Book Review of Berkley, A Nose Tale by David Hillman

 

Berkley is a Basset Hound who has an unusually big nose. His oversized honker often gets him in trouble wherever he goes. He’s fond of garbage cans, skunks and honey – the last causing him a great deal of pain when a hoard of angry bees chases him off. But his favorite of all is sniffing Jeremy’s stinky socks. Berkley’s sniffer finally comes in handy one day when Jeremy’s friend Becky needs an important favor. Berkley saves the day!

This is an adorable story. Somehow, it reminded me slightly of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but maybe that was just me spinning the story in my mind. In any event, Berkley, A Nose Tale works well. It’s cute, funny and teaches children a charming lesson.

The illustrations are fantastic. They’re colorful, expressive and detailed. Combined with the storyline, I’d have to say that this book is definitely worth the download. Kudos to Mr. Hillman. I’ll be recommending this book to friends and family!

5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Man's Work, Woman's Work Guest Post by Multi-Genre Author Robert Germaux

I’m welcoming multi-genre author Robert Germaux to the DIY Mom Blog today. Bob has several books, published on Amazon. He’s proven that he’s a versatile and entertaining author who’s comfortable writing in just about any genre. Bob also has a knack for writing about many things a lot of people can relate to.

Read on to find out Bob’s take on man’s work vs. woman’s work. I promise you that it’s definitely not how it sounds J

"Man's Work, Woman's Work" by Robert Germaux

You might get the idea that my wife does most of the cooking in the Germaux household, but you’d be wrong. Cynthia actually does all the cooking, and she has for a long time. The first two years of our marriage, I was already teaching, but Cynthia was still in college. Thus, she had more free time than I did. Plus, she loved preparing meals for her husband, and that husband loved eating those meals. It didn’t hurt that Cynthia was, and still is, a great cook. Her baked pineapple has achieved legendary status in my family and often tops the Most Requested category at holiday gatherings.

     After Cynthia graduated and embarked on her own teaching career, she suddenly had nowhere near as much free time, but she still continued to prepare all our meals, at least the ones we had at home. It wasn’t that I couldn’t cook. I lived in off-campus apartments my last few years in college, and my roommates and I took pride in cooking most of our dinners ourselves, including the occasional made-from-scratch dessert. BTW, I’m told I made a mean tuna noodle casserole back in the day.

Once both Cynthia and I were creating lesson plans, correcting papers, calling parents, attending faculty meetings, etc., we fell into a routine that pretty much set the tone for the rest of our careers and into retirement. Cynthia still did all the cooking, but on weekends, she often made enough chili or manicotti or corn pie or meat loaf or whatever to have leftovers during the week. Also, we’ve been fortunate enough to live in areas that have a wide variety of restaurants that serve good casual fare, so we often had an early dinner a couple days a week at those establishments. (And, actually, when you eat breakfast at 4:30, as we did when we were still working, dinner at four that afternoon isn’t really that early.)

Okay, I know it would appear that I was getting the better part of that deal, since I was still doing none of the cooking. And trust me, I’ve gotten by far the better part of the deal since the day I married Cynthia. But I do try to help. I’ve always done almost all the cleaning up after our meals, and Cynthia will tell you that I’m an excellent chef’s assistant in the kitchen, getting things out of the cupboard or refrigerator when she needs them, putting them away when she doesn’t, cleaning pots and pans when she’s finished with them. What cooking skills I once possessed all those years ago quickly went dark, as it were, due to a lack of practice, but I’m okay with that. Far more important, so is Cynthia.


We’re happy with the arrangement, just as we are in other areas of our lives. For instance, she doesn’t like to drive. I do. So I do most (not all) of our driving. Neither of us actually enjoys ironing, but it has to be done, so Cynthia irons her clothes and I iron mine, a skill I was lucky enough to learn at the age of fourteen. Another thing neither of us likes to do is yardwork, so we don’t. We’re able to pay people to mow our lawn in the summer, and the shrubs and bushes we have on our property are kept looking good by a guy who comes twice a year to fertilize, trim, etc.

Cynthia and I have never defined any kind of work as being something to be done by the man or woman of the house. The important thing isn’t who does what. It’s finding that balance that makes both parties happy. It’s been working for us for forty-nine years, so we may be on to something. But that doesn’t mean our balance would work for you and the other half of your relationship. The two of you are the ones (the only ones) to determine that. In the end, don’t think of any job as man’s work or woman’s work. It’s just work. Do it well and, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll be rewarded with some of that baked pineapple.

Robert Germaux is offering free review copies of his latest book “More Grammar Sex”, which is not surprisingly about sex. In his usual offbeat, comedic fashion, Bob has compiled some of his favorite “thoughts on life's little moments, minor annoyances and unexpected delights.

ABOUT ROBERT GERMAUX

Both my parents were readers. I'm talking stacks-of-books-on-their-nightstands readers. So it's no surprise that an early age, I, too, became an avid reader. Everything from sports books (especially baseball) to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, to almost anything about distant and exotic places. I've always enjoyed putting words on paper, but the writer in me didn't fully emerge until I retired after three decades of teaching high school English.

I quickly wrote two books aimed at middle school readers, at which point my wife urged me to try a novel for adults. As is usually the case, my wife Cynthia's idea was a good one. Over the next few years, I wrote several books about Pittsburgh private eye Jeremy Barnes, including "Hard Court" and the recently released "In the Eye." I also wrote "Small Talk" and "One by One," both featuring Pittsburgh police detective Daniel Hayes.

Along the way, I took a brief hiatus from the detective genre to write "The Backup Husband," the plotline of which came to me one day when I was playing the What-if game.

I then tried my hand at writing humorous essays, which resulted in "Grammar Sex (and other stuff)" and its sequel, "More Grammar Sex." Coming soon is "Small Bytes," the first Jeremy Barnes novel, to be followed by two other JB mysteries, "Leaving the LAW" and "Speak Softly."

I love interacting with my readers and getting their input on my stories and characters. Please feel free to contact me via my website roberttgermaux.wordpress.com.

Top Ten Books for High School Graduates Guest Post by Author Amy Reade

Award-winning author Amy Reade joins me on the blog today with an AWESOME and timely post. I'm sure there are moms (and dads and other gift-giving family members) who'll find this piece super informational. Books make great graduation gifts and Amy's post is packed with some great book ideas and summaries to help you decide. So on with the post...

Top Ten Books for High School Graduates by Amy Reade

I don’t have a child graduating from high school this year (two more years!), but there are millions of people who do, so I thought a bookish gift guide might be a useful post for this graduation season.

Many high school graduates have had their fill of books for the last four years, so the items on this list have to tread a fine line: they have to contain lots of useful advice, but they also have to be compelling enough to make a grad want to delve back into reading. And bonus: many of these are great for parents, too.

We’ll work our way from #10 to #1. Ready?

10. The Schmuck in My Office: How to Deal Effectively with Difficult People at Work by Jody Foster, MD. All high school grads have to enter the real world at some point, and this book teaches them how to deal with the schmucks that are in every workplace.

9. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda. What started out as a collection of Twitter posts to inspire his followers every morning and evening has taken on a life of its own. Lin-Manuel Miranda (yes, THE Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame) has compiled this lovely book of self-affirming “pep talks” that are perfect when someone needs a little lift. And we all know that there are going to be days that your grad needs a little lift.

8. Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni. It can be hard for kids to see the big picture when they graduate because it’s been a heady last semester and they’re headed off into the unknown. For kids going to college, this book serves as a reminder that it’s not where you’re going that’s important—it’s what you do with your opportunities that matters.

7. Very Good Lives: the Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling. Most people know J.K. Rowling’s story by now: she was down-and-out when a publisher took a chance on a main character by the name of Harry Potter. This book derives from a Harvard graduation address Rowling delivered in 2008, and it highlights the importance of failure and what failure can teach us. Sometimes it’s good for kids to know that it’s okay to fail.

6. The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook: Easy, Healthy Recipes for the Next Four Years and Beyond by Pamela Ellgen. Even though the title suggests that these recipes are for the college-bound, they’re really for everyone.

5. Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By by Cary Siegel. This teaches some real-world lessons about money management, which many kids are sorely lacking when they graduate from high school. You’re never too young to learn the practicalities of money or the lack thereof.

4. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The last thing you want to do is make your kid cry, but this is a beautiful book that is well worth a read. Written by a professor who had recently learned he had terminal cancer, this is his last lecture to his students, his last gift to them. Once your child has read it, make sure you read it, too. It’s a lesson we can all take to heart.

3. The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen. I actually had a naked roommate, and I wish I had had this book those many years ago. It’s full of tips and advice for every step of the way through college.

2. Make Your Bed: Little Things that Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This book derives from a commencement speech given at the University of Texas at Austin. I’ve seen the speech online, and it’s fabulous and powerful. I would highly recommend the book to anyone, not just grads.

1. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. You knew this was coming, didn’t you? This is hands-down my favorite book to give high school graduates because it’s fun, it’s both childish and grown-up at the same time, and it’s perfect for every kid, whether they’re off to college, the military, trade school, or the work force. It’s a classic. 

Are there other books you would recommend? A hearty “Congratulations!” to all the grads and families out there.

Author Bio:

Amy M. Reade is a recovering attorney who discovered, quite by accident, a passion for fiction writing. She has penned eight mysteries and is working on two more, plus a Cape May County historical mystery series. She writes in the Gothic, traditional, contemporary, and cozy mystery subgenres and looks forward to continuing the two series she has begun since December, 2018. She also loves to read, cook, and travel. 

She is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, House of the Hanging Jade, the Malice series, the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, and the Libraries of the World Mystery series.

Connect with Amy on the following sites:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

Amazon

Author Leslie Hachtel Talks About Why She Chose to Write About Romance

I invited romance author Leslie Hachtel for a visit to the DIY Mom Blog. Leslie is the author of over a dozen novels and I was curious about what made her choose to write in the romance genre. What she had to say was absolutely lovely! 

WHY ROMANCE?

Books offer us a way to explore anything we choose. We can time-travel or visit outer space. We can spend time with people who lived long before us or those that will be here long after. We can experience other cultures and learn just about anything. Books are a door to the universe.

I’ve often heard it said that romance is the “redheaded stepchild” of literature. I vehemently disagree.

Have you watched the news lately? It's full of one atrocity after another, of people being hurt in so many terrible ways, while stories of love and kindness are too rare.

In a world full of so much negativity, don't we all have a desire for better? Wouldn't we all like to have that "happily ever after"?

The everyday is sometimes so difficult and enervating and romance novels offer a special respite. They let us discover men and women who face hardship and come out on the other side, stronger and strengthened by love. They lift us higher and give us the one thing we need: Hope.

I think we need romance novels most of all now, which is why I keep writing, and reading, them.

                     



Leslie is the author of over a dozen romance novels. Her genres include historical, contemporary, romantic suspense and historical/paranormal since she loves them all. She lives in Florida with her fabulously supportive husband, Bob, and, of course, with Jakita, the terrier. 

Meet My Rescue Squirrel, Sarah ... A Heartwarming Story from Author and Reiki Master Charline Ratcliff PLUS FREE BOOK!

Now, some of you might look at this photo and think, “wow, that is a really brazen squirrel!” and yet, without knowing the whole story, you wouldn’t know about the milestone of trust that she and I have formed.

I first ‘met’ Sarah in the late summer / early fall of 2017. She was a cute squirrel and being silver with two white rings on her tail definitely set her apart from the brown squirrels I was accustomed to seeing. She would always waltz into the fenced side yard and then dig through the various planter boxes, looking to unearth the acorns or peanuts that the Blue Jays had buried for their winter stash.

When Sarah disappeared later that fall, I really thought nothing of it. I simply assumed that squirrels, much like other animals without a winter food source, went into some form of hibernation. (And yes, I’ve since learned that squirrels don’t actually hibernate, although they do sleep a lot.)

Several months later, I was again in the side yard when I thought I noticed another silver squirrel. Initially, I was exuberant because, truth be told, I had been missing Sarah and her mischievous antics. Upon closer inspection though, I realized with horror that this squirrel was actually Sarah.

However, she did not have the same carefree attitude as before. Now, she crept slowly and stealthily across the ground, keeping as low a profile as possible, while she searched for food. It hurt my heart to see her slink through the garden area, rarely daring to lift her head higher than a couple inches. Gone were her cutely perfect, rounded squirrel ears. What was left instead were two ears that resembled a backward capital “L.”

As my eyes continued to travel the length of her body, I was shocked to see that her fur looked as if it had been ripped off; all the way from the nape of her neck to just past the shoulder blade area of her upper legs. While the skin was now whole (minus fur), I’m certain that directly after whatever it was that had happened to her had happened; her back had probably been, at best, an angry, oozing mess. I felt in my bones that she was lucky to be alive and I was grateful that she felt safe enough to still traverse my garden.

Her sad appearance prompted the purchase of shelled (but unsalted) peanuts and as the months went by, Sarah healed and her fur grew back. (Although her ears never will.)

Over time, she has seemingly come to know and trust me. When I return home from a trip, she is immediately aware and I will generally find her in my side yard the following morning. She has even developed ‘manners,’ if one could call them that, but those manners fly out the window if I don’t happen to hear her initial few knocks upon the bottom of the sliding glass door.

She watches me closely, and when she realizes that I haven’t heard her knocking, she will then run up the exterior screen door until she can see me over the chair. At that point, she will bang dramatically (and quite loudly) until she has successfully attracted my attention; only descending from her seemingly precarious perch once she sees me coming toward her with nuts in hand – because then, for her, everything is once again right with the world.

I smile every time this happens; grateful for Sarah’s friendship and trust. Yet, even more than that, I find myself humbled by her ability to release the trauma of such a horrific past experience…

ABOUT CHARLINE RATCLIFF:

Mine is not your typical life's story. Growing up, my family life, schooling, and lifestyle were anything but conventional, average or predictable. Being tenacious, an avid reader and hard-working allowed me to prevail against the pitfalls of my unusual upbringing.

It wasn't until my late twenties that the writing muse found me and thus has begun an extraordinary voyage of self-discovery. I began writing novels, blog posts, book reviews, provided author interviews, and even started mentoring other writers.

Having finished the writing of my most recent Historical Fiction, "A Life in the Age of Pompeii," I am about to embark on the writing of my next historical novel, "The Queen's Lost Daughter."

#BookReview of #ChildrensBook Mr. Hoopeyloops Meets Rex by Andi Cann

Mr. Hoopeyloops meets Rex, A Very Clumsy Boy by Andi Cann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rex is an accident prone little boy with good intentions. When he hears that Mr. Hoopeyloops needs an assistant, Rex decides he wants the job. Will the arrangement work out for everyone? Read along to find out…

This is a cute story about overcoming adversity, finding confidence and making friends. The illustrations are colorful and attractive. The story is a positive one.

The one thing I’d say is that this book is a little heavy on text, which might make it difficult to hold the attention of younger children. The intended age level, according to the book info, is 1 – 11, which in my opinion is a big age span. I plan to read this to a library group, so I’ll find out if toddlers appreciate the illustrations enough to follow along. However, I feel that older children should enjoy the story and have no trouble with the vocabulary included in the text. I think the book is worth the download.

4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com

View all my reviews

Happy Birthday to A.A. Milne Author of the Beloved Children's Classic Book Series Winnie the Pooh!

Happy Birthday to author A.A. Milne. Without him, we'd never have known Pooh and friends! I took this photo last fall when I visited the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston during a Winnie the Pooh exhibit.

First Post of #2019 - Why Do People Like Being #Parents by @WheezyWaiter #Hilarious

It's 2019 (can you believe it?!) and I wanted to start off the year with a bit of parental humor. 

If you've never seen any of WheezyWaiter's YouTube videos then you're in for a treat. With wry (hilarious) humor, WheezyWaiter and his wife talk about all sorts of things, in a comical way. 

I thought "Why Do People Like Being Parents" would be just the thing to share on the DIY Mom Blog. Hope you enjoy it! 

 

Truly Magical! James and The Dragon by Theresa Snyder is an Excellent Myth and Magic Middle Grade Book!

James & the Dragon by Theresa Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Farloft is a solitary dragon who lives a quiet life on his mountain top retreat, where he likes to observe the lives of the villagers below. James is a hard-working orphan who does his best to take care of himself. One day, when James nearly drowns, Farloft rescues and then adopts him.

What a charming story this is. James and The Dragon has something for just about every young reader – action, adventure, team building, problem-solving and, best of all, friendship. Laval the Wizard, is perfect in the antagonist role, where he causes plenty of problems for Farloft and James to work through.

For middle grade readers (and adults who enjoy reading this genre) James and The Dragon is a wonderful way to introduce them to a kid-friendly series of myth and magic. The vocabulary is perfect for the intended age group. Book 1 is an excellent start to what I’m sure is a truly magical series!

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton https://diymomblog.blogspot.com

View all my reviews

#Bookshelfie Collage from My Weekend Adventure at the Dallas Half Price Book Store!

If you happen to find yourself in Dallas, I suggest a visit to the Half Price Bookstore! This place is AMAZING! 

This collage I created shows just a tiny sampling of what this place has to offer. 

c. 2018 Susan Barton

#SelfLove - The Most Important #Love There Is

Here's another little sketch I shared on my Instagram recently. I thought my readers might find it inspirational :)

You Deserve Your Own Approval - #SelfLoveQuote

I shared my quote and video on Instagram, but felt it was worth sharing here as well. Truth?

Grilled Mini Pizzas with a Gluten Free Option

Just a super quick post to share what the hubs and I did over the weekend. We grilled burgers and hot dogs and, as usual, the grill was still incredibly hot after we finished. So what does a clever husband do for his wife? He comes up with a quick, simple and YUMMY grilled pizza idea.

His is the flour tortilla with jalapenos (of course) and mine is the gluten-free corn tortilla, with fresh and yummy tomatoes option. They were AMAZINGLY delicious! We opted to leave out the tomato sauce, but maybe next time we'll change things up. 

Let me know if you try this and what you think :)

Monsterland Reanimated by Michael Okon Character Interview with Wyatt Baldwin with GIVEAWAY

Q: Readers were glad to know you survived the original Monsterland theme park. Did you have your doubts?

I was surrounded by werewolves, vampires, and zombies. I had a rifle pointed at my head. My best friend turned into a werewolf. Yes, to say the least, I had my doubts.

Q: What’s changed for you since you walked away from your near death experience in Monsterland?

Well, I know what happened to my father. Frankly, I’m even more confused now than I was before. Also, the world is in disarray. I need to find out what’s going on outside Copper Valley, but Carter and my mom won’t let me go. So annoying. Then there’s Jade. She’s not what I expected her to be.

Q: When we left you, you were a geeky high school senior. How are you different now?

I’ve decapitated a werewolf. I’ve grown a bit since my last days of whatever is left of school.

Q: Much of the world’s future now depends on you and your friends. Did you ever imagine you’d be put in such an important role?

Not in a million years. I have a long road ahead of me. I’m what most people call a Hero’s Journey. I’m just getting started, and the first thing I need to do, is find out what the hell is going on outside Copper Valley. Rumor is a slimy purple substance is sucking the life out of all the surrounding towns.

Q: On the lighter side of things, how are things going with Jade? Or can readers expect to read about a new love interest?

Um. So yeah. Jade. She’s um, changed a bit, and not the same girl I was expecting her to be. As for a new romance…well, I’m not at liberty to say…*wink, wink*

Michael Okon is a bestselling author and screenwriter. Monsterland Reanimated, Book Two in the Monsterland series, was just released on April 13, 2018 and promises to be bigger and badder than Book One. Michael invites readers to connect with him on his website. 

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free to Kill by Julie Mellon is a GREAT First Book in a Gripping FBI Series - This Book is Currently FREE!

In "Free to Kill", FBI Agent Katie Freeman is recently reassigned from Louisiana to Tennessee when she’s immediately tasked with investigating the horrific death of a local woman. 

Katie and her hunky partner Michael must wade through the mounting evidence to find the sadistic killer before he kidnaps and kills again.

I liked this book. It had all the elements I look for in a suspenseful murder mystery. I enjoyed following the FBI’s investigative procedures and learning about Katie and Michael’s backgrounds. The story moves along at a nice, brisk pace without any annoying story speed bumps to slow things down. 

I had just two minor criticisms: The first was that Katie is supposed to have been raised in a sheltered environment, yet in just a few weeks her mother’s friend is able to get Katie set with a driver’s license and other government paperwork – far too quick to be believable. The second was the sometimes-stilted dialogue, where people spoke without using contractions. It wasn’t done consistently enough to be unbearable, but it was done often enough for me to notice.

One last thing I’d say about the graphic nature of the kidnappings and killing here, since some reviewers expressed that it was a deal breaker for them. Yes, there was some mention of medieval style torture, but it was brief and not overly descriptive. I think it was actually necessary to some degree. It added an extra layer to the story and eventually led Katie and Michael to the killer.

This book kept me entertained and reading along, and I finished in less than a day. I liked Katie and Michael’s characters, and the author’s writing enough to be willing to read more books in this series.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

*This book is currently FREE on Amazon so grab it while you can!

Etsy is Set to Take an Even Bigger Cut of Your Hard Earned Dollars

I admit it... I tried the Etsy thing and I hated it. The competition is so fierce on the site that it's nearly impossible to thrive - unless you're willing to pay extra for ads and other perks. 

Now it's about to get even more difficult for struggling Etsy shops to keep their heads above water. Etsy just announced fee hikes and new tier structured plans. The plans launch in 2019 and include what Etsy is calling:

• Standard (no monthly fee)
• Plus ($10 Monthly fee)
• Premium (Fees yet to be announced)

Fees will be jumping from 3.5% to 5%. Ouch.

Below is the email I received the other day. It included a lovely, heartwarming video and a link for sellers who want to know more about how Etsy is bilking cottage businesses out of even more money. I chose not to include those in this post. 

If you have any feedback I'd love to hear it. Feel free to post your comments below.

The Email:

Dear Seller Community,

We’re writing to tell you about some changes at Etsy. We’ve been helping sellers on their creative journeys for 13 years now. We’ve focused on making Etsy the best place to run your creative business, and we’ve listened to sellers like you to learn more about what you need from us. 

Now, we’re planning to invest even more in bringing buyers to Etsy, building seller tools, and improving your seller experience. To help make this happen, we’re updating our fees, and we’re adding some new features. 

Effective July 16, Etsy’s transaction fee will increase from 3.5% to 5% and it will also apply to the cost of shipping. All other fees, including listing fees, will remain the same.

We’re also introducing new optional feature packages designed around the needs of sellers at different stages of growth, so you can access the right tools at the right time for your business. 

If you’re happy with the services you currently use on Etsy, you can still access all the tools that are currently available to you without paying a monthly subscription fee. But if you want to do more, we’ll be offering two new plans: Etsy Plus, with tools to help businesses grow and express their unique brands, will be available in July. Etsy Premium, with more advanced tools for larger-scale businesses, will launch in 2019. 

Explore our video and website to learn more about what’s changing and look for more information in the weeks to come. We’re excited to see what’s next for all of us as we continue to invest more in growing your business, together.

Book Review of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I'm happy to say that I've had the pleasure of reading another 5 star book on the PBS The Great American Read list. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is an excellent classic and I highly recommend it. 

My book review is below. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts! 

Andalusian shepherd boy Santiago sells his sheep and leaves his home in Spain to find buried treasure near the Pyramids after he has a prophetic dream. Along the way, he meets a gypsy, a king, a beautiful girl and an alchemist. Several obstacles complicate his journey, which causes Santiago to doubt himself and his quest. Yet, as he perseveres, he finds much more about the treasures of the heart than any material riches he could have ever imagined.

I loved this book. It’s an allegory that’s filled with lovely, rich imagery and a powerfully important message: You must be willing to be an active participant in your destiny (Personal Legend) even when it means stepping out of your own comfort zone.

The wording is simple, yet poignant. The book is short, but there is much to learn here. I can see why The Alchemist is a classic book that has been translated into many languages over the years. The allegories within the story are used brilliantly – the sheep, the treasure, and the alchemy all have alternate meanings.

There is a spiritual (religious?) slant to The Alchemist, and one that I didn’t mind, but some people might. I certainly didn’t feel that it was overdone and I can say that it didn’t overpower the story. This is a book that I’d highly recommend reading!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is a Beautiful, Important and Timeless Classic

Finally, my Great American Read slump is over! I was able to grab a copy of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" at my local library's sale for just $1... what a find this was. 

I loved this book and can't say enough wonderful things about it. Have you read it? Feel free to comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

It’s early 1900s in rural West Florida and Janie Crawford is a light-skinned African American sixteen year old when we first meet her. She lives with her grandmother, who has some very definite ideas about how Janie should live her life, and this includes whom Janie should marry. Over the years, and over the course of two marriages, we see Janie grow up and struggle to come into her own. It’s only during her third marriage to the charismatic, adventurous Tea Cake that we see Janie finally grow and thrive as an active participant in her own life.

I finished this book several days ago and decided to let the story marinate in my mind before I wrote my thoughts. I knew I loved Their Eyes Were Watching God, but I just wanted to be sure that I understood why I loved it.

At the heart of this beautiful, tender, gripping novel is the story of a young woman who is not at all content living someone else’s life, yet readers are given small glimpses of the strong, intelligent woman Janie truly is. To me, Janie’s life mirrors some of the struggles that so many women face in life. The author’s use of symbolism in her prose to describe the differences and similarities between men and women is nothing short of poetry.

I know that many readers have found the vernacular dialect in Their Eyes difficult, if not almost impossible, to read and understand. While it did slow me down somewhat, I do think it was a brilliant way for the author to tell the story in two distinctly separate voices. I urge anyone who has given up on the book for this reason to try again. It really doesn’t take long to begin to understand the slang and regional dialect and it is so worth the little added effort.

The story begins shortly after Emancipation and the author doesn’t shy away from broaching the topic of race and equality. The author is an expert at subtly weaving the topic of racism within the book’s passages. Mrs. Turner’s racism against darker skinned blacks and Nanny’s rape are just two examples. Yet race is not the main topic in Their Eyes. The book focuses much more on gender inequality, Janie, and her life as an African-American woman living in the South during that time. This is an important, timeless classic. I’d encourage anyone to read it.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - No Review Here, Folks... This Was a DNF for Me

I refuse to go in depth into the many reasons why I deeply disliked this book other than to say these few brief things:

I wanted to like Things Fall Apart. I really did, but I just couldn't get past Chapter 7. The author may have written about African tribal culture at that time, but beating women, slavery and beheading innocent children just wasn't on my reading tasks for today or on any day for that matter. 

Aside from the horrific stories, the storytelling itself was emotionless, stagnant and stilted. In other words, BORING. 

Note to PBS's The Great American Read list: You are NOT the literary boss of me. It's time for me to get much more selective in my reading choices. So there. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon Book Review and Intense Criticism

Up next on my Great American Read TBR list we have the much acclaimed book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. I've come to the point where I'm starting to really wonder how PBS came up with this list of America's 100 most loved novels. I know they've said that "readers" voted for these books, but I'd love to know how, where and when. I'm on my third negative review in a row and I'm starting to get incredibly discouraged. 

Oh, this book... I had SO MANY issues with it. If you're a big fan of Curious Incident you may want to look away because I'm about to really blast it with criticism. I'm just glad I only paid $1 for this one at my local library's book sale. Feel free to add your comments below my review. 

Fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone discovers his neighbor’s dead dog Wellington one night while he’s roaming the streets of his town. He decides to find out who murdered the dog and simultaneously sets out to write a book about his detective work.

Okay, we all know the idea behind this story. Although there is never any specific mention of Christopher being on the Autism spectrum within the story, readers are led to the conclusion that Christopher is indeed Autistic and most likely has Asperger’s Syndrome (an earlier book cover specifically mentions Asperger’s). And here in lies one of the biggest issues I had with this book.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) varies greatly in severity, skill set, behavioral characteristics, disability levels, etc. I couldn’t help but feel the author grabbed a hodgepodge of symptoms and decided that Christopher should have every one of them. In fact, Asperger’s, in particular, is one of the mildest forms of the disorder and hence symptoms are not nearly as pronounced as Christopher’s are in this book.

Interestingly, one of the first pages states, “As a young man, Haddon worked with autistic individuals”, which is a rather vague statement. Yet the author himself admits in a 2009 post on his blog that he “knows little about the subject”  and that he read some newspaper articles before writing the book. In this same post he goes on to state that he regrets the earlier “Asperger’s” mention on the original book cover. Apparently, he was backtracking several years after the book's publication. As a reader, I really had to wonder why that was.

If the author really wished to dispel the idea that this story is not “about a boy with autism who sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor's dog and discovers unexpected truths about himself and the world,” as the Amazon book description states and is instead “a novel whose central character describes himself as ‘a mathematician with some behavioral difficulties,” as he’s posted on his blog he might want to change the original Amazon page info. I’m sure he’s already made plenty of money from this endeavor. He also seems to have convinced an awful lot of people that Christopher is an accurate portrayal of someone with Autism. 

Although the book has been praised by many and has even been turned into a Broadway hit, with an autistic actor playing the lead, the consensus among people who have not gotten their ASD information from a newspaper article is that this book is gimmicky and does not at all portray ASD accurately. All one needs to do is read the dozens and dozens of one star reviews, many of which were written by people either on the spectrum or related to someone with the disorder.

Then we have the problem with narration. Yes, we get it that Christopher is Autistic and struggles with everyday tasks. But do we really want to read the 200+ pages of his rambling account of, well, everything? And by everything, I mean tons of passages filled with asides, graphics, charts and figures that lend absolutely nothing to the story. The minutia was painful for me to slog through. 

Lastly, and I really have to wonder why few people even bother to mention this, the adults in this book are truly psychotic. Christopher’s parents are abusive, terrible psychopaths. How in the world can anyone call this a heartwarming and funny tale? The ending was a ridiculous copout with no real resolution. It was like the author either didn’t know how to end the story or he’d had enough of it as much as I had.

It goes to show that if you have a gimmick you can sell anything to the masses. If it weren’t for the fact that I feel the author does a real disservice to anyone with ASD or loves someone with ASD I’d say more power to him. He made his money off an often-misunderstood disability and in my opinion that’s shameful.

1 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog