Hot Water by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons
I received a copy of Hot Water by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons in exchange for an honest review. This book is a follow up…
Future Tour: Sugarfiend by Caroline Burau
Caroline will be on tour September 24- October 15 with her chick lit novel Sugarfiend If her life is a box of chocolates, acid-tongued, sugar-obsessed…
My First 5K: Week 11: Running Shoes
With the Color Run getting closer, my attention has shifted to my running shoes. I am currently training in my Reebok Toning Shoes – and if you hadn’t read my post about them, I would suggest it. While I thought they were fine athletic shoes, I never noticed any toning about them, and I also updated my post with the lawsuit that came against Reebok for their false claims. About two weeks ago I received my refund check in the mail. Like I said in my post – comfortable shoes and all, but I bought them for the toning effect. I’ve had them for over a year, and there are now holes near where my toes are, and I’m getting ready to pitch them. Since during the Color Run we will be pelted with paint, I wanted to wear shoes that I wouldn’t mind throwing away – my Reebok toning shoes will be that pair. But I’m now looking for a new pair of running shoes to have once I throw those away. Any suggestions? I’m not a distance runner or marathon runner, but I will continue to run at least two days a week, along with my usual walks and elliptical workouts. I haven’t started the research yet on new shoes, but I will be grateful for any suggestions you might have! Below is my workout schedule for Week 11 of my 5K training. The bold is what I would normally complete, non-bold is my 5K schedule.
Monday: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 x2
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute elliptical, 30 minute Yoga DVD
Wednesday: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 x 3
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill walk (incline – 12)
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Run 30 minutes
Sunday: 30 minute treadmill walk on incline
In My Mailbox: Week of August 26
In Samantha’s Mailbox:
Title: The Good Woman
Author: Jane Porter
Received: Erin @ Penguin Group
Synopsis: Is it possible to leave it all behind?
The firstborn of a large Irish-American family, Meg Brennan Roberts is a successful publicist, faithful wife, and doting mother who prides herself on always making the right decisions. But years of being “the good woman” have taken a toll and though her winery career thrives, Meg feels burned out and empty, and more disconnected than ever from her increasingly distant husband. Lonely and disheartened, she attends the London Wine Fair with her boss, ruggedly handsome vintner, Chad Hallahan. It’s here, alone together in an exotic city, far from “real” life, that Chad confesses his long-standing desire for Meg.
Overwhelmed, flattered, and desperately confused, Meg returns home, only to suddenly question every choice she’s ever made, especially that of her marriage. For Meg, something’s got to give, and for once in her life she flees her responsibilities—but with consequences as reckless and irreversible as they are liberating. Now she must decide whether being the person everyone needs is worth losing the woman she was meant to be.
Title: Mary Indiana
Author: Anneke Campbell
Received: via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: She’s eighteen and pregnant, but with a twist–the new kid in town’s barely been kissed! Could she really be a virgin? The town doc swears it’s true. There’s just GOTTA be an explanation.
But it’s not coming from Mary, as she’s quickly dubbed. She seems to have taken a vow of silence. So it’s up to the citizens of Bellingham to make their own miracles—or at least their own myths. The new celeb is instantly surrounded by hangers-on, miracle-seekers, paparazzi, preachers, and promoters—to hilarious effect.
But are they dealing with an angel here, or someone playing an angle? Con, in a word, or icon? And by the way, what’s up with that strange light in the sky? Could be she came off a spaceship.
Neither sacred nor profane, nor even paranormal, Campbell’s beautifully written book is at once funny and wise, a savvy story of how myths are made, how minds twist and turn around the extraordinary, how the human organism just can’t help grabbing for the supernatural, whether out of the spiritual need for a miracle or a mundane desire for cash.
Think Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, only really really funny.
On Tour: Dewitched by EL Sarnoff
EL Sarnoff will be on tour August 27-September 3 with her novel Dewitched After serving time for Snow White’s attempted murder, the Evil Queen is…
Book Excerpt: This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor
Marie Astor is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and This Tangled Thing Called Love. Please enjoy the excerpt below, check out my 4 star…
Ripple the Twine by Jenn Flynn-Shon
Jenn Flynn-Shon is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Ripple the Twine. Sara Quinn, a sportswriter, is invested in her career and earning the respect she knows she deserves. While being focused on her writing and sports, she decides she needs a much needed break from the dating world. But just when she decides to give her love life a timeout, she is introduced to Ben – and she starts to question her self-imposed break. But around that same time, her friends start to go through some difficult situations, and Sara wants to be there for them. She spends so much time worrying about her friends that she doesn’t have time anymore for Ben – but in the process of helping, she also finds healing. Learning to come to grips with her emotional past, Sara finds the strength and support from herself and her friends, and finally thinks she finds the path to happiness.
I’m big sports fan, and I actually used to work at a hockey arena, so I’m always up for a hockey story! I really enjoyed the hockey lingo that is mentioned before each chapter, even though I thought I knew a lot about the game, I learned even more while reading! I liked Sara’s character and how she was so quick to help her friends, and the supporting cast was just as fun to read about. Sometimes I thought the story was a bit too telling and not enough showing, and there was a lot of “Sara did this” “Sara did that” moments that were a bit distracting to me, but overall I enjoyed this debut novel!
[Rating: 3.5]
Deciding to Get Lasik
Deciding to Get Lasik
I got my first pair of glasses in the fourth grade. Back then, I thought I was super cool with my spectacles. All my friends had glasses as well, and we loved getting bright colors and patterns – I remember my purple pair were my favorite glasses back then. I really didn’t even get the dreaded “four eyes” nickname, because so many people had glasses. I thought I just fit in.
But of course, the happiness wore off. I begged my mom for contacts for years, and I believe I was fifteen when I was finally granted my wish. It took me some time to get used to poking myself in the eye, but I eventually mastered the contacts. But then it was the annoying factor that cropped up – contacts being inside out when I tried putting them on, running out of contact solution, forgetting my case at sleepovers. As I got older, I grew tired of contacts, and was jealous when a handful of my family members got the Lasik surgery.
When I was twenty, I made some appointments around town to see if I would be a good fit for Lasik. In order to get the procedure, your prescription has to be the same for at least a year so they know your eyes are done changing and your eyes need to be considered healthy. At twenty, I passed the Lasik test –– then was told the price. At $2500 per eye, I knew it was just not in my cards to get the procedure at that time. I came up with a savings plan, and put that surgery on hold.
About four years later, I felt comfortable enough with my money situation to give Lasik another shot. In January 2012, I set up a consultation at my local LasikPlus, took my contacts out for two weeks straight per instructions, and went through test after test on my eyes. At the end – I was cleared for Lasik! The price was actually cheaper than it was years ago, and with a discount through my insurance provider, I was looking at $3500 for the whole thing. I scheduled my surgery appointment for two weeks after my testing, and was ecstatic to finally be getting Lasik.
Check out back next week for my post on prepping for Lasik!
Summer Nights by Allie Spencer
Summer Nights by Allie Spencer follows Flora Fielding, who has been dumped on the one day of the year that should be safe territory, her…
