Saturday, February 27, 2010

Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

Saving Grace Saving Grace by Julie Garwood


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'll start by letting you know I was torn between giving this book 3 stars and 4 stars. Maybe I could have given it 3.5 stars. I only recently started reading Julie Garwood novels and really enjoying them, so I immediately ordered more. This book did not get the best reviews from some of her other followers, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway.I did enjoy this book. Maybe I am easily pleased...particularly when the main man is a Scottish Highlander.There were times in the book that I didn't think it flowed as well as it could have and that maybe some more detail was needed.That said, I enjoyed the relationship between Gabriel Macbain and Johanna. I never completely understood the hostility between the two clans that were forced together and felt that some of the other characters could have been explored more. Who knows maybe they will in another book.If you like Julie Garwood's other novels then I would suggest you add this one to your shelf.

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Birthday Girl turns 3

Well its a little hard for me to believe, but my baby turned 3 yesterday. Where did those years go? I feel like I've blinked and missed most of it. I would dearly love to go back in a time just a little and take the last 10 years a little slower.
My mother used to tell me when I was younger "don't wish your life away, the older you get, the faster it passes by". I think I have realised by now that my mother knew a little bit of what she was talking about. I hope that in many years to come my children look back and think I knew a little of what I was talking about. Right now....the looks they give me....I think they think I know nothing!
My little girl celebrated her birthday yesterday by having her first day at kindergarten. I was nervous for her, because she didn't seem nervous at all, yet in the weeks leading up to it, she was adament she was not going to go.
She had a great day. That's all I could have hoped for.
Her request for her special birthday dinner was KFC, only after I suggested flower birthday cake was not dinner as she was insisting that it was. Mind you the cake may have been a toucher healthier. My boys had been in her ear all week suggesting she request take-away. They are allowed to choose whatever they want for dinner for their birthday. I am certainly I was in high school before I was allowed to have take-away for my birthday. I am pretty sure I've always asked for roast lamb. I shouldn't complain, because at least with take-away I don't have to cook for a night.
I am missing out on a scrapbooking retreat this weekend, I always miss the February one because it is always too close to her birthday.
I wish I could be there, but there will be other retreats, my baby will never again have a 3rd birthday!
Now I can turn my thoughts to my eldest son whose 9th birthday is only 3 weeks away. When you have four kids, birthdays come up often.

Guardian Angel

Guardian Angel (Crown's Spies #2) Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I would like to start by suggesting I would probably give this book 2.5 stars and feel a little harsh by only giving it 2.Am pleased that this wasn't the first Julie Garwood novel I read, because I may not have read another.I have read a number of her books and have thoroughly enjoyed the others.One thing I love in a novel is the cross over of characters. I had already read "The Gift", the story of Nathan and Sara and really enjoyed it. "Guardian Angel" is the story of Caine and Jade, who happens to be Nathan's sister. Guardian Angel is set in the years before "The Gift" and I really should be read first.In saying that I just didn't get the connection with Caine and Jade and really felt I read until the end just to fill in some gaps.I still have a few more Julie Garwood novels to read and am hoping they are more exciting than this one.

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Monday, February 8, 2010

The Gift

The Gift (Crown's Spies, #3)
Another enjoyable Julie Garwood read....the last one I had in my bookshelf so I promptly ordered 4 more today. I have thoroughly enjoyed the novels I have read so far.
I really enjoyed Nathan and Sara's characters, and found myself laughing out loud which to me is always a good quality in a book.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Wedding by Julie Garwood

The Wedding (Lairds' Fiancees, #2) The Wedding by Julie Garwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars I really loved this book. Its the first Julie Garwood novel that I have read and I will definitely be looking into a few more. I purchased the book on recommendation of a friend, and also because I have a soft spot for Scottish Highlanders. The only disappointment in this book for me was that it ended. I felt I hadn't finished with the characters and wanted to read a little bit more into their lives. A test of a good book for me is when I'm still thinking about the characters after I've long put the book down. I'm sure I'll read it again before long. View all my reviews >>

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year

Well its the start of another New Year.
Very quiet celebrations last night, I always think its a celebration when I actually am awake at midnight to welcome the New Year in. That's new for me because previously with small babies in the house sleep was always the priority and welcoming the New Year was not.
We had my niece Shanti for a sleepover as New Year's is also my younger brother's birthday and they were celebrating with friends, many drinks and lots of noise, which just don't fit into a baby's schedule.
Nanny Sheila also came for a sleepover with us, because she thought it would be nicer than seeing the New Year in by yourself.
We had homemade pizzas and sorbet on the menu, very simple but very tasty and enjoyable.
We had a few wines, but not too many that I wasn't in control of myself, something I am not keen to repeat, because I think I'm getting too old and like to be in control when I have kids under my care.
I really appreciated this morning that I wasn't suffering a hangover, even though I was tired.
I've started the year with an arm injury due to some pretty serious Wii Resort sword fighting with my husband.
It is so much fun.
Heather and Merv joined us again this year, I have a feeling that it may now be tradition to see the New Year in with a bit of Nintendo Wii challenges.
But I wouldn't mind that, I think its fitting to start the New Year with a few laughs. I hope the upcoming year is full of them.
Most people I know say their New Year's Resolution is to not make any resolutions, whereas I like the idea of having a few goals to achieve. I won't try to make them outrageously unattainable, but its nice to have something to reach for. So here goes, I will try and come up with 10.
1. Lose weight. Not sure if this one should be lose weight as such, or rather look after my body a bit more. Make better choices with my eating and fit in exercise where I can.
2. I think then that no. 2 should be to make exercise more of a priority, if I wait until I have everything in order first, then it just doesn't fit in.
3. I think 3 should then be to learn to accept that I won't get everything done and in order every single day. Take smaller steps, start with the top of my list and things that just have to be done, ie feed the kids and get them to school. I need to have a little less pressure and anxiety when it comes to those things.
4. When asked I have told people this is my resolution, so maybe it should be no. 1, but I really want to be able to manage my time more efficiently and I think some of my other resolutions will be able to fall into place. I chase my tail a lot of the time, end up doing things 2 or 3 times because I've picked a poor time to complete that job. ie. Tidy all the kids rooms on a Saturday morning, when my 2 year old really isn't going to keep it that way all weekend.
5. Be more consistent with it comes to disciplining my children. A lot of times I don't follow through with the rules and boundaries I have made for my children and I think that is confusing for them. I need to be very clear what the boundaries and rules are and what the consequences are if they break those rules. I need to be able to follow through on them. Its hard when I'm here with them a lot on my own, an extra pair of hands makes the world of difference.
6. I want to be more accepting of my husband's responsibilities at work and the hours that he does work. That's the deal, that's how he works and it isn't about to change any time soon. I think I need to appreciate more how lucky I am to be in a position to be able to stay home and be here for my children, that in these current times, that is a real privilege and I'm very lucky. I think if I make life at home at little easier it will take some of the stress away from Geoff, and hopefully he will enjoy his time at home a little more.
7. I want to spend more time with my mother, just having a cuppa, or taking her somewhere she would like to go. I would like to be able to look after her a little more rather than just seeing her when needing her to look after the kids whilst I rush off and run an errand.
8. This one really needs to be further up the list, but if I am going to try and achieve all 10 of my resolutions then it really doesn't matter what order they come in. Try and get my health in order a little more. Make sure I take my medication at the right times and EVERY DAY. I'll need to come up with a better system, because I really can't remember if and when I take them. I need to make sure I have my blood tests regularly and on time and I need to make sure I go and see my GP regularly and on time. Then I will get a better picture of my levels etc. Fingers crossed if I can get that sorted, then my good eating plan and exercise will make a world of difference.
9. Make better use of what I have in my scrapping materials. I have a bucket load of stuff and if it just sits in boxes then its just a plain waste of money, and there is no need for me to be spending money on new things when I have loads I haven't used yet.
10. Try and stay out of other people's issues. I don't want to get involved in it and I don't want to try and fix it for them, always comes back to slap me in the face. That sounds a little harsh the way that I have put that. I would like to be a little more relaxed when there are dramas (other people's) swirling around me. I tend to get very caught up in them and try to smooth things out for everyone, and you just can't do it. It makes me sick to my stomach, I had conflict and just don't want it in my life.
....well now I could just keep going, but I've said 10 and I think I should stick to 10.
Who knows the list may change a little as we venture into the New Year.
But here's hoping for a wonderful 2010, filled with good health and happiness, with those 2 things everything else should just fall into place.