August Best of the Bookshelf

Today is the first day of school for those of us who have children on the Playground, which means we will seriously need to veg with a good book today while the kiddios are off on new adventures (including middle school for one of mine, yikes!). So this is the perfect day to share this month's Best of the Bookshelf picks.



We have an eclectic group this month, including some non-fiction. Here’s what we’re reading on the Playground!

Having the Billionaire’s Baby by Sandra Hyatt -- Smarty Pants



I decided my second book will be a secret baby book. Then I realized I actually haven't read that many. To the Nook store I went where I downloaded several, including this one. I was tickled to find out this is actually Sandra's debut book. After sitting through her ex's wedding and finding out the bride is pregnant (after he insisted for years he didn't want kids) Callie throws caution to the wind and has an anonymous affair with a handsome stranger at the reception. Turns out it’s the bride's brother and one of the clients of her PR firm. Oops. Then she finds out she's pregnant. Double oops. Nick is determined to have his child in his life and Callie too, but she refuses a marriage without love. A great story with some interesting characters. I especially liked his intuitive grandmother who was constantly knitting blue and pink baby clothes before anyone told her they were expecting. :)

Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex's Hollywood wife make you miserable by Mary Jo Eustace -- Playground Monitor



I’m reading this because I saw the author appear on Joy Behar’s show and when the book was offered as a free Kindle download I figured what the heck. I’m enjoying reading it because obviously the author understands all the emotion and the work involved in a divorce. And I agree with her – divorce sucks.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling -- Problem Child



I really wanted to re-read the entire Harry Potter series before I saw the last movie. I was under deadline though when HP 7.2 was released, and AC was not going to hold out while I re-read the series to prepare. So I went to see the movie without all my background knowledge refreshed. ~grumble~ But revisiting Harry Potter and Hogwarts is so much fun. The stories never lose their charm (and you know they must be charming if I’m willing to suspend my disbelief to read any kind of fantasy… but that’s a different blog post). I just recently started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and am being sucked back in as always. But one of the best things about the Harry Potter series is that it’s something AC really loves, and so it’s something we can share. She is, of course, practically an expert on all things Harry and Hermione, so not only are we able to talk about the books, she gets to feel like she’s teaching Mom something. It’s one way to bond, right?

The Gathering by Kellie Armstrong -- Instigator



I just finished reading The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, the first book in her new Darkness Rising trilogy. While this book isn’t directly connected to her Darkest Powers trilogy, it again follows a group of teenagers with unusual gifts as they learn what they are and how to deal with this newfound knowledge about themselves and the world. Armstrong’s amazing world building, interesting characters and heart pounding plot lines kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. After finishing this book I immediately went in search for the release date of book two. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait until next April. Considering that’s my only complaint about the series, I highly recommend checking it out.


Savor the Danger by Lori Foster -- Angel



I started reading this series earlier this year, and the newest installment fell into my greedy grasp last week. Here, Jackson Savor, security expert, finds himself in the crosshairs when he’s slipped a roofie and has a forgotten night of hot sex with his boss’s sister. Alani Rivers cherishes her time with Jackson, only to find he has no memory of the sex – or the words of love he spoke to her. The danger quickly escalates from drugs to car crashes to physical attacks in classic Foster style. It’s a roller coaster ride to a surprise ending. I highly recommend it if you like romantic suspense.



There are our suggestions for the month! Tell us what you recommend for our next trip to the bookstore!

Angel

It's September already!

And where in the heck have the last eight months gone?

Back to school items are already on sale, Halloween and fall items are crowding the shelves and I even caught myself looking at the price of artificial Christmas trees at Hobby Lobby last week. I need a new tree this year. Some very dear friends gave me a gift certificate to a Christmas store and because the store was having a nice sale and because I tend to think of myself as a pretty savvy shopper, I got double the bounty from the Christmas store.

However, I now have waaaaaaaaaay more beautiful Christmas decorations than will fit on my little Charlie Brown four-foot tree I got from the thrift store last year before I moved into my new apartment. Don't get me wrong. That tree made Christmas wonderful for me last year. I had only been out on my own for about a month by Thanksgiving and that's usually when I put up my tree. I had brought along a few things, bought a few others and I had my tree.

But now, I want to showcase my new stuff and a 4.5 foot tree just ain't gonna do it. So I'm going to have to start doing some serious bargain hunting for 7 to 7.5 foot slim line trees. I promise to post pictures once I get it and get it decorated. It's going to be gawgeous!

And in other decorating news, remember those Command strips I blogged about last week? I used them again. This time I put a bulletin board on the outside of the closet door in my office/spare bedroom. And because I'm having a problem getting some artwork mounted evenly on the wall, I'm going to try them with that. I have 3 of my True Romance and Confessions covers framed and on the wall. And try as I might I simply cannot get them even. I've used a level, measured carefully and the darned things are still not right. I think the Command picture hanging strips might solve the problem.

I also got an email from someone who apparently read my "favorite things" blog. I'll pass it along because some of you may be interested in entering:


I know you are no stranger to decorating your space, but did you know that a recent survey commissioned by Command products revealed that one in four women haven’t redecorated their home since Bill Clinton was in office?

Beginning September 5, Command Brand wants to reward you and your readers for creating your own amazing transformations in the Take Command of Your Space Facebook Contest. You could win $500, plus a flip-video camera and a prize pack of Command products!

Simply visit Facebook.com/CommandBrand and upload a photo or two - we love before and after shots! - along with a tip about how you use Command products to simplify, organize or decorate your space. We’re selecting a new winner every week through December 25, so you can enter more than once!

Let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to your entry!

Best,
Alicia XYZ
XYZ Public Relations
--

I'm not sure my mirror or bulletin board will blow them away, but if I come up with some other nifty uses, I might send in some photos because the $500 would buy that tree at Hobby Lobby.

Have YOU redecorated since Bill Clinton was in office (FYI this was 1993 - 2001)? If so, share some of your decorating tips. If you haven't redecorated, what would you love to do if money were no object?