The Ultimate Survival Manual by Rich Johnson

Great Book!  My only disappointment was that my E-ARC was missing pages so I didn’t get the entire manuscript.

Rich Johnson has written an entertaining and informative guide to survival.  I’m big on survival information and I know that not everyone is.  This is an important book because we are in an environment that is unstable.  You don’t have to go out in the wilderness to be in a situation that requires survival techniques.  There’s a chance that there is a large amount of information in this book you will never need.  However, the one technique that you learn that later saves yours or someone else’s life is invaluable. 

This is a short book and each segment is brief.  Keep it in your bathroom and learn a trick or two every time you sit down.  On page one, I learned something.  Okay maybe learned is not the right word but I realized there was something I hadn’t thought of. Rich recommends that you keep an emergency bag in your office or place of work that includes rugged clothing, socks and a pair of tennis shoes.  The bag is available if you need to leave your work in a hurry and are not dressed for an emergency.  I would, almost, have thought it unnecessary but I guarantee that one day you wear the tight skirt or new dress shoes is the day that the weather turns and you have to evacuate or a shooter comes into the area and you have to flee.

It’s a scary and dangerous world out there.  I just think this book is an inexpensive way to protect yourself.

Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw

Beautiful book.  The recipes are elegant and stunning.  The pictures captivate the reader and leave you craving something hot and amazing out of the oven.  The recipes work in seasonal fruits at the peak of perfection.  The crusts are crisp and golden while the breads are soft and aromatic.

The instructions are simple with fairly common ingredients.

A nice touch is the brief interviews of various bakers from around the country.  Each offer their own perspective of baking and share a recipe.  Grab a cup of coffee and pour over this book as if you were visiting with a friend.  Kim Laidlaw has put together a book that was meant to be handed down to future generations – preferably covered in stains with sticky pages.

A Grown Up Kind Of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

This is the story of three generations – Big, Liza and Mosey. Big believes that every 15 years they are cursed. This started when Big became pregnant with Liza at 15 and then Liza got pregnant with Mosey 15 years later. Mosey has just turned 15 and Big is trying to be vigilant. The year starts with Liza having a stroke which leaves her broken and withdrawn. Big knows that a pool will help and has a neighbor help take down the old willow tree in her yard which starts off a chain of events that will bring dark secrets out into the open and test the strength of Big’s family. Told from all three perspectives, this was an amazing journey. I loved Liza’s story since she was the one who couldn’t interact much with the others. She was a delightful character who added a lot to the story. Though her body didn’t work, her mind was working hard. I devoured this book, as I have all of Joshilyn Jackson’s books that I have gotten my hands on. They are different from other southern chick books. There’s a darker edge in her books, one that really shows the devil is in the details. There are such powerful connections between the characters and a love that transcends.

Allergy-Friendly Food for Families by Kiwi Magazine

This is a great book for families who have recently had a child diagnosed with a gluten, dairy, nut, soy or egg allergy or are learning to juggle multiple food allergies. The book starts off with tips for food safety and reducing cross contamination. It goes on to an FAQ section with experts before moving onto the recipes. The recipe section is coded with the 5 allergens – gluten, dairy, nut, soy, egg. Each has its own color square on the edge of each page so that locating recipes with that particular allergen gone is easy to do. The recipes are broken into meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, snacks, and parties. There are some rather neat features with this book. The first thing I noticed is that most of the recipes omit the allergen instead of trying to come up with a substitute. There are substitutions in this cookbook but not as many as other cookbooks have offered. I know that when we were gluten free it was far easier to come up with recipes that didn’t use gluten foods than it was to replace the gluten foods. The next thing I noticed was these cool sections on cooking with your kids. So many forget to teach their children how to cook and when it comes to food allergies, learning early is best. I loved the party section because there are always parties from birthdays to class parties and it’s nice to have beautiful ideas that taste good. The book wraps up with Building an Allergy-free Pantry. This is a great tool. It helps the user create a list of staples and explains the reasons why these ingredients are so important (including tips for using the item). I would gladly recommend this book. My only complaint is that it didn’t come out when we needed it.

A Secret Keeps by Marsha Wilson Chall

A boy visits his grandparent’s farm. There is a secret waiting for him to discover it.
This was a cute story about a boy’s visit to a farm. The pictures were soft watercolors that only added to the charm and mystery of the boy’s search for the secret that was worth keeping. For those who might be a little worried – the secret that is worth keeping is a small play on words.
It’s a sweet story and one I could see being loved by boys and girls. This is a perfect shared reader for preschool aged children that will continue to delight well into grade school.

Enter, Night by Michael Rowe

This is a hard review to write. I loved the story. I do have an ARC which means there were some technical errors that I hope are resolved before publishing. With that in mind, I want to focus on the story.
The story was amazing. The language a little tough for me because the author is Canadian and I am not. Michael Rowe is a native English speaker but there was some language that left me puzzled but may not be difficult for a Canadian. However, I loved the story.
This is an ensemble cast making it difficult to give a clear synopsis. In 1952, an archeological dig in Parr’s Landing goes wrong when student, Richard Weal, goes mad and attacks another student. Years later, he returns to Parr’s Landing to finish what he started and that is to wake the being hidden deep in the caves. At the same time, widow Christina is forced to return to Parr’s Landing with her daughter and brother-in-law. Her departure from the small town was not a pleasant one. The town knows the gossip but they don’t understand the truth. Her late husband Jack Parr was the prince to Adeline Parr’s kingdom. Christina will always be known as the slut who drove him from home.
Jeremy Parr escape happened later after his mother tried to have him cured of his homosexuality. His first love remains in Parr’s Landing but has been convinced that it is better to be a heterosexual asshole than a happy homosexual.
Richard Weal is successful in his mission and unleashes an ancient vampire on the small town, destroying everything in its path and yet freeing those held captive by Parr’s Landing.
Take away the vampires and Enter, Night is still a wonderful and touching story. There are so many elements in this book from various prejudices (sexuality, race, class) to family relations to a touching tale of a love and the sacrifices that brings (human and animal).
The story sucked me in but I was left unfulfilled when it was over. The last chapter goes back to 1650 to explain how the creature came to Parr’s Landing and was confined in the caves. It was still interesting but I wanted to stay in the more present day (of the story) to find out what happened. There was some wrap up but not enough for my taste. I only hope this means Michael Rowe is writing a sequel because I would like that.
Visit the author at www.michaelrowefiction.com

Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons

This is not my usual genre but Burnt Mountain had gotten such great reviews that I wanted to try. I was hesitant when I read the description because I was really sure how this book was going to go and I was pleasantly surprised.
Thayer Wentworth's life was constantly altered by Burnt Mountain. It was there that her father and grandfather died. It was there that she discovered a new happiness and escape from her overbearing mother. It was there she found her first love and her first heartbreak. It was because of that loss that she found Aengus, her husband and what she thought was the perfect life but Burnt Mountain called once more and this time it took her husband.
This was a sad and happy tale. Even in all the saddness, there was something hopeful and wonderful about Thayer. The story starts with her mother and how her mother got everything she had hoped for and still wasn't happy (okay there was one thing she wanted and never got which was something quite silly). Her mother was ambitious and nearly destroyed Thayer and her sister trying to get what she wanted. There's a touch of magic and timelessness in this story without delving into fantasy.
I really connected with Thayer and her awkwardness in life. She lacked focus but it wasn't distracting. Her story will make you sad and angry and grateful that you didn't grow up with her.

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson

I have to say it is a real treat to read 2 amazing books in a row. Joshilyn Jackson has a way of weaving a story that really complimented Joe Hill's book - not that they have anything to do with each other except that I read them back to back.
The story follows Laurel Gray Hawthorne as she deals with a family crisis. One night she wakes to find a body floating in her pool. At first she thinks it's her daughter and finds it's her daughter's best friend. Over the next few days, Laurel struggles with the death and the possibility it wasn't an accident. She worries about her daughter's involvement and her daughter's house guest, Bet, who is a 3rd cousin. Bet comes from DeLop which is a very impoverished town that houses a good portion of Laurel's mother's relatives.
It doesn't seem like a lot for a plot but Joshilyn Jackson weaves family drama, past and present, into her mysteries. Her story shows a raw side of Southern families that makes me grateful I live in Washington (not that I don't have family drama).
It's a touching, beautiful story that pulls Laurel out of her shell and makes her realize what she really wants out of life. I love that there is just enough family drama but that Joshilyn doesn't go over the top and make the reader dislike the characters. There's a little bit of each of her characters in everyone - it wasn't hard for me to see them in myself and I think that's what I loved best.

20th Century Ghost by Joe Hill

Years ago I read something by Stephen King about his sons and their literary careers. I rushed to the library and picked up both boys' books. I was not overly impressed with Owen King but that may have more to do with his genre than his ability to write. Joe Hill, however, had my attention. His Heart Shaped Box had me from page one. As time went on, I forgot his name (happens to me far too often) and then dear ole dad mentions him again. This time in praise of his Locke and Key Graphic novel series. I head back to the library and get the first L&K book and 20th Century Ghost.
20th Century Ghost starts off with an introduction written by another author (who's name escapes me now) who was asked to write this intro but had never read anything by Joe. His reaction was the same as I had reading Heart Shaped Box - this man is awesome. There was a slight mention of where the various short stories that filled this tome had come from but mostly there was an awe of Joe's incredible talent.
20th Century Ghost consists of 15 short stories. Knowing Joe's previous works I was not surprised by the tone of the first story Best New Horror which followed an editor as he tracked down a new horror author only to find himself in the worst kind of story. The story was expected but it was still good.
However, none of that prepared me for the rest of the book. The second story 20th Century Ghost was a ghost story but more so - a wonderful romance between a man, a movie theatre and a ghost. It was sweet and subtle.
I'm not going to give you a blow by blow of each story in the book because I want you to have your own surprising experience. I will say that I think my favorite story was Better Than Home, a beautifully written story about a boy who has some sort of mental disability and how his family deals with him. There was no real ghost in this story nor was there any horror to be detected. It was just a beautiful story (I am running out of adjectives). I wish there was a way to just share that story with everyone I know (not that the entire book isn't worth sharing).
The stories are so varied that each one touches on a different genre. Joe Hill's ability to weave a story makes him more than a writer - he's an artist.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall

This book was so good I devoured it and then got online to see if there would be more Penderwick books. There will be more but the next one is not coming out until 2011.
These books are going to be classics right up there with Little Women and Pippy Longstocking. The tales are timeless and touching. In this sequel, the girls are faced with their father dating, a crush from the boy across the street and a new neighbor. The chemistry amongst the characters is amazing and realistic. Makes me want to have four girls (or three sisters).
Another thing that is fun about these books is Jane, the third sister, is an avid reader and often brings in quotes from other books such as Magic by the Lake and The Little Princess.
Jeanne Birdsall's writing is smart. A little latin, a little classical reference but I never get the feeling she's writing above my head (as happens with some writers). I don't know the latin but I get it's meaning (and it's not dumbed down for the reader either). It's a great work of literature and the only regret I have is that I didn't read it sooner.... but then it would be a longer wait for the next book.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Reading this book, I would have sworn it was written decades ago instead of a few years ago. It stems from a simpler time and is timeless. The story follows four sisters as they vacation in a cottage behind a mansion. The mansion houses a very cranky woman and her son who fits right in with the girls.
The story has such great themes from family honor to standing up for yourself but they are wrapped up in imagination and innocence. Each sister has her own personality and challenge but it doesn't distract the reader from the whole story of their summer vacation.
I am not sure how a boy would respond to this book but any girl out there can find themselves in this book. I can definetely see why this is a must read book and can't wait to start on the sequel.