Review: Living in the Family Blender: 10 Principles of a Successful Blended Family by Clark Rich Burbidge and Leah Dee Burbidge

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Blended family issues impact the vast majority of Americans. Yet, even so, society often sidesteps the topic, while literature leaves a bleak landscape nearly void of practical advice from those who have lived in the trenches.

With over 68 combined years of direct blended family experience, including 14 years with their own family of 10 children, authors Clark and Leah Burbidge are uniquely qualified to fill this void. Their combined 'Autobiographical/How-To' guidebook weaves a humorous, tender, uplifting, and critically insightful fabric of 10 foundational principles upon which any family may confidently build. Every blended family can have happier, more fulfilling lives where disruption, disorientation, and contention are replaced by teamwork, progress, and overcoming-oriented achievement.

Living in the Family Blender provides practical guidance upon which any family may build better relationships and a life filled with joy and purpose. Join them on their personal journey and discover glorious possibilities in your own family.

Review

The best example of the most famous blended family is the Brady Bunch. Even though fiction, it highlights a large percentage of families across America. Two families pushed together with outcome to be determined, it can be overwhelming.

As mentioned in the book, there aren’t much out there capturing a realistic portrayal of what’s to come. I felt Living in the Family Blender will definitely help ease those anxieties of families facing a similar situation.

This was a real family with their ups and downs, putting their experience through principles that you could incorporate or mold into your lives. It offers positive, encouraging commentary that can put your mind at ease. Granted, everyone’s experience will be different. The principles to consider will help give another perspective to consider when facing obstacles or challenges.

For those out there in blended family or about to become one, take a look this book to help you laugh, get some tips and know that despite the labels, you’re just one big happy family.

Review: The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron

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I stumbled across the trait called “Highly Sensitive Person" while I read the comment section on a YouTube video that I was watching. I was curious about what exactly it was and decided to search on Google. I got a general idea of the trait and all of the new articles and websites cited that The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron was the best book to learn more about the trait. It took several months for me to actually purchase the book. But after reading, I can say that I have no regrets about buying this book.

The Highly Sensitive Person is an in depth examine of what exactly a highly sensitive person is. And what is a highly Sensitive person, you may ask? Well, according to Dr. Aron “highly sensitive person (HSP) has a sensitive nervous system, is aware of subtleties in his/her surroundings, and is more easily overwhelmed when in a highly stimulating environment”. A highly Sensitive person may be described by others as being shy, overwhelmed, and sensitive. It is someone who walks in the room and basically feels every emotion of everyone in there.

Throughout the book, Dr. Aron provides several examples of a highly Sensitive person and tips on how they can navigate the world. It is very informative; especially since I think I may be a highly sensitive person. It provided a lot of information and the author did a great job of making sure that it wasn’t overwhelming.

Essentially, this could be described as a psychological book. It is written by someone with a Ph D. Its dealing with the human psyche and how we interact with the world. And in sometimes in books like this the author tends to use concepts or ideas that a normal person without a Ph.D may not understand. It could also be seen as textbooky sounding. Fortunately, that is not the case for The Highly Sensitive Person. Most things were explained clearly, and it avoided over usage of jargon. The author doesn’t dumb it down to much, but nevertheless, she makes it easy to understand.

Final Analysis

The Highly Sensitive Person is a great in depth look into what exactly is a highly Sensitive person. It provides real stories from real people with the trait and ways for how someone with the trait could navigate the world. This book is just for those who are highly Sensitive. This book could be read by anyone who is looking to understand people. It has a lot of useful knowledge in there.

Review: Joanna's Journey by Karen Mossman

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Summary:

Most girls just want to find their one true love. Sisters, Joanna and Sandie are no exception.

While Joanna falls for rock singer Niko, Sandie’s choice leaves Joanna reeling and causes a rift in their relationship.

Niko’s music always comes first, and Joanna accepts being second best. She promises never to ask anything from him. But when she becomes entangled in a violent shooting she finds herself lost, frightened and alone.

Will Niko stand by her side or will he choose the path to stardom?

Set in the 80s with a soundtrack of music and fashion, Joanna’s Journey travels a road where sometimes love is not enough.

Review:

To be honest, this one I’m on the fence about a few things. I’m all over books with the rock star romance and the summary really piqued my interest. I went in expecting two things, the rockstar thing happening and the family dynamic between the sisters. As much as I feel the individual storylines came together, I didn’t feel the book captured the potential of the plot that it could’ve been.

Let’s start with Joanna and Niko. The development of them meeting and her finding out he was a rock star, that was good. I was really excited to see where that was headed. From there, it seems like their story became secondary. All the other detours she took with meeting other people and their experiences brought down the excitement for me because it seems like it became less about them and more about the other people. I will admit that in the context of the plot that I read, I was surprised the way the plot turned out, so we’ll see what is to come.

The storyline with her sister was really good. I know they had separate lives but considering how all they had was each other, there were a couple of big moments that I was wandering why her sister wasn’t there. For example, when the stepsister was found dead, she couldn’t reach other. When she was supposed to be with her at the inquisition and face their mother, she disappeared. Those were major moments in the book that would’ve gave more to the story and their relationship. Wish the ending could’ve been different for them but it put things in perspective for the Joanna.

There is a second book that continues with this story. I saw that it reintroduces Niko, we’ll see how this plays out.

Review: Off Center by M.F. Lorson

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Off Center was a surprising cute and entertaining YA book. It centers on Lane, a high schooler, who has has three main goals. She wants to get a full ride to a Northwestern University, win the title of American High School Journalist of the year, and have her first kiss with her crush since middle school. Unbeknownst to Lane, achieving those goals are going to be a lot harder than she had assumed.

One overarching theme is the idea of having this wonderful idea of how everything is supposed to turn out. You're basically looking with rose painted glasses and unfortunately when something unexpected happens you're completely thrown off balance. And while trying to achieve your original goals, you realize that what you found in the process was much better than what you had originally wanted. That was a descriptive and vague way to describe what Lane encounters in Off Center.

Although, I overall enjoyed Off Center I was not too keen on the major twist. In a book, that almost feels playful and light, the twist felt unwarranted. I get that it was there to give more depth to Lane but I would have enjoyed if the author had went another route. The twist weighed the book and suddenly it got almost too real.

Characters

As a main character, Lane was great. She had this likable factor about her. In addition, she had such a unique voice which was refreshing. I would enjoy to continue to follow this character's journey. She has such an interesting perspective and it would be amazing to see what happens next for her.

Her relationship with her mother was adorable. And it is a shame that there were only a handful of scenes with her.

Final Analysis

Off Center is an adorable YA book with more pros than cons.

Review: The Scribe by A. A. Chaudhuri

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Summary

Making it as a lawyer has always been a cutthroat business.

But now that a sadistic serial killer is on the loose the consequences could prove deadly… A killer is targeting former students of The Bloomsbury Academy of Law. The victims – all female – are gruesomely butchered according to a pattern corresponding with the legal syllabus. Even more disconcerting are riddles sent by the killer to investigating officer, Chief Inspector Jake Carver, offering clues as to who is next and where they will die.

Up-and-coming lawyer Madeline Kramer, a former classmate of a number of the slain, soon finds her life turned upside down by the savagery. And when she decides to help Carver track down the killer, she places herself in mortal danger. Can Maddy unscramble the complex riddles, and save her own life and those of others destined to die?

A. A. Chaudhuri’s Ripper-like mystery, The Scribe, throws down a challenge even hardened crime thriller fans will be unable to resist.

Review

I don’t even know where to start with this book. What you think you know, you have no idea. My biggest frustration was that I couldn’t read fast enough because my mind was flipped so many times trying to keep up with the curveballs thrown within the plot. This was definitely a page turner.

The plot I thought was brilliant. You don’t see what’s coming. It was well thought out, meticulous with details, much of that attributed to her experience of being a lawyer. It sort of felt like Jumanji. Every plot twist had the potential to fall but you’re led in another direction that just builds upon each other until everything comes falling down unexpectedly. If this is what the first book of the series brings, I can’t wait to see what’s to come. I have some high expectations for book two. You will not be disappointed. This is one thriller that you will not want to put down. I’d recommend adding this to your TBR.

Review: Mister Sam Shearon's Creepy Christmas: A Merry Macabre Coloring Book by Sam Shearon

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Summary

(A Merry Macabre Coloring Book)

T he happiest time of the year is also the creepiest.

Winter has an even darker and richer lore than Halloween. For centuries, people have feared creatures from ancient legends born of this time of year. Tales such as giant hairy monsters who live in the mountains and will snatch you up and eat you were used to ensure children didn't wander off in the snow and become lost.

These were indeed just stories … or were they?

This festive feast of fear contains 40 original hand-drawn and inked illustrations from a variety of traditional beliefs and legends from around the world, including British, North American, Nordic, Icelandic, Austrian, and Germanic folklore. Mister Sam Shearon’s Creepy Christmas features characters such as Krampus, Grýla, Santa Claws, Rabid Rudolph, the Grimace Tree, the Wendigo, the Snow Bear, the Yule Cat, the Abominable Snowman, and many more. Ready for you to bring to colorful life with fearsome festive cheer, each page is also accompanied with a poem—a guide to these creepy creatures from the season of ice and snow!

Review

On a whim to venture out of my normal vanilla selections, Creepy Christmas caught my attention to venture out and try something new. Creepy but interesting, this was definitely a surprise for me. Based on traditional beliefs and legends globally to inspire its original illustrations, Mister Sam Shearon’s Creepy Christmas is definitely one for the adults.

My initial expectation was that this was an adult coloring book but once you go through, it’s much more beyond that. Each illustration represents creatures from ancient legends accompanied with a poem. Despite it’s dark gothic edge, I really appreciate the detailed artwork . Ironically, this is meant to be colored but I feel like I wouldn’t want to ruin the beautiful detailed illustrations. Overall, if you’re into this genre, than you will appreciate the artistic creativity and the inspired expression.