Pretty and a Giveaway

I love to read and I've finally reached a point where I can carve out tiny niches of time to actually do so again! When the folks at Global Influence asked if I'd like to read and review Jillian Lauren's debut novel titled Pretty, I jumped at the chance.

I'm not sure that Pretty is a title I would consider for a book that is anything but... It's the saga of Bebe Baker, a former stripper, former drug addict, former many things. A car accident has killed her boyfriend, leaving her scarred and adrift. We meet her while she is serving time in a halfway house and ticking down the hours to finish cosmetology school. I usually need a hook of some kind to get me interested in a book - compelling characters, compelling storytelling. The favorite books that stay with me have a character or characters that I can identify with, empathize with, feel for... and I found myself struggling to find that link with Bebe. She's lived and is living a hard and harsh existence. If she were a friend I'd want to shake her for some of the choices she's made!

And yet... her plain-spoken, in your face story began to draw me in. Bebe is surrounded by some fascinating characters. I wanted to see where their story would lead. This is a book that I might not have picked up on my own, but I am glad that I got a chance to read.

Win a copy!
I have the chance to give away a copy to one lucky reader. To enter: Tweet or Facebook post about this giveaway, including a link to the book Pretty. Example: Check out @jillylauren's new book, Pretty - http://amzn.to/prettybook

All entries should include the hashtag #PRETTYBOOK. Please leave a comment on this post with a link to your tweet or FB post. You may enter daily. Giveaway closes on 9/15/11.

Can't wait to read the book? The first 250 people to order Pretty on 9/7 from Amazon who email the receipt to pretty.the.book@gmail.com will receive a Limited Edition run of the "Pretty" necklace made by FairyTale Jewels.com.

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I received a copy of this book for the purposes of reviewing and hosting a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

heroes for my son - a book giveaway

Who are your heroes? Who do Americans consider to be their real heroes? Author Brad Meltzer began pondering this question with the birth of his first son, and the telling of these stories has resulted in his first nonfiction book.

Fifty-two men and women, both familiar and unknown, are illustrated through black and white pictures and a page of narrative distilling their heroic story. From politicians to performers, activists to athletes to ordinary citizens - these are inspiring snippits. Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson are side by side with Jonas Salk and Jim Henson. Personal heroes such as Teri Meltzer (Brad's Mom) join Clara Hale, Anne Sullivan and Harper Lee. The list goes on...

As a Mom to one active little boy, and with another on the way any time now, I found much to think about in this little book. And it is certainly appropriate for girls as well as boys!

Win It!
I have an additional hardcover copy of this book for one lucky winner. To enter:

Main entry - Mention in the comments section why you would like to win a copy of this book. I'd be interested in hearing about one of your heroes too...

Extra entries - each of these counts as an extra entry, but you must leave a comment for each one.

- Subscribe to Relishing the Dirt.

- Follow us on Twitter under @Smittens05.

- Tweet about this giveaway.

- Grab our button for your sidebar.

- Mention this giveaway on your blog, with a link back here and to Heroes for My Son.

Deadline is Midnight EST on July 12th. Winner will be chosen by random.org, and will be contacted via email. Contest is open to US residents.

This post was written for Harper Books, who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

The Good Home Cookbook - Giveaway!

I think I've confessed this before, but I'll say it again: I'm a wannabe foodie. Love to eat and try new things. Some of my favorite blogs have a food component like Bakerella and The Pioneer Woman. I think I even indulged in a subscription to Cooking Light once upon a time. My actual skills in the kitchen - meh, not so much. I'm pretty sure I was engaged a very short time before someone started asking if H knew what he was in for when it came to my cooking.

Thank goodness for cookbooks. Follow a recipe, I can do. The Good Home Cookbook contains more than 1,000 classic American recipes and bills itself as the only cookbook entirely tested in home kitchens across America. This piqued my interest a bit, as Richard J. Perry states in his introduction: "What is a classic American recipe? ...a recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation in various forms, from cookbooks to menus - recipes that have withstood the test of time." Home cooking can mean so many things to so many people. Whether it's Grandma's pasta, or Dad's burgers on the grill.

I like the organization of this book. Chapters group the recipes by Breakfast, Lunch, Salads, Meat, Soups, Vegetables, Pies Cakes and Cookies, and more. I'm usually trying to wrap my brain around a particular meal, so I think this would be helpful. There are various appendices that get into more technical stuff such as canning and pickling, freezing and thawing and so forth.

Just a quick flip into the book has my taste buds dancing over a yummy-sounding breakfast frittata, which even has suggested variations of broccoli, spinach and herb, and goat cheese. Many recipes begin with a tiny paragraph (or less) describing the dish and sometimes it's origin, which tickles the storyteller in me as well.

I have one copy of The Good Home Cookbook to give away to a lucky reader!

1. Hot weather and a picky preschooler both challenge me in the kitchen these days. To enter, leave a comment and tell me your family's favorite home cooked dish.
2. For an additional entry, subscribe to this blog via email or reader and leave a comment telling me that you have done so.
3. For an additional entry, follow me on Twitter at @Smittens05.
4. Tweet about this contest for an additional entry. Be sure to include @Smittens05 so that I can see your tweet!

Contest ends on August 15th. Winner to be announced on Monday, August 17th.

From the Bookshelf...

I've been in Mommy Survival Mode this week while H has been out of town. The please eat something besides string cheese and crackers struggles have been put aside for the challenge of just keeping up a familiar routine in the absence of Daddy. (Twenty four hours to go!) Thank goodness for playdates.

As Mom to a soon-to-be four year old, I can't help but wish that the book The Triumphant Child - a practical guide to raising two, three and four year olds had arrived just a bit sooner!

Chapter One - About Your Child breaks down information by year, outlining physical - gross and fine motor development, language speech and cognitive development, social and emotional development, practical tips and suggested books for each age. This chapter finishes with a list of recommended toys, and tips about toy safety. All valuable information, and a spot to scout for new ideas.

Further chapters are broken out by topics such as routines (morning, bedtime, mealtime), challenges (aggressive behavior, bath time battles, defiance, dressing challenges and more), and changes (moving, preparing for a new baby, starting school...). The book can be read straight through, or bit by bit as you find the most relevant topics for you and your child. Parent stories are sprinkled throughout for some nice illustrations about how some families cope with their challenges.

I hardly have time for a parenting book these days. Give me a practical book that can quickly impart information and it gets a special place on my nightstand.

Where's that instruction manual?

Lorilee Craker’s book The Wide-Eyed Wonder Years: A Mommy Guide to Preschool Daze couldn’t have arrived at a better time for me and my just-turned-three-year-old son. Daniel has been existing on a diet of peanut-butter crackers and macaroni and cheese. On the good days I can get an occasional banana, or a cup of yogurt in there. Daniel has boundless energy, and can usually be found bouncing on my bed or somersaulting from the couch. I try not to fret about it.

Enter Ms. Craker’s book. Written in an engaging, easy to read style reminiscent of gabbing with your Mommy group about raising kids - she tackles issues like picky eaters and more. This book can be read cover to cover, or there are fifteen chapters with amusing titles such as: "I Can’t Believe He Said That!"(kids say anything and everything, usually at the most inconvenient time) and "If You’re Going to Kill Each Other, Do It in the Basement!"(what to do about sibling squabbles). So if you like, you can jump to a particular area of interest.

Each chapter is liberally sprinkled with anecdotes from her "preschool panel" as well as stories from her own life, and examples as to what some Moms did when their little one, say, wanted to wear shorts in January. It was also nice to see a few chapters devoted to Moms such as: "Mom and Dad Got It Goin’ On" and "Mommy Minispas" to name a few.

On those days when your best buds aren’t around, this book is a nice portable way to remind yourself about the wonders of raising our little ones.