The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman - Article

I was supposed to review this book by today but my copy arrived late and I haven't had time to finish reading it yet. So here's an article that was sent to me by the PR Company. Enjoy!

“Sooo… Want to go on a double date with my parents?” That’s how my journey with The Five Love Languages began. Seriously. But let me explain. I was a college senior, and quite enamored with a certain boy. I picked up the phone, pulse racing, palms sweating, and somehow mustered up the courage to ask him if he’d come with my parents and I to see a show downtown Chicago.

I was feeling bold. Of course, I was taking a risk… What guy would say yes to a night out with his not-yet-girlfriend and her mother and father? We’re talking about a one hour drive each way, then sitting next to each other for a two hour show. So, curled up in my computer chair, cell phone to my ear, I asked and held my breath in anticipation of Justin’s answer.

He said yes.

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with The Five Love Languages (Dr. Gary Chapman, Northfield Publishing). On the car ride home from our night out, Justin mentioned, “Hey, have you heard of The Five Love Languages?” He proceeded to explain the concept--how everyone has a love language, and speaking the right one to a person is the key to making them feel loved. Interesting. I made a mental note to drop by a bookstore ASAP and buy myself a copy. As far as I was concerned (my parents as well), he was earning brownie points. But I had to get to the bottom of it myself.

I began reading. Of course, I didn’t want to seem too eager, so I didn’t mention it to Justin (I wasn’t interested in scaring him off). But as I read, it made so much sense. I could see it applying to dating relationships, marriages, relationships with siblings, and even friends. Here’s a rundown of the five love languages:

Words of affirmation--Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the reasons why someone loves you sends your spirits skyward.

Quality Time--In the language of quality time, nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Really being there, with the TV off and all chores on standby, makes your significant other feel truly special and loved.

Receiving Gifts--Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift.

Acts of Service--Can vacuuming floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an acts of service person speaks volumes.

Physical Touch-- Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face can all be ways to show excitement, care and love to a person whose primary love language is physical touch.

Which of these love languages looks like yours? How about your spouse? You may find you’ve been killing yourself washing dishes, cooking elaborate meals, and doing laundry, when all he really wants is for you stop and tell him the specific reasons why you love him so much.

The Five Love Languages first released in 1992. It has sold more than five million copies and rocketed to the top spot of the New York Times bestseller list. Ask your friends, visit the website (www.fivelovelanguages.com), or check Dr. Chapman’s facebook page, and you’ll hear testimonies from people all over the world who’ve experienced positive change in their relationships.

If more people read this book, there would be more marriages saved! --Lynette S.

The Five Love Languages is a must-read and a permanent fixture in my home library! -Dawn H.

The book is a tremendous asset for couples; I just wish I had read it earlier. It could have saved my marriage. -Rodney E.

As for me? I’d say things worked out. Justin and I recently celebrated our one year wedding. And while I can’t say we apply the love languages perfectly (or even well), we do try! Understanding the concept has given us common ground to lay the foundation of our marriage. I’m acts of service; he’s words of affirmation. And to think, it all started on a double date with my parents.

PS. Do you know what your love language(s) are? If not, you can take a short assessment to find out on his brand new website.

Check back this week for my review of The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Update on Freedom to Read Week

 

My plan was to read two challenged books and review them this week but I am still working on reading them. So I should be able to finish them by Sunday and will review them early next week.

My books have a theme: Lesbianism.

Both books I"m reading were challenged because of reference to or alluding to Lesbianism.

The NDD Book by William Sears, MD

Subtitle: How Nutrition Deficit Disorder Affects Your Child's Learning, Behaviour, and Health, and What You Can Do About It - Without Drugs

Stars: *****

Summary: In The NDD Book, Dr. Sears presents the latest scientific research on the effects of nutrition on the brain, outlines the symptoms of NDD, and lays out a drug-free prescription for prevention and treatment. Filled with inspiring success stories of children from Dr. Sears's own practice who showed major improvements in learning, mood, and behaviour with diet changes alone, the NDD Book also provides nine days of sample meal plans and kid-friendly NDD-prevention recipes for meals, snacks and desserts.

First of all I'd like to clarify that NDD isn't a condition you can get an actual diagnosis for (except by Dr. Sears) and you won't find information on it in medical journals.

"Children are getting sicker, sadder, and fatter. Why? The problem is food, glorious food! During my thirty-six years as a pediatrician, I have never seen such an epidemic of nutrition related illnesses. In this book you will learn a new name that I have given to this epidemic: NDD, which stands for Nutrition Deficit Disorder." - from the introduction by Dr. Bill

This is not to say that he doesn't know what he's talking about. Everything he said makes perfect sense. He explains how poor nutrition can lead to the D's.

"The D Epidemic
Parents, we have an epidemic of Ds: attention deficit disorder (ADD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Bipolar disorder (BPD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), depression and the biggest D of the decade, diabetes." - pg 7

First I'd like to point out that he doesn't say that poor nutrition is necessarily the cause for every person who has these diseases but it can cause it in some and make it worse in others. I do think he could clarify that a bit more though.

Second, I'm not sure why he put BPD as the short form for Bipolar Disorder as BPD is the short form for Borderline Personality Disorder and bipolar is usually short-formed to BP. This could be a little confusing.

I really enjoyed the book and will be putting some of what it says into practice. Food is put into Green, Yellow and Red light foods to help children and parents remember what's healthy. Also he uses the term Grow-Foods instead of Healthy Foods because the word healthy puts off children and adults who might otherwise eat said food. Dr. Sears also shares tips for helping your family transition to a better diet, ways to sneak in some vegetables while he develops a liking for them and games to do with your children to help them learn the difference between grow-foods and red-light foods and how they affect his body.

There is also a much needed chapter on breakfasts. Everyone has heard that you need a good breakfast to function but Dr. Sears actually explains how those foods work in your body to help your brain function.

I highly recommend this book to all parents and it could even benefit adults who don't have children, especially young adults because they are often not much better when it comes to eating nutritiously.

* I received a copy of this book for review from Hachette Book Group. Reviews are in no way affected by how I came across the book.

Links of Interest: Article on NDD by Dr. Sears, Ask Dr. Sears,


Other Reviews: NONE YET


Buy The NDD Book from amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

LOST'S Buried Treasures 3rd Ed. by Lynnette Porter & David Lavery

Stars: ***1/2

Sourcebooks (January 2010)
Adult Nonfiction
305 pages

Summary: Lost is a complex and mysterious tale, one that draws on many sources for its themes and ideas - sources you must understand to become an advanced Lost expert. Lost's Buried Treasures is the ultimate unauthorized guide to the ideas that have influenced the show and it's writers - and is completely updated through Season Five.

This is not an episode guide, but a resource on books, movies, music, geographical clues and theories of LOST. A large majority of the book is all about the books seen, quoted from or alluded to. There is also a large section on the music talked about, listened to or used as a soundtrack in the show. It also talks about the two pretend bands often mentioned: DriveShaft and Geronimo Jackson.

You will also find Sawyerisms (those nicknames he calls everyone,) some info on Jacob and the Hurley/Sawyer connection. What connection am I talking about? I hadn't really noticed one myself till I read about it. It's about the relationship between the two and how it changes. At the beginning Sawyer is really rude and makes all kinds of cracks about his weight and such. In season 4 and 5 Sawyer starts to keep an eye out for Hurley, worries about him. There's also a full list of people who have died (or might be dead), how they died and if they've shown up to others after their death. You can find the full Table of Contents at this webpage at David Lavery.

The section on books was sometimes boring and sometimes very interesting. I found that when there were talking about books I didn't know anything about, it interested me less. It gives a quick explanation of the book if you don't know what it's about but when I know at least a little bit about the storyline and characters or even better, if I'd read the book, I enjoyed the explanation more. The best part was where it explains how much they got ideas from The Stand by Stephen King. If you want to know where they got ideas for different parts of the show, you'll find they got lots of ideas from other books.

It was an interesting read and helped me remember some things I'd forgotten before I started watching Season 6. I don't think it's a necessary book to read for all LOST fans but it would be good for those interested in the literary, media and pop culture references. 

*I received a copy of this book for review from Sourcebooks but my review is not affected at all by how I received the book.

Links of Interest: David Lavery,

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy LOST'S Buried Treasures at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

In My Mailbox Monday - Feb. 22

This is the day when I highlight all the new books that have come into my house since the last time I participated.

In My Mailbox is hosted at The Story Siren while Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page. Since they are basically the same meme, I do them together. Check the links to find posts from others.

So what have I received for review?

You Can't Afford to Break Up: How an Empty Wallet and a Dirty Mind Can Save Your Relationship by Stacey Nelkin and Paul Schienberg, Ph.D.
(iUniverse) - received from Publicist

Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life and Everything in Between by Theresa Brown (HarperStudio) - ARC, received from publisher through Shelf Awareness

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing) - special edition with leather cover received by author for Blog Tour

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui (Three Rivers Press, division of Random House) - received from publisher

Straight Talk for Teenage Girls by Annette Fuson (AuthorHouse) - received for Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tour in March.

That's it for this week!

CSN Bookcase Review

Back in December I announced I was going to be reviewing a bookcase (bookshelf) from CSN Bookcases. I received it just before Christmas and almost immediately hung it up. A few days later I piled books onto it and I've been using it ever since.

So why haven't you seen a review yet? My camera broke. I wanted to provide photos of the bookcase in my house but my camera broke and the cheap one be bought to replace it takes really bad photos most of the time.

Anyways, with the help of my mother's camera, I bring to you, the review.

*Although I received the bookcase for review from CSN Bookcases, the review is honest and in no way affected by how I received the item.

I received the 4D Concepts Hanging Corner Storage in Espresso to review (pictured top right.) You can see what it looks like with books on it below.  I didn't exactly get the whole thing in the photograph as I was in a hurry and I forgot about the little princess heart hanging on the wall at the top but you get the idea.

It came in a small box as each piece was disassembled and laid flat. It wasn't as easy to put together as I've heard others say theirs were but it wasn't impossible. It took me 10 minutes to figure out which way the connected but actually connecting them was easy and just required a simple screwdriver. It was hanging the bookcase on the wall that was difficult. I had my father help me. I wanted it in a certain place so it didn't necessarily go into studs but it came with plastic anchors. I don't like electric drills so I helped line it up and he screwed the holes, put in the anchors and then screwed the bookcase to the wall.

I love it though. I chose it because I didn't have room for another one to sit on the ground. I wanted to make good use of my corner space. If you put more than a few books on it or a bunch of paperbacks, you do need bookends. My corner bookcase is over my couch so I was a little worried about the bookend falling off and hitting someone, especially since I'm using heavy brass ones. However so far it hasn't happened.

You can put your books on the case in different ways. I started out with each shelf different to show you the different ways but that photo was taken with the now broken camera. By the time I got a different camera here I had rearranged the shelves. I have my book spines facing out one wall but you could face them the other way. However then you see the back of your outermost book whereas this way you see the front. You could also stack them but it didn't look good that way. I also tried fanning them out in a quarter circle like the shelf they sit on but it didn't look as good as I thought it would.

I'm very happy with my bookcase, it is keeping my to-be-reviewed books and some to-read books handy but out of the way. It sells for $34.99 + shipping and taxes at CSN Bookcases, the place to buy bookcases. They ship to Canada or the USA.

Thanks again to CSN Bookcases for allowing me the opportunity to review a bookcase.

Earth From Above for Young Readers by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, text by Robert Burleigh

Stars: ****

Summary: Soar above the earth. Look down - what do you see? Water and land, trees and buildings, people and animals. And more, so much more. Let the remarkable aerial photographs of Yann Arthus-Bertrand take you to a whole new world of discovery and adventure.

Mr. Bertrand goes up in a helicopter around the world and takes pictures of the earth, from above. He made a book for adults and this is his young readers edition. Robert Burleigh adds text to reveal the story of each photograph.

One of my favourites of all the photographs is the one used for the inside cover. It's a photograph of many african women looking up at the camera. I also love the one of the village houses in Morocco. It looks like a whole bunch of squares lined up next to each other. Very neat. The accompanying text helps identify what you are looking at and sometimes why it looks like that.

A beautiful book for teaching children to appreciate our Earth because it's so beautiful!

Links of Interest: Yann Arthus-Bertrand (beautiful photos and more, Earth From Above (Squidoo), YouTube Video of Photos from Adult Book,

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Earth From Above for Young Readers at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews.

Contest at Annick Press for Kids

Andrea Wayne von Königslöw, author of Toilet Tales, (click for my review) is working on another book and is looking for help from kids.

Here's a little of what the page says:

What other animals can you think of that would enjoy a story, and why might reading to them be difficult?

For example:

“You can try to read to a lion, but you would have to shout loud enough to drown out its roar.”

You can find out all the details and enter at the Annick Press Contests page.

It does not say what age group can enter but it's for children at least.

Freedom to Read Week - Feb 21-27/2010

 
Freedom to Read Week is a Canadian Event held every year in February. Here's what the official website says:

Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Basically it's a time to read banned or challenged books. To show everyone that you want to choose what books you want to read. That you don't want other people to determine what is available or not available to read.

I can see warnings on books or even certain books needing permission from the parents to check out but not taking them out of the library completely. Then again there are certain subjects that a child probably is ready to read about but their parent would never talk to them about it or say yes they could take out a book on that subject and so without being free to check out whatever books they want, they might not get the information they need/want. e.g. A child questioning their sexuality wants to read about homosexuality but if the book isn't in the library and he/she doesn't feel comfortable asking about it, he/she might not get the information the child was looking for.

Attention Adult Readers...

Please consider taking 5-10 minutes out of your time to complete a reading survey at The Book Whisperer.

I think contributing to research is always a good idea and I know how much us readers love to talk books!

Jungle Jack Hanna: The Wackiest, Wildest, Weirdest Animals in the World by Jack Hanna

Stars: ****


Summary: Have you ever seen a naked mole rat? Do you know what a binturong is? Do you know what kind of bird has a deadly kick? Explore the world’s wackiest, wildest, and weirdest animals with expert and host Jungle Jack Hanna. The book features thirty animals that are wacky, weird, or wild. Kids will learn amazing animal facts and stories of Jungle Jack's personal adventures with some of these unique creatures. The book includes a bonus DVD with hilarious bloopers from his Emmy award-winning show, Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild, and other shows from his career.

I love Jack Hanna and this is a great book for animal lovers.

Each page features a different wacky, wild or weird animal with some basic facts (what they eat, where they live and how big they get), some colour photographs, an explanation of what makes them wacky and a few interesting facts. Some of the animals covered are: Blue-Footed Booby, Platypus, Flamingo, Puffer Fish, Great White Shark, Tasmanian Devil and Naked Mole Rat. Some pages also include a little snippet called "Jungle Jack Adventures" which is a tidbit about Jack Hanna and that animal.

As if that isn't enough fun, the book comes with a DVD of some bloopers from Jack Hanna's Into the Wild. It even has bloopers from way back in the 80s. We get to see Jack Hanna's daughter, who helped on the show. My only dissapointment was that it was too short.

The back of the book has a short glossary and the book is big, which allows for large photographs and a good size font for children to read. I'd recommend this book for ages 8-12 to enjoy the information and a reading level of perhaps 9+

* I received this book from Thomas Nelson for review (now called Book Sneeze) but all reviews are honest and not affected by how I got the book.

Links of Interest: Wackiest, Wildest,Weirdest Animals in the World on YouTube,

Other Reviews: Reviews on Book Sneeze for Jack Hanna Book


Buy Jungle Jack Hanna: The Wackiest Wildest Weirdest Animals in the World at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Obsession: An Erotic Tale by Gloria Vanderbilt

Chris at Book-a-rama has been hosting the Blog Luv Fest and today is the last day. This review is a part of the Blog Luv Fest.

Stars: ****

Summary:
Talbot Bingham is a renowned architectural genius who, with his formidable wife, Priscilla, creates an architectural community. When he dies unexpectedly in the middle of their tenth wedding anniversary celebration, the devastated Priscilla is left keeper of the flame of Talbot's genius. Going through her husband's archives, she comes unexpectedly upon a pile of neatly tied letters, and the shocking secret of her husband's intimate life—a discovery that shatters the foundation of her soul and spirit. The reader is left to decide if the other woman represents another facet of Priscilla, or if Priscilla her-self has invented the other woman who completed the world her husband so recently inhabited? 

I don't read Erotica very much but I wanted to try it. I thought it was a pretty good read. It was definitely erotic but the story itself was interesting too. It was interesting because the ending isn't definite, you can interpret it a few different ways.

At only 160 pages, it's a fairly quick read, which personally I prefer when it comes to this genre. Now I don't want to get into it too much as there are children who read this blog but let's just say that if you want light erotica, this is the wrong book. It's very explicit and covers all different kinds of sex. Let's just put it that way.

Links of Interest: NYTimes Article about Obsession, 

Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy Obsession at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

*I received this book from HarperCollins for review. All reviews are written honestly.

The Books About TV Reading Challenge

I'm participating in another of my own challenges. If you haven't checked out The Books About TV Reading Challenge you're missing out!

The aim is to read books ABOUT television whether it's nonfiction about it or fictional tales using the characters from TV.

The goal is at least 2 books.

I've read:

1. LOST's Buried Treasures 3rd Edition by Lynnette Porter & David Lavery (review coming soon)

The Book of Rock Stars by Kathleen Krull

Subtitle: 24 Musical Icons that Shine Through History

Stars: ****

I've reviewed two other books by Kathleen Krull: The Road to Oz and The Boy on Fairfield Street.

This is another one of her biographies for kids but instead of focusing on one person, it focuses on 24 bands.

Rock Stars Included: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Led Zepplin, The Who, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, Santana, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Pretenders, U2, Nirvana.

I learned a lot actually. I didn't listen to a whole lot of Rock growing up so although I'd heard of these bands, I hadn't listened to most of them. Even the ones I listened too sometimes (like The Beatles or The Doors or The Who), I didn't know anything about.

Things I learned:

• Joni Mitchell is Canadian.
• Led Zeppelin never released singles, only albums
• Elvis got a guitar instead of the bicycle that he wanted for his birthday.
• Grateful Dead name came from an Egyptian prayer Jerry Garcia discovered in a book
• Pete Townshend of The Who snapped the neck off his guitar in art school either accidentally or in frustration but the crowd roared so thrashing instruments became their trademark finale.
• Feb 6 in Jamaica is Bob Marley Day

Links of Interest: Kathleen Krull's Website


Other Reviews: NONE YET

Buy The Book of Rock Stars at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Eco-Libris Green Gift Giveaway

Eco-Libris, the website that hosted the Green Books Campaign in November is now holding a giveaway.

Here's what they say:

For over two years Eco-Libris has been offering eco-conscious readers the opportunity to balance out their books by planting trees. At the same time the company has worked to promote sustainable reading, and reduce books impact on the environment. Now Eco-Libris is combining the two, with a special giveaway that reward customers with green gifts that promote green reading, from gift cards at Strand Book Store and BookSwim to free “green” books that were printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper!

 If you go to their site and donate money you will receive a prize based on how much you donate. You must balance out (donate) 25, 50 or 100 books to get a prize. The first 10 people to balance out 100 books will get another prize as well.

You can donate with credit card or via paypal.

Check out the Green Gift Giveaway Details.

On Callista's Ramblings: Why is an Orange Called an Orange?

Over at one of my other blogs, Callista's Ramblings, I posted the other day about some fun research I did based on a picture book I read: Why is an Orange Called an Orange? by Cobi Ladner. It's short and has some fun facts about oranges and the colour orange. Haven't you ever wondered Why an Orange is called and Orange?

Also the author of the book stopped by and left me a nice comment.

Want to purchase Why is an Orange Called an Orange? by Cobi Ladner from amazon.com and help support SMS Book Reviews?

Man's Best Friend Reading Challenge

 

DelGal's Book Reviews is hosting the Man's Best Friend Reading Challenge.

She says:

From Jan. to Dec. of 2010 participants will read any type of book, from adult to children, long or short, fiction, nonfiction or even memoir. The only requirement is that it must be about dogs of course. Feel free to post your list below in the comment section, or post a link below to your blog where the list will be posted.

So it doesn't look like there is a certain number. So I'll keep track of dog books I read here.

Truth is Stranger Than Fiction Challenge 2010

Caitlin from Chaotic Compendiums is hosting the Truth is Stranger than Fiction Challenge


It's all about reading nonfiction which I do normally so this should be easy for me.

The level I'm choosing:
Nothing But the Truth - Read eight (or more) non-fiction books.

1. Your Name Here: Guide to Life by Michael Rosenbaum
2. The N.D.D. Book by Dr. William Sears
3. The Man's Book by Thomas Fink
4. We Know What You're Thinking by Darrell Bricker & John Wright
5. Temperament Tools by Helen Neville and Diane Clark Johnson
6. Till Sex Do Us Part by Dr. Trina Read
7. Nasty, Brutish and Short by Pat Senson
8. Oral Sex is the New Goodnight Kiss by Sharlene Azam


*I'm only counting the first 8 nonfiction I read for this challenge.

1000th Post Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone who came by during my 1000th post celebration. I held four giveaway and I'm pleased to announce the winners!

I will be contacting the winners later tonight but if you see your name here and haven't heard from me, please feel free to go ahead and contact me first.

Winner of Chicken, Pig, Cow and Chicken, Pig, Cow On the Move + bookmarks from Annick Press:

Pam R


Winner of Roses by Leila Meacham from Hachette Book Group:

Tiny Librarian

Winner of Crusades by Thomas Asbrige from Simon & Schuster UK:

Laura

Winner of Blog Button Display:

Vanessa of http://jewelsandtreasures.blogspot.com/

Booking Through Thursday - Winter Reading

I haven't participated in BTT in a while, mostly because I haven't had much to say on the topic.

Today's question is:

The northern hemisphere, at least, is socked in by winter right now… So, on a cold, wintry day, when you want nothing more than to curl up with a good book on the couch … what kind of reading do you want to do?

Well yes, it is pretty nippy here in South Western Ontario. It's not bad today but it has been cold. We don't currently have snow but it's coming I'm sure.

Generally in the winter I read more nonfiction. I don't read much fiction but I do most of my fiction reading in the warmer months. This is probably completely opposite of most people but if I read fiction, I'll just fall asleep. I need something to keep my mind working so that I stay awake. I most certainly do NOT want to read about anything cold or taking place in a Northern Area. Other than Christmas reading during Christmas, I am not interested in reading about snow-capped mountains or igloos in the winter.

Be sure to check out everyone else's answers at BTT.

Statistics for 2009

Wow am I late in doing this. The problem is I haven't been keeping proper track of the books read in the last half of this year. I haven't done my monthly review of books since April 2009. Oops. I may not have the books in the proper month but my final list of books read is accurate otherwise.

Books Read This Year: 125 (including picture books) [Compared to 250 in 2008]
*I don't review all the picture books I read with my kids. Just ones for challenges or ones I especially liked.

I don't count picture books in my pages read total, which is: 18618
I've never counted this before so I have no idea if that's good or not.

Out of 125 books read:
[Doesn't add up to 125 because a few books were meant for more than one category]

32 picture books [compared to 87 in 2008]
9 fiction [compared to 33 in 2008]
47 nonfiction [compared to 56 in 2008]
13 childrens fiction [compared to 42 in 2008]
16 childrens nonfiction [compared to 31 in 2008]
6 teen fiction [compared to 17 in 2008]
6 teen nonfiction [compared to 2 in 2008]

Futhermore, of those 125 mentioned above:

16 were Memoirs
9 were parenting books
1 was a poetry book
110 were books sent for me to review [compared to 81 in 2008]

I signed up for over 35 challenges at the beginning of the year but ended up not doing most of them and even the few I probably finished, I didn't bother keeping track so there's no challenge number for this year.

Now for some graphs:

Wondrous Words Wednesday

A meme hosted by BermudaOnion:

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. 

 I've never done this before because I rarely find words I don't know but a read from a few weeks ago had lots so I wanted to share.

Your Name Here: Guide to Life by Michael Rosenbaum
*The link above brings you to amazon.com. If you make a purchase I received a small amount which will help support SMS Book Reviews. You are not required to make a purchase if you click on the link.

First of all one the words/phrases I didn't know, isn't in the dictionary and I don't even get any help when I google it. So if anyone out there can explain to me the bolded section below:

"All of us on the receiving ends of their alia culpas found them to be weak, unconvincing, disengenous, and unfortunately, still much richer than we will ever be." - p24

Tangentially is an adverb of:
tan⋅gen⋅tial (note from me: oh right, on a tangent, duh!)
1.pertaining to or of the nature of a tangent; being or moving in the direction of a tangent.
2.merely touching; slightly connected: tangential information.
3.divergent or digressive, as from a subject under consideration: tangential remarks.
4.tending to digress or to reply to questions obliquely.

kib⋅itz⋅er
–noun
1.a spectator at a card game who looks at the players' cards over their shoulders, esp. one who gives unsolicited advice.
2.a giver of uninvited or unwanted advice.
3.a person who jokes, chitchats, or makes wisecracks, esp. while others are trying to work or to discuss something seriously.


dis⋅in⋅gen⋅u⋅ous (note from me, I now realize this means not-genuine, but I didn't realize that at first)
–adjective lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere: Her excuse was rather disingenuous.

par⋅a⋅digm
an example serving as a model; pattern.


con⋅stab⋅u⋅lar⋅y
–noun,
1.the body of constables of a district.
2.a body of officers of the peace organized on a military basis.

bell⋅weth⋅er
–noun
1.a wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.
2.>a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry: Paris is a bellwether of the fashion industry.
3.a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index.
4.a person who leads a mob, mutiny, conspiracy, or the like; ringleader.

ful⋅mi⋅na⋅tion
–noun
1.a violent denunciation or censure: a sermon that was one long fulmination.
2.violent explosion.

That's a lot of unclear words for 115 page book!

Waiting on Wednesdays - Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

This is my first time participating in Waiting on Wednesday and I won't be participating often but I read about this book in the BookBrowse newsletter and it looks really good.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
Publication Date: Feb 2010


From the Jacket: When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a "Have You Seen This Child?" flyer in the mail, she almost throws it away. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops-the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Her every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she's a journalist and won't be able to stop thinking about the photo until she figures out the truth. And she can't shake the question: if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks losing her own life-and that of the son she loves. Lisa Scottoline breaks new ground in Look Again, a thriller that's both heart-stopping and heart-breaking, and sure to have new fans and book clubs buzzing.

2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

 

So in light of my personal goal to read more YA fiction books I thought it made sense to join the YA Reading Challenge. I did this one in 2008 but skipped 2009.  Thanks to Christa @ Mental Foodie for the idea.

I'll be doing: --The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels. 

Exact novels are To Be Determined but I'll be choosing from my post linked above for some of them at least.

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Red in the Flower Bed by Andrea Napa

Subtitle: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption

Stars: ****

Summary: A poppy drops a seed which is carried in the wind to a new place where it grows in to a poppy of it's own with some other flowers and together they all make something beautiful.

Tribute Books (2009)
Children's Fiction
Ages 9-12 (according to amazon... see below)
28 pages

First of all I'd say this book is perfect for ages 3-8. The younger children may not understand what interracial adoption means but they'd still enjoy the story. The way the story relates to interracial adoption is not obvious. What I mean is that if you weren't told of the connection, you wouldn't figure it out. This book could easily be used as an explanation of how a seed grows into a flower and nothing more.

The pictures seem to be done by putting together pieces of fabric cut into certain shapes. Many different prints are used and they all work well together. The pictures make up the background and the text is printed on top.

The text is in rhyme which makes it flow better. I think it's a really cute book.

Links of Interest: Red in the Flower Bed Blog,

Other Reviews: Page Turners, Mental Foodie,

Buy Red in the Flower Bed at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews.

In My Mailbox Monday

In My Mailbox is hosted at The Story Siren and Mailbox Monday is hosted at Printed Page. Both have us look at the books that came into our homes.

I have a quite a few because I missed a few weeks and I received a large amount of books today. I received something for everyone!

I May Frustrate You, But I'm a Keeper! by Ray W. Lincoln (I requested it - from Apex Publications)
Nonfiction parenting book designed to help frustrated parents understand their children and their temperament, lower stress, bond, help our children achieve his or her potential and much more.

You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin's Press)
Unfortunately this didn't get here before Christmas so I'll have to pretend it's Christmas for a few days to read it.

The SuperStress Solution by Roberta Lee, M.D. (Random House)
4-week diet and lifestyle program to relieve headaches and anxiety, sleep well, relax, control weight, build resilience and more

LOST's Buried Treasures 3rd Edition by Lynnette Porter & David Lavery (Sourcebooks)
Yes it's a book about the TV show LOST! Updated through season 5 this isn't an episode guide but information on mysteries, books and tv/movies mentioned in the show, music played, people who died as well as those who came back, video and role-playing games, cast, writer and director biographies, new and old theories and much much more.

The following are ALL from Capstone Publishing:

Duck Goes Potty by Michael Dahl (Board Book)
Bunny Eats Lunch by Michael Dahl (Board Book)
A Polar Bear's World by Caroline Arnold (Picture book with facts)
Camouflage Clues: A Photo Riddle Book by Megan Cooley Peterson (Children's Nonfiction)
Hip-Hop Dancing by Kathryn Clay (Children's Nonfiction)
Birthday Parties and Celebrations by Sarah L. Schuette (Children's Nonfiction)
Giant Pandas by Lyn A. Sirota (Children's Nonfiction)
Big Mouths by Catherine Ipcizade (Children's Nonfiction)
Growing a Garden by Mari Schuh (Picturebook - Easy Reader)

If you'd like to purchase any of these books, please consider going through the following link to Amazon.comand support SMS Book Reviews.

2010 Goal - Read More YA Fiction

My blog is supposed to focus on picture books, middle grade fiction, ya fiction, children's nonfiction, teen nonfiction and adult nonfiction but lately I've been reading very little in the way of YA fiction.

I see others talking about these great books that I keep meaning to read. How can I call myself a reviewer of children's books if I've never read Elizabeth Scott or Neil Gaiman or Laurie Halse Anderson?

So this is my personal challenge, personal goal to read more YA fiction but specifically to read some of the ones I've been meaning to.

Ones I'd Like To Really Try To Read:
Anderson, Laure Halse. Wintergirls.
Bray, Libba. Going Bovine
Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games
Goodman, Alison. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn.
Larbalestier, Justine. Liar
Scott, Elizabeth. Love You, Hate You, Miss You.
Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book
Dashner, James. The Maze Runner

Ones That Sound Good And I Might Try:
Barnes, John. Tales of the Madman Underground.
Efaw, Amy. After
Knowles, Jo. Jumping Off Swings.

I am most certainly open to suggestions. I'm more likely to add it to my list if it's one I've heard of. Think of the book that has been around the book blog community many times and is always mentioned.