Saturday, January 10, 2015

Family Fun: Game Night

I have decided to add a new post to my list of things that could happen on the weekends.  As part of my resolutions for 2015, I wanted to do more fun things with Munchkin and as a family.  I will be posting sporadically about some of the fun adventures we are having together.
 
 
 
It is nasty cold lately with occasional snow showers, I don't know if I have told any of you this before but I hate cold weather! I don't like doing any outdoor activities when it is cold (though I will do some for Munchkin).  So to pass the time Munchkin and I usually have a lot of movie nights.
 
This last weekend however (thanks to some careful gift planning) we broke into some age appropriate games. I have always loved playing games and doing puzzles, they are some of my favorite memories with my own family and I am so excited that Munchkin is finally old enough to start playing too.
 
The game we played this weekend was called Sgetti Scatter
 
It reminds me of Kerplunk, you have to pull the colored spaghetti out without the meatballs falling and spilling the bowl.  I thought this would be a fun game since we eat so much pasta in our house and seem to be rather food obsessed.
 
 
 
Munchkin is learning how to take turns and this was great to improve on that lesson. I must say though that Hubby is a much better sport and left easy ones for Munchkin, something I am going to have to learn to do (must tame my competitive spirit and not completely crush my little competition).
 
 
It was a lot of fun and a lot of laughs were had, I can't wait to have more game nights!
 
 
So what do you do as a family when the weather gets nasty out?  Any fun games you can suggest?


Friday, January 9, 2015

Bedtime Story: No Two Alike by Keith Baker

Read for: Children's Book Challenge
 
Synopsis: "No two snowflakes are alike,
almost, almost . . .
but not quite.

Follow a pair of birds on a snowflake-filled journey though a gorgeous winter landscape to explore how everything, everywhere is wonderfully unique--from branches and leaves to forests and trees to friends and loved ones."


My Review: This book has a beautiful message about how no two things are alike. While I agree with how it is presented, using snowflakes, nests, creatures and houses, the main message wasn't repeated enough to create an understanding for younger readers. It will be better as Munchkin gets older but right now he simply repeats the words without grasping what I am reading to him.
 
My Rating: It is a meaningful message just not executed in a way that will stick with young minds.  I give it a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.
 
 
 
Good Night!  Sweet Dreams!

Beginning Reader Review: Charlie's Snow Day by Ree Drummond

 
Synopsis: "Ree Drummond (also known as The Pioneer Woman) and Charlie the Ranch Dog return in this snow-filled I Can Read title.

When Charlie wakes up to a world covered in snow, he can't wait to go outside. He even takes a break from patrol duty to go sledding with his friends Walter and Sister. But when Walter goes missing, it's up to Charlie to take control of the situation and bring his buddy back.

Charlie the Ranch Dog stars in bestselling author Ree Drummond's I Can Read title, just right for reading on your own snowy day! Charlie's Snow Day is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences."


My Review: This is a pretty cute book, though I think you really need to read some of the other Charlie books first to get a feel for who all the characters are. I do like how Charlie gets excited but later discovers snow isn't all it is cracked up to be. So many kids books make every new thing out to be fun but not everyone has fun, so it is nice to show that it is okay if you try something new and discover you don't like it.
 
My Rating: The words and sentences in this book seemed a little more advanced than most of the other level 1 books I have read and you needed a little more back story to be familiar with it.  I give it a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Review of Dear Hank Williams by Kimberly Willis Holt

Read for: Netgalley Request
 
Synopsis: "It’s 1948 in Rippling Creek, Louisiana, and Tate P. Ellerbee’s new teacher has just given her class an assignment—learning the art of letter-writing. Luckily, Tate has the perfect pen pal in mind: Hank Williams, a country music singer whose star has just begun to rise. Tate and her great-aunt and -uncle listen to him on the radio every Saturday night, and Tate just knows that she and Hank are kindred spirits.
Told entirely through Tate’s hopeful letters, this beautifully drawn novel from National Book Award–winning author Kimberly Willis Holt gradually unfolds a story of family love, overcoming tragedy, and an insightful girl learning to find her voice."


My Review: This was a book I requested on NetGalley. It is really a unique book in my opinion. I love the idea of the entire book being pen-pal letters, which it is but it seems to me almost more like diary entries at times. You really get to know Tate through her letters to Hank Williams and you also really get to know the time period through her eyes. As you start reading you think it will be just a simple story about every day happenings in Tate's world but as it progresses you really find some heart-wrenching aspects of her life. It turns into an emotional story but with plenty of hope and light. I found it fun, unique and beautiful.
 
My Rating: This was a really interesting book, it is a time period and perspective that I haven't come across before. I love the format and the voice of Tate is so genuine. I give it a rating of Four Paws.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Review of Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season by Marko Kitti

 
Synopsis: "Jesper Jinx is eleven, and probably the unluckiest person in all of Puffington Hill. Everything he touches seems to end up in sweet disaster. Hence his nickname 'Jinx'.

It's Spring time in Puffington Hill, and the most unforgettable Sneezing Season ever for Jesper! In this book, packed full of new wonderfully wicked adventures, you're going to get to know Chloe, Jesper's long time future-girlfriend, and meet a Purple Buzzard from the tropical island of Buzzupurplu. Also, there's Rosie, the grinning Squirrel with an attitude and the infamous Diary Wars.

WARNING: This book causes uncontrollable laughter!

Contains the stories: JESPER JINX and the PURPLE BUZZARD, JESPER JINX and the DIARY WARS and a bonus story: JESPER'S EXTREMELY TOP SECRET BUCKET LIST."


My Review:   I read the previous Jesper Jinx book last year and found it comical, this was no different, especially since I am familiar with the style and format of the series already. Coming from personal experience with seagulls stealing lunch, I feel for poor Jesper and I certainly wasn't trying to impress anyone. I particularly love the Boredom Breaker. Jesper is a master at coming up with pranks and ideas, granted more often than not they come back at him. Even as an adult I find this book to be humorous and can only imagine how they would be for a young reader (granted I don't want my Munchkin learning any of Jesper's tricks to use on me).
 
My Rating: These are fun books to read at any age I would imagine, even for those who might be reluctant readers.  I am looking forward to seeing what Marko Kitti does with the third book and what other trouble Jesper can create.  I give it a rating of Four Paws.
 
 
Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
 
You can find out more about Marko Kitti and his works on his Goodreads Page or Website.
 
You can obtain your own copy of Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season in digital or print format from Amazon or print format from Barnes & Noble.
 

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Review of Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

Read for: TBR Challenge & Across the States Challenge (South Carolina)
 
Synopsis: "Sarah Walters is a less-than-perfect debutante. She tries hard to follow the time-honored customs of the Charleston Camellia Society, as her mother and grandmother did, standing up straight in cotillion class and attending lectures about all the things that Camellias don't do. (Like ride with boys in pickup trucks.)
But Sarah can't quite ignore the barbarism just beneath all that propriety, and as soon as she can she decamps South Carolina for a life in New York City. There, she and her fellow displaced Southern friends try to make sense of city sophistication, to understand how much of their training applies to real life, and how much to the strange and rarefied world they've left behind.
When life's complications become overwhelming, Sarah returns home to confront with matured eyes the motto "Once a Camellia, always a Camellia"- and to see how much fuller life can be, for good and for ill, among those who know you best.
Girls in Trucks introduces an irresistable, sweet, and wise voice that heralds the arrival of an exciting new talent."


My Review: I guess I got the completely wrong impression as to what this book was about. There was definitely nothing "sweet and wise" about the voice. I guess we are supposed to be sympathetic to Sarah, pity her and hope for the best for her, but I just can't bring myself to care. There really wasn't much about the so called training and using it in life out of the south. It was really just a woe is me tale. The other thing that really bothered me other than the character was the writing style, it is so all over the place, it starts out sounding like a diary entry and then it jumps between 1st and 3rd person narration. The time line is also all over the place. It really just wasn't the book for me and I was glad it was a relatively short book and ended quickly.
  
 
My Rating: By the description I thought this would be a fun, quirky book (thinking along the lines of Sweet Home Alabama movie) but instead it was a real downer. Everything was whining and woe is me, only bad things happen to me, pessimistic view. I was really disappointed. I give it a rating of One Paw.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Monday Reading List



Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!




Reviews Posted Last Week:
Links will take you to my review
 
Hunter Huntsman's Story by Shannon Hale (mini review)
Doubletake by Elizabeth A. Reeves (mini review)
Dancing by Laurell K. Hamilton (mini review)
Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton (mini review)
The Seducer by Jianne Carlo (mini review)
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson (mini review)
The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan (mini review)
The Duchess War by Courtney Milan (mini review)
Peter Loves Penguin by Peter McPhail (Bedtime Story)
 
Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Tooth Book
Watch Out for Banana Peels
Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Vol. 3 - 2pts
Girls in Trucks - 5 pts
Peter Loves Penguin - 1pt
Charlie and the Snow Day - 1pt
Dear Hank Williams - 3pts
The Fighting Ground - 3pts
Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season - 3pts
Blankets - 2pts
Calves in the Mud Room - 3pts
No Two Alike - 1pt


 
Currently Reading:

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo - print - on page 36 of 182



 Books to be Read Soon:

Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester (Requested Review)
Athena the Brain by Joan Holub
Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub
Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub
Artemis the Brave by Joan Holub

 


Total Points Earned
24


Pages Read/ Time Listened
1,528 pages read
3:06 listening time

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Woohoo! Happy New Year to all of you! I was so excited to dive into this year's books that I got the year kicked off with a bang (5 books on day 1). Also being sick and just staying on the couch all day really helped too.  I have already read some pretty great books.

As you can see I have already started keeping track of my point system (only books read in this year count towards it), I have also started keeping track of the pages read and time listened (as of right now I am only adding the pages and time when the book is complete because I have so much going at once it is hard to keep track of).

This week I am also going to be riding this rush of new book excitement and participating in the Bout of Books readathon (sign up was posted yesterday). I will update each morning with the previous days reading achievements.

So how were your first few days of the new year?

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Bout of Books 12 Signup (and Updates)

Thank goodness there is a readathon this early in the year because I am super excited and motivated to read the books I have lined up for 2015!
 
 
 Bout of Books
 
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
 
 
 So this post is going to be my base for the week, I will continue to come back and update it each day with my progress (as I already have a lot of posts planned for this week and don't want things too jumbled up).  I will also be updating via twitter at @EasternSunset9
 
 
 

Time Devoted to Reading

I would like to read between 3-5 hours each day and read about 350 pages each day.
Averaging about 2 hours and work and another 1.5 to 3 at home after Munchkin goes to bed.
 
 
 

My Goals

Read a total of 1,800 pages
Read at least 3 hours each day
Read and finish at least 3 requested review novels 
I usually read 5 books a week so my goal is to read a total of 10 this week
 
 
 

Books to Read

The Hat
Athena the Brain
Persephone the Phony
Aphrodite the Beauty
Artemis the Brave
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Gooseberry Island
The Last Valentine
Nubiana
Curious George in the Snow

Extra Backups just in case:
Shadows of Endor
Because of Winn Dixie
Just Not Ready Yet
The Snowy Day
T is for Touchdown

 
 

Updates

Monday
Number of Pages I've read today: 513
Total Number of Pages: 513
Time spent reading today: 4.5 hours
Total number of books I've read: 6
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor
Thoughts: I read a lot and it fit into the day perfectly, with almost 3 hours in the office and more after munchkin went to bed.  I did even manage to get a few chores done too.
 
 
 
Tuesday
Number of Pages I've read today: 427
Total Number of Pages: 940
Time spent reading today: 4 hours
Total number of books I've read: 11 
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana
Thoughts: Another successful day, I am still keeping up with office work and chores too! I hope I can keep this pace up because there are so many great books I want to read this week!
 
 
Wednesday
Number of Pages I've read today: 401
Total Number of Pages: 1,341
Time spent reading today:  4 hours
Total number of books I've read: 16
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Persephone the Phony, Kick Pass and Run, Curious George in the Snow
Thoughts: I am starting to get worn out and my eyes are getting tired from all this reading, I pushed through at the end of the night to finish a book but it was a push.  I have downloaded an audio book to listen to a little bit today and tomorrow to give my eyes a rest.
 
 
Thursday
Number of Pages I've read today: 407 (1hr of listening was about 100 pages)
Total Number of Pages: 1,748
Time spent reading today: 5 hours 
Total number of books I've read: 19
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Persephone the Phony, Kick Pass and Run, Curious George in the Snow, Owl Moon, Aphrodite the Beauty
Thoughts:  Using the audio book to break up the hours of staring at print really helped me to refocus.  I am going to try to do as much reading as possible on Friday because I know that come the weekend there won't be much time for me to read.
 
 
Friday
Number of Pages I've read today: 209 (1/2 hour of reading is about 50 pages)
Total Number of Pages: 1,957
Time spent reading today: 3 hours
Total number of books I've read: 19
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Persephone the Phony, Kick Pass and Run, Curious George in the Snow, Owl Moon, Aphrodite the Beauty, Just Not Ready Yet
Thoughts: I guess I just couldn't keep that pace up forever.  I had to go to be early, needed to rest myself and my eyes. Another day on Saturday, hopefully finish listening to The Last Valentine and maybe read Artemis the Brave.
 
 
Saturday
Number of Pages I've read today:356
Total Number of Pages: 2,313
Time spent reading today: 3.25 hours
Total number of books I've read: 22
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Persephone the Phony, Kick Pass and Run, Curious George in the Snow, Owl Moon, Aphrodite the Beauty, Just Not Ready Yet, Goodnight Football, The Last Valentine, Five Little Penguins Slipping on Ice
Thoughts: Thank goodness for audio books! I was able to listen to a book while doing my weekend chores.  I was also able to squeeze a little more reading in between chores and playoff football, something I didn't expect to be able to do.
 
 
Sunday
Number of Pages I've read today:100
Total Number of Pages:  2,413
Time spent reading today: 1hour
Total number of books I've read: 22
Books completed: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Hat, T is for Touchdown, Monsters Munch Lunch, Shadows of Endor, Gooseberry Island, Athena the Brain, Brave Dragon, Snowy Day, Nubiana, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Persephone the Phony, Kick Pass and Run, Curious George in the Snow, Owl Moon, Aphrodite the Beauty, Just Not Ready Yet, Goodnight Football, The Last Valentine, Five Little Penguins Slipping on Ice, Artemis the Brave
Thoughts: A day filled with football and a sudden start to potty training definitely took away from reading time today but I did manage to achieve nearly all my goals for the week.