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Showing posts with label Product Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Product Review. Show all posts

Friday, July 11, 2025

Amateur Book Review - Please Tell Me by Mike Omer

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After a year in captivity, a kidnapped child escapes—only to reveal horrific truths that lead her psychologist on a race against time in this thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mike Omer.

When eight-year-old Kathy Stone turns up on the side of the road a year after her abduction, the world awaits her harrowing story. But Kathy doesn’t say a word. Traumatized by her ordeal, she doesn’t speak at all, not even to her own parents.

Child therapist Robin Hart is the only one who’s had success connecting with the girl. Robin has been using play therapy to help Kathy process her memories. But as their work continues, Kathy’s playtime takes a grim turn: a doll stabs another doll, a tiny figurine is chained to a plastic toy couch. All of these horrifying moments, enacted within a Victorian doll house. Every session, another toy dies.

But the most disturbing detail? Kathy seems to be playacting real unsolved murders.

Soon Robin wonders if Kathy not only holds the key to the murders of the past but if she knows something about the murders of the future. Can Robin unlock the secrets in Kathy’s brain and stop a serial killer before he strikes again? Or is Robin’s work with Kathy putting her in the killer’s sights?



Book Review: 

WOAH! I just finished Please Tell Me by Mike Omer, and I’m still reeling! This book had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a rollercoaster of a thriller.

We jump right in with 8 year old Kathy a little girl without shoes trying to find her way home and thankfully meeting a stranger who helps. Kathy was kidnapped a year ago from her families home and somehow escaped. So is so traumatized that she can't speak so no one knows what happened to her or what she went through while gone. My heart just broke for her! 

Robin Hart is a child therapist who is hired to help Kathy process everything through play therapy. Not to try to find out what happened to her but to make her feel safe and get back to some sort of normalcy. Things get intense when Kathy starts acting out these creepy, violent scenes with her dolls that seem to connect to real murders. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how this little girl knows so much. Was it supernatural? I was excited to find out!

Omar does a great job of writing really relatable characters. Robin is such a heroin, not perfect, she’s got her own baggage (like a messy divorce and a tough relationship with her mom), but she’s so dedicated to helping Kathy, by not pushing and allowing the child to feel safe. The therapy scenes were so fascinating. I learned a lot about how therapists work with kids, and it felt authentic.   It made me root for her even more. Kathy’s mom, Claire, oh man!  Her flashbacks to the abduction had me tearing up. This is a parent's nightmare. 

The suspense in this book was incredible. I kept thinking I had the bad guy figured out, but then there’d be another twist, and I’d be like, “Nope! Wrong again!” The way Omer ties everything together at the end? Total shocker. I didn’t see it coming. I love when a book can surprise me like that. 

The COVID references were a bit heavy-handed but I agree that COVID changed everything and kids during COVID really suffered. 

This is definitely not a light read, so if you’re sensitive to child trauma, psychological trauma, blood and gore maybe check the trigger warnings first.

If you love thrillers that make your heart race pick this one up. 

Amateur Book Review: The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

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I wanted to jump.
He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.


My Review:

The Fall Up by Aly Martinez was a rollercoaster from the beginning. A love story with humor and heat. 

Levee, a pop star who’s lost herself in the spotlight, and Sam meet under intense circumstances on a bridge one night. 

Martinez deals with heavy topics like mental health and past trauma with care. There were moments where I was holding my breath during some of their raw, conversations that hit close to home. The tension of each of their demons and the fear of whether they’d make it through kept me reading as much as possible.

Despite the heavy moments the book is uplifting. The chemistry and witty banter between Levee and Sam is what I look for in my romance reads. Levee is relatable and real, a celebrity who’s struggling but so lovable. Their romance is a mix of steamy, sweet, and soulful and I was rooting for them the whole time. Even the secondary characters are great!

The Fall Up had some slow moments but I was invested and love a good story about healing, love, and finding someone who sees the real you, even when you are at rock bottom. 

Amateur Book Review - Rebecca by Adam Nicolai

PURCHASE


voice is telling Sarah to kill her baby.


It comes to her in fevered snatches of sleep, between her daughter’s cries. It lingers in her mind when she wakes, alone and sad and scared.

She wants to love her baby, but she doesn’t know how. Suffering from her a deadly disconnect with her sexual identity, Sarah doesn’t even know how to love herself.

So the voice torments her. She will suffer. She will weep.

But she will also endure.

Unforgettable and truly unique, Rebecca takes hold of you on the first page and drags you headlong into the hellscape of a tortured young mother’s mind — a journey that will end with unspeakable horror, or the triumph of a mother’s love over darkness.

You’ll love Rebecca because it’s unlike anything you’ve read before.


Review of Rebecca by Adam J. Nicolai

This debut, self published novel by Adam J. Nicolai is a raw, emotionally charged ride that hooked me from the first few pages until the end that completely stressed me out with the  jaw dropping final scene. 

NOTE: There are some heavy themes (teen pregnancy, emerging sexuality, and the pressure of religious expectations). 

Sarah grew up in a strictly religious household who is struggling with her identity as a lesbian.  She believed that the pregnancy would “fix” her. 

The religious elements capture the judgment and guilt imposed by Sarah’s church and family. Every sermon feels and is directed at her "sin." Sarah feels alone and scared which is written perfectly. You feel all of it.

Sarah appears to be dealing with postpartum depression and has unsettling suspicions about her newborn daughter. Rebecca. Nicolai's writing kept me questioning everything. 

The standout, though, is the final fight scene that without giving spoilers was  heart-pounding and left me breathless. I stopped reading three times to catch my breath. It’s the kind of scene that sticks with you.

If you’re up for a read that’ll stress you out (in a good way!) and leave you thinking, this is it. 


Thursday, June 12, 2025

Book Review: The Truth About Butterflies by Nancy Stephan

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Nancy Stephan’s The Truth About Butterflies is a heartfelt memoir chronicling the life and loss of her dear daughter Nicole. As a mother of a daughter I love to the moon and back I found myself ugly crying more than once. Stephan blends medical insight with raw emotion, sharing her journey of resilience, faith, and hope. The butterfly metaphor beautifully captures her transformation through struggle and something her daughter had profoundly mentioned at the age of 6. “This flesh in which we live is nothing more than a cocoon, and only when we step out of it do we truly begin to live.” 

I loved this book for its authenticity and warmth as well as the candid reflections of Nancy’s childhood and learning all about Nicole. 

My heart aches for this mother and daughter and all they endured. 

The Truth About Butterflies is an uplifting read for anyone facing adversity or seeking hope. It’s a testament to the human spirit and the love of a mother. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Sunday, May 25, 2025

Summer Journaling Bliss with Pen Heaven ✍️ #SummerJournaling #PenHeaven



Capture the warmth of summer in every word! Whether you’re sketching sunsets, jotting down travel adventures, or reflecting under starry skies, our premium pens and journals at Pen Heaven elevate your journaling experience.

Why Journal This Summer?

•  Preserve memories from beach days to mountain hikes.

•  Unleash creativity with vibrant inks and smooth-writing fountain pens.

•  Find calm in the art of putting pen to paper.

Discover the curated collection of lightweight journals and pens perfect for on-the-go inspiration. From sleek rollerballs to colorful gel pens, we’ve got your summer vibe covered.


📝 Pro Tip: Try the leather-bound journals paired with a Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen for that perfect summer aesthetic.

Now for their Sunshine Stationery

Pen Heaven Presents the Honey Yellow Collection

With warmer days on the horizon, luxury gift emporium Pen Heaven introduces its captivating honey yellow stationery collection.

Reminiscent of sunflower fields, golden sunshine, and the rich tones of natural honey, this delightful shade injects a dose of warmth and positivity into everyday writing experiences.

Honey yellow isn't just a pretty colour; it's a mood-enhancer that radiates optimism, creativity, and vitality. In a world where many of us spend our days in front of screens, these golden-hued items offer a welcome connection to nature's warmth and the energetic promise of summer.

"The warm yellow tone of sunflower honey combined with fine golden accents brings both warmth and sophistication to your writing experience," explains David Cole of Pen Heaven. "It's the perfect antidote to the digital fatigue many of us experience, inviting a return to the tactile pleasure of putting pen to paper."

I’m loving the Jacques Herbin D Collection Ink, £11 / $14 USD

I used it with three different pens including the Kaweco Collection Sport Honey Fountain Pen, £26 / $33 USD which I felt didn’t allow me to write as well as I usually feel I can with a fountain pen. I believe it takes a lot of practice to write with one but use the often.

The orange ink is really light so I gave it a real test using another new, never used glass fountain pen from a set my son gave me this past Mother’s Day. It was still light but I could see it better. The orange blob is because I didn’t know if I should blot before starting with the glass pen. After that I used my tried and true. The orange ink is definitely darker but that’s because I had used red in the last time I used this fountain. 

I can’t wait to use this ink and pen more in my summer journaling.  


Shop now at Pen Heaven and make every moment a masterpiece!



#SummerJournaling #PenHeaven

Book Review: Forsaken by Andrew Van Wey - This Is A Must Read! #bookreview


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Wow!!!! A piece of art! I loved it. Andrew Van Wey’s Forsaken: A Novel of Art, Evil, and Insanity is a chilling psychological horror.

One hell of a debut novel by a very talented author. This story follows Dan Rineheart, an art professor whose life is seemingly perfect. He has a loving family and a tenure-track position at a university but it all unravels when a mysterious, grotesque painting arrives at the university. 

What begins as curiosity spirals into an obsession, pulling Dan into a nightmare of sinister children, eerie phenomena, and a haunting painting that seems alive.

Author Van Wey’s strength is  in his vivid, immersive writing. I had to read out loud at times to literally hear the words. They are grotesquely poetic. The last three chapters were read out in their entirety. I was mesmerized and needed to not only see them but hear them. 

I cannot praise the detailed prose enough. It brought  life with unsettling atmospheric horror into the story like my favorite early Stephen King or Clive Barker books. 

As a huge fan of the first-person perspective which immerses you in Dan’s unraveling psyche, making his flaws and fears completely relatable, even as the story veers into the surreal and paranormal. The painting itself, is described as a “disturbing work of grotesque perfection,” is a standout element, its ever-changing nature amplifying the creeping dread. 

Fans of 80s horror will appreciate the nod to the classic horror feel of dark humor with a modern psychological edge.

I was completely aware of the storyline by chapter three but Forsaken never disappointed me. From start to finish I loved it and couldn’t put it down. Its pace was perfect dealing out the storyline in steady increments before accelerating the horror. 

Even though it’s a lengthy book I never felt it was too long because of the shifts in perspective and twisted plot.

Forsaken shines as a character-driven horror novel that lingers long after the final page, perfect for readers who crave a blend of mystery, paranormal chills, and psychological depth. 

5 out of 5 for me! 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Nonnas Movie Review: A Heartwarming Ode to Family, Food, and Healing



Nonnas, is a heartfelt movie starring Vince Vaughn and Joe Manganiello that serves up Nonna like portions of nostalgia, love, and Italian comfort food.  Inspired by the true story of Joe Scaravella’s Enoteca Maria restaurant in Staten Island it is a love letter to family traditions and the power of shared meals. I loved it and teared up four times in the first 20 minutes as I reminisced about family dinners at my your grandma’s table. This movie perfectly captures the family essence of many families but especially Italian family life.

Nonnas follows Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn), a man dealing with grief after losing his mother and grandmother, who were the heart of his Italian-American family’s kitchen. Wanting to honor their memory, Joe starts making their recipes from memory and giving his food to his friends and coworkers as he tries to capture the love cooks give when people enjoy their food as well as the love they put into it. He sees a restaurant for sale and uses his mother’s inheritance to open Enoteca Maria, a restaurant staffed by Italian grandmothersor “nonnas” as the Italian’s call them each bringing their regional recipes and personalities to the table. The film weaves Joe’s journey of healing, the nonnas’ rediscovery of purpose, and the rekindling of old connections, coupled with a bowl of steaming pasta and warm, familial chaos.

The opening scene really resonated with me and paint a vivid picture of Joe’s childhood, filled with bustling family gatherings and his nonna’s “Sunday gravy.” These montages, featuring close ups in delicious sensory detail like fresh zeppole and hand-cut tagliatelle, just speak of the longing for the comfort of home like the dinners we all miss at our grandma’s table. The movie transitions from adorable memories of Joe’s childhood to Joe’s lonely present at his mother’s funeral, setting the stage for a story about “feeding your grief” through food and community.

The movie’s greatest strength is tapping  into the ache for lost loved ones and simpler times. The nonnas—played by Susan Sarandon (Gia), Lorraine Bracco (Roberta), Talia Shire (Teresa), and Brenda Vaccaro (Antonella)—are the soul of the film. I loved their scenes. Their chemistry is electric, from the bickering over Bologna versus Sicily recipes or sharing a tipsy limoncello.  I was really moved by the scene, where they toast to “living our lives very well,”. Tears streaming down my face it felt like a hug that nourished my soul and celebrated the wisdom and vitality of older women often overlooked in cinema.

Vince Vaughn’s Joe was a quiet, authentic portrayal of grief and hope. His sincerity grounds the film, making Joe’s mission to recreate his family’s table relatable to anyone who’s ever longed for connection. The cast also included my favorite Joe Manganiello as Joe’s supportive friend Bruno. 

The food itself is almost a character, with yummy visuals of gnocchi, capuzzelle, and cannoli that left me hungry and nostalgic. table”).

While Nonnas was wonderful to me in its quiet beauty others it predictable and lacked depth. There was also a romance between Joe and an old flame Olivia that while sweet, lacked the spark to fully captivate. But I don’t agree with the critics who wanted more backstory or more of Joe and Olivia. For me it was about Joe wanting, starting the restaurant, the setbacks and ultimately the success.

Nonnas captures how food ties us to our roots, much like your memories of gathering around the table. The film’s message, “Food is love,” resonates deeply, as Joe and the nonnas transform grief into a celebration of heritage. 

Nonnas is a feel-good film that delivered a warm, nostalgic tribute to family, food, and resilience and I can’t wait to watch it again. 


Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Family Fun Game - Flickin' Chicken



Flickin' Chicken is fun and easy to bring with you anywhere. My son and I loved playing it today despite the freezing temps.

How to play: Players take turns flicking their rubber chicken at a target disc that's been thrown into the open. The target disc has a bonus spot on one side and a penalty spot on the other. Players try to land any part of their chicken on the target in as few flicks as possible. The player with the lowest score after nine rounds wins. We LOVED IT!


BTW I kicked his butt!
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Black Friday Deal - Fun Family Game - Cornhole Shootout

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The 411:

Spent a cold Saturday playing Cornhole Shootout with my son and had the best time.
Thankfully the rules made it easy for us to score as two who honestly had terrible aim or maybe it was our coats getting in the way.

Look at all these pieces


You get points many different ways. Staying on the board, getting the beanbag in the hoop, the hole or both. 21 points and the winner was HIM! Damn it.

We found it fun!
He was off his game system and feeling competitive even without being on his Xbox and I was happy to spend time with him. 


The only problem we had was the set up. It took my daughter and I about 40 minutes to put the two boards together. It could have been the instructions or the fact that there were a few poles that were tagged incorrectly. It could also be that the diagram instructions mentioned letter E poles but there were no letter Es in the bunch or in the included in descriptions. We were confused and almost gave up until we looked at the box and used critical thinking skills to put it together. 


Now that we have done it once it will be much easier the next time. It was summer or I had more space in the house I would leave them together so we could play whenever we want but there is a duffle bag to store all the pieces which means you can take them anywhere or leave it in your trunk for the next time you head to friends, the park or the beach. 

Well worth the hassle of figuring out how to put it together. 




Monday, November 04, 2024

Journaling In Blood Red Ink

 


Alongside the falling leaves, grey skies and cool snap in the air, I used Pen Heaven Writer's Blood from Pen Heaven to write in the last pages of my October Journal. 

I love love love the blood red color. It looks amazing on my fountain pen and looks like dried blood on my journal page. Loved writing with it. I will be using it very often because there is just something about writing with a fountain pen dipped in blood red ink that I cannot describe.


For anyone on your holiday list that loves pens, journals or stationary Pen Heaven is above all others.  




Set the scene with the eerie warming light of a Jack-o-Lantern and set-to spinning a spooky yarn with the Pewter Feather Quill and Ink Set with Owl Design, £32.50 / $ 41 USD.

If you’re hell-bent on horror, have your literary scare-fest stand-out by scribing in none other than Diamine Ink's Writer's Blood, £7.50 / $10 USD, a devilishly deep blood red.

Speaking of the Devil, the Pineider Ballpoint Pen in Devil Red, £120 / $148 USD, is a stylishly sinful choice for the discerningly demonic!

For fans of grand, gloomy Gothica, the bewitching black and red BENU Skulls & Roses Fountain Pen, £135 / $167 USD could inspire a magical malady.

Make 'Fright Night' fun for all the family with the Limited Edition Legami Boo Crew, £7 / $9 USD.

Last but by no means least, the Retro 51 Vintage Dr Gray Rollerball and Mechanical Pencil Set, £90 / $111 USD, is a boney bestfriend for any evil illustrators.

Stationery for Every Occasion

www.penheaven.com 


Wednesday, October 30, 2024

November Is Gratitude Month - Be Grateful For Life

 


 Reflect and Reset: An Embrace Your Life Journal

By Fran Hauser

In a fast-paced world, Reflect and Reset by best-selling author Fran Hauser offers a much-needed pause. This beautifully designed journal is divided into five sections—Reflections, Smile File, Vision Board, To-Don’t List, and Coloring—each providing creative prompts to help readers live more intentionally. It’s the perfect gift for anyone looking to prioritize what truly matters and create the life of their dreams.

The 411:

I journal daily. It is to keep memories as well as keep me on schedule. I include lots of things in my journal and will continue to hopefully write about my life for all of my days or until I can no longer keep it up. However, I am a grateful person and believe in manifestation, visions boards, and Reflections and with November being the month of Gratitude have decided to use this journal to embrace all the changes in my life (I started a new job), I feel better than ever (vitamins and supplements), I am IN LOVE (27 years with my husband November 1st) and I am getting older and more aware of staying positive and living your full life more than ever. 

The Reflect and Reset journal is perfect to start for those who have always wanted to journal or those like me who have journaled for years. 


Broken up into 5 sections Reflections, Smile File, Vision Board, To Don't Lists, and even coloring pages there is a place for all your various thoughts.

Add stickers, borders, washi tape or use special pens and markers but make this book your own. 


Writing has proven to be reduce stress, improve health, aid in decision making, assist in memory, cognitive processing upkeep and generally better your quality of life. I swear by it. It is my personal therapy and way cheaper than a therapist.

Sunday, October 20, 2024

80 Businesses Living The American Dream And Sharing Their Recipes In This Full Color Cookbook + I Made OFD Cookies From The Book & They ARE AMAZING


Our American Dream Cookbook (available now for pre-order and launching October 1, 2024, $30/hardcover). Authored by Jennifer Glanville Love, brewer and director of partnerships at the Boston Beer Company, this one-of-a-kind cookbook brings 100+ dishes to life from 80 small business owners, all tied to the philanthropic program Brewing the American Dream.

There were so many yummy dishes I am dying to make but this weekend we jumped into the OFD (Oaty, Fudgy and Delicious) 


We used Kodiak Oats to get more protein and they came out amazing and I don't feel bad giving them to my family. Even my son who is so picky ate 4 of them out of the oven. My husband said "meh" but the rest of us LOVE them. Bring some in for my co-workers tomorrow because after sharing on my socials they all asked for some. How could I deny them. Time to grab another bag of chocolate chunks.

Looks just like the picture. SOOO chocolatey!!!


My next recipe is Vegan Onion Soup with Beer and Chicken Kebabs with Beer Bourbon Marinade. 

My husband read the section of how to appraise beer since he has been doing a different 12 pack from Beer World every weekend. Definitely a book that will be on our counter for a while. 



Disclaimer: I received a complimentary book for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered or received. 


The Dog Ate My Homework Is So Much Fun! My Daughter, Cat and I Had A Blast #review

 



 

 

 

 

 

 


THE 411:

So fun! My daughter and I try to keep busy during Football Sunday in my house. I have a Giant fan and Cowboy fan living here and Man you don't want to be in the room with them during a game. We usually go out on Sundays but since we are pet sitting we stayed close to home. 

Today I opened The Dog Ate My Homework and thought two things! My kids would have loved this game if they were younger and is this NOT genius!??

It is literally a mini puzzle game with a twist.

Insert the papers into the dog's mouth and try to guess the puzzle when it comes out the other end. 

One of the best parts of this game is there is no batteries necessary to use! Simply turn the crank and watch the paper come out cut up out the back end.











I think this will be a great gift for kids and anyone who loves setting up family game night. Make a conscious effort to play with your kids. Unplug and play! Time spent with family is NEVER wasted time. 



Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered or received.