Keep Calm...

Book Review: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Spell Bound (#3)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion Books, March 2012
 Number of Pages: Hardcover, 336 pages


Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy > Witches, Magic, Paranormal, Demons

Personal Thoughts:

You can read my review on book one here, Hex Hall, and Demon Glass here.


Book three was an amazing addition to the series!! I can't say much without spoiling, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat and I found myself rooting for Sophie Mercer through out the whole thing!

SPOILER ALERT! 

Just as Sophie was getting used to and learning to control all of her demonic powers - the council bound them inside her person so that she couldn't use them, as punishment. She learns a lot more about her family in this book - about who her Mom really is and how she ties into the whole story.


Sophie is sent back to Hex Hall - powerless and defenseless against the people who are raising demons. A big war is brewing and Sophie is RIGHT in the MIDDLE! She has to find the key to getting her powers back in time to help the good side win!


I enjoyed this novel even though I had a little problem with the ending. I know it had to end and I understand we can't always have these picture perfect endings, but I feel like one character in general definitely got the short straw. I don't want to give anything away and so I won't say anything more than I wouldn't have chosen the book to end the way it did. Although, it was a satisfying ending to the trilogy.


Recommended Age Level: 12+

Rating: 4.7

These Speak The Truth!

Please feel free to comment!!

Book Review: Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher:  Scholastic Inc., October 2011
Number of Pages: Hardcover, 409 pages


Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy > Horses, Mythology, Animals, Adventure

Personal Thoughts:
I'd been looking forward to this book for months - so I bought it as soon as I could on kindle. It only took me a few days to read it, but it did start off a little slower than I would have liked.

The story revolves around this teenage girl named Puck, that's not her real name though. The races are an annual event that take place in November in their island town. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses until they reach the finish line. Some riders survive, some die. It's tradition.

Puck was never meant to compete in the races, but it seems that fate has something else in store for her. She enters the races to win the money, to help her self and her brothers survive on the island with no parents. She's the first girl to ever enter the races and she has no idea about all the hard ships that will he laid out in front of her.

Sean on the other hand is the boy that has won for many years in a row now - he's trained these wild water horses and is not a man of many words.

Some how Sean and Puck form a connection, one that will either help them both survive the race or kill the both in the process.

I'd never read a book about the mythological water horses before - this one really caught my attention. The story was attractive in many ways and the characters added to the dynamic of the story well.


Recommended Age Level:18+

Rating: 4.3

Reviews/Awards:

2012 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature
2012 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Nominee
2011 LA Times Book Prize NOminee for Young Adult Literature
2012 ALA Teen's Top Ten Nominee
2012 Printz Honor 

 

Empathy: The Secret Sauce to a Happy Marriage

Just read this article from Yahoo Shine by  The Editors at RealAge. 

Seems like an interesting concept! Comments??

Are you empathetic? Is your partner? It might be the secret to a happier marriage.

According to a recent study from Harvard University, being able to accurately read a partner's emotions--and believing that your partner is trying to understand your emotions--is related to couple relationship satisfaction.

 

This study highlights certain gender differences that echo dynamics I've seen in my clinical practice and in my 23-year marriage:

1. Women are more satisfied in their relationship if their partner accurately empathized with negative emotions.

2. Men were more satisfied when they could read their partner's positive emotions accurately.

3. Women's ability to read their partner's negative emotions was positively linked to both men's and women's relationship satisfaction.



The authors suggested that for men, being able to understand and be empathetic to their partner's negative emotions may feel threatening to the relationship, but women don't seem to find negative emotions threatening. Findings suggest that effort, not just accuracy, positively impacts relationships.

Developing Empathy If your relationship is distressed or if you simply want to make a good relationship better, here are some ways to work on your empathy skills.

Listen for emotional messages The emotional message isn't the same as the words that your partner is saying. Your partner may be criticizing you for not spending enough time together, but the emotional message may actually be, "I miss you and I'm afraid I'm not important to you."

Push the pause button on your own emotions When your partner is expressing something critical, it's easy to respond defensively. Before reacting, take a deep breath and try to slow down your own emotional response so you can hear the emotion behind the criticism.

Reflect back your partner's emotional plea Instead of coming back defensively with, "What are you talking about? We just went on a walk yesterday, and we went to dinner last weekend!" respond to your partner's emotional plea by saying something like, "You really miss me and want to spend more time together. Thanks for letting me know. I love you."

Even if you read the emotional message inaccurately, your effort to understand your partner's emotions will pay off!

Book Review: Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Demon Glass (Book Two of Three)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion Books, March 2011
Number of Pages: Hardcover, 368 pages


Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy > Witches, Magic, Paranormal, Demons

Personal Thoughts:

You can read my review on book one here, Hex Hall.


Book two definitely did not disappoint! The plot gets deeper and a lot more secrets are revealed. You also get a good look into the council and the Eye in this book! There are a lot of new characters mixed in with the old favorites from book one such as - Archer, Cal, and Jenna.

SPOILER ALERT! 

This book took Sophie's world far beyond that of just a high school girl. It follows her journey across the pond to England where her Father is head of the witches council. Sophie, and her Father, are demons. We find that out at the end of book one. Supposedly they are the only two that exist, but in this book we find out there is a lot more to that story! She has to fight for her life and for her powers in this book, as well as her feelings of love towards a boy who is her biggest enemy.

Much like book one, this was a great read, easy to follow and enough plot to keep me on the edge of my chair while wanting to finish the book quickly. The story moves quickly, but Hawkins knows how to keep her reader interested. The book does start off a little slow, but about halfway through, it picks up quickly and the excitement doesn't end until the last line of the book.  So much so that I immediately bought and downloaded book three the night I finished it! (:





Recommended Age Level: 12+

Rating: 4.5
Reviews/Awards:

Just when you think it might be impossible for a sequel to surpass the first book...poof, I give you Demonglass! Yes, to me Demonglass was even more spectacular than Hex Hall which is really saying something because Hex Hall was amazing! -Jessica, Confessions of a Bookaholic 

Things are not as Sophie thought they were, and she has to adjust her feelings and actions. All sorts of family history and secrets are revealed. Rachel Hawkins spins a complex plot with unexpected surprises. Demonglass is so much more than a typical paranormal story.
-Reading Vacation
 

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My Fall 2012 TV Schedule!

Anyone that has known me for any amount of time knows that I watch a LOT of TV. I DVR stuff all day long and watch later. I've been trying to get my list for all the returning shows in Fall and the new shows as well. I've been using TV Guide to figure it out!

Here is my list!!

MONDAY: 
8:30 Partners
9:00 Gossip Girl
8-10 The Voice
10:00 Hawaii 5-0
10:00 Revolution

TUESDAY:
8:00 Hart of Dixie
8:00 The Voice
9:00 Go On
9:00 New Girl
9:30 Don't Trust the B in Apt 23
9:30 The New Normal
10:00 Vegas
10:00 Teen Mom/16 & Pregnant

WEDNESDAY:
8:00 Arrow
9:00 Supernatural
10:00 CSI
10:00 Nashville

THURSDAY: 
9:00 Person of Interest
9:00 Beauty and the Beast
10:00 Elementary

FRIDAY: 
8:00 CSI:NY
8:00 America's Next Top Model
9:00 Grimm

SUNDAY: 
8:00 Once Upon a Time
9:00 Revenge
10:00 666 Park Avenue
Walking Dead
Game of Thrones

Simple, yet Tasty Lemon Pepper Chops

My husband LOVES pork chops, especially lemon peppered ones! (:

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Light Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 Tbs Lemon Pepper Seasonings
2 Garlic cloves, Minced (I just used a little garlic powder)
6 pork loin chops, fat removed

Directions:

1. Mix marinade in large dish. Marinate for just about two hours.
2. Remove from marinade and cook over medium-high heat on greased grill for no more than 15 minutes or until done. Cooking time for second side is shorter by 1-2 minutes. After 2 minutes grilling on a side, rotate chops 45 degrees for even cooking. Turn over when juices pool on upper surface and meat appears to be cooked half-way through.

I served mine with grilled garlic toast, green beans, and yellow rice. 

Happy 4th of July! (:

Used Wesley's bandana to my advantage!

Watching some of the guys play corn hole!

Gotta love some humidity frizz!

Playing.

Some of the food I ate! (:

Ryan loved his food too!

Playing.

Driving home from Nonni's house after checking on the doggies!

Me and the love of my life!

Summer Fun!

Just some photos from fun that Ryan and I have had this summer!

Mailing his pants to China! (:

Wearing Daddy's bandana as a cape!! Super Baby!

Off to dinner in Atlanta!

At Mrs Joan's pool with Nonni and the kids! 

Worn out! So tired!

Meeting the Twins!

This weekend I had the chance to go meet my new cousins, a set of twin girls named Shiloh and Harlee. They completely stole my heart! They are so sweet and are the spitting image of their Momma and Daddy! I was so excited to get to see them and meet them for the first time. They are just as precious as their pictures, and so much sweeter! (: