On Our Shelves: New Romance – February 2015

February 24, 2015February 6, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

A little something to warm up these cold, February days!

Contemporary

Against the Sky – Kat Martin

Firelight at Mustang Ridge – Jesse Hayworth

Fire Me Up – Kimberly Kincaid

Flirting with Disaster – Victoria Dahl

A Little On The Wild Side – Robin Kaye

Echo Lake – Carla Neggers

Teardrop Lane – Emily March

It Must Be Your Love – Bella Andre

Rescue Me – Catherine Mann

Falling for Jillian – Kristen Proby

Just The Way You Are – Beverly Barton

Unfaded Glory – Sara Arden

Sweet Surprise – Candis Terry

Rough Rider – Victoria Vane

Romantic Suspense

Closer Than You Think – Karen Rose

Historical

If The Viscount Falls – Sabrina Jeffries

Ace’s Wild – Sarah McCarty

Forbidden To Love The Duke – Jillian Hunter

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy – Julia Quinn

Catch a Falling Heiress – Laura Lee Ghuhrke

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams – Karen Ranney

Paranormal

Viper Game – Christine Feehan

Ghost Killer – Robin D. Owens

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

February 22, 2015January 16, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

February 22 through 28th is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. While many of us are still focused on New Years resolutions about health and weight, it is a good time to stop and think about the ramifications of the focus on being perfect that seems so prevalent in today’s world. Making changes is great, but it is important that we all do so in a smart and healthy manner.

There are far too many young adults and adults out there suffering from eating disorders and other self image problems. to make matters works these concerns are becoming more of an issue with younger and younger children each year. thankfully there are many resources out there, and many fantastic books, to help. Here is a selection of related books that I would recommend for anyone that suffers from one of these disorders, knows someone that does, worries that someone close to you (or you yourself) might be heading in that direction, or just wants to educate themselves in order to understand and help others.

I have broken the list down into fiction featuring characters dealing with eating disorders and nonfiction books that can help answer specific questions with research and medical information. this is far from a comprehensive list, so if you have found a resource or book that I have forgotten please mention it in a comment to share with others.

For more immediate help, information, and support please visit the National Eating Disorder Association‘s or the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders website.

Fiction:
1. Skin & Bones by Sherry Shahan
2. Butter by Erin Jade Lange
3. Purge by Sarah Darer Littman
4. Zero by Diane Tullson
5. Faded Denim: Color me Trapped by Melody Carlson
6. Healing Waters by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn.

More quality adult and young adult fiction that deals with eating disorders include: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Massive by Julia Bell, Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Perfect by Natasha Friend, Skinny by Ibi Kaslik, Saving Ruth by Zoe Fishman, Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos, and Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler.

Non Fiction:
1. If Your Adolescent has an Eating Disorder: an Essential Resource for Parents by B. Timothy Walsh and V. L. Cameron
2. Take Charge of your Child’s Eating Disorder: a Physician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Defeating Anorexia and Bulimia by Pamela Carlton, and Deborah Ashin
3.Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family and Friends by Michele Seigel, Judith Brisman, Margot Weinshel
4.Regaining your Self: Breaking Free from the Eating Disorder Identity: a Bold New Approach by Ira M. Saker and Sheila Buff
5.Gaining: the Truth about Life after Eating Disorders by Aimee Liu
6.Eating Disorders: the Facts by Suzanne Abraham and Derek Llewellyn-Jones
7.Going Hungry: Writers on Desire, Self-denial, and Overcoming Anorexia edited by Kate Taylor.

I would also suggest checking out The Eating Disorder Sourcebook by Carolyn Costin, Next to Nothing: a Firsthand Account of one Teenager’s Experience with an Eating Disorder by Carrie Arnold with B. Timothy Walsh, Life Beyond your Eating Disorder: Reclaim Yourself, Regain your Health, Recover for Good by Johanna S. Kandel, Treatment Plans and Interventions for Bulimia and Binge-eating Disorder by Rene D. Zweig, Robert L. Leahy, Goodbye Ed, Hello Me : Recover from your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life by Jenni Schaefer, Anatomy of Anorexia by Steven Levenkron and When Dieting Becomes Dangerous: a Guide to Understanding and Treating Anorexia and Bulimia by Deborah Marcontell Michel, Susan G. Willard.

Songs of Anarchy, Volume 1 and 2

February 19, 2015January 29, 2015 / Susan O. / Leave a comment

Rarely do I leave a CD in my player for more than a month straight. It’s been two months now, and aside for taking two weeks off at the holidays, it’s still in there, and I listen to it every day. Songs of Anarchy is the soundtrack to the FX television show Sons of Anarchy.
#
You do not need to be a devotee or even know of the television show to adore the soundtrack to the series. Sons of Anarchy is an ultra-violent soap opera following a fictional biker gang in California. You know the characters are despicable, but they are written so well and to such depth that you cannot help but feel sympathy for them – while you call them names for being that stubborn. All that violence is offset by a soundtrack that is both entertaining and breathtakingly poignant. There is no set tone – the albums contain a mix of popular, rock, country, folk, alternative – whatever fits the moment. Many of these are covers of old greats by the series’ incredible house band, The Forest Rangers – a driving version of Gimmee Shelter (in which you can understand the lyrics), an achingly beautiful instrumental version of Fortunate Son, a gorgeous tweaking of House of the Rising Son with lyrics to fit the show. It was the deep blues rhythms of John the Revelator that first caught my attention watching the series (who else works an entire song into a drama series every week, like a prize in a Cracker Jack box?), and it made purchasing the album inevitable. The song wouldn’t leave my head, and I needed to hear it again.
#
Katey Sagal, lead actress in the show as Gemma Teller, is also a singer in her own right with albums to her name. Her version of Leonard Cohen’s Bird on a Wire puts the original to shame, and Strange Fruit will give you the shivers.
#
Volume 2 of Songs of Anarchy is a must if you listen to the first. There is just too much good music. Coal War, the season opener to year four, is a foot stomping ballad that crosses the line between country and pop much the way The Eagles did. The Lost Boy is a tragic ballad on its own, but if you know the series, it is played out in its entirety as one of the lead characters makes his sacrifice for his best friend, and it will bring you to tears. No Milk Today was originally a fluffy pop piece done by Herman’s Hermit’s in 1966; slowed down, it takes on a haunting new meaning when you consider it accompanies the kidnapping of a nine-month-old baby by the IRA.
#
Kurt Sutter, the creator/producer/writer of the show (he also stars in it as Otto, and he’s married to Katey Sagal), wanted music to be an integral part of the show, setting tones, carrying themes, underscoring the action. What he managed is beyond brilliance, touching the stories and the viewers/listeners alike and playing with their emotions. Because of the varied styles of music, you might not like every track on the albums (the version of Slip Kid is too metal for me), but these albums are certain to please almost everyone.

If you liked the book, will you like the movie?

February 17, 2015February 12, 2015 / Linda / Leave a comment

Some very popular books have recently come out as movies and are generating a lot of positive buzz.

Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed – A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe—and built her back up again.

The movie stars Reese Witherspoon (and is also Producer) as Cheryl Strayed and Laura Dern as Cheryl’s mother, Bobbi. It is rated R for sexual content, nudity, drug use, and language. It is mostly faithful to the book and critics say Reese delivered the performance of her life and was nominated for a Golden Globe and Oscar. Laura Dern was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. The movie is rated R.

Unbroken: A World War II story of survival, resilience and redemption by Laura Hillenbrand – Relates the story of a U.S. airman who survived when his bomber crashed into the sea during World War II, spent forty-seven days adrift in the ocean before being rescued by the Japanese Navy, and was held as a prisoner until the end of the war.

The movie is most notably directed by Angelina Jolie. It has won the American Film Festival top ten film of the year. Jack O’Connell, who plays Louis Zamperini, has won two awards – Hollywood Film Award for Actor and National Board of Review Award for breakthrough actor. The movie is rated PG-13.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova – Feeling at the top of her game when she is suddenly diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, Harvard psychologist Alice Howland struggles to find meaning and purpose in her life as her concept of self gradually slips away. The movie stars Julianne Moore as Alice who recently won the Golden Globe award for Best Actress. She also won Best Actress with several other associations including The Chicago Film Critics and Hollywood Film Awards and has been nominated for an Oscar as Best Actress. Alec Baldwin stars as the husband, John. The movie is rated PG-13.

American Sniper by Chris Kyle – A member of Navy SEAL Team 3 describes his life as a father and husband, and as the serviceman with the most confirmed sniper kills in the history of the United States military while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bradley Cooper has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Chris Kyle. The movie has also been nominated for Best Picture. The movie is rated R.

If you’ve read the book, will you go see the movie? Let us know what you think of the movie. Did it capture the essence of the book, or was it a disappointment? If you liked the movie, will you read the book? Which did you like better? We want to know!

Louise Reads: The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

February 15, 2015January 29, 2015 / Louise / Leave a comment

The Rosie Effect is the sequel to 2013’s runaway hit The Rosie Project, author Graeme Simsion’s debut novel (reviewed here). That romantic comedy followed the efforts of Don Tillman, a genetics professor and extremely socially inept, to procure a life partner for himself. The Wife Project ends successfully with Don finding true love with the free-spirited and quirky-in-her-own-way Rosie.

The sequel opens with Don and Rosie starting their married life in New York City. Don is feeling very satisfied with his adjustment to marriage, until he notices orange juice on his breakfast table one morning. “Orange juice was not scheduled for Fridays.” , he muses in the book’s opening sentence, and it’s the beginning of even more changes for Don. Rosie, you see, is pregnant.

A comedy of errors ensues as Don tries to adjust to this unplanned event. His best friend from Australia moves in with Don and Rosie after his wife kicks him out, Don’s endeavors to observe fathers in action end up getting him arrested, and his attempts to take control over the pregnancy have, of course, the opposite effect. As troubles start mounting, Rosie begins to doubt that Don is meant for fatherhood.

This blurb from Simon & Schuster sums it up nicely: “As Don tries to schedule time for pregnancy research, getting Gene and Claudia to reconcile, servicing the industrial refrigeration unit that occupies half his apartment, helping Dave the Baseball Fan save his business, and staying on the right side of Lydia the social worker, he almost misses the biggest problem of all: he might lose Rosie when she needs him the most. ”

I enjoyed The Rosie Effect, though I must admit, not as much as The Rosie Project. Half of the fun in the first story was getting to know Don and his myriad of quirks. The sequel also seemed a bit rushed to me, with almost too many crazy misunderstandings thrown into the plot to keep it lively. I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Dan O’Grady, who was fantastic. A very enjoyable read, even if I didn’t love it as much as the original. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.