Review: Ms. Conception by Jen Cummings

Abigail Nichols has tried everything from rash-inducing herbal creams to acupuncture in a desperate, last-ditch effort to get pregnant. Wedged into her iPhone schedule among new business pitches and rebranding design meetings is Abby’s ovulation cycle, along with potential opportunities for illicit afternoon quickies. With all of their hopes and savings on the table, Abby and her husband Jack enter the whispered world of fertility clinics. Along with a meddling mother-in-law, competitive pregnancies, and constant obligatory sex, Abby’s baby-track mind conspires to ravage her career, her marriage, and her sanity. One thing she knows for sure: a healthy sense of humor (and the occasional glass of red wine) is the best coping strategy. One thing she wishes she knew: whether it will be enough. Ms. Conception is an honest but light-hearted novel inspired by the ups and downs of fertility treatments and the emotional burden that rests on those trying to conceive

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My Review:

It took my husband and I a year to get pregnant. I felt so much for Abby in the beginning of this book, because I remember crying every month when nature told me I wasn't going to have a baby. I remember snapping at my husband and glaring daggers at coworkers who kept getting pregnant.

I can't even imagine having a meddling mother-in-law and having to spend so much money or be without child. Even now, we don't have that kind of money for treatments. 

I seriously went through so many emotions during this book. I was happy and then sad and then crushed and the happy and then anxious...this book just made me feel so many things and I got so attached to the characters in this book that by the time I put it down one of my coworkers asked me "What's wrong?" and I just started gushing about it and telling her to read it.

When I got to the Author's note at the end of the book, I realized why this book was so good. Writers, you'll hear over and over that personal experiences make for the best books, and this is an example of that. Jen has so much of my respect right now and I can't wait to see if there will be more from her.

Review: Becoming Moon

Becoming Moon is the poignant coming-of-age story about a young man struggling to be himself amid pressure from a conservative family. Following his dream of becoming a writer, he turns away from everything he knows, and enters adulthood embittered, angry, and resentful.
As he struggles to make a name for himself, he is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Although it requires a betrayal of his principles as an artist, he resigns himself to what appears to be fate. The writer’s compromise brings money and recognition, but these are fleeting and he soon finds himself caught in a web of depression and financial hardship. 
Desperate and sinking quickly, the writer begins taking trips to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he hopes to reconnect with his muse. During one of these excursions, he meets Nigel Moon, a grizzled fellow author nearing the end of his career. Moon gives the writer a second golden opportunity and the chance to prove himself in the face of personal doubts—but only if the writer is able to set his past aside.
Equal parts witty and dark and wry and tragic, the text uses simplicity as its focus. Raw and honest, Becoming Moon is an unforgettable book about exorcising past demons and finding personal redemption.

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My Review:

I don't even know where to start with this book. I mean, it was good. This book was a well written, really great book to read. The characters were varied and even if a couple fell through the cracks, for the most part they were multi-dimensional characters. The plot was complex without being too complex to follow, and interesting enough to want to read in the course of one day (as opposed to some books that I will put down and scribble or make paper stars at work instead of reading it and then it takes me several days to finish it) 

I mean, it was a really good book. Four stars, easy. The fifth always depends on whether I would spend money on it. And here is my problem. People are heralding this book as a literary masterpiece, like it's a modern day classic that should be taught and over analyzed in school. They may not say that, but it's pretty clear in the vocabulary they're using. They are not using the same vocabulary that they use for reviews on Harry Potter, or even The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. No, they are using the exclusive vocabulary reserved for The Scarlet Letter, or Mark Twain books. 

I really don't feel like this was a masterpiece. That's a pretty heavy word to give something. It was very good, and I would certainly read it at the library or love it as a gift or even buy the kindle version. But I wouldn't spend more than $3.00 on this. 

Overall: We're left at 4.5.

And also, I got this book for free from the author through a Goodreads Giveaway.

Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy: Review and Giveaway

Have you ever wished there were an advice columnist for writers, but one who didn’t take things so damned seriously? This unique writing guide pairs questions sent in by top contemporary essayists with hilariously witty answers and essays from acclaimed author Dinty W. Moore. Phillip Lopate asks for advice on writing about your ex without sounding like an ass, Julianna Baggott worries that to be a great writer you must drink like a fish, and Roxane Gay asks whether it’s kosher to write about writing.

Taking advantage of all the tools available to today’s personal essayist—egregious puns, embarrassing anecdotes,  and cocktail napkins—Professor Moore answers these questions, and more, demystifying the world of nonfiction once and for all. With a tip of the hat to history’s most infamous essay—Montaigne’s “Of Cannibals”—this book provides rollicking relief for writers in distress.

Author Info   Book Info   Buy on Amazon

My Review:

This book was funny, informative, and--most important--fit inside my purse. I adored the little illustrations interspersed in the book, especially when the author chose to write an essay entirely on cocktail napkins. I've never read this author in a newspaper, a fact that is not likely to change as I don't read newspapers, but I'll definitely buy the next book if there is one to make up for it. 

This book is great for aspiring writers, students, teachers, and fans of grammar. The only thing that I didn't enjoy--though I'm not sure if this was a result of the writing or a result of working while reading, but I lost interest towards the end of the book. I found myself scanning longer essays, reading with a poker face instead of trying to keep from giggling as I had with the previous essays.

In full disclosure, I got this book for free from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.


*****GIVEAWAY: I somehow ended up with two copies of this book, so there will be two winners! I'll be picking winners at the end of next week (on October 22) and shipping out on October 30!****
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Review: Ways to Disappear

A debut novel about the disappearance of a famous Brazilian novelist and the young translator who turns her life upside down to follow her author's trail. 
Deep in gambling debt, the celebrated Brazilian writer Beatriz Yagoda is last seen holding a suitcase and a cigar and climbing into an almond tree. She abruptly vanishes.
In snowy Pittsburgh, her American translator Emma hears the news and, against the wishes of her boyfriend and Beatriz's two grown children, flies immediately to Brazil. There, in the sticky, sugary heat of Rio, Emma and her author's children conspire to solve the mystery of Yagoda's curious disappearance and staunch the colorful demands of her various outstanding affairs: the rapacious loan shark with a zeal for severing body parts, and the washed-up and disillusioned editor who launched Yagoda's career years earlier.
Idra Novey's exhilarating debut is an international romp: a madcap blend of mystery, romance, noir, and humor. 
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My Review: 
I got this book for free by winning it from the Goodreads Firstreads giveaways.

I love this book. I LOVE this book. Here's why I love this book:

The cover
The smell
the story
the characters
the format
the short chapters so I can read without losing my place at work
The definitions sprinkled throughout the book
the mystery
The little media updates throughout the book

Things that I less-than-loved:

The main character writing. I thought more would happen with it. I don't understand. What was the point?

Overall: read this book. borrow it, buy it on kindle, do what you have to (preferably not stealing.) but read it.

Review: The slanguage of love

The Slanguage of Love is a new visual guide in the best-selling Slanguage series, featuring more than two dozen phrases centered around the theme of love, with each phrase translated into ten different languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Russian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, and
Korean.
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My Review:

I won this book for free through the Goodreads Firstreads program.

First, this book is small and adorable. It's eye catching, and can work well as either a stocking stuffer or standalone gift for any member of your family or good friend.

The directions for the book on the first page were easy to follow and my husband and I sat down and went through it, taking turns telling each other phrases in our favorite languages.

The pages themselves are formatted beautifully and the little pictures aren't at all overwhelming, as the author even suggests to add your own pictures throughout the book.

Overall: would I spend money on this? Yes. It makes an awesome gift for just about any occasion. 

ebook review: Black Widow Forever Red

Enter the world of the Avengers' iconic master spy 

Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives.

Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type.

Until now.

When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . .

Black Widow:Forever Red features all the heart-pounding adventure readers expect from Marvel, written by #1 New York Times best-selling author Margaret Stohl. Uncover a new side of the Marvel Universe that will thrill loyal fans and newcomers alike, as Stohl reveals the untold story of Black Widow for the very first time.

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My Review:

Disney was kind enough to let me read this book for free through NetGalley. I had begun to think they blacklisted me or something. (kidding, Disney!) Anyway, FTC, honest review, y'all know the drill.

I was really, really excited for this book. Like, SUPER excited. Not only am I a Marvel geek, but when I was an active writer, I was part of a text roleplaying group and I wrote as the Black Widow. You know, for...research. Or practice. Or something.

I was not disappointed in the least with Natasha's voice or character depiction. We meet her shortly after she joins Shield and takes down Ivan, who was her captor in the Red Room. She also saves Ava, who we get to later. Marvel fans will enjoy her character, as well as Coulson's. 

So, Ava. LOVE her character. Alex: a close second favorite. I liked him, but I wouldn't say I loved him.

Together: Total insta-love. At least it makes sense, kind of, because of who they are, but still.

Natasha: I wanted more. I really, really want more. Like, five more books more. There was not enough of her in this book. 


Overall: The relationship of Ava and Alex fell short of my expectations by two points. But the prose was great, the characters mostly great, and it definitely set the scene for me to read the next book. If there is one. God, I hope there is one. Would I buy it? Yes, but probably as a gift for all of my friends. I'll get a hard copy for myself when I get that mansion-sized library for Christmas.

Rating: 4.8

Review: Swimming Upstream; Parenting girls for resilience in a toxic culture

A guide to help parents teach their daughters to resist negative cultural messages.Never before have adolescent girls faced so many confusing and contradictory expectations. From a young age, popular culture teaches girls that their worth is based on their appearance, their ability to gain attention, and an ever-increasing accrual of accomplishments. With such unattainable standards, it is no wonder that many girls experience stress, self-doubt, and even mental health problems. Girls struggle to develop an authentic sense of self, even as they attempt to meet a set of impossible cultural expectations. 
Many parents feel helpless against the onslaught of negative influences targeting their daughters, but in Swimming Upstream: Parenting Girls for Resilience in a Toxic Culture, Laura Choate offers a message of reassurance. This book provides parents with a set of straightforward tools they can use to help their daughters navigate the trials and demands of contemporary girlhood. 
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My Review:

In Compliance with FTC guidelines, you all should know I got this E-arc for free from NetGalley but am not obligated in any way to post a positive review--just an honest one.

When I was pregnant and heard we were having a girl, I cried. In my defense my logical reasoning skills were not at their highest and my hormones were definitely out of control. But I was thinking about what huge responsibility a girl is. I would have to teach her to love herself and question what society and the media says about her worth when I still had my own lessons to learn in those subjects. I enjoyed reading this because the author seemed to really understand pregnant-me's panic. She offered studies and suggested observations that should be done "as if you were an alien doing a study". And it helped. As I read I got the sense not so much of a research book, but that I was getting calm advice from a trusted friend. I did only get the E-arc, but I'll definitely be buying the physical copy for my shelves.