Little Bee by Chris Cleave

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was really amazing. Little Bee is a refugee from Nigeria, who was held in an immigration facility in the UK for two years prior to being let out with a group of three other women, in what turns out to be an unethical manner that does not leave her with legal paperwork.



Knowing nobody, except a couple with whom she had a fateful encounter in Nigeria, she contacts them and sends all of their lives in directions that nobody would have predicted.



Chris Cleave uses language beautifully and the harsh realities he brings to light in addition to the subtleties of everyday life that we may take for granted or are just the norm were revisited when seen through the eyes of Little Bee.



This is a must-read, and I won't give any more details, but be warned that a box of Kleenex may be in order.



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Casting About by Terri DuLong




I am so excited that I will be receiving a copy of this book to read and review! It should be arriving in the next month, so stay tuned!



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Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I have to say that, considering how much I liked Friday Night Knitting Club, I'm pretty disappointed with not only the plot (or should I say lack of plot) in this third book in the series, but with the wooden dialogue and two-dimensional characters.

I read the whole thing, but it took over a week because I was just not getting caught up in the characters like I had before. It was kind of like watching the re-make of 'The Women', in that you expect great things because you like all the actresses and you loved the original, but it just falls about 20 feet short.

I'm so sad to say, Ms Jacobs, but unless the next is a vast improvement, I hope you consider the Knitting Club series cast off, and the ends woven in.

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Luxury One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I ordered this book on amazon in order to get some inspiration for things that could accompany Christmas gifts. I didn't expect to be able to have the actual project be the gift. It has substantial items from scarves to socks and hats that people will appreciate. Plus, they're knit in luscious yarns that would break the bank if using 4 or more skeins, but one is within the budget if you're planning to knit for multiple people. I can't wait to get my Holiday knitting firmly underway.



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One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There are some really great projects in here, including socks and scarves. You generally think of one skein or ball projects as being dinky little things that may be more decorative than practical...not so! With Christmas around the corner, I'm looking forward to knitting up some of the more beautiful scarves. It's nice to know that they'll be projects that are not only quick, but also affordable and wearable. I'm so glad I added this, and Luxury One Skein Wonders to my crafting library.



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Johnson's Natural Baby Shampoo and More!

I was asked to test out several of the products in Johnson's new Natural Baby line, and decided to try it out on my kiddos and nieces during a family get together. The line is 98% natural and is packaged in bottles that use up to 60% post-consumer plastic, not to mention it's still promising 'no more tears'.

I'm big on how a product smells, so it's hard to find a good balance of smelling great, but not having a bunch of essential oils or other fragrances added that could irritate the skin. The 'ALLERFREE' fragrance, which is plant and fruit derived, smells really nice and is not at all overwhelming. I actually forgot to bring my lotion with me during this trip and used the baby lotion the whole weekend...nobody mistook me for a baby or nailed me for a mom, so it's definitely a subtle scent.

I tried the Baby Lotion, Head to Toe Foaming Baby Wash, Baby Shampoo, Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner and Body Wash and the Kids 2-in-1 hand and face foaming wash; all of which are under the Johnson's Natural umbrella. Due to the age (and hair) range of the kids, I was actually able to test all of these products in one bath! The 'baby' got bathed prior to the three older kiddos getting in the tub.

I flipped over the bottle and found that there were still some awfully long words in the ingredients list. HOWEVER, if you go to the Johnson's page and click on the product, it lists out what each ingredient is and from what it's derived. In the lotion, for example, the only synthetic ingredient is Benzoic Acid which is used to 'maintain product freshness'.

I liked the scent and felt like it was gentle enough and actually purchased some to put in a gift package for a first birthday party I attended recently as part of a 'bedtime basket'. I'm glad that more companies are making an affordable option for parents who are invested in being more 'green' and sensitive to the needs of our ever-changing environment while they may not be able to afford some of the more high-end brands. I love to indulge in them occasionally, but with how often my kids take the cap off and dump out a whole bottle combined with the fact that a good day is judged by how dirty they are at the end of it; we go through baby wash pretty quickly! I'm glad that there's something I can reach for for everyday use that won't break the bank and also carries a name parent's have trusted for a century!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


While this book started out super slow, I'm really glad I stuck around for the long haul. I think part of it was all the character and place names. I like foreign films and generally don't have an issue with foreign settings, but for whatever reason this one was a little more cumbersome.

It reminded me a lot of the Ann Rule true crime books where the first half dragged out, setting the scene, but the second half really took off. As the reader, you were prepared to follow along because all the details were already in place. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

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