Let me preface this review by saying this: “I’ve never done this before.” I’m not a book reviewer, but I’m a book lover. At one point, I was reading a book a night, happily. I’m a speed reader and I enjoy a good book beyond most other things in life. MOST other things, Leon. Most.
I am a sucker for an enjoyable plot that not only keeps me wondering, but keeps me intrigued and entertained in the process. If the writer has a sense of humor that allows me to connect with the characters in a way that makes them real and funny as well, that is a huge bonus. If there is a little romance, all the better. What? I’m a girl. Be quiet. You know you like it, too.
Onto the review.
“Truly, Madly” by Heather Webber has a fantastic heroine with a slightly unconventional gift. Lucy Valentine is in a family of legacy matchmakers and has always felt the pressure to live up to the family name. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the “gift.” She does, however, have the gift of finding lost objects, which leads her into mysterious and complicated dilemmas. Lucy faces these with humor and a smoking hot detective she meets when she is forced to take over the family business while her father recuperates from a minor indiscretion.
The writing is clever and kept me laughing throughout the book. It reminded me a lot of the Heather Wells mystery books by Meg Cabot. There was no overt sexual tone, but enough sizzle to keep me interested. Usually, with a book like this, I can see the ending coming a mile away. That I didn’t realize what was happening until it was almost there was a big deal.
I’m looking forward to the sequel. This is a perfect book for a weekend or airport read and one that will have you looking for more from this author.
*Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in order to review it. Thanks for allowing me to read this book and share my thoughts on it with others!
I started blogging over at blogger.com one year ago today, and moved to blueshelled.com shortly thereafter.
So, here is to one year of blogging. One year of making friends in you. One year of thoughts and giggles, and rants, awards, sponsorships and giveaways.
Here is to all the thank yous I owe all of you for your support and love.
Last night, my phone rang and something told me not to answer the call. Not that it was a bill collector, or a survey, or even the pizza guy telling me he couldn’t deliver for some lame reason that would cause wailing or gnashing of teeth. No, I’d been sick since Saturday and didn’t feel like talking. I barely looked at the phone and willed it to stop ringing.
It ignored me and did what phones do. Glad to see someone around here has a work ethic, because this week I want to crawl in bed with a hot man and a bowl of soup and watch The Golden Girls while I lament about how our bodies break down and it’s not fair that mucus comes out of so many orifices of the body at a rate that is unequal to the rate of liquid I’m putting into my body.
I picked up the phone and saw that it was mom, which was good because I’ve been wanting my mommy for days. I answered and was immediately accosted with the accusation that my son was NOT responding to text messages.
Let this sink in for a minute.
My 9-year old…is not responding…to his grandmother’s text messages.
Now I get to explain why this is a huge deal.
AJ has a cell phone. He’s had one for almost 2 years of a 2 year deal. He does extra chores, beyond his regular ones, to help pay for the $10 his contract costs us every month. He takes his phone with him to his friend’s house and it has come in very handy. His phone has music on it and games and it keeps him from getting too bored.
Recently, Leon and I had made the decision to allow him to have text messaging. He is only allowed to text me and Leon and those who are in his address book. Those people include family and close family friends. He may only text them with their permission and ours. This is a strict rule. He is learning sentence structure and proper communication skills as well as spelling and it seems to be helping.
When I told my mother that AJ was getting unlimited text messaging (to avoid any potential charges and because we have it on a family plan), she groaned. My mother has held out on text messaging for years. In fact, when anyone would mention text messaging, she would groan, glare at us and say “Well, don’t you dare text me. That costs money!”
My mother is not an old woman. She is not yet 50. However, she is incredibly frugal and does not buy anything that is not on sale. She gets angry about how Abercrombie has their name on all of their shirts and that my sister and I do not necessarily share her ideas on thriftiness. She has held out on the peer pressure for text messaging from friends and other family members for ages. My sister and I have begged her to get text messaging for years.
Nope. It wasn’t happening.
3 weeks ago, I mentioned that AJ was getting unlimited messaging and that he would be sending her messages.
Say what you want about the woman, but she’s a devoted NeeNee.
She called last night TICKED that she’s been text messaging AJ like crazy and he won’t text her back.
Since I started writing blueshelled.com, I have been very lucky to have the support of some excellent people. One of those companies is SkincareRx.com. For the last six months, they have been a proud sponsor of my site and have been quietly working behind the scenes to support me in any way possible. They are one of the companies that make it possible for me to write here and I want to say thank you.
Besides being awesome and supporting unknown bloggers, they also do fun things such as giveaways to the faithful readers of said unknown blogs. It is another way of supporting this blog and rewarding the people who spend time here and I am incredibly grateful for their support. As such, I’d like to direct you back to their amazing home page and ask you to give them a whirl.
They are offering a great line of Skinceutical Advanced Brightening products, as well as all of the amazing skincare stuff you love. The Advanced Brightening products are particularly good for damaged skin, as they decrease the effects of that damage as well as protect your skin. If you aren’t using skincare, now is a good time to get started. I can tell the difference in my skin on the days that I use skincare versus the days I don’t. Soap and water isn’t enough, especially with the pollution we encounter daily in the air around us. I’m a fan of even toned skin, as mine tends to be blotchy, and this particular set helps even out the skin tone, as well.
My favorite product in the set is the sunscreen. I hate sunscreen. I hate the way it feels. I hate applying it. I hate having it on my face and stinging my eyes. I actually tried this brand a couple of years ago and it’s the only sunscreen I’ll use on my face because I can apply it with a makeup sponge and it feels like there is nothing there. Ok, enough gushing about the skincare. You want to know about the prize, right?
You don’t have the money to invest in skincare? This is where I come in and SkincareRx.com helps you out. We’re offering a giveaway for my readers! It is the largest prize I have ever offered and I’m thankful to them for sponsoring it. A gift card to SkincareRx.com is up for grabs in the amount of $150! This is NOT just for women. Men have skin, too, that needs protection. Even if you aren’t into your skin, I’m sure you know someone who is. Mother’s Day is coming up. What better gift than a $150 gift card to a great site? It’s pretty easy to enter, too. Here’s what you do:
As the sponsoring blog I will track and validate all entries. So when you post here that you posted or retweeted. I will check to see if you did. The winner MUST provide me with their full name, email address and a mailing address. Those are the rules. If you can’t do it, you can’t win.
That’s up to 11 entries! Post here when you have completed all of the entries you’d like to complete and I will keep track of them. The contest will run for 2 weeks and the winner will be posted March 22, 2010. Good luck everyone!
Our cat, Francis, is nuts. She acts like a dog by following Leon around where ever he might go. When she’s mad she will pummel the garage door and yell what sounds like “Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeon! Leeeeeeeeeeeeeon!” She will also rub on your like you have scent of kitteh all over your body. She’s a little freaky. I’m thinking she might need whatever this cat is having to chill.
Life is like a game. We all have challenges, thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Often, it feels like something out there, life, karma, catty people, or blue shells (for the Kart lovers), seeks to bring us down. Luckily, we always get up. This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve and my foot in my mouth.
I am currently accepting new sponsorships. Please email me for more information.
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We are members of one great body. Nature planted in us a mutual love, and fitted us for a social life. We must consider that we were born for the good of the whole.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
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Let me preface this review by saying this: “I’ve never done this before.” I’m not a book reviewer, but I’m a book lover. At one point, I was reading a book a night, happily. I’m a speed reader and I enjoy a good book beyond most other things in life. MOST other things, Leon. Most. 
Life is like a game. We all have challenges, thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Often, it feels like something out there, life, karma, catty people, or blue shells (for the Kart lovers), seeks to bring us down. Luckily, we always get up. This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve and my foot in my mouth.
