we get familiar with the characters, their thoughts and actions show us their struggles of the past and how it is affecting their futures. Again, their actions and reactions feel very authentic. Having lost someone close to me, I found the character's issues with grief to be honest. Their thoughts weren't always proper, their actions were sometimes selfish. That is real life. Nothing was sugar coated for a pleasing story.

I can't give this book enough praise!

I found this book from my local book club and I am so grateful for that. Dorothy Koomson has a writing style I love. There's just the right amount of dialogue. As a reader you can easily insert yourself into the story. Before I was halfway through  My Best Friend's Girl I ordered three of her other books from thriftbooks.com (<--- 15% coupon).

Check out the next three on my to-read list. All of the covers look so light and carefree, and yet the content seems to be very sinister. I love it.

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

My first Jodi Picoult book did not disappoint!

Hello there, my name is Kristin, and I'm probably the last person on earth to learn that Jodi Picoult is a great author. I've heard about all of her books but hadn't gotten around to them. That said, A Spark of Light was the perfect first read from Picoult. Surrounding the mighty controversial topic of all time, abortion.

A Spark of Light is the telling of many different facets of abortion.

Following the discovery of his seventeen year old daughter's abortion, a father seeks retribution by gunning down the lone abortion clinic in Mississippi. We begin inside the hostage situation at the clinic. People have been hurt, SWAT wants to head inside and take over, and the hostage negotiator is holding them back. Thus, Jodi Picoult has started us at the end, and with each following chapter takes us to the beginning.

Each chapter is the previous hour from the chapter we've read. In each chapter we go deeper into the thoughts and memories of every complex character. A pregnant nurse, a freshman girl seeking birth control, a "pro-lifer" undercover, a woman who just had an abortion and the doctor who performed it, and several more. Everyone had a secret or some kind of obstacle in their life which wouldn't be fair for anyone to endure. Even the gunman has a backstory that makes you want to sympathize, if for only a moment.

This side, or that side ...

As Picoult mentions in this book (in much better words) the stakes are too high for this issue to truly end. There will always be the pro-life and pro-choice camps. I didn't feel that A Spark of Light was pushing too hard to persuade the reader in either direction. The book presents several viewpoints of abortion. Each woman who sought an abortion in this book had such different socioeconomic backgrounds. The doctor is a man of color who sees personally how race plays into the issue of abortion. In each of these narratives, I found myself surprised and considered these different ideas in comparison to my own.

When "every life matters" means protecting the rights of embryos, who is protecting the rights of women?

A Spark of Light was a very powerful book full of ideas that are so relevant and applicable to real life. The stories of these women are much like those of women we know. The women that we are. The story truly digs deeper into the depth of humanity. All of us are flawed human beings just trying to do better each day.

Jodi Picoult has taken a brave and bold step as an author.

I suppose it's possible that Picoult has written other controversial books; however, anytime a public figure breaches such a controversial topic they stand to lose some fans. Picoult is very clear in cataloging how she researched for this book. I applaud her for sharing science based information. I thank her for taking what must have been a lot of time interviewing people on both sides of abortion. Hopefully all of her fans appreciate her effort to open our eyes to the varying lives affected by one deeply personal topic. Even if A Spark of Light doesn't move the reader to a different stance on abortion, the content is moving enough to help the reader feel a little more empathy for their opposite.

Frost Blood by Elly Blake

The cover of Frost Blood by Elly Blake is both soft and beautiful while implying danger and violence.

In Frost Blood, Ruby is a Fire Blood who lives in hiding among regular villagers in the mountains. She and her mother are far from the viscous Frost King and his mission of hunting down the last of the Fire Blood people. Their efforts to keep Ruby hidden were not enough. The King's regime finds Ruby during a raid of her small village. In this terrifying night, Ruby still cannot gain enough control of her fire gift to properly defend herself. Because of hiding, she never fully learned to harness her gift, and yet the Frost King would have her punished.

Ruby is the best chance at overthrowing the evil King's reign, but her fear of her own unchecked power holds her back. She makes unlikely friends who try to help her harness her power. Despite their differences of fire and ice, her ice gifted friends do manage to help her trust herself more and more with time. While on this journey, Ruby develops a love interest. While it is an ancient believe that ice and fire cannot be together, it doesn't quell the intense feelings they develop.

Once again, opposites attract.

I enjoyed the conflict and timeline of Ruby and Arcus developing their feelings for each other. Their gifts were literal opposites to each other and caused each other physical discomfort to which they had to acclimate. Elly Blake didn't rush their love and it's greatly appreciated. Too often in the young adult genre the characters are in love within almost a single chapter. Actual love isn't so easily built and Ruby and Arcus depict that very well.



Without giving too much of the plot away, Frost Blood held some similarities to one of my all time favorite movies, Gladiator. Russel Crowe makes a great placeholder for Arcus. ;) Come to think of it, even Joaquin Phoenix makes for a great Frost King, but I digress.

Love, vengeance, violence ... so much to keep you entertained!

Frost Blood by Elly Blake was a five-star read! Now excuse me while I continue with Fire Blood.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

The cover of Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian is stunning. My 12-year-old has recently become a bookworm so we took a trip to Powell's City of Books. The book store occupies a full city-block and offers more books than you can imagine. Ash Princess has the type of cover art that stands out on a jam packed shelf of books. I grabbed it for her, but I was not prepared for how much I would love the book myself.

Magic, Politics, Love, Friendships, Betrayals...

The life of Theodosia is full of tragedy from the very first page. Following the murder of her mother, she is renamed Thora. She is forced to deny her true identity and live among the people who conquered her home and stole her queendom, the Kalovaxians. Her existence as a pretend Kalovaxian is truly despicable and it leaves the reader questioning how this story could possibly end well for Thora and her enslaved people.

Thora's life among the Kalovaxians is a miserable shadow of existence. She is physically punished everytime there is any resistance or rebellion from the enslaved Astreans. The Kaiser forces her to wear dresses that display her scars for all to see. She is allowed to interact with others, as she is supposed to be a docile Kalovaxian citizen but, they are always watching her. She is never truly alone.

The ashes, they all fall down.

Cresentia is Thora's only friend; however, throughout their interactions it's clear the friendship is both a blessing and a curse. Cresentia was kind to Thora from the first time she was forced to wear a crown made of ashes. At all social functions, Thora is made to wear a crown of ash so that it flakes and falls with her movements. Covering her in ash and mocking her former station as a princess of Astrea.

The Kaiser thinks to break her, and unintentionally sparks the rebellion inside of her.

Thora's identity was always a show. She reminded herself how Thora is expected to act, what she would say, how she should feel. The moment she decides to fight for her county she shifts mentally to Theodosia. Years of abuse keep her insecure and questioning all of her plans. Her fight to redeem herself as Queen Theodosia is made more authentic this way. Readers might prefer her to be a tough and defiant woman instantly, but the truth is that she was tortured from her childhood. Fighting back against any abuser, and in this case a whole country, is not done easily.

Ash Princess provides plenty of surprises to keep the pages turning. Her best friend is an enemy to her country. If she overthrew the Kalovaxians, how could she spare her friend? Theodosia wants to hurt the man who killed her mother; however, he's Cresentia's father. Can she kill the father of her only friend? Throughout Ash Princess, taking back Astrea seems an impossible feat. A vast majority of the Astreans were murdered while the rest are enslaved in the mines. From embers and ashes, Theodosia will rise against them.

My Journey with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

I knew something was wrong because I couldn’t stand my own kids. The sound of “mom” made me want to crawl out of my skin. The slightest problem from them or between them would send me into a rage and I would scream at them from the top of my lungs. It was horrible. I’m ashamed that it took me so long to notice it happened in a monthly pattern.

This meme is perfect. I’m currently in one of my low depressed moods and of course went to the internet memes to feel better. I’m medicated now which has been a blessing for my function and behavior. Most women can better predict their PMDD onset because of how it is attached to their menstrual cycle. For me, without a regular cycle I sometimes don’t realize what’s wrong with my brain is PMDD because I don’t always get periods (sincere thanks to Mirena).

Some of it can be minor but very annoying. My brain goes out. Much like pregnancy brain, my mind just doesn’t completely function. It’s like a small piece of the train tracks is missing and the train somehow leaves the rails but then hops back on. How did that happen? I don’t know. What did I miss? I don’t know.

I don’t rage at my kids anymore. I’m much mellower in my phases now. I might just let them eat whatever they want, wander to their rooms with iPads, and then participate in mediocre interaction that passes for mothering. Am I proud? Of course not. Do I love them with all my heart? Yes. Would I protect them with my last breath? Absolutely. The mind can just be a dark place which we cannot rationalize. You can’t just decide to be happy. You can’t choose to not be depressed. It doesn’t work that way. I know that I legitimately should be happy at all times, I have a great life. I am happy. I just also deal with bouts of depression.

Of course there is a whole boat load of guilt. Guilt and remorse. I’m sorry daughter. You deserve better. Luckily your brother is too young to notice anything amiss.

One of the hardest parts about any form of depression (in my opinion) is not knowing if you can trust yourself. Is how I feel about myself legitimate feelings, or am I in a dark mood right now? Am I imaging problems that aren’t really there because of my muddled PMDD brain, or do I have problems that need to be addressed? I’ve taken to just sitting things out. Holding back thoughts and conversations. If it lasts over a week then I can share it with someone. I hate to make an issue to just find out two days later my brain overreacted.

I don’t have an eye opening, positive conclusion. I felt compelled to put this all out there in a tiny corner of the internet in case someone else stumbles across it and finds some sort of comfort. I always climb out of my dark hole, only to slowly slide back in, remember I’ll be ok, and climb back out. It’s a cycle that I continue to learn from.

Ruthless Magic by Megan Crewe

Ruthless Magic indeed. The story begins with a young man named Finn trying to impress his family with his feeble magical ability. Finn comes from a long-time magical family, and yet he's struggles to keep up with his magical peers. He's desperate to prove himself to his granduncle and his father that he deserves placement at The Academy, and doesn't want to be given a placement simply because of his familial relations.

The magical confederation determines which youth will be granted admission into the Academy for tutoring, and which will instead be "dampered". If you're not chosen for The Academy, your magical ability is dampered down to just a single enhanced ability, such as being a great cook. Finn's best friend Prisha is the first in her family to be magical. The Confed doesn't trust new magic. Their intent with their magical ability can't be trusted. Discrimination runs rampant throughout this story.

Clearly a few young and brave souls need to change the hierarchy while surviving the test.

If not chosen for The Academy, a person can challenge the decision by declaring for "The Exam", a magical test put on by The Confed. No one knows just what The Exam entails, only that it is dangerous. Rocio, our second point of view in Ruthless Magic knows all too well that the exam has cost lives of previous participants. Passing The Exam allows each champion to retain all of their magical ability. Failure is worse than the dampering. All of your magical ability is stripped away.

Hunger Games, meets Dumbledore's Army with a Divergent twist.

Naturally, The Exam is much more dangerous than any of the examinees could have imagined. A few of them are suspicious of The Confed but wisely keep it to themselves. When met with very unsettling news from the examiners, all of them must make a difficult choice. They can forfeit and lose their magic, or they can continue for a chance to keep their magic while sacrificing their morals. Definitely an awful twist in the story.

In Ruthless Magic, no one is a witch/wizard, all simply mages. There are no wands. Magic is intertwined with the mage and is released with a rhythm or song lyric. This lends to a more honest and organic feeling of magic. Megan Crewe did a fantastic job of setting up the series for the next book. There is enough conclusion to be satisfied with this portion of Finn and Rocio's story; however, there is definitely more Ruthless Magic ahead of them.

Everless by Sara Holland

According to my own tween, Everless by Sara Holland is a great read for a mother/daughter bookclub.

The people of Sempera survive on the blood of the less fortunate in their society. We’re not talking vampires. Because of an ancient spat between an Alchemist and a Sorceress, the life expectancy of a Semperan citizen depends on how well they “spend” their life blood. Days, months, and years of time are drawn from a person’s blood and bound into a coin. The coins are dropped into drinks and extend the life of the more fortunate drinker. It pays rent, it buys food, and it is drawn in large quantities as punishments for crimes. 

Time is currency - blood iron extends lives by centuries.

In Everless, we witness the vast difference between the poor working class and the aristocracy. Where our main character Jules Ember is desperate to earn back the years her father has had to sacrifice for their meager living, people like the Gerlings are frivolous with their wealth earned from the life blood of those they tax so harshly.

In a last ditch effort to provide for herself and her withering father, Jules joins the influx of servants at the Everless Estate. Roan Gerling is soon to marry the Princess of Sempera and the Estate needs many people to prep the wedding. Immediately her presence causes trouble for herself and those around her. She promised her father she’d never return to Everless, the home of her childhood, her first love Roan Gerling, and his cruel brother Liam Gerling.

If you see Liam Gerling run away. Leave Everless. Stay far away from the Queen.

As you can expect from a seventeen year old girl, Jules is drawn to do the opposite of what her father begs her to do. She can’t believe she’s in any danger from the Queen because her father won’t tell her why. She knows she should avoid Liam; however, she needs to know what trouble he’s up to. What secrets is he keeping in that journal, and is he a danger to his brother Roan?

Jules will take great risks to get to know the Queen of Sempera, as well as her adopted daughter that is soon to marry Roan. Sara Holland’s debut novel might have a few twists you’ll see coming but you will definitely be surprised by Jules’ connection to the Queen, and the dramatic ending to this first installment.

Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope

Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope is the first edition in the Earthsinger Chronicles. Earthsingers are people who have a magical ability called Earthsong. It is as natural to them as air, and connects them to nature. They are non-confrontational people but can utilize the elements of earth as defense in battle. Those born with Earthsong are scorned by people who are born without.

Jasminda was the strongest of them all, even if her Earthsong was the weakest.

Despite being hardly tolerated in Elsira, Jasminda manages to keep her chin held high while living alone on her family property. Her father was an Earthsinger from Lagrimar but stayed in Elsira to be with her mother. Her parents were not well liked in their town because of their interracial relationship. For choosing to marry an Earthsinger, Jasminda's mother was disowned from her Elsirian family.

Lagrimarians are not trusted, are believed to be inferior, and are often referred to as the slur "grol". L. Penelope has presented a different concept for representing bias and the hardships people endure for having a quality that is naturally inherent to them. Earthsong is the cause of discrimination while the color of their skin is only an outward indicator of the ability.

Jack, an Elsirian soldier and therefore not an Earthsinger, is our leading man carrying a few secrets. He is caught spying on Lagrimarian soldiers and beaten nearly to death. It is when his captors commandeer Jasminda's cabin that she and Jack are thrown together in a fight for survival. They are a formidable pair, each saving the other time and time again. Just when they think they can find happiness with each other, they arrive at Elsira's Capital where less than a handful of people are kind to Jasminda.

Her appearance attracts gossip and rudely open stares.

Jasminda receives little kindness and virtually no respect while in Elsira's Capital. Internally she feels the pain of being judged, yet outwardly she is the picture of confidence. She is a stronger heroine than most. Her internal struggle with the cruelty of others is honest and how most of us feel when we are misjudged. How she reacts reflects a deep will not to succumb to the prejudice of others. She manages to continue putting the well being of others before her own, desperate to figure out why The Queen Who Sleeps is sending her visions in her dreams.


Despite the personal cost to her own happiness, Jasminda is determined to find a way to wake The Queen and stop The True Father from taking over the lands and stealing Earthsong from all Lagrimarians. She finds new friends among the Lagrimarian refugees who have managed to hide from The True Father and retain their Earthsongs. Not all of them trust her, but they recognize that she has been chosen by The Queen.

Song of Blood and Stone touches on another sensitive subject, the treatment of refugees. There is dangerous tension and mistrust among refugees and soldiers. They're rejected by community and thought of as less than. This isn't the key story line but it does easily apply to our very real climate.

There might be some predictability in the love story, but I was not expecting the amount of feelings I would experience in this book. I was entranced by the magic of Earthsong, and impressed at the resilience of a young woman in the face of adversity.

Song of Blood and Stone is much more than a young fantasy story, it is an experience that all book readers need to endure.

Frankincense for Emotional Support - Week One

I've completed pretty consistent use of Frankincense daily for a week. I was advised to roll it over my heart every three hours for emotional support. That is a little impractical for my lifestyle, so I have been successful in my goal of three times a day. Here's what I've learned thus far:

I have learned to like the smell.

Frankincense has a very earthy smell. I barely tolerated this oil when I opened my starter kit from Young Living. After a week of rolling this on my chest daily, I've learned to do one small streak rather than rolling it back and forth. One swipe is plenty of oil. The scent has grown on me. I don't mind it like I used to. My oily guru/friend says I was averted to the smell because my body truly needed Frankincense.

Frankincense is assisting my battle with depression.

Without serious trauma or distinct reasons to so-called "justify" my depressive mood swings, I lived a long time without knowing my inner monologue was not normal. I noticed that it truly escalated around my menstrual cycle. After pinpointing the pattern I was diagnosed with PMDD. I'm on a daily anti-depressant but sometimes it's just not enough support. I can honestly say that after my first week I believe the properties in Frankincense are helping keep me in good spirits. For the last month I've been too moody and bleh feeling to even read a book (check out my blog, reading is what I do). I just regained that drive to read books a few days ago. That is HUGE for me. I can't help feeling like Frank is part of the equation here.

My improvement is not limited to Frank. 

I diffuse citrus fresh, or grapefruit oil at my desk at work. I diffuse lavender with patchouli or cedar wood at night for improved sleep. Have you ever noticed that certain smells make you smile? Maybe you don't smile but you say "ahhh" with a contented exhale. In any case, these oils make me smile because their soothing. When I'm super stressed, I feel relief even for just a moment. That's the magic of oils that keeps me going daily.

To learn more about Frankincense and its MANY uses click here

If you're interested in the starter kit from Young Living which includes a gorgeous diffuser, Frankincense, and several other valuable oils, click here.

/// I am not a certified health expert. I am not an expert in oils. I am a consumer who is learning about oils and how they can improve my life. Please do your own research, don't replace medications without talking to a doctor.
Always talk to a doctor before beginning any health regimen. \\\

Sick Girl by Rachel Hargrove

In her novel Sick Girl, Rachel Hargrove tells the story of both Aubrey and Melissa from their alternating perspectives. Aubrey is in love with Melissa's husband as well as Melissa's lifestyle. Both women are terminally ill and therefore live a life different from everyone surrounding them. To get close enough to kill Melissa, Aubrey has to befriend her. In doing so, she realizes that she actually likes Melissa. Killing her becomes much more difficult once they've become friends.

Aubrey is definitely a sick girl in more than one way 

Aubrey is definitely suffering from some delusions. In her perspective, the transition into her lover's life will be simple. Of course he puts his wife first right now, but if Melissa were gone then he could finally put Aubrey first. Simple really, Melissa is terminal anyway. All Aubrey is doing is speeding the process along. Aubrey could move-in with Tom and the kids and enjoy the only good thing going on in her life, Tom. She'd be happy through her final days.

Tom's wife Melissa was the bread-winning success before she got sick. She was the reason that they could afford the mcmansion in San Francisco. Her tech start-up put them in designer clothes and fancy cars. When her illness forces her to step down from work she becomes obsessed with the company's place in the stock market. She can't remove herself from her phone, following her "first baby" while being stay-at-home mom to her two actual children. Melissa could be considered the lucky one between her and Aubrey. Melissa has money to throw at organic food, high quality vitamins, and expensive naturopaths. Most of all, she's not facing death alone.

There's surprising revelations involving all three points of this love triangle 

As a reader, you can't help but want both women to get a happy ending. Both of them are destined to die from page one of this story yet you can't help hoping somehow there's a miracle cure for them. Sure, Aubrey is crazy but she's also dying alone. She might just need psychiatric treatment and distance from Tom. Melissa might not be the world's best mom but again, Cancer. Cancer makes it hard to be as attentive to her kids as she needs to be. She's fighting for her life literally and was already suffering depression from the loss of her career.

So how does Rachel Hargrove get it done? Do they both die? Does Tom finally get caught cheating? Read this exciting thriller to find out!

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

 Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody is a dangerous journey through the "City of Sin". A city that is said to leave a mark on your soul. No one leaves the city undamaged in some way. Enne Salta is a young and proper lady who arrives with a trusted guidebook in hand, desperate to find her missing mother. Her book warns her of the dangers of the city, where to go and where not to go. It doesn't warn her of the reputation that her mother Lourdes had in the city. She quickly realizes she can't seek help from the "white boots" (police), she will have to rely on the help of Levi Glaisyer and his street gang The Irons.

Young love blooms in the right place but at the wrong time. 

We shouldn't be surprised when Levi and Enne begin to develop feelings for each other; and yet, it's not the typical circumstances getting in the way of their budding romance. Levi is keeping secrets from Enne in an effort to protect her. While helping her search for her mother he can't bring himself to tell her that he's received the card of "The Fool," indicating his required participation in a game that holds his life as the prize. The odds of "The Fool" winning the game are slim to none.

Enne discovers a lot more about her own secret past than that of her mother's.

While I expected most of this book to take place in a deadly game played by Enne, I'm pleased that the author took us through the journey of Enne searching for her mother. She makes unlikely friends, finds herself in various situations of danger where she discovers she's not quite as delicate as she thought, and she manages to find the courage to keep facing devastating setbacks without losing hope. Enne was not considered special in her hometown of Bellamy and was hardly accepted by her peers. Now she's found acceptance, and a place to truly shine. It might be in The City of Sin, but she comes to feel more connected there in just a few days than in her whole life lived in Bellamy.

The author Amanda Foody brought these young characters to life with such a true adolescent perspective. Despite Levi being in charge of an entire street gang, she shows us his soft side and vulnerability. She describes people of different ethnic backgrounds, main characters who could be defined as bi-sexual (no graphic lovemaking in this book), and characters who choose to dress gender fluid. Foody manages to create a diversity that I don't tend to see when I read books. We rely on the author to create the landscape to which our own imagination will leap off and fill in visual gaps. Amanda Foody provides a landscape that is very alluring and very unique.

Thank you Harlequin Teen for the free book giveaway hosted on Goodreads.com

Winter Igniting by Rebecca Zanetti

Winter Igniting finally gave me two characters to love completely. April Snyder is just the kind of woman I'd want to meet in a post-apocalypse world. She is smart, compassionate, and a true survivor. Somehow, April managed to find purpose in a dark world. She felt like she had nothing left to live for, yet she still continued to get up each day and take care of the orphans who've survived Scorpius.

Damon Winter might be the greatest of all the Vanguard Mercenaries.

Before Damon Winter, my favorite Scorpius surviving male was his best friend Greyson. I liked how each of them treated their love matches. Damon is quite smitten with April but it doesn't cloud his judgement where she's concerned. When he had issues with her defying his orders, it wasn't because of that alpha-male "I'm in charge" crap. It was practical. They had a mission and she defied orders twice. I was relieved that he wasn't the control freak in the relationship.

Over the development of this series we have all grown suspicious of The Pure. Having a new amiable leader for The Pure Church was a good start to establishing trust with The Vanguard, but why are they still hiding the pregnant women and children? It's easy to believe that their hiding in The Pure Church is forced. Before Winter Igniting, I was hell bent on Vanguard forcing their way inside. Clearly I'm not well suited for planning a mission. In this book we finally get to see the inside of The Pure building. I was equally suspicious as April and Damon were. I agree that there is some validity to protect people who haven't been infected, but there's still something to discover in that building.

Will Scorpius survivors be able to carry their babies to term?

When April speaks with the pregnant women in The Pure, I realized I could appreciate their fear of outsiders. If I was pregnant I wouldn't be willing to risk contracting Scorpius either. It's possible they're the only ones who can procreate. We know of a few pregnant Scorpius survivors but it's too soon to know if the moms and babies will survive. We're getting closer to finding out. They've discovered the importance of vitamin B, they've found secret bunkers with research, I think in the next book we will discover how to save the human race.

New readers of the Scorpius Syndrome series, even if you're not into romances there is still something in these books for you to enjoy. The consistent story line of humans pulling together despite the overwhelming odds against them is inspiring. I envy you if you've never imagined what it would be like to survive some kind of nuclear disaster with only a small fraction of humanity. I myself know that I'll go raid my local Walmart right away for supplies.

Blood Fury by J.R. Ward

Blood Fury by J.R. Ward has been added to my list of completely satisfying books from the Black Dagger Brotherhood/Legacy. Honestly, not a single one of the books from this world has disappointed. Sure, I cried big ugly tears on an airplane when I finished The Shadows, I still loved the book. When a book makes you cry like that, it's legit. 😏

What I enjoy about Ward's books is that while there is a main story-line, there is always a secondary story between another couple. Not to mention little side issues in the works that tend to be preludes to the next book. I have friends who can't stand to read a series because they don't like a continuous story (yes they're crazy). Ward almost always completes a section of someone's story for us in each book while continuing or beginning another's.

Peyton definitely had his issues with self worth that were sad and I felt for him, but it was Novo that I was crying about. Her personal tragedy that she endured was just heart wrenching. My own experience wasn't nearly as traumatizing but I was able to relate closely which made her character seem to jump off the pages into my soul. J.R. Ward painted that picture very accurately.

Saxton has been recovering from the loss of his first love Blay. I never felt too sorry for Saxton because he was a casualty of my favorite Black Dagger couple. Blay always belonged with Qhuinn. Unfortunately Saxton had to be heartbroken for me to FINALLY see those two together. That said, I'm glad Saxton meets his match. FYI - not a spoiler, it's in the book description.

J.R. Ward writes love scenes that make you sweat just reading them. 

If you read nothing else from the series you could still enjoy this book. All of the emotional turmoil is very well written. Of course all of lovemaking is pretty damn steamy. So jump out of your slow-paced reads and jump into the action of The Black Dagger Legacy.

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

The Girls in the Picture tells the story of Hollywood's first movie stars and screen writers. Before reading this book I hadn't considered how Hollywood got its start. I didn't know the first silent films were shot quickly without permission in front of churches and businesses. Many people in LA discriminated against people associated with movies. It was a shameful new thing to be part of apparently. Despite the naysayers, two women managed to be wildly successful in a man's world.

I hadn't heard the names Mary Pickford and Frances Marion before this book. I now realize that I have them to thank for opening doors for women in the industry. It was no easy feat. Men wanted them to fail at every turn. Many resented them. As a team, they faced off against these men. The were determined to have careers even if it was too absurd for these men to understand.

Tragic and unfair, Mary Pickford began acting at the age of 8. Her father had died, leaving her behind with her mom and two siblings. As the eldest sibling, she became the bread winner. Earning just enough money to feed and clothe them all. Deprived of a normal childhood, Mary would later become famous for her brilliance in portraying a child in the movies.

Frances Marion would become the highest paid "scenarist" in the business, and the first to win two Academy Awards. Mary undoubtedly gave Frances her break into Hollywood, but Frances would build her career through her own talent as a writer. She was so rare, the first female to direct a film, that many simply couldn't believe it at all. Why wasn't she home knitting or doing something else useful?

Both women would have several marriages. It is arguable that a lot of the reason Mary was able to challenge men in her career was because her marriage protected her. It wasn't a secret that women were expected to lay on casting couches to earn a role in the movies. As a married woman, a good-girl, she didn't have to make those choices to further her career.

"I'd seen the way men in power treated actresses; it wasn't an equal relationship at all, and if you were ambitious, there were many unsavory choices you would have to make."

Our recent #timesup movement began after a very public exposure of this dirty "secret". Women's rights have come so far from the times of Mary and Frances that all of us wanted to believe that women in Hollywood were equal to the men. We wanted to think that the actresses we know and love today didn't suffer harassment from men in power. Yet, we now know that they did of course. Most of us assumed it happened behind the scenes, but hoped that it didn't.

Early Hollywood doesn't sound much different from what we're hearing today in the media as actresses and even some actors tell their personal stories of harassment and assault. The distinguishable difference is that we now live in a time where these actions are illegal and punishable. Women are powerful enough to speak out about how they've been mistreated and enough people in power care. There is legal action that can and has been enforced. Hopefully men will no longer be able to manipulate women and their careers for their own pleasure.

Melanie Benjamin took true historical information and created a dialogue for Mary and Frances. The conversations and events throughout the book all ring true. They all felt authentic. We will never know their actual conversations and motivations, but Melanie Benjamin was very imaginative. I feel she was successful at bringing these two women to life, and did their stories justice.

The Girls in the Picture Were Pioneers for Women and Show Business

I'll admit that it took me a long while to read The Girls in the Picture. At times it felt drawn out. I was often angry that Frances didn't speak out to Mary when she should have. I was definitely furious that Mary was missing from Frances' life at the moments she needed Mary most. We can't know for certain that it happened that way in real-life; however, I would have liked it if Melanie Benjamin had believed that Frances deserved at least one moment. There were times in their older years when Mary was cruel to Frances and yet Frances allowed it all. She came back to Mary whenever she was called without even talking about their problems. I'd have liked Frances to knock Mary down a few pegs.

I understand why some readers commented that they wished the story ended before their careers dipped and the industry turned them into relics. Of course we all want that glorious happy ending for them. Instead, Melanie took us well past their career heyday and into their senior citizenship. This felt more authentic. Real life isn't what we see in movies. It isn't like most of the fiction we read. Real life has both joy, heart break, and doesn't guarantee us a happy ending. Melanie Benjamin told an important true story with just the right amount of happy fiction mixed with enough realistic disappointment to bring The Girls in the Picture to life.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval feels like a mystical fairgrounds with a twist of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland 

Scarlett is a responsible older sister desperate to protect her sister Tella from their abusive father. He was always a tough man to handle but he became murderously dangerous after their mother disappeared without a trace. Tella doesn't make it easy on Scarlett. She has a wild heart and doesn't take life as seriously as Scarlett. While Scarlett thinks that her arranged marriage will save her and Tella from their life on Trisda, Tella thinks the marriage would be a new prison for Scarlett. Tella is desperate to protect Scarlett from a marriage to a man she's never met.


So sure that she can save them both, Tella make a wreckless decision to get both of them to Caraval where they can earn a wish from a man known as Legend. Scarlett should be thrilled at her chance to go to Caraval. It's a magical game hosted by the mysterious Legend. You have to be invited to Caraval where you have a choice to play or observe. Despite having written to Legend for years, hoping to get an invitation, Scarlett is worried that Caraval will ruin her chance at her arranged marriage. All Scarlett wants is to leave Caraval with Tella right away so they can return to Trisda in time for her wedding. Leaving Caraval with Tella is no easy feat. Scarlett has to play the game.

Don't get carried away at Caraval, it's only a game

Stephanie Garber weaves a darkly elegant setting for Caraval. The games are played at night and everyone retreats inside during the day. At night everything seems enhanced. The encounters with people, the shops and scenery, it's a heightened experience. The players are mysterious as well. It is said that some of them are just there for the adventure while others ruthlessly want to win. Every item and every bit of information at Caraval will cost you something valuable. It could be a secret, it could be time from the game, nothing is free.

This story was not predictable. Their was a romantic involvement that had it's own set of surprises. Nothing involving the games was obvious. Every decision Scarlett had to make could have been disastrous to her chances. At times I worried she'd risked too much. I felt like no one could be trusted and that all of them were out to trick her. Yet Scarlett took chances based on her will to win for her and Tella.

Who is Legend?

Throughout Caraval I kept thinking I'd figured out who Legend truly was but of course I was wrong. As I said, not predictable. When Scarlett comes face to face with Legend my jaw literally dropped. This scene in the tunnels is very intense. Secrets and the true nature of characters are revealed. Is any of it really true, or is it the distortion that occurs from the dark tunnels?

I can't recommend this book enough. As a person who loved The Night Circus I can see why reviewers are comparing it to Caraval. Both have a darkness with magic and adventure. Both books take place in such a creative place created by talented authors. Caraval is very well written, and while it isn't Sarah Garber's first book written, it is her first ever published. This is a knockout debut book, and I sure hope for a movie adaption. For now, I anxiously await the next book this May!

 

Cruelty Among Girls, Is it a Rite of Passage?

My daughter's first "mean girl" experience was in Kindergarten. A girl in class brought toys and things to school and gave them to her friends but always left my daughter out. "Mommy, how come she doesn't bring one for me?" The mama bear in me wanted to attack. It hurt my heart.

Fast forward to the 6th grade, the girl drama has advanced with age. Most women will tell you that middle school was a fierce time to be a girl. We learn to be snarky, survive other girls who are snarky, and basically skate by hoping to survive social injustice in our circle of friends. We never forget these times when our whole world fell apart. My friends didn't talk to me for a week because I was "acting like a hoe" which in middle school meant I had too many friends that were boys. Mind you, I only saw them at school. It broke my little heart and instead of standing up for myself I was relieved they let me be their friend again.

My daughter was accused of snooping through her friend's phone. She swears she didn't do it, and naturally I believe her. It seems like a simple misunderstanding. Her friend forgot to close some apps but swears that she did; therefore, my daughter must have snooped in her phone. Honest simple misunderstanding, but this is 6th grade so it can't be that simple. The circle of friends has been affected.

Some of them were "50/50" in believing her while another girl stated it was "a bitch move" and they're no longer friends. I've explained that her friends probably just didn't want to choose sides. Choosing her side means that her friend is a liar. To be honest, she's not a liar. She just is honestly mistaken. Yet it has become this dark mark on their friendships. It's possible that all of them have moved on and forgotten, but my girl hasn't.

She is a quiet, shy, introvert. She likes being alone but loves her friends too. Now she is apprehensive about going to school and facing her social circle. She feels like they talk around her at lunch but don't engage with her. Is it true? To be fair, she could be imagining that because she's the one so affected. What I do know is that the kindest of girls can get trapped in these dramas even if they don't intend to be. I made it to the other side of the drama, my daughter will survive too. The challenge is convincing her that this isn't the end of the world.

I spend extra time worrying about my daughter because she's very kind and sensitive in a cruel world. Rather than deal with issues, she'd like to hide from them. We haven't entered the social media world yet and that will only add to my motherly worries. I can't shield her from all harm, duh. I only aim to guide her and teach her to stand up for herself. I don't want her to learn to hide from her troubles. I don't want her to be easily manipulated. I want her to be resilient.

Sure, many people will think I'm overthinking things and stressing too much. Go ahead and leave that comment here if you'd like. What I do know for sure is that part of the adult she will be is shaped by these experiences. I'm her mother. I've endured a whole 20 years before she came into my life. It's my job to guide her through this world and then nudge her out of the nest when she's an adult.

We don't know what lessons they will remember and which ones they'll ignore. I'll keep being there for her when she falls down. I won't pick her up and fix her problems for her, but I'll help her dust off, provide some of my "wisdom", and encourage her to keep facing her problems head-on.

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

I like to avoid spoilers but in this case it’s not possible. Don’t worry, you’ll be clearly alerted to spoilers.

The Girl Before has a promising preview in its dust jacket. Two women at different times choose to live in a house so smart it is meant to improve their lives. Both Emma and Jane have experienced trauma and are looking for a fresh start. One Folgate Street appears to be just what they need. The landlord requires you to shed the clutter of your old life and live in the house under certain rules meant to remove the unnecessary materials you once thought you needed.

Do you agree to the terms and conditions of the rental contract? 

It would be lovely to have your shower recall the exact pressure and temperature you need when you step inside. Quite lovely to have your “Housekeeper” app alert you to your home habits and tips for your physical health. It would NOT be lovely to have your internet search access restricted (sound familiar to our current climate?). Not AT ALL lovely to have to open your home to the occasional tour of architecture students. Tenants of One Folgate Street shouldn’t be surprised by this privacy invasion, they’ve signed the contract with all of it’s ridiculous stipulations.

Certain features of One Folgate Street have been disabled .....

The house is an architectural marvel and highly sought after. It is affordable despite its extravagant technological features. There are no light switches, only five settings based on purpose that can be selected in Housekeeper. Housekeeper also recognizes who is allowed to enter the home. It trends your sleep and activity patterns. It is quite helpful until it shuts itself down for your weekly monitoring. For instance, Housekeeper will not allow you to shower until you have completed the intimate survey questions in full.

Emma would be the first to rent this smart yet crazy house and would (as we know from the preview) die in the house. Jane learns of Emma’s suspicious death after she's already moved-in. Naturally it bothers her a little, but she chooses to brush it off. Plenty of people have died in their homes. Jane doesn’t become nervous about her tenancy until she discovers that her life is taking on an alarming similarity to Emma's life which we know ended inside One Folgate Street.

Here they come. Spoilers ahead! Look out for spoilers!

I’ll start with what worked in this book.

• The function and structure of the house was pretty fascinating. I work in real estate development so I know that most of what occurred (no smoke detectors) would never actually be permitted, but this sleek house seems pretty futuristic and would draw awards.
• The alternation in chapters between Jane and Emma. Some readers didn't like this but I found it to flow just fine. I didn't need to review which character each chapter was regarding.
• The suggested suspects in Emma's suspicious death. Of course we like to hook onto one possible suspect but the author suggests at multiple people and even suicide.

What didn't work (for me at least)

• I could elaborate on how often racial stereotypes are written into books but in brief, if you're going to write a book about a bunch of white people it is not a good idea to only introduce two people of color and have them be criminal characters.
• If one of your characters is told by the father of her child (on the day said child is born) that they should give it up for adoption and try again for a child they truly want, the mother's reaction should be volatile. Not calm. She might be calm if she agrees but in this case she didn't. For being such an "independent" type she really shouldn't have acted like that was no big deal. That was a weak ending point in the story.
• The application process for the rental of the house. I get it, landlord is a crazy freak. Despite that, no sane person would be willing to provide three photographs with their application. Is discrimination law different in the UK? If this is acceptable and normal then fine. According to the characters they found it strange but really wanted to be accepted for the house. I would be a firm "hell no". The house isn't that cool dude. This comes to make sense to the storyline but it just redflagged my brain like crazy.

Almost immediately I realized that I didn't like any of the characters and only continued reading The Girl Before to learn true cause of death for Emma. I don't enjoy a bad book review and won't stretch this out much farther. I've discovered that Ron Howard is adapting this book to a movie. Usually when I hear about adaptions I can understand the draw for a movie. In this case, I think the book has issues that need to be resolved. I sincerely hope that casting is much more diverse and the script improves the story.