• Articles,  Blog,  Life

    Our Culture of Shame

    I hate conflict. I really do. During the election season, I kept my head down and refused to engage in any sort of debate. I even begged out of a bunch of conversations when people would tag me and ask for my opinion. I really, really hate it. (And I’m married to a man who thrives on debate. How did that happen? *smh*)  So it’s not often that I share my opinions on hot topics or potentially controversial subjects. But this morning I woke up to a flurry of messages on Facebook about something I had posted yesterday and I have to admit that I was absolutely stunned by it.…

  • Blog,  Books,  Reviews

    Audiobook Review: Big Little Lies

    Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Genre: mystery, suspense, thriller Audiobook (courtesy of https://www.estories.com/) Anyone who has been to public school knows that it can be hard. Really hard. Any mom who has dropped off their kid for the first day of Kindergarten or at a  new school knows that it’s heartbreaking, scary, and nerve wracking to watch your kid disappear into a building where you aren’t sure if they are going to have friends or not. Ratchet that up a level when you realize that your school is situated in one of the most elite areas in the country. Now it’s not just who is in your class, but…

  • Articles,  Blog

    But I have the right to…..

    Okay, let me start here by saying that I hate confrontation. For most of the election season, I kept quiet on all topics. I tend to shy away from debate. Maybe I’m a people pleaser. Maybe I am just not strong enough on the debate side. I really don’t know. I just know that I usually shrink back into the corner on all things politics/debate/controversy. There’s been a real uptick in people who are involved in politics and registering their opinions. Social media has given everyone a platform to say what they like and believe. In many ways, this is a good thing. It’s given people a voice. But the…

  • Blog,  Books,  Reviews

    Audiobook review: Cooking for Picasso

    Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray Genre: contemporary, history, audiobook Publisher: Random House (AUDIOBOOK) Date: August 9, 2016 Pablo Picasso. The name conjures up images galore. Even those with virtually no knowledge of art know that he was a genius. He changed everything people ever imagined about art. We know the art, but how much do we know about the man? In 1936 Pablo Picasso was already a well-established master of his craft and well set in his ways. In his 50’s, he knew how good he was. He knew his reputation and what his paintings were worth, so his ego was already pretty well-established too. Seventeen year old Ondine is…

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    Review: The Lost Girl of Astor Street

    The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill Genre: historical, mystery, young adult, YA Publisher: Blink Date: February 7, 2017 Eighteen-year-old Piper Sail is well aware that she doesn’t necessarily fit in with the rest of the girls her age. She’s not interested in finding a husband and there’s little that interests her about homemaking. Though 1924 Chicago is the dawning of a new era, with new styles and more freedom for young women, there still aren’t a lot of options for a young woman her age. She’s quite content at this point to just spend time with her best friend Lydia and work towards graduation from school. Then…

  • Blog,  Books,  Reviews

    Review: I See You

    I See You by Clare Mackintosh Genre: suspense, mystery, thriller, contemporary Publisher: Berkely Date: February 21, 2017 Like millions of people around the world, Zoe Walker rides mass transit to and from work every day. The reality is that nothing about her really stands out from the crowd. If you saw her on the train or even on the street, you probably wouldn’t even give her a second glance. So it’s pretty startling for her when she notices an advertisement in the newspaper that looks like her. It rattles her enough to study the ad (which appears to be for a dating type site called findtheone.com) and bring it to…