Wordless Wednesday - Inauguration 2013

I am one lucky gal who has a great friend who works on the Hill and I was able to attend the Inauguration with a ticket in hand.  Standing so close to the Capitol, I could feel the emotion as President Obama starts his second term in office - it was pretty amazing to be there and present for the event.  Here are some of my pictures from the day.

The Capitol as the sun was rising.

President Obama and his family as he took the oath.

President Obama giving his inaugural address.

The Capitol from my friend's office window.

Review: Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter by Melissa Francis

Diary of a Stage Mother's Daughter by Melissa Francis

Publisher: Weinstein Books

Pages: 304

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  "The Glass Castle" meets "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" in this dazzlingly honest and provocative family memoir by former child actress and current Fox Business Network anchor Melissa Francis. When Melissa Francis was eight years old, she won the role of lifetime: playing Cassandra Cooper Ingalls, the little girl who was adopted with her brother (played by young Jason Bateman) by the Ingalls family on the world's most famous primetime soap opera, "Little House on the Prairie." Despite her age, she was already a veteran actress, living a charmed life, moving from one Hollywood set to the next. But behind the scenes, her success was fueled by the pride, pressure, and sometimes grinding cruelty of her stage mother, as fame and a mother's ambition pushed her older sister deeper into the shadows.


Kritters Thoughts:  Although Little House on the Prairie is not the show I know a lot of, I still wanted to read this memoir to hear an insight into the inner workings of childhood stardom and how it affects not only the child star, but the entire family.  Melissa Francis takes you into the inner workings of her family to show you the good, the bad and the ugly when you have a child star and a mom who wants nothing more than complete fame.

If you have been following this blog for any moment, you know or now you know, I love to read the behind the scenes, the fame doesn't interest me, its the reality behind the fame that I adore.  In this book, the reader gets the real deal and I didn't feel like she left any detail out, she included it all and the emotions that were extremely hurt.  As a public, we are always wanting the dirt on the star, but what about their family that did not choose the career path that put them in the public eye, those related who are thrust into the fame world whether they like it or not.  

On another note, this made me stop and take a moment to think about my childhood and what a tame one it was - man, am I thankful.  I did take dance classes for 14 years and loved every moment and yes, my mom was a "stage mom," but not for one moment did she make me continue or even think that this would ever be professional, she kept me grounded!

A great memoir that takes you into not only Hollywood, but the childhood side of fame in Hollywood and the impact on the family.  If you are looking for an inside look, this book will definitely give you the binoculars to see into Hollywood.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Review: One Flight Up by Susan Fales-Hill

One Flight Up by Susan Fales-Hill

Publisher: Washington Square Press 

Pages:  368

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  What happens after happily-ever-after fades? Can the answer be found one flight up?

India, Abby, Esme, and Monique have all been friends since their days at Manhattan’s Sibley School for Girls. From the outside, these four women—all grown up now—seem to be living ideal lives, yet each finds herself suddenly craving more.

Kritters Thoughts: Four women who are friends and three of which find themselves in unhappy marriages, while the other is still in the dating scene are the characters in this story.  For one reason or another each of these women are unhappy in their current situations and instead of working on them, would rather venture to find happiness with someone else.

I definitely enjoyed reading about four different women and their relationship with each other, their interactions were priceless.  As well, I loved reading about their professional lives - they were all successful in their own right, I loved it.  Reading about their relationships was the hard part.  I wanted to sock them a few times when it came to how they treated the men in their lives and how that impacted their children.

Being a newlywed, I am not sure this was the right time for me to read this book.  I am still blissful about marriages lasting a lifetime and in hope that everyone can find true happiness and live with their intended forever.  For a whole group of women to drift beyond their relationships was hard to read.


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Review: An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Publisher: William Morrow 

Pages: 272 

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  World War I nurse and amateur sleuth Bess Crawford matches wits with a devious killer in this exciting and suspenseful adventure from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd

In the spring of 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic spreads, killing millions of soldiers and civilians across the globe. Overwhelmed by the constant flow of wounded soldiers coming from the French front, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford must now contend with hundreds of influenza patients as well.

However, war and disease are not the only killers to strike. Bess discovers, concealed among the dead waiting for burial, the body of an officer who has been murdered. Though she is devoted to all her patients, this soldier's death touches her deeply. Not only did the man serve in her father's former regiment, he was also a family friend.

Before she can report the terrible news, Bess falls ill, the latest victim of the flu. By the time she recovers, the murdered officer has been buried, and the only other person who saw the body has hanged himself. Or did he?


Kritters Thoughts: A historical fiction that took place during World War I in France and London, which is not my usual time and place to read about, so a departure from my norm which was a welcome reprieve. A story that is part of a series that centers around a nurse who ends up in the middle of a murder mystery. I loved reading one of my favorite genres combined with the historical fiction aspect.

I fell in love with the main character and loved spending time in her world as she travelled to uncover the plot of the murderer. I knew we would have a conclusion, but I definitely didn't figure it out ahead of time and maybe I missed a few details since I hadn't read any if he previous Bess Crawford mysteries.

A book that can possibly stand alone, but you may want to start at the beginning of this series, so you have all of the pieces to this puzzle.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The tour schedule: 

Tuesday, January 8th: JulzReads

Wednesday, January 9th: Seaside Book Corner

Monday, January 14th: Peppermint Ph.D

Tuesday, January 15th: Speaking of Books

Wednesday, January 16th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Friday, January 18th: Kritters Ramblings

Monday, January 21st: WildmooBooks

Wednesday, January 23rd: Layers of Thought

Thursday, January 24th: Reading to Know

Friday, January 29th: Queen of All She Reads

Wednesday, February 6th: Bookworm Meets Bookworm

Thursday, February 7th: Ace and Hoser Blook

Review: The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

Publisher: Harper 

Pages: 336 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister Nelly are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren't telling. While life in Glasgow's Hazlehurst housing estate isn't grand, they do have each other. Besides, it's only one year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.


Kritters Thoughts:  Quite an interesting book and definitely different from most of what I read, this book centers around two sisters who are burying their parents and at the young ages of 15 and 12 are trying to keep up the appearances to avoid being separated.  Their inquisitive neighbor enters the picture and provides another voice to the book with his own issues that he is trying to live with.  

This one was a quirky one.  There are two young girls, sisters, who literally buried their parents and each are trying to hold the "fort" down, so they can stay together.  Unfortunately, I don't always enjoy a book that is narrated by a younger voice, and this was one of those where I didn't completely love the voice she brought to the book.  I did enjoy Nelly, the younger sister and her eccentric ways!  The neighbor is dealing with loss as well and through taking care of the girls, I think he finds healing that he wouldn't have felt through any other way.  

After reading this book, I had such mixed feelings about it.  I loved the different voices that kept the story moving along, but in all the book was on the bland side.  I didn't feel like there was a lot of happenings in the book.  I think if you are a reader who loves to read books set abroad, you would definitely love this one.  Also, if you enjoy your characters to be of a younger age and voice, then this one would be perfect for you.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2012 Challenge: 86 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The tour schedule: 

Wednesday, January 2nd: Sweet Tidbits

Friday, January 4th: Literary Feline

Monday, January 7th: Mrs. Q: Book Addict

Tuesday, January 8th: Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Wednesday, January 9th: Broken Teepee

Thursday, January 10th: Sweet Southern Home

Monday, January 14th: A Patchwork of Books

Thursday, January 17th: Kritters Ramblings

Monday, January 21st: Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, January 22nd: JulzReads

Wednesday, January 23rd: a novel toybox

Thursday, January 24th: A Reader of Fictions

Thursday, January 24th: Reflections of a Bookaholic

Monday, January 28th: A Bookworm’s World

Tuesday, January 29th: My Bookshelf

Wednesday, January 30th: Silver’s Reviews

Review: Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel

Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel

Pages: 272 

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  LIVE FROM MIAMI! 

Viewer Discretion Advised features Charlene "Charley" Thomas - a smart, sassy, highly competitive thirtysomething television news executive producer. Charley's got maxed out credit cards and an office fridge stocked with vodka. Her boss, Jonathan Lefton, a.k.a "The Velvet Ax" is all about ratings, slash-and-burn newscasts - no matter who who gets hurt in the process. Charley is hell-bent on doing whatever it takes to impress Lefton. But will pleasing Lefton mean losing the man she loves? 


Kritters Thoughts:  A behind the scenes look at a news station in Miami, FL through the eyes of the news director, Charley.  Charley is fired from her position in L.A. and decides to move to Miami, close to a friend and under a boss that is very well known in the industry, it seems like the perfect idea.  

From the beginning, the reader is taken inside the news room and behind the cameras to the drama exists between the talent, the producers, the newsies and the public.  You may already know that I love behind the scenes looks and this is one that I have never seen - in a crazy dramatic high stress environment, a news room.  The characters were fantastic, they felt honest and true.  

A great chicky read that was a fun ride!  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 3 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester

Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester

Publisher: The Story Plant 

Pages: 308

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.


Kritters Thoughts:  A family that is excited to have their second child ends up encountering a debilitating disease early and must rely on the whole family to help this one child learn the basics of life.  

At the hear of this story is a little boy and his strong willed grandmother and eventually family.  The book has sibling relationship issues, learning developmental battles and the strength of families and the author tackles hard issues with such ease.  I loved the dynamic of having a strong grandmother present to keep this family together and help each of her 5 grandchildren find success and happiness - whatever that looks like for each of them individually.

Although this book is fiction, I know there are many families in the world who are living this story and there were many times throughout the book where I found myself close to tears wondering how these families endure through the biggest challenges.   

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2012 Challenge: 82 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Providence Book Promotions.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Other Reviews:

Jan 6 Review ~ Cheryl @ CMash Reads
Jan 8 Review ~ Mary @ The Mary Book Reader
Jan 9 Review & Interview ~ Julie @ Julzreads
Jan 10 Review ~Teena @ Teena in Toronto
Jan 15 Review & Giveaway~Kristin @ Kritters Ramblings 

Author Interview: Carlin Flora

Yesterday I reviewed the great nonfiction that centers around friendships - Friendfluence by Carlin Flora.  Today I am here to share my interview with the author . . . 

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

How men and women CAN be friends!  Every several months, it seems, an article comes out declaring the opposite.  It upsets me, because having a friend of the opposite gender - even if it is sometimes complicated because of attraction - is really rewarding.

2.  What brought you to an interest in friendships and their influence on people?  

One motive is personal: I moved as a teenager and was deeply affected by the experience of having to lose friends and make new ones.  It made me cherish my friends and really notice their affect on me over the years.  The other motive was professional: In my former job as an editor at Psychology Today for years, I saw so many books on romantic relationships and parenting yet not many on friends.  It convinced me that as a culture, we underestimate how our friends shape us, even as they are becoming more more important to us.  

(What I'm referring to in the last part of that statement is the fact that we're living alone more, we're marrying later and still divorcing at a high rate, and we're living more in urban areas where rooming with friends is common - all of which is leading us to depend more on friends than previous generations might have)

3.  What do you think about having to break up with friends from the past?

Breaking up with friends is very, very painful.  It's made even more painful by the widespread yet false belief that friend breakups either shouldn't happen or shouldn't be as hard as romantic breakups.  Clinical psychologists recommend distancing yourself from friends from the past you no longer connect with, as opposed to sharply breaking things off, which can lead to a big blowup.  

4.  What is the one piece of friend advice that you always give to others?

Remember that you influence your friends just as they influence you!  Resolve to be a better friend, and in time, you'll reap the wonderful benefits of healthy friendships.

5.  Do you think social media has impacted our friendships positively or negatively?  Is there a way to fix our friendships because of the impact of social media?

I think the answer to your first question is "both."  Those who write about the subject tend to come out with extreme theses such as: "Facebook is ruining friendship!" It's just not true.  It's enabling us to stay connected with people we wouldn't normally be connected with, and that's an amazing thing.  If people use it at the expense of spending time with friends in person, that can be dangerous.  But most people see friends in person and reach out to them online.

To answer your second question, there is evidence that people who spend a lot of time on social media tend to see others' lives in an overly rosy light which makes them feel inferior.  Reaching out to a friend one-on-one (even if it's via email), rather than publicly, can clarify the picture of her actual life versus what she's presenting on Twitter, etc.

6.  What is next on your plate?

I'm focused on sharing all I've learned about the power of friendship with as many people as I can.  It's time for friendship to be seen as not just a fun distraction, but as the stable-yet-flexible and vital relationship that it is for many.

Review: Friendfluence by Carlin Flora

Friendfluence by Carlin Flora

Publisher: Doubleday 

Pages: 288 

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  Why is dinner with friends often more laughter filled and less fraught than a meal with family? Although some say it’s because we choose our friends, it’s also because we expect less of them than we do of relatives. While we’re busy scrutinizing our romantic relationships and family dramas, our friends are quietly but strongly influencing everything from the articles we read to our weight fluctuations, from our sex lives to our overall happiness levels.

Evolutionary psychologists have long theorized that friendship has roots in our early dependence on others for survival. These days, we still cherish friends but tend to undervalue their role in our lives. However, the skills one needs to make good friends are among the very skills that lead to success in life, and scientific research has recently exploded with insights about the meaningful and enduring ways friendships influence us. With people marrying later—and often not at all—and more families having just one child, these relationships may be gaining in importance. The evidence even suggests that at times friends have a greater hand in our development and well-being than do our romantic partners and relatives.


Kritters Thoughts:  A nonfiction read that is definitely out of my usual reads, but with a center on friends, I was definitely excited to read this one.  I value my friends very much and just as the book states, my friends are really close to me and may even know more about me than my family and spouse.  As this book centers on friends and the influence they have on our lives, I wanted to read about the good, the bad and the big deal with friendfluence.

The chapter near the end that was most interesting was the one that focused on social media and it's effects on our friendships.  As a blogger, I now have quite a few "online" friends and because I live in the DC area, I have been able to transfer some of my "online" into real friends.  One even came to my wedding!

The other chapter that I loved was the one on adolensce, this is when a person starts making their own choices on who they are friends with and how much time and energy that will put into those friendships.  Even further, this is the time when your friendships become more important than your family members.

I love my friends and I love a book that is solely based on how important friends are from our younger years to our silver years. 

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Providence Book Promotions.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Other Tour stops:

Monday:   01/14  Kristin @ Kritters Ramblings

                01/14  Cheryl @ CMash Reads  Showcase

 

Tuesday:   01/15  Gina @ Hott Books

                 01/15  Kristin @ Kritters Ramblings  (Interview)

Wednesday:   01/16  Andrea @ Literary Getaway

 

Thursday:  01/17  Victor @ Vic's Media Room

 

Friday:   01/18  Sue @  Books, Books, The Magical Fruit

Saturday:  01/19  Ruth @ My Devotional Thoughts