The Yellow House-- Book Review

When her family is torn apart by religious intolerance , personal tragedy , and explosive secrets, young Eileen O'Neill is determined to reclaim the Yellow house where they had been happy and bring her broken family back home. Eileen takes work at the local mill , through her defiance of authority often brings her trouble. As war is declared on local and global scale, Eileen cannot separate the politics from the personal impact of conflict. Her choice is complicated by the influence of two men. James Conlon, a charmastic and passionate political activist determined to win Irish freedom or Owen Sheridan , the wealthy and handsome black sheep of a pacifist family. ( back of the book)




This story takes place in Ireland and told through Eileen O'Neill point of View. The time period is about 15-20 years . There is also mention of Michael Collins and the IRA Movement.


This story takes place from 1905-1924 -- 10 chapter titles.


Eileen is telling the story and it takes place in Ulster. Her mom has a breakdown and left her father. Her brother Frankie is illegitimate. Other people end up taking care of her and Paddy. She works in the mill and crushing on Owen Sheridan.


This book is about choices, consequences, relationships, family, secrets, passions, freedom, religion, dreams.


This is first book of a first time author.



Book review =3


This book comes out Feb 15,2010 and $21.99


Thanks to Center Street for the book and this is my HONEST Review.

Weekend Wrap Up

Its been a good week. Kids have been well in school.

Next week is conference time for all the kids.

I went to an E.L.F Makeup party last night..I got a bagful of items. Thanks Jill for hosting the party and inviting me too it.

I'm helping MLM today near Santa. My kids have been doing good with their Christmas lists. Just need to finish the shopping. I feel so unprepared this year.

S has her Birthday and Family Party on Sunday. My baby is 3. Its amazing how fast time flies by with kids. After her Birthday, then we/I can focus on Christmas.

Winners of California Volunteers are :

HerRoyalHighness
ILoveLucy
PeaceLove&ampPat

Ballad -- BWB Book Review

In the sequel to Lament : The Faire Queen Deception. Music prodigy James Morgan and his best friend Deidre attend a private conservatory for Musicians. James attracts Nuala , a soul snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energy of exceptional humans til they die. Composing beautiful music together leads to mutual attraction and love. Jaunted by fiery visions of death, James realizes that Deidre and Nuala are both being hunted by the Queen of Fey and save their lives.( Goodreads.com)


Nuala- Fairy( half human/fairy)


James- Student of music of bagpipes, loves Dee, OCD


Dee- old friend to James, and lost her boyfriend Luke is the first book( Lament)

This book is told in James/Nuala point of Views with Texts from Dee.



James is a little OCD and writes on himself. He doesn't want what Naula offers at all . He continues to turn her down and she continues to talk and be a hang around him. They have a complex relationship of hate and then friendship. He is emotional boy..very moody. He hears music of death. He has dreams of death and he is only at the school because of Dee which is interesting that he has no real reason to be at the school execpet to watch over Dee. Dee has all the fairy power.



I found the school name interesting -- Thornking-Ash. I noticed that through out the book, they were discussing Hamlet by William Shakespeare.



The teacher Mr. Sullivan has been right were James is and he able to help mentor James in all things music and other topics as well too. I would love a Book all about Sullivan and his experiences.


Dee has many text messages that are through out the book that she doesn't send at all to James. Those do play a part in the book. Its great to see what she is thinking and trying to tell James.


My favorite scene of the book was when James/Dee were discussing Hamlet and Ophelia when they were really talking about their friendship and missed communication. There were times I wanted them to TALK .


I found that this book was Amazing and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Its amazing what people do for love whether they are Fay or not.


I liked the relationship between James and Nuala and Dee. It showed the many facets of their relationships.


There is going to be another book by the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will pass this book along to my friends.

I bought this book and this is my Honest Review.


BWB-4


Mine- 5


James is flawed and heart broken character , do you find mental peculiarities charming or annoying ? I liked that he was broken and flawed. He seemed real and I found his OCD charms cute. I found this character charming and liked that he wrote on his body.

What do you think of James and Dee's Kiss ? I found that James did need to kiss Dee to realize what he had with Nuala. I think if you are in any relationship whether friendship or romantic and he did have a crush on Dee for sometime, those feelings needed to be resolved for James to move on.
Whom do you prefer Dee or Nuala ? when I started the story I wanted him with Dee. But as the story progressed and I found him and Nuala hanging out a refreshing change because she was trying to have him want her as a Muse and wouldn't take a thing from her at all. I thought that her coming to visit him was very normal.
Whats your verdict on the best way to read Ballad ? I think that this could be a stand alone book , but since it was a continuation of Dee ..I would have liked to have read the first one.
Do you Believe in Fairies ? Well after this book I finally broke out my sterling silver bracelet.

Are you Prepared for a Disaster?

I hosted a Event with California Volunteers at my house and we had good food. I learned lots from Dan at Cosumnes River Fire Department. He was the CERT person to discuss all the disaster one family can face.

While eating lunch, we discussed any major events or disasters we have been in through our lifetimes. Many people talked about Earthquakes , some tornado's, and floods.

I remember going to help the people in Yuba City when I was young adult and helping them in their troubled times. I remember helping the this one person and they so many magazines that they have saved over their lifetime and once the water hit..it garbage.

Some of the people had some emergencies supplies ready to go with others are taking baby steps with all of emergencies needs. We do have some food storage but need to prepare on other things, that's why this discussion was so helpful to me.

A suggestion was to have a Garbage can filled with emergencies supplies and having a spare set of clothes and shoes.

California Volunteers has been helping families since September 11,2001. They have been helping coordinate volunteer activities to make our communities safer. Since 1989, there have been 27 major disasters man made or natural. California is state that sends out help to other states in their times of need like Hurricane Katrina.

We then went on a tour on my house. I did get some ideas things that need more support , and other rooms in the house like the Kitchen, we did good.

There is alot of information at http://www.redcross.org/ and http://www.californiavolunteers.org/ to help become better prepared in the event of a emergency.

( This is a handy 72 hour bag & giveaway) There is also a cute book to help kids become more aware of emergencies. My kids enjoyed looking at it.

I bet you are thinking, this sounds like a lot of work. Its not , its baby steps..like you are at the store buying food , you can buy an extra juice or food that your family likes to eat.

Has your family changed over time ? Do you have all of your important information handy ? Did you know that long distance would be up before local calls ? Do you have a place to meet up in the event of a emergency ? Is there someone you can all call if you get separated ? Here is the Checklist on being Prepared.

I learned lots of information today and I meet some other bloggers in my area.

Thanks to Jairo, Karen, and Jessica for letting do this giveaway and be apart of the outreach of California Volunteers.

Are you prepared in a Disaster ? What are you doing be prepared ??(I'm giving away 3 sets of these to my winners-- 4 pack for a family. Giveaway goes til Dec 4th and US Residents.

Shattered -- Book Review

Back of book Blurb: Nine years Kate Grayhawk Pendleton walked into Wyatt Shaw's life and out of it the next morning. Now Wyatt's back and has the power to shatter Kate's Future with the man she loves.



By Rep, Wyatt Shaw is brutal killer who always gets what he wants, and now he wants Kate and her twin eight years old sons.



Texas Ranger Jack McKinney is hot on the Wyatt Shaw's trail. The presumed heir to D'amto crime syndicate is threatening to steal the women he loves.


This part of a Series called Bitter Creek#8. This is Mystery Romance book.



Never had read this author before.



Jack--Holly --Married

Jack was dating Kate

Kate is married to JD

JD is "Dead"

Shaw is the Biological dad to Kate's Twin boys ( Lucky, Chance)



The book is told in all these Point of Views. There was action and romance but it seemed to be evened out through out the book.



Family is important part of this book. Whether the bad or good...there is always family. Everyone has a secret to keep. But with Secrets, they tend to have a way of coming out.



My Review--3



Thanks to Planned Television arts for this book and this is my HONEST Review.

Week & Wrap up

This week ...I did all that I wanted to accomplish and learned lots about Family Safety and meet some really awesome women.

I was talking with my sister this morning and she was surprised to learn that I didn't go to the New moon movie at Midnight...I told her that I liked it, but not into as much as I was last year. I've been hearing from my online friends and my sister that the movie is really good. So I'll watch it later. Amazing the change over 1 years time..Guess it been because I've reading other books.

I have a Date with DH tonight..its been so long since we went out.

I have planned the Thanksgiving menu and my MIL , and BIL and their families are also going celebrate this day together. I'm making dinner with DH.

Book Recommend: The Hunger Games/ Catching Fire

My dd is reading the Meg Cabot series-- Allie Finkle Series .

In my Mailbox-- My first ever

Look at what I got in my mailbox today...I got some personal books I have wanted to read , so there isn't those pics...I have a lot of reading to do...

Doing the Happy Dance...I have my Sisters Red book. Oh the Allie Finkle's Books are from Meg Cabot of Princess Diary's Fame....