Children's Corner: Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly

Review:  This is an unique picture book in that the entire story is told through dialogue.  I was a little unsure of this type of story telling for this age group, but it's fantastic.

You can tell 5 year old Henry is doing his best to include his little sister in his play.  He's hosting a cooking show (they're making  raspberry-marshmallow-peanut butter waffles with barbecued banana bacon) and letting her help. But, as with most two year olds, Elliebelly's suggestions aren't always helpful or relevant.  Henry does his best to accommodate Eleanor's interjections, including changing the name of the show to Pirate Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly, but even then, he still needs a little intervention from mom.

I love the imagination in this book.  It's cute and funny, and true to life.  We brought it home from the library and it has been a daily read.  I think this will be another permanent addition to my daughter's bookshelf.

Blog Fest 2011

We are thrilled to be participating in BlogFest 2011. Last year was the first year we participated and it was a giant success! We hope that you like our blog and come back regularly!

What is it?
BlogFest is a blog run of sorts. A list of participating blogs will be provided on July 15, each offering a fantastic giveaway for readers to enter. Each blog will link to another, pulling readers through the fantastic party we'll have set up for them!


How do I enter to win?
Each blog has their own giveaway and their own rules. The giveaways will start at midnight EST on the morning of July 15th and run through 11:59pm on the night of the 17h. That's a whole 72 hours that you get to visit as many blogs as you want and enter their amazing giveaways.

-Journey of Books


In celebration of the event, we have some stunning giveaways! Winners will have their choice of 1 prize pack.  These giveaways are open to US & CA residents only.  Only one entry per person, but you may select more than one prize pack on your single entry.  Just fill out the form below all the prize pack listings to enter.

Good Luck!

Prize Pack #1:








Included (1 of each):
Kosher Chinese: Living, Teaching, and Eating with China's Other Billion
Pacific Heights: A Novel
A Death in Summer: A Novel
Partitions: A Novel
Outside Wonderland

Prize Pack #2:








Included (1 of each):
Trader of Secrets: A Paul Madriani Novel
A Time for Patriots: A Novel
Betrayal of Trust: A J. P. Beaumont Novel
Killer Move: A Novel

Prize Pack #3:








Included (1 of each):
The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
Folly Beach: A Lowcountry Tale
The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel
Outside Wonderland

Prize Pack #4 (YA Centric):








Libba Bray Gemma Doyle Trilogy:
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Rebel Angels
The Sweet Far Thing

Prize Pack #5:








Included (1 of each):
The Borgia Betrayal: A Novel (Reading Group Gold)
The Botticelli Secret (Reading Group Gold)
Outside Wonderland

Prize Pack #6 & #7:








Included in each pack (1 of each):
Outside Wonderland
The Borgia Betrayal: A Novel (Reading Group Gold)

Prize Pack #8 (YA Centric):








Included (1 of each):
The Princess Diaries, Volume III: Princess in Love
Dramarama

Prize Pack #9 (YA Centric):








Included (1 of each):
Slam
Infinity: Chronicles of Nick

Prize Pack #10 (YA Centric):








Included (1 of each):
Rampant
Dark Life





We'd like to thank those who supplied us with a good deal of giveaways: Henry Holt, St. Martin's Press, Harper Collins and William Morrow.

Please click on the following links to enjoy other blogs participating in this year's BlogFest!

Good choice reading
Hannah Downing
Happy Mom Of 5
Harris Channing,Author of Erotic and Mainstream Romance
Hesperia Loves Books

A list for all blogs participating please visit Journey of Books.

For an entry into more giveaways, please visit the tracking site.

Giveaway: Love Story

Earlier today I reviewed  Love Story by Jennifer Echols, now here is your chance to win it.  We have two (2) copies to giveaway thanks to Simon & Schuster.

This giveaway is open to residents of US or Canada only. Fill out the form below by midnight EST, on Thursday July 21st, 2011 to enter.


As always, Girls Just Reading uses Random.org to select our winners.

Good Luck!

Jenn's Review: Love Story

Summary:  She’s writing about him. He’s writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.

 For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

Review:  Had Midsummer Night's Dream been boiled down to two characters who attempt to write their problems away, it would be Love Story.  This is fun, quick YA romance is steeped in the drama of miscommunication and missed chances.

The premise is interesting, and well executed.  Usually this sort of story frustrates me early on, but Jennifer Echols does a good job of leaking the plot exposition a little at a time through stories in class and discussions with friends and it kept me entertained.  It was also interesting to read the way Ms. Echols changed voices depending on which character's class story it was. (Interestingly, I found Erin's initial story cringe worthy, though it was one of her instructors favorites.)  I'm sure switching writing voices isn't easy,but reading it can be complex too;  at one point I was unsure whether it was the character's writing that had become awkward, or Ms. Echols.

The characters are flawed, but not beyond redemption.  For example Erin is appallingly bad at communicating, for someone who wants to be a writer.  (Not that those two things go hand in hand, I always express myself better on the page than I do verbally, but I still recognize the need for a conversation.)  Hunter, is still a bit of a mystery to me, though and intriguing one at that, so I understand Erin's attraction.

Overall, had there been a little more development, I think this novel would have earned 5 stars for me. There are all sorts of little bits of information thrown in that I found myself wishing were expanded upon.  I want to know more about Summer and her father, and Hunter and his family, and Manohar...  At one point Hunter brings up then glosses over Erin's emotional well being which could have had a huge impact on her situation that was an avenue worthy of exploration.  Again, towards the end, the lit professor starts talking about Erin's affect on her classmates and I found myself wondering who these characters were who were mentioned in passing.  Although that instance in particular may have been planned, as Erin is not aware of her affect on others, still it would have been nice if the reader had been allowed a little more perspective, because it felt a little disconnected.  These are just a few examples of the many glimmers of potential to be found.

Despite what I've said, it's a solid YA romance.  It's racy without the details; it's angst-y without the melodrama.  If you're headed to the beach, pick it up.

Final Take:  3.5/5

Learn more:  Love Story by Jennifer Echols at Simon and Schuster

About the author:

Jennifer Echols is the author of romantic dramas for MTV and romantic comedies for Pulse. She currently lives in Birmingham. Visit her on the web at www.jennifer-echols.com.

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Margaret for winning our Iris Johansen prize pack!  Please email your information to Jenn so that she can send your books out to you as soon as possible.

As always, Girls Just Reading uses Random.org to select our winners. Thanks to everyone who participated.

 

Julie's Review: Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Summary: A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye. A teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood. The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics both on the set and in the actual White House. And in between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the eighties, leading to his quest for family and sobriety. Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last twenty-five years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable. ~henryholt.com

Review: I don't think I'm much different from any girl in my age group who had a serious crush on Rob Lowe. So when I heard he was writing a memoir I was interested. When it was published and received rave reviews, I was intrigued enough to want to read it. I'm not a memoir reader. I've tried and I dislike them. This isn't like any memoir I've read...it's interesting and not at all self-serving. I felt like I was sitting across the dinner table with him and he was telling me stories about the business. I think this is rare in a memoir as is the fact that I believe he was unfailingly honest. Did he leave stuff out about his life? Yes, but I'm ok with that. Maybe he'll write another book and I'll run out to buy it.

I've always been fascinated with Hollywood and what it takes to become a "star". In fact, I'm pretty sure that if I had ever tried my hand at Hollywood I would have failed miserably. He does an excellent job of taking the reader through his early career and the movies he made. The ones that took off and the ones that didn't. I've always loved The Outsiders (if you haven't read it, you must and the movie is excellent) and this movie launched a lot of young actors into stardom. This was one of those movies that when you revisit it as an adult it resonates with you like never before. To this day his portrayal of Sodapop is one of my favorites.

He does an excellent job of showing the dark side of a child actor. One where life moves to fast and if you don't have a solid family set to reign you in, it spins quickly out of control.

There wasn't a movie in this book that I haven't seen and my love for The West Wingwas prominent when it was on. I will admit that shortly after he left, I stopped watching. I loved Sam Seaborn and Rob was perfect in the role. I will also ditch another show that he leaves (Brothers & Sisters) because he added something to the show that wasn't there without him.

What I admire most about him though was his quest to get sober and figure himself out. No one had to drag him to rehab, he did it himself. For me, this is what has made him a successful recovery addict; his ability to recognize that he needed to do something. I believe that the love of a good woman helped him through this period and I'm thrilled that they are still together. Sheryl was his rock that was able to create a stable life for him and that he definitely wanted/needed.

Sure he name drops but in a way that doesn't make you think he's showing off about who he knows. He does it with a story and often before the end of it you are wondering who it is before he reveals it.

By the end of the book, I was an admirer of him for what he has gone through in his life and who he turned out to be. I can't wait to see what he has in store in the next phase of his career. Whatever it might be, I know he'll excel at it.

If you are interested in anything Hollywood, then Stories I Only Tell My Friends is for you. It's honest, raw and delightful.

Final Take: 4.75/5

P.S. It also has a few nice pages of pictures. :)

Thanks to Henry Holt for sending me a copy of this book!