Message In a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks

This book seemed really long to me. It took nearly a month for me to read. It was a lot like Nights in Rodanthe.

If you are a single woman, divorced, or in some way looking for that true love, Nicholas' books will knock you out of the water. If you are happily married, he brings a reverence to the love you have.

But with saying that, I am not a mushy romance novel addict. So enough is enough. The ending to this book is a real downer (for me). Honestly, I am reading Dear John (because the movie is coming out) and then calling it quits for a while with Mr. Sparks literature.

I rented the movie for this weekend while Lovie is at scout winter camp. just in case it's a cryfest.

A Walk to Remember is still my #1

Braggs Healthy Lifestyle By Paul C. and Patricia Bragg

I think this book is one of the first to start the raw diet movement. While I learned several new things, I don't agree with the Braggs philosophy on all subjects.

It did inspire me to do a 66 hour fast of raw apple juice and raw apple cider vinegar only. (At 66 hours I had 1/2 of an avocado, but went on to 72 hours). I have been trying to detox forever and just decided to bite the bullet; Since fasting is one of the fastest ways to detox.

One piece of advice if doing a fast: Raw apple cider vinegar (not the stuff you get at Walmart, like Heinz. Raw organic, like Braggs) really helps with the hunger pains and over all sense of well being. The recipe is all over the bottle. but is 1tsp. RAW honey, 2 t. ACV and a cup of water. Can be taken three times a day. This cocktail is good for a variety of ills. My sister in law suggested it and I have been drinking it for three weeks now. Apparently it was the original Gatorade, I can believe it.

I made Patricia's popcorn recipe: air popped of course. with olive oil, brewer's yeast and Braggs sprinkle seasoning and it was really good. Matter of fact my kids ate it all and I plan on making more today.

My favorite part of the book was the "Chinese tongue Chart". The tongue is the magic mirror of the stomach and entire mucus membrane system, so if it's coated in a particular area, that's where the toxins are.

My review of this book is questionable. I learned from it, but the tone of the book is arrogant-calling people who eat unhealthily "living dead" and "walking piles of manure".The information rendered becomes redundant. The book could easily be less than 50 pages instead of 132.

If you are considering the raw food or vegan diet, you will like it, but I'm not to that point. I like my cheese and meat to much.

Paul Bragg has a slew of accomplishments such as opening the first health food store in America and was the first to introduce juicing. Even Jack LaLanne is one of his students (we hear about that every few pages).

The Lightning Thief By Rick Riordan

My daughter and I are reading the Percy Jackson series together.

I liked this book and would feel very comfortable reading it to any child.

While similar to Harry Potter, it did not leave me feeling uncomfortable with the subject matter as did Harry Potter (call me a prude, the kidlets tease me all the time).

Instead of witches and wizards, this book is about the gods of mythology. We all learn about them sometime in school. My daughter actually learned about them in second grade. I think I was in high school.

Percy is a Half Blood. Find out Who's his Daddy, what Mt. Olympus/Zeus is like and how about Tartarus/ Hades. Of course there is a quest involved.

I read through this book pronto-speedy because, yes, it was fun and the plot entertaining but also because I have not only one stack, but several stacks of books I am going to read this year (and five of them are Percy Jackson).

Now if she would just finish book two. I want to read as many as possible before the movie comes out next month

ISBN: 978-078685629-9

A Return To Christmas By Chris Heimerdinger

Dear Chris Heimerdinger,
Please write more books.
ASAP.
Very Fondly,
MachMomma and Her Little Mustangs

OK. So I think I did it. I have now read read everything he has written. Yes, loved them all. Some say this story is predictable, but I didn't see it coming. Maybe it was the fact that I read at 11:30 pm and am half asleep. None the less. This story haunted me for days.
I really want my children to read it when they are done with their current reads. And since we are all fans of Mr. Heimerdinger that shouldn't be a problem.

The story line is: Artemus and Andrew are twins. But at three years old, Andrew is killed in a tragic accident that his father blames himself for. It happened on Christmas Morning, so the family not only fore goes Christmas festivities, they are in a horrible sense of mourning during the season.

But through an unexpected turn of events...

Christmas Jar by Jason F. Wright

I buzzed through this small book in one evening after the kidlets went to bed. I couldn't put it down.
To be honest, you can kind of figure out what the message is going to be. BUT the story line to deliver that message totally surprised me. Very cute and we are reading it as a family now.
This would be a great tradition to start. Not only by giving the jar away, but for newlywed's who are just starting their own traditions. I am seriously considering doing all of my Christmas shopping just like they did. Then maybe I won't over do it... again.
The book and jar would be a great gift for neighbors or family members.

Christ Centered Christmas By Sharon Velluto and Suzanne Meredith

If I were to purchase ONE book for the Christmas season for family lessons and activities. This would be it. ( Outside of Church publications that is)

I have used it for nearly ten years and still haven't been all the way through it.
What it contains:
*A short Christ Centered lesson based on familiar Christmas symbol
*Simple ornament depicting the traditional symbol designed to accompany the lesson
*Suggested hymns/songs from the Hymn book and Children's Songbook.
*Scripture references from the four Standard Works
*Optional materials including thoughts, inspirational articles, stories, games, recipes, etc

For a more complete review visit my other blog here

I Believe in Santa Clause by Diane Adamson

Love this book. I bought it 2 years ago when my daughter started asking if Santa was real.
The children at school had burst her bubble. It was confusing to her because every year the Sunday before Christmas, he actually comes to our home.
I have never went one way or another. Christmas to me is more Christ centered. But I do feel it is important to "have a childhood" so to speak.
The author does the perfect job of comparing the symbolism of Santa to the symbolism of Jesus Christ.

I cannot recommend this book enough. ISBN #0-9673571-0-1
I purchased mine at Deseret Book