Being from the South has its advantages…the food, the family, the weather, the culture. It also has its disadvantages…the amount of time it takes to catch up to the rest of the world. It was through this lens that I made the decision to read this book. I was worried that it would be just another race relations book. I decided early on what my thought were on race relations and I found there were few books that told stories in a way that spoke to my own beliefs on the issue. The first book was To Kill a Mockingbird. I remember reading that book as a young teen and being enthralled. Later on I read a James Patterson book called Alex Cross’s Trial and that book hit me in much the same way. When I first heard about The Help I wasn’t sure it would be a book I was interested in reading. Finally, a friend offered me her copy so I decided it was worth a look. I can honestly say that this was a page turner. I loved the interaction between the household help and the families. The dichotomy of the love and respect they felt for their help with the hate and disgust that they felt for the race that their help was is a phenomenon in human psyche. These people allowed the help to raise their children, clean their sheets, cook their meals and hear all of their family business. What they didn’t allow was for the help to use their inside bathrooms. It is hard for me to imagine a relationship such as this. I grew up in the early 70s and 80s. Life was very different for my generation. This book uses a novel approach to explain the race relations of the 50s and 60s. To me this book is more about love than it is hate. Sure there was hate but first there was love and respect. There are some really funny parts in this book that made me want to cheer for these strong, amazing, intelligent women who cleaned the homes, raised the children and cooked the meals of women who clearly didn’t deserve it.

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I came across a great deal this morning through the rewards site I use, Sunshine Rewards. They have a merchant named Tanga who is having a deal each day this week on select magazines. The deal is as follows:

This week Tanga is offering great magazine subscription deals. Each magazine deal listed will run on one specific day of this week. The deals will run from PM PST(PM EST) the day of to to 6:59 PST (9:59 EST) the following day. Below you will find the list of magazines, the day they are on special as well as our link to Tanga!

Monday, September 26th at PM PST (PM EST)
Weight Watchers Magazine Subscription, $3.99 with Coupon Code: WEIGHT

Tuesday, September 27th at PM PST (PM EST)
Garden & Gun Magazine Subscription, $3.50 with Coupon Code: GARDEN

Wednesday, September 28Th at PM PST (PM EST)
Disney Family Fun Magazine Subscription, $3.50 with Coupon Code: DISNEY

Thursday, September 29th at PM PST (PM EST)
Bridal Guide Magazine Subscription, $3.99 with Coupon Code: BRIDAL

Friday, September 30th at PM PST (PM EST)
Rolling Stone Magazine Subscription, $3.99 with Coupon Code: STONE

Saturday, October 1st at PM PST (PM EST)
Men’s Fitness Magazine Subscription, $3.99 with Coupon Code: FITNESS

Sunday, October 2nd at PM PST (PM EST)
Tennis Magazine Subscription, $2.99 with Coupon Code: TENNIS

These are amazing prices on these magazine subscriptions. I am personally interested in the Weight Watchers and Family Fun. I have had a subscription to Family Fun before and it is such a great magazine. They have fun articles and great ideas for recipes, crafts and "Family Fun". At 3.99 it is worth checking it. You would pay that much for one magazine on the newsstand. Let me know which ones you order!!

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Every so often a book comes along that really hits at the heart of the matter. This book did that for me. Most people know that story of Jaycee Dugard and her abduction. Most people also know the story of how she was found 18 years later. What most people don’t know is what happened to her in the 18 years that came in between those two major events.

This book is a tough read at times. The things that Jaycee Dugard endured where abhorrent and would’ve killed most people. However, her story needs to be told. Most of the true crime stories I read are written by a third party. This happens because most of the victims don’t survive to tell their story. Jaycee Dugard is different…she made it out. She can tell her story in her own words. Jaycee was abducted as a child but was anything but when she was found. She came home a woman who never knew what it was like to be cared for and loved. She came home a mother of two daughters who were fathered by her abductor. She came home a survivor and no longer a victim. Her story is one of triumph. Her story is one of heartbreak.

Read this book. Read it because it will change who you are and how you interact with others around you. I find myself being more observant of the children I come in contact with everyday. I keep an eye and ear open for their needs and for possible chances to help them change their lives. I’m not looking to save an abducted child…just make a difference in the life of a child who needs it.

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Wondering what to get for the people on your list who love to read? There are so many exciting items this year. I think perhaps the most exciting is the Nook from Barnes and Noble.

Everyone is talking about the versatility of the Nook and Nook Color. I doubt you would find a book lover who wouldn’t love to get one of these as a gift. They give you the ability to have a new book with you wherever you go!

Don’t want to spend that much? How about a new book? There are some great deals on Cyber Monday on books. Barnes & Noble.com has books for 50% today. One of the books included in that special is the new John Grisham book named The Confession. This is a suspense thriller and is already getting rave reviews.

Need to buy for kids? How about their own version of an e-reader like the Nook? It is by V-tech and it is called the V*Reader. I have long been a fan of V-tech and their products. They make learning fun and help children enjoy reading for a lifetime.

No matter who you are buying for there are always products out there that will help them to enjoy reading. With today being Cyber Monday the deals just don’t get any better than they are today. Let me know if you have seen any great book related gifts on special today that my readers should know about. Happy Shopping!

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This is a book that I purchased over a year ago and I started to read it but found it hard to get past the first chapter. I recently picked it back up because I found myself with nothing to read while relaxing in the bathtub. I am really glad that I did. The subject matter of this book is tough to read but I think everyone needs to hear the details of the lives these women lead.

Not Without My Sister is the story of three sisters who were raised in the Children of God cult. These girls were abused from the very start by "family" members who viewed sex between adults as acceptable and normal. This cult used sex as a means of controlling its members. The accounts of these girls about the abuse they sustained at the hands of the adults in their lives is chilling. There was no one to protect them. They were forced to recite songs and writings of the all knowing "Mo" who was their "prophet." They had to witness beatings, sexual abuse, mental abuse, families being torn apart and people committing suicide all in the name of God.

There could be no more worse abuse than for people to take advantage of a child’s blind faith in their parents to fulfill their own needs. Their father "wed" many women and then fathered more children and then would leave to fulfill his "mission" and leave his children behind. Others would foster these children and treat them horribly. They would be sent to teen camps where they were forced to "date" older men.

I have to say that this book even made me question why I believe some of the things I believe. I had to wonder at times if I would have been capable of the blind faith these people had in another person. I even began to question whether or not I wasn’t being blindly led by my church. Finally, I realized that the teachings of cults are so off base from reality that it would be hard for someone not born and raised in their society to believe. That is why they prey on people who are lost and seeking others to bond with. They need people that have that hole they are seeking to fill. Only then can they draw people in to their lies and deception.

It is amazing to see that these three girls survived and escaped the cult they were born and raised in. It took many years and a lot of courage but they finally one by one left and reconnected with each other. I warn that this book has many disturbing parts. The girls recount their abuses in detail and not everyone wants to be faced with those kinds of horrors. In the end I am glad I read this book. Not the best writing but the story itself is an important one to tell.

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I finally got around to reading this one and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Most of you know that Twilight was not my favorite series. I found myself frustrated while reading it and wanting to just be done with. As a result I haven’t touched a vampire book since. Until now. I figured that I had already invested so much time and energy in to reading the series so I might as well see what this one was about. I figured it was a much smaller book so it wouldn’t be that much of an investment.

I actually got to the end of this one and wished that I could read more! The character of Bree Tanner was intriguing. She was everything that Bella Swan is not. Interesting, strong, intelligent and self sufficient. I honestly didn’t even remember her character from the original series but I won’t forget her now. I loved seeing the other side of the coin. It was nice to see a character that used her intelligence and wit to get her what she wanted.

I wonder what it says to young girls that this intelligent, strong, witty girl ends up dead while Bella Swan lives (so to speak) on with her whining and damsel in distress life? I would so much have rather ed Bree survive and see what she could have accomplished. What if Carlisle could have taught her how to withstand the temptation? What if she only hunted animals instead of people? I wish I could have more of this fascinating character.

It got me wondering if there weren’t other characters that could be taken further. What  characters would you like to see Meyer expand upon?

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I recently heard about a great series of books for kids to read. They are by the author Carole Marsh and they are mystery books. The books place children in some of the most famous landmarks of the world and have them involved in a mystery. I love this idea because it gives the kids something they know and yet the ficitional part of the story keeps them interested.

I am starting my 8 year old daughter on this series with the book Mystery at Disney World. We just recently returned from a trip to Disney so I know the topic will keep her interest and I think it will be a good way to get her started on reading longer books. She hates Chapter books and just seeing a book with a lot of pages scares her away. I am hoping the fun topic will make this a must read for her. I can’t wait to move on though because there are some other really great titles. They have a Christmas mystery in the White House. There is a ghost story in Biltmore House. I hope this will be a series that we can enjoy together for a long time.

If you are interested you can search for Carole Marsh at Barnes and Nobles and they have a lot of her titles at really reasonable prices. Let me know if you guys have read or want to read any of these and we can discuss them as we read them.

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Hello American Girl fans! I wanted to give you guys a heads up on a great contest I saw posted on another site I frequent. The site is called Helping Moms Connect and here is the link to the contest that she announced:

Helping Moms Connect

The contest is through Borders and it is a great way for you to win an American Girl doll from one of my favorite merchants. Check it out!

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The time has finally come that I know for sure when the American Girl dolls will be on QVC. They are listed on QVC as being scheduled for September 11, 2010 from 4pm-6pm. It is set to be a 2nd Anniversary show for American Girl Dolls. They usually have amazing sets that you can not get anywhere else. I have purchased 5 sets from them in the past year through these shows.

What dolls will be on the show? Well, we don’t really know but I can venture a guess. I just got an email yesterday notifying me that Felicity and Elizabeth and all of their accessories are going to be archived soon. I would expect that they would both be on the show with some of their outfits and accessories. They usually include dolls that are going away so that they can get one last push out of them. I would also expect the newest Girl of the Year Lainey to be on there. Last year they included Karissa who was the Girl of the Year at the time. We might even get to see some of the My American Girl dolls but probably not since those are the newest and they have to be customized which might be too much hassle for a QVC show. Of course they usually include some of the Bitty Baby items.

Set your alarms now. Remember that most of the time the shows don’t start until the posted time but the items show up online earlier than that. I have also seen the items change online as they sell out or get closer to air time. I can’t wait to see what they have this year. Let me know what you get!

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I am once again a James Patterson fan! I just finished this book last night and I have to say that I really loved it. It only took me 2 days to finish and I had a hard time putting it down.

Trial is truly a departure for James Patterson. I almost felt like I was reading a John Grisham book. This book is not about Alex Cross at all! He isn’t even in this book. It is told as a retelling of a story told by his ancestors and passed down in his family. This is the story of  Alex Cross’s family in the early 1900′s.

The main character of the book is a white lawyer who is sent back from Washington to his childhood home of Eudora, Mississippi at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt has outlawed lynchings and yet he keeps getting reports that they are still happening in large numbers in the small cities of the south. The lawyer, Ben Corbett is sent to document these reports as fact or fiction so that Roosevelt can act on the information.

This book details in uncensored ways the cruelties and discrimination that colored people were experiencing in that time period. It gives you a bird’s eye view of their lives and the utter desperation they felt at not being able to do anything right. If they did something they were lynched, if they didn’t do anything they were lynched, if they were in the wrong place and the wrong time they were lynched. I also like that the author is not merely trying to make a statement about the evil nature of white people. He showed that many of their decisions were not actually based on hate but on fear. They feared that they would lose all that they had to the colored people who had only recently been freed. Most importantly they feared a loss of income by colored men who now would take their jobs. Excusable? Absolutely not! However, it does show another side and doesn’t just assume that people are evil and do bad things because of the hatred in their heart. Another interesting point of view is that of the Ku Klux Klan members in this book. He asserts that they were not merely haters of colored people but of ALL people who they felt had caused harm to them. There is a graphic description of a lynching of a Jewish man who they believe has jilted some of the wealthy women out of money in an attempt to sell them undeeded land in Louisiana.

The biggest part of this that I found interesting and frustrating at the same time is the justice system as depicted in this story. There was no justice for people of color in those days. If you were arrested you were going to jail. They would allow you a trial but it would look nothing like a fair trial and it would end in nothing that even remotely resembles justice. The frustrating part is that it is not so hard to see that this is more truth than fiction. The courts really were partial and they really did dole out their own form of justice.

I have to tell you that there is an unbridled use of an offensive word in this book so if you are easily offended by it’s use then you should avoid this book. I think that it was completely necessary to use it in order to tell this story with any sort of accuracy. I think it was used as it was always used in reality. I think it was not used as a creative word to make the book more interesting or for entertainment shock value. It was merely a fact that had to be included.

I love history and I love crime dramas. This book gave me both. I love that as predictable as I thought it was going to be it still gave me a twist at the very end that I just didn’t expect. I am renewed in my appreciation of James Patterson and his ability to tell a story. This is a must read for Patterson fans and those who have been disheartened by his recent attempts. Enjoy!

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