I loved every minute of this book.
The Perfect Brats Badass ebook
"I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review"
The Dom with the Perfect Brats is the third book in the Badass Brats series.
Let me start off by saying I freaking LOVED this book. The characters and storyline are phenomenal for an M/F/F BDSM book. Cari Silverwood, Leia Shaw and Sorcha Black are evil geniuses in their writing and I cannot wait to read more.
Godfrey Cross is one big hunky, tattooed, uberlicious Dom with no tolerance for bratty subs. However when he meets Gemma and Izzy he finds that his heart has other plans for his strict rules of BDSM.
Gemma a tattoo artist is a very rebellious, strong willed woman. With herself already having a bad experience with BDSM no thanks to her ex she is very leery of Cross's dominance and goes out of her way to challenge his rules as the Dom.
Izzy an aspiring Romance writer is a very sweet and shy woman looking for acceptance of who she really is, a bi-sexual woman who wants to be loved. She has been so hurt by her family and friends in Australia that she has come to the US with the hope of working on a relationship with her American father and finding her true self.
The three main characters meet and turmoil ensues with snarky, witty comments, love and lots of spanking. The storyline is original and full of humor, deep emotions and a Dom that could rock any woman's world.
I would highly recommend the Badass Brats series but would suggest that you start with the first book as previous characters do make an appearance.
AMAZING
Blood Turns Dollar Green Volume
Paul O'Brien's debut, Blood Red Turns Dollar Green, was one of the more enjoyable books I read last year, a wonderful combination of organized crime and professional wrestling circa the early 1970s. The book ended with a rather intense cliffhanger, and fortunately for fans of the first entry O'Brien is now back to pick up the story in Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2
As we learned in the first outing, professional wrestling in the early 70s was not the huge, centralized business it is today, but rather was broken into various territories held by individual owners spread throughout the country. And though the owners worked together to a certain degree for the greater good of the sport in general, at the same time each protected their turf ruthlessly. One owner, Danno Garland, has managed to claw his way to the top of the heap and now controls the World Heavyweight Champion, which gives him tremendous power. It wasn't an easy climb, however, and the backstabbing and double-crosses are now catching up with Danno. When his rivals lash out at him in a particularly horrific way, Danno turns his back on everything he's ever known and loved and directs the same single-minded focus he used to build his wrestling empire to a new purpose-revenge.
The story is told by flashing back and forth between the time leading up to the lynchpin event and the days immediately following it. It's an interesting juxtaposition, one which lets O'Brien fill in pertinent details and backstory from the first book in a very subtle way, allowing readers who may be joining the story in progress to hit the ground up to speed and running. It's also a technique which provides for a natural buildup of tension, with the reader waiting for the inevitable head-on collision of the two storylines as they converge like runaway trains on single track.
O'Brien's background is in writing for the stage, and that really shines through in Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2. The character development is a joy to watch unfold, with O'Brien proving to those who may have thought the wrestling setting of the first book was a gimmick (sorry, I couldn't resist) that made him a one trick pony that they couldn't be more wrong. Already in the twilight of his life, though at the top of his career, the events of Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2 utterly destroy Danno Garland, turning him into a man running on little more than grief, fueled by revenge, with the only question being whether he will accomplish his self-appointed mission before completely flaming out. As written by O'Brien, it's a transformation which is both thoroughly engaging and utterly heartbreaking.
But as captivating as Danno's breakdown is, it's Danno's second-in-command, Ricky Plick, who really steals the show. A loyal man, Ricky tries his best to keep Danno from running completely off the rails and destroying both himself and the business. As loyal as he is, however, Ricky is also very shrewd, and as Danno's downward spiral progresses Ricky knows that even after all their years together a decision will have to be made as to where his ultimate loyalty lies. After all, Ricky has his own crosses to bear, simultaneously dealing with his own failing body after years of abuse in the ring, as well as now looking out for his partner, Ginny, who isn't the same following a traumatic event during the climax of Blood Red Turns Dollar Green.
And while Blood Red Turns Dollar Green included a significant amount of detail about wrestling, including some wonderful descriptions of in-ring action, which may have made some readers a bit wary, Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2 is a straight-up crime fiction novel which just happens to have the business of 1970s territorial professional wrestling as the backdrop. There's still enough pro wrestling flavor to make fans of the sport happy-particularly in the character of Shane `The Sugarstick' Montrose, a colorful, aging superstar-but if for any reason the wrestling angle had scared you off the first one, its extremely limited "on screen" time in this outing means there's no excuse for you to not give Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2 a try.
In fact, as much as I liked the first book, I believe Blood Red Turns Dollar Green Volume 2 is even better. Telling a good crime story is hard enough, but doing so while putting a very human face on the devastation and consequences which flow from greed and power run amok is very tricky business, one which O'Brien manages with impressive aplomb.
Great
DogByte Games Offroad Legends Sahara
One of the things I like most about this monitor is, you only have to do or care about what YOU want to do or care about. In other words, if you aren't interested in increasing your exercise, you just work on your nutrition. If you aren't interested in changing your diet, you just work on your calorie expenditure. If you don't care about the quality of your sleep, just ignore that part. It doesn't require you to do anything you don't want to do. I like that! However, I'm doing ALL of it and enjoying it more than I thought I would.
Even though I have a good understanding of nutrition and a whole gym full of excellent exercise equipment, I needed a wake-up call. This little monitor is much more effective than I thought it would be. I hadn't considered getting one, but had to try it when I had the opportunity, just for fun. It's turning out to be much more than fun. It could literally be a life-saver.
At first I thought it would be a real pain having an arm band, but I rarely notice it. It's easy to download the information and check my progress once I figured out how to get it set up. That was really no big deal, but I always tend to make things harder than they have to be.
The packing is awful. I blame the dishonest people who steal things, requiring us to put up with this kind of packaging, which rips my hands when I open packages.
The armband is well made and very comfortable. After a short time I forgot it was there. It's easy to sleep in it.
First I charged the armband for 3 hours. No problem.
The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow. It has been stress free for me.
NEGATIVES:
There have been no negatives.
POSITIVES:
I love the little notes I get occasionally that say that I'm not reaching my exercise goal for today. Then it suggests a simple exercise I could do that would help get me closer to that goal. That encouragement helps nudge me to stay on track.
I absolutely love the way I can look at the graph and see the little red line, and then notice that my little 'blips' are on or even BELOW the line. That line shows me where I should be if I'm on track to reach my goal by the deadline I set for myself.
There is another 'blip' that shows me changes in my waistline, which have happened faster than my weight, and are significant in a very short period of time.
In setting that GOAL deadline, there is a 'slider' where you get to decide if you would rather cut back a little on fat/calories or if you prefer to exercise more, or maybe 50/50. You can always change it.
For example: I want to lose 30 lbs by July 15th and I want to use a combination of changes in both my diet and exercise. The red line tells me how I am doing toward that goal. I'm right on target, which is very motivating!
I have had some eye-opening experiences when evaluating my nutrition logs. There were some things that I really don't enjoy that much, and by eliminating or cutting back on those, I got to keep some of the things that I really do enjoy eating. Fantastic!
Another eye-opener from using this monitor was to see just how in trouble I really was. I was in denial, just playing around a little occasionally with doing a little exercise here and there, taking a cup less fat, (my favorite junk food) and feeling good about it when even that was piling on pounds, fat, cholesterol, and bad health. It's not easy to fool this little gadget. It works on facts. It doesn't believe the little fibs I tell it about how much fat or sugar I'm eating every day. It keeps me honest with myself.
I am making good progress, losing a little weight, losing even more inches, and gaining muscle strength. I'm pretty sure it will help with bone density (against osteoporosis) and range of motion as well, because I am being more consistent in both diet and exercise.
I am very happy with my little monitor. It's like a little instructor, teaching me how to become more fit. I love it!
Update March 4, 2012, I'm still using my BodyMedia monitor. I have learned more than ever before about food. The little monitor doesn't allow me to cheat or pretend that a certain food is what it isn't. It uses facts and tallies it all up for me every day with no room for excuses. That is working for me.
Get your DogByte Games Offroad Legends Sahara Now!
Body Media AWESOME !
BodyMedia CORE Weight Management System
One of the things I like most about this monitor is, you only have to do or care about what YOU want to do or care about. In other words, if you aren't interested in increasing your exercise, you just work on your nutrition. If you aren't interested in changing your diet, you just work on your calorie expenditure. If you don't care about the quality of your sleep, just ignore that part. It doesn't require you to do anything you don't want to do. I like that! However, I'm doing ALL of it and enjoying it more than I thought I would.
Even though I have a good understanding of nutrition and a whole gym full of excellent exercise equipment, I needed a wake-up call. This little monitor is much more effective than I thought it would be. I hadn't considered getting one, but had to try it when I had the opportunity, just for fun. It's turning out to be much more than fun. It could literally be a life-saver.
At first I thought it would be a real pain having an arm band, but I rarely notice it. It's easy to download the information and check my progress once I figured out how to get it set up. That was really no big deal, but I always tend to make things harder than they have to be.
The packing is awful. I blame the dishonest people who steal things, requiring us to put up with this kind of packaging, which rips my hands when I open packages.
The armband is well made and very comfortable. After a short time I forgot it was there. It's easy to sleep in it.
First I charged the armband for 3 hours. No problem.
The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow. It has been stress free for me.
NEGATIVES:
There have been no negatives.
POSITIVES:
I love the little notes I get occasionally that say that I'm not reaching my exercise goal for today. Then it suggests a simple exercise I could do that would help get me closer to that goal. That encouragement helps nudge me to stay on track.
I absolutely love the way I can look at the graph and see the little red line, and then notice that my little 'blips' are on or even BELOW the line. That line shows me where I should be if I'm on track to reach my goal by the deadline I set for myself.
There is another 'blip' that shows me changes in my waistline, which have happened faster than my weight, and are significant in a very short period of time.
In setting that GOAL deadline, there is a 'slider' where you get to decide if you would rather cut back a little on fat/calories or if you prefer to exercise more, or maybe 50/50. You can always change it.
For example: I want to lose 30 lbs by July 15th and I want to use a combination of changes in both my diet and exercise. The red line tells me how I am doing toward that goal. I'm right on target, which is very motivating!
I have had some eye-opening experiences when evaluating my nutrition logs. There were some things that I really don't enjoy that much, and by eliminating or cutting back on those, I got to keep some of the things that I really do enjoy eating. Fantastic!
Another eye-opener from using this monitor was to see just how in trouble I really was. I was in denial, just playing around a little occasionally with doing a little exercise here and there, taking a cup less fat, (my favorite junk food) and feeling good about it when even that was piling on pounds, fat, cholesterol, and bad health. It's not easy to fool this little gadget. It works on facts. It doesn't believe the little fibs I tell it about how much fat or sugar I'm eating every day. It keeps me honest with myself.
I am making good progress, losing a little weight, losing even more inches, and gaining muscle strength. I'm pretty sure it will help with bone density (against osteoporosis) and range of motion as well, because I am being more consistent in both diet and exercise.
I am very happy with my little monitor. It's like a little instructor, teaching me how to become more fit. I love it!
Update March 4, 2012, I'm still using my BodyMedia monitor. I have learned more than ever before about food. The little monitor doesn't allow me to cheat or pretend that a certain food is what it isn't. It uses facts and tallies it all up for me every day with no room for excuses. That is working for me.
Get your BodyMedia CORE Weight Management System Now!
Heartbreakingly beautiful
Orphan Train Christina Baker Kline
Molly is a 17 year old girl who has been bounced around the social services system for years. Her current foster placement is safe, but she still does not fit in. When she is forced to do community service hours, she meets Vivian, a 91 year old woman who was an orphan herself. Over the course of time, Molly learns that despite their age difference, she and Vivian have much in common. And Vivian finally shares her story with someone, after all these years.
If I had to choose a phrase to describe this book, I would choose "heartbreakingly beautiful". The story is so touching, with its ups and downs. I felt really emotionally connected to this book, despite the fact that it took me a bit of time to get into it. I loved the historical nature of the story, surrounding the orphan trains in the early part of the 20th century, and following Vivian's life through various parts of history. I also like the intertwining nature of both Molly and Vivian's stories. I found the dual timelines deftly executed, and the result is a story that is seamless, even though it covers so many decades.
I felt very attached to both Molly and Vivian as characters. I wanted to defend them, to comfort them, and to help them have a better life. I know that sounds silly, since they are merely characters in a book. However, the fact remains that these characters are modeled after true stories; people really do go through these kinds of things. As characters, both women were richly developed. I loved seeing such strong female characters, able to persevere through hardships and not allow themselves to become victims.
While the story deals with a few rough topics (abuse, drugs/alcohol, death), I think this would actually be a great book for mature young adults who are interested in history. I also feel like many adult fans of historical fiction and contemporary fiction will enjoy the book. It certainly had a tremendous impact on me.
I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Awesome book for those who ride
Feed Zone Portables On Go
The book starts with an introductory section on nutrition and digestion. I'm not too much of a scientific person, so I didn't mean to, but all of a sudden found myself reading it thinking: "That's how it should have been tought us back then at school". - So even before I went on to take a look into the recipees themselves, I was already convinced that "Feed Zone Portables" certainly is worth its money:
I experienced it myself, but it's so much better to know why sometimes your body does not accept what you eat or drink while exercising/racing.
To me, the book - as much as its predecessor "The Feed Zone Cookbook" - is a valuable source of easy-to-make food for every occasion, and not only for sports enthusiasts like myself. It gives a lot of useful tips and information even for those who don't usually prepare meals for themselves. Also, you learn a lot on nutrition, organising, storage and so on in general along the way.
As much as "The Feed Zone Cookbook" has helped me a lot in enriching my diet and facilitating it at the same time, will the "Feed Zone Portables" add to that, I'm sure!
Big recommendation!
So fun to read to kids!
Simple Cyrus Hear Series ebook
After one year of using the Body Media device daily I am ready to declare this the best fitness and conditioning program available. Once you have a couple of months of data you start to see how every activity in your life effects your fitness and weight.
Walking stairs instead of taking the elevator is now a measurable effort, knowing at 3 pm that you need to burn more calories to meet your goal will get you to the gym more effectively than any trainer.
I now know how much effort it takes for me to rake leaves, shovel snow, wash the car, etc. Allowing for a personal fitness plan that also has my home looking pretty nice also. Hint, you burn some serious calories sanding and staining a deck.
Designed right here in Pittsburgh this is a very advanced product, cost less than a gym membership and all you have to do to to keep on track put it on your arm and start paying attention to how your body works.