Postcards from a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber

Postcards from a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber
(Fiction)

Sid used to be in love- still is in a sense. But the day his girlfriend Zoe left him she took a little piece of Sid with her. Therefore, when scenic postcards, from faraway venues they were supposed to visit together, start showing up in his mailbox the already unbalanced Sid really begins to come undone at the seams. Reason being, Zoe didn't just up leave- she's dead. So how is she mailing him postcards from a trip she couldn't have possibly have ever taken?

Determined to understand what is going on, Sid throws himself head first into the mystery- going a little more crazy each day that he does. Skipping work, inventing health issues, and traveling the globe; all are a means to an end if Sid has anything to say about it. The trouble is, Sid needs help. The neurotic behavior is taking over every aspect of his life, and sadly his downward spiral is bound to come to a bone jolted end all too soon.

Wanting nothing but the best for her brother, Sid's sister tries to be supportive but lacks the ability to break through his delusional shell. Maybe a new girlfriend would be just what the doctor ordered. Getting Sid to accept this and understand how important letting go of his past is may be harder than originally expected. However, maybe if she keeps on him while still allowing him the necessary time for self discovery Sid will manage to come out on top. But hey, if all else fails, he'll always have his dead mother's spirit, which stays in a wine bottle in the cellar, to keep him company.

I'm not sure what to make of this book. It was a quick and easy read, quite quirky and entertaining. Yet somehow I felt lost at the end. I mean, I really enjoy a good twisted tale that leaves you, the reader, grappling with the facts and trying to figure it all out. A well written tale that leaves some mystery without being totally transparent is a huge literary turn on, but for me personally I think I took a wrong turn and lost the connection. It's just that there were certain aspects that made perfect sense, while others left me completely in the dark saying "huh???". I can't necessarily fault the author on this one though. It's entirely possible that the author failed to fill in a detail or two; yet, just as likely is the fact that the disconnect could have been in my own head.

All the same, I truly enjoyed Kirk Farber's Postcards from a Dead Girl, and I'm glad to have read it. Thank you to my contact at Harper Perennial for offering the review copy! =)

~Bookish Mom, aka RebekahC

The Bird Room by Chris Killen

The Bird Room by Chris Killen
(Fiction)

First time novelist Chris Killen shows the world he's not an amateur with his debut release, The Bird Room. Set in modern day UK, this is a book that delves deeply into the struggle and chaos of emotional and sexual dysfunction. Told through two separate stories that eventually conjoin via their social awkwardness, it's a book ripe with dark, filthy angst. The main characters constantly struggle with a lack of self esteem and confidence in themselves on a personal level. The intensity of it all quickly causes it to ebb over into these character's entire beings making their jobs, family, friends, and romantic and sexual relationships all swiftly begin to suffer.

Will isn't anything special, but his girl April is. He's one hundred percent sold on her, yet because he lacks the self respect and confidence necessary to maintain it, his relationship is on the chopping block. Resolution is merely a conversation away; however, Will doesn't seem to be able to give himself or the relationship the benefit of the doubt. A darkness grows within him, and as the self loathing continues to overcome him so does the inevitable truth about his relationship with Alice.

Clair used to be a good girl. She used to live a normal life and do normally mundane things. Now though she's anything but normal. Hoping against all hope to one day make something wonderful of herself, Clair- who now calls herself Helen, is living out her life through the mostly vile fantasies of others. It's not the life she's always envisioned for herself. She's become an actress alright, but not the kind living the glamourous life of fame and fortune. Just making it through the day is a struggle, and without some kind of intervention Clair, or Helen, won't be winding up on the cover of any magazines- not the good ones anyways.

The Bird Room is a story of love, hate, self loathing, and self discovery. It's raw, gritty, vulgar, and disturbing. Not a feel good love story, and still one that draws the reader in with it's wildly wicked storyline. Everybody has bad days; though for most of us the days come to and end and when the next one starts everything is just peachy keen once again. Will and Helen aren't as lucky, and their stories tend to weigh on the darker side of things. And that right there is what makes their troubled tales so intriguing.

Thank you to Harper Perennial Books for my opportunity to review this title.

~Bookish Mom, aka Rebekah C

The Path of Razors by Chris Marie Green

The Path of Razors: Vampire Babylon by Chris Marie Green

(Fantasy)

In this, the fifth Vampire Babylon book from Chris Marie Green, Dawn Madison is back, and the battle of good versus evil continues. However, now more than ever the line between the two is fogged.

Hoping to discover London's hidden Underground, a massive vampire lair, Dawn and her unlikely team are on a hunt to scourge and take down the master vampire. It won't be an easy task, but lives and souls are at stake. To take down the master would be to take down the Underground, and to take down the Underground... Well, that would be the ultimate victory.

Yet when the group discovers their closest link to the Underground isn't a vicious looking vampire but instead a bunch of uniformed school girls, they are left to wonder "What are we missing?!" It's no secret that vamps can come in any number of shapes or sizes, still a class of girls from the local private school is a rather unlikely candidate. And then it begins...

Inside the school girl ranks there's a power struggle taking place and one day, perhaps sooner rather than later, the tiered social structure is going to buckle. Only one girl can be top dog, but when two straddle the line and act first, thinking later, the damages are done. Dawn's peculiar gang has no choice but to probe into their secretive lives in order to gain some direction as to where they come from and why. Is it possible this is the link the team has been searching for?

I've read 3 of the preceeding 4 books in this series, and of all of them I found Dawn's story in this installment to be one of the weaker ones. For me there was more gusto and appeal in the school girls' story. Infact, if it wasn't for their story I might not have been as likely to stick it out with this book to the end. That said though, there is a certain strength to be found as we see the two distinctly separate yet conjoined stories being told. While Dawn's story is dependent on that of the school girls and their ties to the Underground, it's their story that really brings the backbone to the book.

I'm sorry this review isn't better written, but I've tried for several days and just keep coming up blank. As a whole I did enjoy the book, but it was not a favorite of mine by this author or in general. I know there was a sixth installment due out as well, and it's pretty certain I'll be checking it out at some point. I don't see myself rushing to grab a copy though as The Path of Razors really didn't leave me with that urge of wanting more.

~Bookish Mom, aka Rebekah C.

The Marriage Project Blog Tour

The Marriage Project: 21 Days to More Love and Laughter by Kathi Lipp
(Love & Marriage)

Marriage is a funny thing.

When a couple first gets together everything is exciting and new. Both partners are simply head over heels about one another, and there's never a dull moment. Kisses, whispered sweet nothings, breakfast in bed, lazy walks to no where in particular, conversations about anything and everything that can go on and on for hours. These are just a small sampling of the things relationships are made up of in the beginning. And then time to starts slip by. We grow together but we also grow apart. There can be many reasons for such changes- as we grow older our interests change, our physical appearances change (for better or worse), our family grows to include children, and time in general becomes thinned out by all the new responsibilities we've taken on as a couple and as individuals.

It's an unfortunate truth that, sadly, many couples haven't figured out how to recover from. Hence the unseemly number of separations, divorces, and just generally unhappy couples our world has become accustomed to seeing these days. No one expects us to go on living in the "honeymoon" stage for the rest of our lives, but shouldn't there be a happy medium between the "newly wed" and the "newly dead" marriage stage?

Kathi Lipp, author of The Marriage Project believes so. What if, instead of growing apart as we grow up we actually grow closer together? Kathi believes that despite the number of distractions we, as couples, face in today's hustle and bustle there is still plenty of room for growth. If you have kids there's no denying the fact that they are likely the primary focus of your relationship. They just are. You want everything to be the best it can be for them and that means if you sacrafice time with your spouse in order to make it happen then so be it. It's an honorable thing to want the very best for your kids, but what would be even better for your kids would be to see mom and dad falling truely, madly, and deeply back in love like in the days before kids and all that grown up responsiblity really set in. And why can't a happy, fulfilling marriage be great for the parents as well as for the kids?

No matter whether you have an already brilliant marriage or are struggling to maintain a once spectacular but now dulled marriage. Kathi believes that in just 21 days you can not only improve your marriage, but make it like it was in those first days of courtship. You don't have to have a marriage on the rocks to want to make it better. Everyone can always improve on something, and better to work on improvements before they're absolutely necessary.

Every strong successful marriage should include intimacy, warmth, tenderness, and fun. And it's these things exactly that Kathi's book helps couples to rediscover and include in their own relationships. Reader who follow along with the book's 21 day marriage project will not only make themselves better as individuals but they'll increase the love and connection between themselves and their partners. A plan that includes step by step detailed instructions on how to wow and woo your significant other is neither time consuming or costly, but it does require you to invest yourself.

Written with an easy application process in mind, this is a book that any couple at any stage of life can follow. For each of the 21 days readers will find a new project to complete. It may be something as simple as writing a loving note to their partner, or it may be more indepth such as requiring the couple to plan a special date night. Again, nothing is too extravagant, and the entire purpose of the book is to help bring couples closer together. Especially for those of us with kids in the home, one day they'll grow up and move out. What will we be left with then if for the past 18+ years we've done nother to strengthen our relationship with our spouse but have invested all of our time and money in our kids? We'll be left with nothing. That much time and energy later do you really think both you and your partner are going to be the same people that you married? It's doubtful. Sure you'll both be the same person to an extent, but you can go for that much time and through that many life changing events and not be changed. Why not change together and ensure when the time comes that your kids are grown, you'll still have something in common besides being their parents?

I believe I already have a wonderful marriage, but I'm not so prideful as to believe it can't be better. With that being said, I can't wait to start this project!


Mini Author Bio


Kathi Lipp is a national speaker and author who inspires women to take beneficial action steps in their personal, marital and spiritual lives. Her wit and wisdom will give you new ways to:

Avoid settling for less than God’s loving plan for your life.
Develop new levels of warmth and tenderness with your husband
Return fun and flirting to your marriage
Boost your confidence to follow God-given dreams and goals.
Create and environment of encouragement in your friendships

Join Kathi and renovate your life with a project for your soul!


Thanks to Kathi and her publisher for this wonderful review opportunity!!! It's been a real pleasure. :)


~Bookish Mom (aka RebekahC)

Most Interesting Bookstores of the World

Saw someone else share this link online, and I thought it was worth reposting here. Are these bookstores not totally awesome? I love The Lello in Porto, Portugal.

When you're done checking out the bookstores, click the link at the bottom of the page to check out the "Most Interesting Libraries" as well. They're all amazing!

Abe's Weird Book Room

This morning when I checked my e-mail I had the lastest edition of The Observer's VSL (Very Short List) waiting for me. This is a daily e-mail I always look forward to getting because you never know what exactly it's going to include from one time to the next. The focus of the VSL is always on little known products or websites that deserve a big shout out. Ones that haven't already been over hyped and yet completely need to be seen. But, what, you may be wondering, does this have to do with Bookish Mom Reviews. The answer to that is quiet simple really. Today's e-mail was about Abe's Weird Book Room.

Many have likely heard of Abesbooks.co.uk the online book site were visitors can search, buy, and sell books of all kinds (including text books and rare books). Yet what many may not have heard of, I hadn't anyways, is Abe's Weird Book Room. With such noted titles as The Teach Your Chicken to Fly Training Manual by Trevor Weekes, The English: Are They Human? by G.J. Renier, and The Beverly Hillbillies Bible Study by Stephen Skelton it's easy to see why it's called the "Weird Book Room". Infact this section of Abe's site includes only books with the weirdest, strangest titles and subject matter that can be found. There were so many funny ones I figured I just had to pass the link along to all my own viewers and subscribers. Because a heart that follows after books, and even one that doesn't, is sure to get a kick out what you'll find there!

So, without any further delay, I bring you Abe's Weird Book Room!

365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids by Maureen Healy

365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids by Maureen Healy
(Parenting/Child Development)

Everyone knows that in order for a child to grow up strong, healthy, and intelligent he needs to be well taken care of in the physical and mental sense. There should be shelter, appropriate clothes, healthy foods, and education. But what if these physical and mental things were the only aspects of a child's development we, as parents, paid attention to? What if we were to give our child everything in the way of food, clothes, protection, and education but never take the time to build them up emotionally? What would happen if a child's emotional well being fell to the wayside and was never nutured or encouraged?

In a perfect world no child would go without any of the above, yet unfortunately in today's busy society there are many parents/grandparents/educators who overlook the importance of an emotional upbringing. Every child should live a rewarding life. In order to make this more a reality than just an idea, it is important for parents to empower, educate, and inspire their offspring. Through open lines of communication and a parenting style that comes from the heart, we as parents can not only impact our children in the here and now but forever through the words and teachings we instill in them. For words hurt and words heal. It's all in the way you use them.

Shakespeare once wrote, "The voice of parents is the voice of gods; for their children they are heaven's lieutenants." Buddha is quoted as having said, "Whatever words we utter should be chose with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill." That is to say, what we put in to our children emotionally is going to come out of them ten fold. If we work to influence their emotional beings through uplifting and encouraging conversations and dialogue we stand a chance of not only teaching our children social and emotional intelligences but also of creating in them more rounded, joyful, compassionate, and confident adults.

In her book, 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids Maureen Healy shows in length just how many ways parents can incite their children and help make them more emotionally aware, insightful, and happy. Written in a list format, Healy's book is broken down in to three main segments: EMPOWERING (Where "your child gains: courage, confidence, optimism, connection, and self-trust.") , EDUCATING (Where "your child learns about: emotional awareness, social and service learning, ethical living, and universal truths."), and INSPIRING (Where "your child connects with his or her: inspiration, imagination, creativity, love of nature, art, and spirit."). In each she lists many suggested conversation starters that a parent can use to create a exchange with his or her child(ren). Many are thought provoking on a child's level, but many seem a little cheesy. I guess in that regard, this is one of those books you must pick and choose from. Not everything will work for everyone, yet I'm sure each person who reads this book will be able to pick out several key elements they find beneficial and helpful on some level.

I have to admit that my first impression of Maureen's book wasn't exactly the best. Truth be told, I thought a lot of her suggested conversation starters were just corny and sometimes lame. I get what she was trying to achieve through them; they just, unfortunately, did not all resonate for me. Also I could sense a strong new agey, Buddist vibe in a lot, though not all, of the author's writing. This is not surprising because she openly mentioned, on one of the first pages of this book, her ties to the Buddist and New Age movements. For some this won't be an issue. For me, however, as Christian it was a little too much. I want the best for my children just as much as the next mother, maybe even more, but I don't buy in to a lot of the "the universal harmony" crap that goes along with either of the aforementioned belief systems.

I don't want that to sound like I'm completely tearing down Healy's book, because that would be completely false. I do, again, think that there are quite a few really good thought provoking sayings in this book. Just to name a few from each section...

In the section on EMPOWERING-

#7 The Best (found on page 15)
"Ordering the best from life and expecting it often returns just that- THE BEST. So enjoy looking for the best in your SELF and OTHERS because soon the best starts looking for you."

#17 Everyday (found on page 17)
"You are loved every minute of every day in every way! I love you. God loves you. Your angels surround you and protect you on your way. There is nothing to fear as you let God steer. Enjoy being surrounded by UNIVERSAL love from above."

#35 Never Give Up (found on page 22)
"Never ever give up! Life has some bumps and bruises, ups and downs, highs and lows but never, ever GIVE UP. Being able to hang on and not give up is a GIFT to yourself that you are STRONG, CAPABLE and WILLING to see life through. Plus there are rewards coming to you."


In the section on EDUCATING-

#129 Happy Wishes (found on page 53)
"Everyone is the same. We all want happiness and to avoid pain. This truth connects every person. No matter what is occurring in life- look past the surface and see every person wants to feel happy. Even the grumpy teacher!"

#131 No Better (found on page 54)
"There is no better. Each of us is UNIQUE and SPECIAL. No one is better than anyone else. Every person has gifts that are being birthed within them. EVERY MINUTE. Respect the blossoming of everyone's gifts equally."

#150 Patience (found on page 58)
"Patients are not just for doctors! It is the ability to rest in knowing all is well, others can go first, and you can happily wait your turn. There is not RUSH in life. All the best things are coming to you so just be happy and let them SHOW UP right on time."


In the section on INSPIRING-

#298 Fully You (found on page 101)
"I want you to be FULLY you in everything you do! So enjoy discovering your self, taking your talents off the shelf and being fully the wonderful you. What do you fully want to do?"

#332 No Ordinary (found on page 109)
"There are no ordinary moments! Every second is special. Even if you are picking your nose or wiggling your toes! God is here, there and everywhere. So see the DIVINE light shining everywhere even at night."

#357 Seeds (found on page 115)
"Today's seeds are tomorrow's flowers. You can plant seeds and watch flowers rise up from the dirt. Or you can plant kind words and see all kind words spring up all around you! What type of seeds are you planting now?"


The above is just a taste of what readers can expect to find between the pages of Healy's new release, 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids. I'll repeat that while I don't particular love every saying in this book, I do agree that there are some really great ones to be found. I think the author did a good job of structuring her writing so a young child can easily understand most, if not all, of the 365 sayings. Her simple wording and catchy rhyming text is undoubtedly one of the key componants that will help younger readers commit Healy's "truths" to memory. And while I probably wouldn't use the book in the fashion the author indicated, I would probably use it to get suggestions for cute notes lunchbox notes that I could send to school with my 6 year old daughter.

NOTE: Interested parties can look for this book on shelves next mont, January 2010.

Thanks to Maureen for allowing me this review opportunity!


~Bookish Mom, aka RebekahC