Liz was sold on the idea of getting a dog initially. In the midst of a rocky relationship, getting a dog seemed almost a desperate attempt at saving the situation. When the relationship ends, it is clear that the dog, Rufus, belongs with Liz, and he will change her life forever. Through every rough patch, Rufus is there to make things better. When Rufus passes away, Liz must adjust to life without him, and learns the healing that sometimes comes with letting go.
I am a sucker for a good memoir, and equally a sucker for books about dogs, so for me, a memoir that involves a dog was sure to pack a wallop. And the fact that the woman in the memoir is and aspiring writer? Well, I was sold before I ever picked it up.
Liz Weber does a fabulous job of opening her life, and her heart, to the readers of this book. I was enchanted from the first chapter. The book has an easy-natured way about it, making it a very pleasant read, even when discussing not so pleasant things. She has quite a knack for describing things in rich detail, to the point where you feel you are there, silently observing the scene.
I was highly impressed with this book; it lived up to every one of my expectations, which is no small feat.
I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. See the rest of the tour here.
From an early age, Jon felt different. He preferred playing with the girls and hated sports. His father, determined to make a "real man" out of him, belittled Jon's sensitive ways, bullied him into sports, and criticized his physical appearance. As a result, Jon grew up in total fear of his father, of his own sexuality, and of being fat. These issues morphed into a full scale eating disorder, fueled by self loathing and internalized homophobia. For all if his adult life, Jon would struggle.
As a teenager, Tim started to realize that he was different, that he was attracted to other boys. He knew he needed to keep this a secret, so he started daydreaming; just when he thinks he is beginning to deal with his sexuality, life throws him another curveball, when he discovers he has Type I diabetes. Tim struggles to learn how to deal with this life altering disease, and along the way he suffers severe reactions when his blood sugar drops dangerously low. People in his life learn how to spot the signs and take care of him, but between his disease and his sexuality, he spends quite a few years as a big, sloppy mess. Eventually, however, he learns to manage life, as well as any of us do.
After spending her childhood and young adulthood living in Colombia with her mother and siblings, Adriana moved to the United States. While she may have been thousands of miles away from her mother, she still kept her close to her heart; when her mother died, it was a devastating blow. Adriana recounts snippets of her life with her mother, and the experience of dealing with her loss.
Maybe cooking Thanksgiving dinner makes you want to never cook again. Maybe you got a slow cooker last Christmas and still have not taken it out of the box. Maybe you will be too busy with last minute Christmas shopping to worry about cooking dinner. Whatever your situation, this cookbook offer many simple slow cooker recipes to help with your holiday feast.
Sometimes marriages fail. Sometimes books succeed. Sometimes friends die too young. Sometimes dogs live longer than you expected (though never long enough). In this collection of essays, the author explores all these issues, and more. She discusses things from all stages in her life, and what it is like to write about them.
The words gluten free and paleo are often heard when talking about nutrition. But what do they really mean? What is a gluten free or paleo diet, why would anyone chose it, and how do you deal with craving your favorite comfort foods? This book gives a very thorough explanation of the gluten free and paleo dietary lifestyles, and provides numerous recipes for delicious bread that fit into either or both of those lifestyles.
Paulette recounts her struggle to find herself, and her identity within a world full of mothers. As a young woman, Paulette found herself rebelling against the stereotype that women go from being virgins, to wives, to mothers. Instead, Paulette pursued her dreams and her education. As she approaches middle age, however, she determines that she does indeed want to have a child, and spends months going to extreme lengths to conceive.
Who says lunch has to be chemical laden fast food, or a measly salad? There is so much more to lunch, without it necessarily being complicated. Real food, with simple preparation, can be delicious and nourishing. So, instead of getting a burger or pizza, try some of these recipes on for size.
When people find out Jen does not want kids, they insist that she will change her mind, or they try to change it for her. Being childless by choice is baffling to some people, and greatly misunderstood. Jen uses her humor to power through most situations, explaining that she has a hard enough time keeping herself on track without being responsible for another, smaller, human.
Many people are interested in ways to use the internet to make money. Some deals sound to good to be true (and probably are), but if you are willing to put in real effort, affiliate marketing can help you make extra money online.
There are a lot of dicks in the world; sometimes they are dicks on purpose, and sometimes they simply do not know any better. Everyone could benefit from this simple, straightforward guide on how to avoid acts of dickery. Sound, solid advice, delivered in a playful, light hearted manner.
Elissa Wall was raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, an ultra-conservative offshoot from the Mormon Church. In this sect, polygamy is still alive and well, and is considered the only way to get to heaven. Children were raised in large families with multiple mothers, girls in their teens were married off to old men, and the bulk of the followers lived together on one of several compounds. As a child bride, Elissa was routinely raped by her husband, under the command of The Prophet, Warren Jeffs. Eventually, Elissa escapes, and begins to seek justice for the crimes perpetrated against her and so many others.
In this book, the author makes clear his opinions on particular aspects of Catholic doctrine. A cutting, satirical look at Catholic beliefs regarding saints, Mary, birth control, the treatment of women, and of course the huge scandalous cover-up of molestation.
For many years fibromyalgia was treated as a psycho-somatic disorder; in other words, patients were told it was all in their heads. Continued research has helped us learn that this is a very real health issue, affected my many different factors. In the same vein, successful treatment of this syndrome involves many different strategies.
Mental illness, despite all the advancements in modern care, is still a mystery, particularly to those who are not afflicted, or do not know anyone else who is. Kristina paints an honest, raw portrait of life as a schizophrenic. Kristina suffers the additional issue of substance addiction, and details her struggle to overcome her issues.
As a young girl, Anelisse and her twin sister Maddie were ecstatic that their mother has found a new husband. The girls are excited to have a father, who appears loving and attentive. As time goes by, they see a new, ugly side of their stepfather. He begins to inflict terrible abuse on their mother, and eventually on the children themselves. A younger brother is born, but the situation gets worse and worse, until finally Anelisse must do what she can to make sure she survives.
Over the years, countless books have discussed various aspects of the Holocaust and World War II. Yet a large portion of the story is continuously overlooked: the women involved. Some women were involved at a low level, such as teachers and secretaries. Others were more complicit, such as the nurses ordered to kill patients, or the wives of high ranking Nazi officers. This book dissects the various ways women were involved with the Nazi killing machine, and why it was so rare that female transgressors were brought to justice.
When Justin's mother, Debbie, is murdered, apparently by her 5th husband, Justin finds himself reflecting on her life. Having spend a large portion of his childhood in Tombstone, Arizona, Justin talks about his mother's murder against the backdrop of the old west town and all of its bloody history. Even when he moves away and starts a new life in California, Justin finds himself revisiting Tombstone, looking for answers about his mother, her death, and what led them all to that tragic place.
For a large part of their childhood, Regina and her siblings lived a very tremulous life. The were often homeless, and when they did have a home, no matter how temporary, the children were left to fend for themselves while their mother was off drinking. When life would get a little too out of control, the children would get placed in foster care. For years, the children had to fight to just survive, yet somehow, they made it out.