:GIVEAWAY: Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids by Stacy Wasmuth

Wiley Publishing has recently received Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids by Stacy Wasmuth.

Every mom who loves taking pictures of their kids and wants to improve their skills NEEDS to get this guide!

One thing that I loved about this book is the down-to-earth writing style of the author. It felt like I was getting personal (and functional) instruction from a friend...rather than an author who wanted to impress with a bunch of hard-to-understand technical jargon.

Another great aspect of this guide are the stunning photographic example throughout the book. I was inspired to try locations, props and poses just from the initial flip-through!

AMAZON DESCRIPTION:

Moms, if you can't seem to take enough great photos of the children in your life, this is the book for you.  Now you can learn how to photograph children with the style, clarity, color, and beauty you see in professional photographs.  This fun guide combines humor with solid know-how to show you how to compose shots, handle cameras from basic compacts to advanced dSLRs, take portraits or candids, create prints that impress, and even work with kids! Packed with beautiful examples and written in a down-to-earth style from one mom to another, this book will help mamarazzis everywhere take better photos.

• Moms are one of the fastest-growing segments of the camera-toting demographic, and the blogosphere has a term for them, mamarazzis
• Mixes information, inspiration, and fun for women who want to take better photographs of the children in their lives
• Explains how to set up a camera and use the controls on basic compacts up to advanced dSLR cameras
• Covers shot composition, determining settings, exposing images correctly, the essentials of printing images, how to process for clear and bright color, and more
• Includes stunning examples of portraits and candids of children

Become a better mamarazzi with this fun and informative guide!

:GIVEAWAY:
Lucky for you, I have a free copy of Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids to give away to one lucky AMOM reader! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post by 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2012 and you'll be entered for your chance!

Random.org will choose and I'll announce the winner on Friday!

GOOD LUCK!

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: OLFA 5-inch Precision Appliqué Scissors

While a trimmer is important tool in every scrapbooker's set of supplies for making straight cuts on a larger scale, it's very helpful to have a small and sharp pair of scissors for more precision cuts.

Olfa is known for high quality cutting products and their new scissor design - the 5-inch Precision Appliqué Scissor - is no exception.

These scissors were designed specifically for working with fabrics and can  accurately cut up to six layers of fabric. Many scrapbookers have been incorporating various types of fabric, trim and stitching into their designs for quite some time, so it only makes sense to add this great pair of scissors to your stash of tools.

They are lightweight, feature stainless steel blades and have wider holes that accommodate up to three fingers for comfort and more control in cutting.

GIVEAWAY:
Here's a chance for you to try them out for yourself!! Simply leave a comment to this post by 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 15th, 2011 and you'll be entered to win.

Random.org will choose and I'll announce the winner on Friday.

GOOD LUCK!!

:REVIEW: A Mercy by Toni Morrison

I recently finished reading A Mercy by Toni Morrison.

First...here's a general description from Goodreads...

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A powerful tragedy distilled into a jewel of a masterpiece by the Nobel Prize-winning author of Beloved and, almost like a prelude to that story, set two centuries earlier.

In the 1680s the slave trade was still in its infancy. In the Americas, virulent religious and class divisions, prejudice and oppression were rife, providing the fertile soil in which slavery and race hatred were planted and took root.

Jacob is an Anglo-Dutch trader and adventurer, with a small holding in the harsh north. Despite his distaste for dealing in “flesh,” he takes a small slave girl in part payment for a bad debt from a plantation owner in Catholic Maryland. This is Florens, “with the hands of a slave and the feet of a Portuguese lady.” Florens looks for love, first from Lina, an older servant woman at her new master’s house, but later from a handsome blacksmith, an African, never enslaved.

There are other voices: Lina, whose tribe was decimated by smallpox; their mistress, Rebekka, herself a victim of religious intolerance back in England; Sorrow, a strange girl who’s spent her early years at sea; and finally the devastating voice of Florens’ mother. These are all men and women inventing themselves in the wilderness.

A Mercy reveals what lies beneath the surface of slavery. But at its heart it is the ambivalent, disturbing story of a mother who casts off her daughter in order to save her, and of a daughter who may never exorcise that abandonment.

Acts of mercy may have unforeseen consequences.

WHAT I THOUGHT:
I read Morrison's novel Beloved years ago (in high school actually, I think). While I don't really even remember what the story line was, I do remember loving the lyrical writing style.

I was a little worried as I started the first chapter as it begins in the voice of Florens, whose dialect is extremely thick. I wasn't sure I'd make it through the whole book in that voice. However, I soon discovered that the voice changes with each chapter and while each is unique, none are quite as difficult as Florens. With that said, even her voice became easier to read (and more lyrical) as the characters and plot lines developed.

Wild is certainly a good word to describe the place and time of this book. While there are certainly examples of goodness and hope in both events and people, there are also a strong presence of corruption and despair as well...the true dichotomy of life in this earlier period of development in our country.

While it's nice to have a nice tidy, happy ending, you won't find it in this novel. What you will find is a novel that is though-provoking and beautiful in its complexity of character and plot.

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

:REVIEW: Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

I recently finished The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.

Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

WHAT I THOUGHT:
Grissom's The Kitchen House is just the kind of historical fiction that I've always loved. To be honest, I would have never guessed that this was her first novel.

I found her characters to be complex and believable. The plot line kept me guessing a bit, but there weren't any ridiculous or forced plot twists that I've found in a few other recent reads that turn me off. It is clear that Grissom did her research in writing this novel.

The narrator of the novel alternates between two of the main character, Lavinia and Belle, with each chapter which I found quite interesting. Both characters are well-defined and offer a unique perspective on the overall story.

The ONLY thing that bothered me (just a little) about the novel, was that the dialect(s) were clear among the  slave characters, however Lavinia's accent is completely absent...even though it is referenced early on in the novel that she can be hard to understand at times because her Irish dialect is so strong. Just seems like one detail that wasn't carried through considering the detail and consistency found in the rest of the novel.

Despite this, if you are a fan of historical fiction, I DO NOT think that you will be disappointed by The Kitchen House!! It's a great read!

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

A Mercy

:REVIEW: Ape House by Sara Gruen

I just finished reading Ape House: A Novel by Sara Gruen a couple weeks ago.

Although I didn't post a complete review, I did list Gruen's Water for Elephants: A Novel as one of my favorite reads of 2009.

BOOK SUMMARY:
Sam, Bonzi, Lola, Mbongo, Jelani, and Makena are no ordinary apes. These bonobos, like others of their species, are capable of reason and carrying on deep relationships—but unlike most bonobos, they also know American Sign Language.

Isabel Duncan, a scientist at the Great Ape Language Lab, doesn’t understand people, but animals she gets—especially the bonobos. Isabel feels more comfortable in their world than she’s ever felt among humans . . . until she meets John Thigpen, a very married reporter who braves the ever-present animal rights protesters outside the lab to see what’s really going on inside.

When an explosion rocks the lab, severely injuring Isabel and “liberating” the apes, John’s human interest piece turns into the story of a lifetime, one he’ll risk his career and his marriage to follow. Then a reality TV show featuring the missing apes debuts under mysterious circumstances, and it immediately becomes the biggest—and unlikeliest—phenomenon in the history of modern media. Millions of fans are glued to their screens watching the apes order greasy take-out, have generous amounts of sex, and sign for Isabel to come get them. Now, to save her family of apes from this parody of human life, Isabel must connect with her own kind, including John, a green-haired vegan, and a retired porn star with her own agenda.

Ape House delivers great entertainment, but it also opens the animal world to us in ways few novels have done, securing Sara Gruen’s place as a master storyteller who allows us to see ourselves as we never have before.

What I thought:

I LOVED Water for Elephants and honestly, was looking forward to reading Ape House. Same author...it should be just as good, if not better, right?

Not right. And now that I've read a few reviews from others, it seems I'm not the only one who was more than a little disappointed. 

I'm sure that Gruen was trying to keep the plot line moving with all her twists and turns, but it all ended up feeling trite and some of the 'coincidences' that she used to connect characters (like a contrived paternity plot that was just silly from the start) were just TOO forced. Nothing seemed to develop naturally.

If the characters weren't totally and completely cliche (the monstrous mother-in-law, the Russian prostitute, the rebellious college intern), they completely whiny and inconsistent - or consistently whiny - like John and his wife, Amanda.

The ONLY parts of the book that I honestly enjoyed featured the bonobos. This is one area where you could tell the author had done her homework. I had not been aware of the Great Ape Trust and the amazing things that are going on there. It's actually not even that far away from where I live (about 5 hours). 

I only wish she would have given the rest of her characters the same attention and took a little more time to make her plot lines a bit more believable.

I have higher hopes for the book I just started...hopefully this one's a winner.

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom

:REVIEW: Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

I actually am a bit behind on my book reviews...I have a couple to catch up, so we'll start with Alice Bliss: A Novel by Laura Harrington.

I don't really like breaking down the synopsis of each book, so we'll let Amazon do that part. :-)

Description from Amazon:
When Alice Bliss learns that her father, Matt, is being deployed to Iraq, she's heartbroken. Alice idolizes her father, loves working beside him in their garden, accompanying him on the occasional roofing job, playing baseball. When he ships out, Alice is faced with finding a way to fill the emptiness he has left behind.

Matt will miss seeing his daughter blossom from a tomboy into a full- blown teenager. Alice will learn to drive, join the track team, go to her first dance, and fall in love, all while trying to be strong for her mother, Angie, and take care of her precocious little sister, Ellie. But the smell of Matt is starting to fade from his blue shirt that Alice wears everyday, and the phone calls are never long enough.

Alice Bliss is a profoundly moving coming-of-age novel about love and its many variations--the support of a small town looking after its own; love between an absent father and his daughter; the complicated love between an adolescent girl and her mother; and an exploration of new love with the boy-next- door. These characters' struggles amidst uncertain times echo our own, lending the novel an immediacy and poignancy that is both relevant and real. At once universal and very personal, Alice Bliss is a transforming story about those who are left at home during wartime, and a teenage girl bravely facing the future.

Now, for what I thought:
If I were using a star rating, I think the highest that I could go on this one would be 2.5.

While I greatly empathized with the hardship, and later grief, that this family was going through and realize that this has been and still is a reality for far too many families in our country, there were several character development issues that I couldn't quite get passed.

Not that I am any expert on child behavior, but I couldn't get past the feeling that the author hasn't spent much time around children and/or teenagers. The 8-year-old daugther in the novel, Ellie, was a bit too precocious to be believable. In response to some of words and actions of Alice and other same-age characters, I just found myself furrowing my brow and thinking to myself, "Really?"

Then, there is the mother, Angie. I felt like I was being led (by the author) to empathize with her as well, but couldn't feel anything but a slight disgust for her as this supposedly adult, professional women basically fell apart and completely neglected her children. Not that I don't believe that this can happen...I am very well aware that there are mothers who certainly do neglect their children. However, I didn't feel that the author had  offered enough evidence in Angie's character leading up to the event that made this response believable.

All of this left me wondering if the author was a mother herself, so I did a little research and could not find any reference to her having children anywhere.

I cannot say that I was surprised.

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

Ape House: A Novel by Sara Gruen

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Sketches for Scrapbooking: One-Page Sketches Volume 1

Sketches are near and dear to many scrappers hearts.

Whether they are simply short on time (aren't we all) or simply going through a bought of scrapper's block, sketches are an invaluable resource.

While I've been a long time of Page Maps from Becky Fleck (volume 1 and volume 2), I've recently discovered another great source for sketch idea books.

They are called Sketches for Scrapbooking from Allison Davis. The volume I am discussing today is her recent first edition for single page designs - Sketches for Scrapbooking Sketches: One-Page Sketches Volume 1.

Here's a list of contents and features:

1. 30 versatile one-page sketches including designs for layouts with anywhere from 1 to 6 photos
2. spiral binding for a functional, lay-flat design
3. a detailed key with each design which:
1. includes an area that differentiates where cardstock and patterns were used (also differentiates between types of pattern such as small pattern, large pattern, stripe, etc.),
2. gives precise size measurements of all major elements,
3. gives measurements for placement of major elements, AND 
4. offers a list of 5+ ideas for possible variations of the design that can be used to stretch the design even further!

While Sketches for Scrapbooking Sketches: One-Page Sketches Volume 1 is certainly a no-frills sketch book (no color or sample layouts included), there are some definite benefits to this...the focus is on the design and allows the user to really bring the design to life with their own photos and product choices.

While this might be Allison's first edition of sketches for one-page layouts, she's got a well-established line of sketch books for 2-page designs and also a couple for cardmaking. Check them all out here.

GIVEAWAY:

Lucky for all of you out there that love using sketches, I have one free copy of Sketches for Scrapbooking Sketches: One-Page Sketches Volume 1 to give away!

Simply answer the following question in a comment to this post by 5 p.m. CST on Thursday, September 29th, 2011 and you'll be entered for your chance to win:

Were you aware of Allison Davis's Sketches for Scrapbooking series before reading this post? If yes, have you previously purchased one of her volumes of sketches?

Random.org will choose and I'll post the winner on Friday.

GOOD LUCK!!

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Don't Say Cheese from Ella Publishing [CONTEST CLOSED]

What is the most personal element that you can add to any scrapbook layout?

Photos, of course!

Isn't it all of our wonderful moments and memories caught on film that got us wrapped up in this wonderful hobby of scrapbooking, after all?

Well, I don't know one scrapbooker that doesn't strive to make the most of their photos and Ella Publishing has a great new eBook available to offer you all the tips and tricks you need to really make your photos shine called Don't Say Cheese! written by family and children's photographer Rebecca Cooper.

Description from Ella:
In Ella's longest eBook to date, Rebecca Cooper is back with a new photography guide that's all about taking photos of kids. This 52-page downloadable eBook is packed with 247 tips, tricks, and ideas to help you capture your children's real smiles and authentic expressions—images that show who they really are (and go far beyond asking a child to just "say cheese").

Drawing on Rebecca's years of professional experience with little kids' photography, this eBook is divided into sections specifically for children, toddlers, babies, and newborns. With all this, plus the bonus Photo Games and Checklists section, you'll be capturing real smiles in no time at all—and having a great time with your kids along the way. Save the cheese for your pizza and try Rebecca's tips for photographing children instead!

Here's a few pages to give you an idea of all the wonderful ideas (and photo samples) inside:

There are five sections: Natural Newborn Photos, Beautiful Baby Photos, Terrific Toddler Photos, Authentic Kid Photos and Photo Games & Checklists.

Each section starts out with an amazing list of tips and tricks and is followed by an array of amazing sample photos. Each sample photo include a "How I Got the Shot" commentary from the author and specific camera specs.

At the end, there are four checklists of 25 shots to take of your kids...one for each season!

GIVEAWAY:
I have a free copy of Don't Say Cheese! to give away to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment answering the following question by 5 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, September 8, 2011 and you'll be entered for a chance to win.

Do you have difficulty getting natural expressions out of your photo subjects? Do you have any tried and true technique for getting a 'keeper'?

Random.org will choose and I'll announce the winner on Friday.

GOOD LUCK!!

:REVIEW: The Katyn Order by Douglas W. Jacobson

Book Description for The Katyn Order: A Novel by Douglas W. Jacobson:
The German war machine is in retreat as the Russians advance. In Warsaw, Resistance fighters rise up against their Nazi occupiers, but the Germans retaliate, ruthlessly leveling the once-beautiful city. American Adam Nowak has been dropped into Poland by British intelligence as an assassin and Resistance fighter. During the Warsaw Uprising he meets Natalia, a covert operative who has lost everything—just as he has. Amid the Allied power struggle left by Germany’s defeat, Adam and Natalia join in a desperate hunt for the 1940 Soviet order authorizing the murders of 20,000 Polish army officers and civilians. If they can find the Katyn Order before the Russians do, they just might change the fate of Poland.

A die-hard fan of historical fiction, this book was right up my alley. While this book is fiction, it is important to not that the Katyn Order - the murder of Polish officers and civilians - does exist and did happen. I especially enjoy fiction that weaves in truth and it was obvious that Jacobson has done his research.

Previously, I had not know of this particular piece of WWII history and found the details both interesting and disturbing. 

This book is a wonderful, non-stop thriller that I could easily imagine being made into a movie. The characters are real and complex and the action is exciting and engaging.

I must admit, there was quite a twist at the end of the novel. However, considering the events of this particular period of our history, I probably should not have been as surprised as I found myself to be.

My only criticism of the book is the relationship that develops between Adam and Natalia. Somehow it just seemed somewhat forced to me. While I found Natalia to be a believable character in the novel apart from her interactions with Adam, there were times that I found her behavior uncharacteristic and inconsistent when she was with Adam.

However, their relationship only takes up a small portion of the novel, so it is hardly a reason not to read the book. In my opinion, it came across as any great action movie that has to have a little romance thrown in for good measure. :-)

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

Alice Bliss: A Novel by Laura Harrington

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: How to be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever by Linda Scott

When I was contacted by Debra at Laurence King Publishing to review How to be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever by Linda Scott, I must admit that I almost turned her down.

I always strive to make sure that the products I feature on the AMOM blog fit my topic, are something I feel that I can honestly review, and will be of interest to all of you.

Well, in this case, it was the second one that I was second-guessing. While I know that there are a lot of scrapbookers out there that really love exploring their creative side with hand lettering on their pages, I have to admit that I've never really dipped into this technique. And, honestly, I don't really see myself going that direction since my scrapbooking time is at a premium as it is.

Then, I reconsidered. I thought, "Kaitlin would ADORE this book!" She already loves using various forms of bubble writing on her home and school craft projects.

So, I replied asking if a few statements from her perspective would be acceptable. Debra replied that a kid's review would be great. After doing a little research, I soon discovered that the book is actually marketed primarily to kids, in fact.

When the book arrived, Kaitlin was simply excited that the package was for her! (Everyone loves to get a package, right!?)

We opened it up and her eyes immediately lit up! She was all, "And I can even write in it!?"

She hardly put it down for the first few days!! It was also an amazing car-ride occupier during the vacation we  took to the Black Hills shortly after receiving the book which included lots of car time.

Kaitlin said:

"I love that there are so many different styles to practice."
"Usually it is bad to write in a book. It's cool that I can practice the letters right in it."
"My favorite bubble alphabet is 'Rock On!'. It's so cool!"

In all, there are about 70 different bubble type faces featured in this book. Here's a couple examples:

As you can see, the author writes out the entire alphabet to illustrate and there is plenty of room to practice.

If you have a creative kid who love to explore their artistic side, How to be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever is a winner!

If you are a scrapbooker who likes to use hand letting on your layouts and/or try knew techniques to give your layouts a uniquely-you feel, this book is for you, too!

How to be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever is currently available at Amazon for only $10.17!

About the Author:
Linda Scott is a successful London-based illustrator and printed textile designer. She has produced work for some of the world's leading retailers, independent labels and designer boutiques. Her creative work has also featured in museum exhibitions, art shows and international publications. Currently, Linda is working with children's magazine Okido and a number of exciting animation projects.

SIMILAR TITLES:

The Scrapbooker's Handwriting Workshop: 
20 Unique Fonts to Practice and Play With
Crystal Jeffrey Rieger








GIVEAWAY:
I have a free copy of How to be the Best Bubblewriter in the World Ever to give away to one lucky reader. Simply answer the following question by 5 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, August 25th, 2011 and you'll be entered for a chance to win!

Have you ever used hand lettering (something beyond just your own handwriting for journaling) on a layout? If no, why not? If yes, is it a technique you enjoy to use often?

Random.org will choose and I'll announce the winner on Friday.

GOOD LUCK!

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Scotch Permanent Adhesives [CONTEST CLOSED]

As any scrapbooker knows, adhesive is a very important part of the process.

Personally, my general go-to adhesive is in runner form - fast and easy - but every now and then I do like to use dots as they seem to have a little more strength for heavier items or have a little more flexibility when working with items that I wish to shape, such as ribbon or trim.

Scotch has several new adhesive dots products available that I am very excited about.

Of course, they are photo safe and come in an easy-dispense box.

One thing that I especially like about these dots compared to others that I have used is that each dot is dispensed one at a time on a clear liner for a "no touch" design that allows you to place the dot precisely where you want it without ending up with a sticky mess on your finger.

They are available in a variety of sizes and styles including small, medium, ultra-thin, and 3D Pop-Up. I love using pop dots for adding dimension to my pages.

They also have a liquid super glue with a precision applicator that means less mess and more control.

The stay-fresh bottle is also clog resistant, which is a consistent problem that I have with my previous super glue. (I had to use a pin to clear out the nozzle every time I used it. Frustrating!)

Also, scrapbookers are always using new and interesting items to design their pages and this glue bonds to wood, metal, ceramic, leather, rubber, vinyl, some plastics, and more.

GIVEAWAY:

I have a prize pack of Scotch adhesive to give away to one lucky reader including the following items:

• 1 Scotch Super Glue Liquid Precision Applicator 
• 2 packs of Scotch Adhesive Dots 3D Pop Up
• 1 pack of Scotch Adhesive Dots Ultra-Thin Medium Scrapbook
• 1 pack of Scotch Adhesive Dots Medium Craft 
• 2 packs of Scotch Adhesive Dots Small Craft

Just leave a comment to this post by 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2011 telling me what your current go-to adhesive is for your scrapbooking and you'll be entered for a chance to win this great adhesive pack.

GOOD LUCK!!

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Scrapbooking Your Single Years from Ella Publishing [CONTEST CLOSED]

I want to start of this review by saying that you should not let the title of this Ella Publishing eBook turn you away if you are not a single person.

Even if you are married or in a serious relationship, Scrapbooking Your Single Years is sure to offer you a wealth of new topics that deserve a spot in your scrapbooks. The subtitle of this book is "88 spectacular page ideas for current and former singles" and it certainly delivers.

In fact, I have been with the same guy (7 years dating and 11 years married) and I took away dozens of ideas from this book that I certainly hope to create layouts with.

Frankly, no matter how committed you may be to your significant other and/or children, everyone must be careful not to lose sight of the history and characteristics that make you who you are...outside of those relationships and commitments.

In the introduction, the author, Stephanie Baxter, shares her belief that although our family will certainly appreciate the moments and memories that we have captured about them in scrapbook pages, they would also certainly appreciate knowing more about the person that created them (perhaps even more so, in fact).

She presents the following questions your family might ask:
"What was she like when she was younger? What was her life like before she settled down, got married, and brought me into the world? Can I see similarities between us at the same age? What qualities or interests have I inherited from her?"

This book gives you all the ideas you'll need to answer all of these questions and more for everyone in your family.

In this Ella eBook, the author and 9 other extremely talented scrap artists share 22 layout samples to illustrate their examples of how to capture the essence of who you are and where you came from.

Each one comes with several other fun variations that you could use to stretch their ideas even further, encouraging quotes to inspire you to start documenting your single life as well as many mini-albums topics ideas.

Scrapbooking Your Single Years is certainly another great title from Ella Publishing!

GIVEAWAY:
I have one free download of Scrapbooking Your Single Years to give away. All you have to do to enter is answer the following question in a comment to this post by 5 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, August 4, 2011:

Do you find it easy or difficult to scrapbook about yourself? Why?

Random.org will choose and I will announce the winner on Friday!

GOOD LUCK!

:BOOKSHELF: Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

I usually read before I go to sleep...not every night, but most...generally just a chapter or two.

However, with Before I Go to Sleep: A Novel by S.J. Watson, I had a hard time putting it down each night. There always seemed to be some twist around the corner that I found myself wanting to read 'just one more chapter'!

Here's an overview from Publisher's Weekly:
Memories—real, false, and a bit of both—are at the heart of British author Watson's haunting, twisted debut. Christine Lucas awakens each morning in London with no idea who she is or why she's in bed with a strange man, until he tells her that his name is Ben and they've been married for 22 years. Slowly, Christine learns that she has amnesia and is unable to remember her past or retain new memories: every night when she falls asleep, the slate is wiped clean. Dr. Nash, her therapist, has encouraged her to write in a journal that she keeps secret from Ben. Christine realizes how truly tangled—and dangerous—her life is after she sees the words "don't trust Ben" written in her journal, whose contents reveal that the only person she can trust is herself. Watson handles what could have turned into a cheap narrative gimmick brilliantly, building to a chillingly unexpected climax.

While in the end I ended up LOVING this book, it the first few chapters, I did have a nagging concern.

Basically, every chapter starts the same. Christine wakes up and doesn't know where she is and thinks she is 20+ years younger than she is, but is soon confronted with the fact that nothing is as she thinks. I thought, "How can the author possibly relive this realization in every chapter of the book and keep it from getting painfully redundant.

Well, it didn't take me long to realize that Watson is an amazing storyteller and there is nothing redundant about the unraveling of this plot line. In fact, it's hard to believe that this is Watson first novel, but it is.

I have to admit, I thought that I had the 'don't trust Ben' plot twist figured out about half way through the book, but still had an inkling of doubt that made me keep reading. In the end, the twist was totally NOT what I thought it was and something oh so much more sinister (and genius!).

I've read some great books, but I do think Before I Go to Sleep is my favorite so far for 2011! I definitely recommend this novel who is looking for a suspenseful page-turner.

NEXT ON THE BOOKSHELF:

The Katyn Order: A Novel by Douglas W. Jacobson

:BOOKSHELF: Water Ghosts by Shawna Yang Ryan

I just finished a very interesting read called Water Ghosts: A Novel by Shawna Yang Ryan.

My edition has a different cover than the one currently available on Amazon and from what I have read, this book was also previously published under another name (Locke 1928).

Here's the story summary from Booklist:

On a foggy morning in 1928, the arrival of a boat carrying three women upsets the equilibrium of Locke, a small California community created by Chinese immigrants in which the minister’s wife is the only white women not a prostitute. No life is more altered than that of Richard Fong, manager of the Lucky Fortune Gambling Hall, who left his wife, Ming Wai, in China 10 years earlier to make his fortune in America and has yet to return to see her. One of many men in Locke without a woman, he consorted first with brothel operator and seer Madame Poppy See, then with one of her younger girls—until he finds that a worn Ming Wai is one of the women in the boat. Poppy, who still loves Richard and is disturbed by the arrival of the women, must determine whether her concerns are dreams fueled by jealousy or premonitions of danger.

The story is intriguing, no doubt, and while there several things that I really liked about this book, there were a few things that I mildly disliked as well.

Let's start with what I liked.

First of all, the prose is SO beautiful...often quite poetic which was a feast for my imagination. The scenes and characters really came to life as I was reading.

I have always been a fan of cultural and historical novels and this one fits both. There is a very strong infusion of the Chinese culture even though the novel is set primarily in California. The entire novel has overtones of the Chinese myth of water ghosts which adds and ethereal quality to the story. I also liked the fact that there is some fact to the fiction. While these precise characters and story are fictional, Locke was a real community populated by Chinese immigrants; primarily men who had to leave their women behind in China.

Okay, now for the things that keep me from giving this novel 5 stars...

First of all, the character from which the story is told changes from chapter to chapter and while this does help to develop each of the characters at a deeper level, it did make it a little harder to get a grasp on the story in the early part of the book.

On top of that, the author also shifts time periods throughout the book...same issue...just makes the story a little hard to follow at times.

My only other complaint is that there are no quotation marks! Sometimes I found myself thinking, "Did they (the character) say that...or just think it?" (See, quotations help!)

Despite my last few comments, I have to say that due to the haunting story, the complex characters and the lovely prose, I am still quite happy that I saw this novel through to the end.

LET'S TALK:

Have you read Water Ghosts: A Novel (or Locke, 1928)? If so, what did you think? Have you read any other historical novels involving the Chinese culture that you enjoyed?

:REVIEW: 11x14 Canvas from EasyCanvasPrints.com

Megan of BuildASign.com contacted me recently about the new website she had just launched that creates canvas prints from photos or art EasyCanvasPrints.com and asked if I would be interested in reviewing one of their products and sharing my thoughts with all of you.

I have no lack of photos that I love of Kaitlin, but since every photo that I have on the wall of here currently is at least four years old, I thought this offer was just one more sign that it was time to swap out a few.

So, of course, I took Megan up on her offer and visited her new website the same day!

I found the ordering experience exceedingly simple! First, I could choose from canvas sizes in a variety of sizes starting at 8" x 8" and ranging up to 30" x 40". There is even a handy preview screen that allows you to see what the print size you choose will look like on a wall in relation to an average sized couch and floor lamp.

You can then choose from a 3/4" wrap (which is ideal if you wish to frame your canvas) or a 1.5" wrap for a more gallery-style look.

Then, I found my photo on my computer and selected it for a fast upload. (PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP, and TIF files are accepted.)

EasyCanvasPrints also has an image quality check at this point to make sure that your selected image is of a high enough resolution to produce a quality canvas at the size selected.

In the next part of the ordering process, you simply choose which type of wrap you would like and their are

three options: mirror, image wrap and border color. You can preview each to see how each will look and decide which you like best.

For an additional charge, you can change your image to black and white or sepia toned, but in my opinion, it would make more sense to make that adjustment before uploading to avoid the additional charge.

Also for an additional charge, you do have the option to request minor or major retouching. After you select either, a box pops up where you are able to type in further details on what you are requesting.

Then, it's into the cart and the checkout procedure is just as simple.

Literally a few days later, I received the package in the mail. It was well-packaged and I was pleased that they had marked it as fragile. I can't tell you how many times I've received a package (even photos) that I could tell was NOT handled with care.

Now, for some pictures...

The color and texture of the canvas was just beautiful!

I chose the mirror wrap and like the way it turned out.

The corners are tight and crisp.

And the canvas looks so lovely on our wall!! I must certainly order more of these canvases to continue replacing all of my old wall photos!

I would definitely encourage you all to give EasyCanvasPrints.com a look and now would be a great time for you to give them a test as well. They currently have a sale running offering 25% off all canvases as well as FREE SHIPPING! A great deal, for sure!