The Lie: A Novel Book Review

The Lie is about a woman's quest for authenticity in a world of lies, brutality, and pretend.

By Fredrica Wagman
Published by Zoland Books
April 2009;$14.95US/$16.95CAN; 978-1-58642-157-1

From FSB Associates:

Ramona Smollens has a chance meeting on a park bench with an older man, Solomon Columbus. The two became lovers, and soon Ramona is leaving the home of her mother and recently deceased father for marriage and the trappings of adult life. She takes with her a dark family secret, the sort of secret one simply did not talk about, one that would stalk her as she matured into her role as wife and mother. Coming of age in 1950s America, Ramona gets her cues about a woman's role from the world around her, and about female sexuality from the silver screen. But when experience teaches her that Hollywood's ideal is in fact "the lie," truth and desire collide with a force that is deeply moving and unforgettable.

Author Bio
Fredrica Wagman is the author of six previous novels. They are Playing House; Magic Man, Magic Man; Peachy; and Mrs. Hornstein and His Secret Little Wife. She has four grown children and lives with her husband in New York City. For more information please visit www.fredricawagman.com

My take on the book:
This little book of 224 pages had many hidden treats and treasure. How appropriate today to read such a book where we all seem to be hanging on to every word, every style, every action the "Hollywood" types do and say! Ramona, who was coming of age in the 50s did exactly the same thing with Rita Hayworth! I wonder if the stars really want us to worship them? Are we to only worship their public appearances or is it ok to dig in head first and be in their daily life at home behind closed doors? Some times I don't think they "get it". They want privacy yet they flaunt their stuff for all to see at their choosing.
I love Ramona! You will know her when you read this book. She will be someone you recognize. It might be you! So what is The Lie? Is it Ramona's Lie? I would love to tell you but I don't want to ruin the book for you. You have to get to at least page 198 to begin to really realize what it is all about!

Thanks to FSB Associates for the review copy!

Happy 1 Month and GIveaway from Just a Mom

Today, August 4th is Just A Mom, HA!’s first month -aversary!! Congrats! She is giving away 5 vouchers that are good for all Minute Rice products (up to 14 oz.) including brown rice, Premium rice, Ready-to-Serve bowls, and the traditional boxes! Click to visit her blog and get her Green Chili Casserole recipe! It looks yummy and that is how she got the vouchers for her giveaway! She promises more recipes to! Visit Just A Mom, HA!'s for all the info on the giveaway!

The Castaways Audio Book Giveaway

Giveaway~ The Castaways Audio Book

Look what Reading at The Beach is hosting!

Click her button to go right to her blog for all the details to enter!

I've got 3 copies to give away, many thanks to Anna at Hatchette

THE CASTAWAYS
By Elin Hilderbrand
Read by Katie Hale

Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed.

Rock on with ROCK OF AGES CD Review

(this review was taken from Scraps of Life Blog... go there to leave comments)

As a member of One2One Network, I have been given the opportunity to review the soundtrack to the Broadway musical: Rock of Ages. What a fun soundtrack to review! My almost 15 year old asked me " What are you listening to, Mom?!" She has been bitten by the Classic Rock of the 80s bug. The Rock of Ages CD when from my player to hers in a flash!

(click album cover to see and order on Amazon)

New Line Records just released the Original Broadway Cast Recording of five-time Tony Award nominated "ROCK OF AGES." For those of you not in the know (apparently I was one of them but my daughter was in the know), Rock of Ages is the new Broadway musical starring American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis (We loved him on American Idol. This music was made for him to ROCK TO!)

The setting of this Broadway production is in 1987 in a legendary Sunset Strip rock club, a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer and they fall in love to the greatest metal songs of the 80's. The musical is an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more.

ROCK OF AGES Cast Album

Tracklisting
(click tracklisting to hear music sampler from Amazon)

Just Like Paradise / Nothin' But A Good Time
Sister Christian
We Built This City / Too Much Time On My Hands
I Wanna Rock
We're Not Gonna Take It
Heaven/More Than Words / To Be With You
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Wanted Dead Or Alive
I Want To Know What Love Is
Cum On Feel The Noize / We're Not Gonna Take It (Reprise)
Harden My Heart / Shadows Of The Night
Here I Go Again
The Final Countdown
Any Way You Want It / I Wanna Rock (Reprise)
High Enough
I Hate Myself For Loving You / Heat Of The Moment
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Can't Fight This Feeling
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Oh Sherrie
The Search Is Over
Don't Stop Believin

Last summer I walked down memory lane of 80s pop music with one of my twins. This summer I did the same thing with her sister to 80s Rock of Ages! Rock on Sister Christian!!! Oh Sherrie you know that Every Rose Has Its Thorn. If you have Too Much Time on Your Hands, here is The Final Countdown so Don't Stop Believin and know The Search Is Over for some summer music. Click the Album cover and buy it NOW. Cum on ..... I know you want to ....Feel the Noize!

(Hit Me With Your Best Shot and click the album cover and you will find Nothin' But A Good Time)

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfork Cross Giveaway

One Persons Journey through a world of Books Blog

Bookjourney just posted this on her blog. It is a direct post so please go to her blog to find out about the entire post and giveaway.

Below is a post from
Posted on July 26, 2009 by Bookjourney

"I recently started an amazing book called Pope Joan by Donna Woolfork Cross. I am still reading it and hope to finish it today and have my review posted, but this I felt couldn’t wait!

The author, Donna Woolfolk Cross and I have been emailing back and forth and we have been discussing the movie coming out this fall based on this book. What? You didn’t know? Yes, this fall the movie is going to be out in theaters. See trailer here

Pope Joan movie trailers, official trailer, worldwide trailer, teasers, clips, videos

Want to win a trip to the Movie Premiere for two with paid airfair and hotel? Follow this particular link : Walk the Red Carpet with Pope Joan!

Chatting with Donna, who is just a delightful person, she has offered my readers a signed copy of Pope Joan autographed and inscribed just to you! I am very excited about this giveaway and want to get started on it right away!

Book sales on this book over the next 3 weeks will determine in part how widely the movie will open in the U.S. So from our little corners of the world I would love to see if we could help out."

Thanks BookJourney for hosting this giveaway! Please check out all the great book reviews on her blog as well as the giveaways!

HAPPY Bloggiversary ResourcefulMommy

How many people do you know would have an Anniversary Party- put it on her self, celebrating her 1 year Blog Anniversary with gifts to give out to her blog followers? The one and only Amy, of ResourcefulMommy.com is the one to do it! She is going all out to have one of the biggest blog / twitter parties this year! Yesterday when I checked (that was 24 hours ago ) she had 40 or so comments..... today... 24 hours later she has over 550 comments! Right now as I post this the prize list has been updated AGAIN!!!

She is now up to 60 prizes, well over $1500 in swag!!!

Click her link to join in the fun! I will be their tweetin' with my twitter friends! I'm @susieqtpie. Say HI to me when we are tweeting!

CLICK THE BUTTON FOR THE PARTY!!!!

Book Giveaway: My Name Is Will by Jess Winfield

Book Giveaway: My Name Is Will by Jess Winfield

This giveaway is going on at Alison's Book Marks. Click her blog link to see the full giveaway. This entire post is straight from her blog. Happy Birthday Alison!

From Alison's Book Marks

" My birthday is coming up in a few days, and I love, love, love getting presents!! So, this year, I'm passing on some love. Valerie, at Hachette Book Group, has hooked me up with 5 copies of My Name is Will by Jess Winfield. I will be posting a review of this amazing book soon, but before I do, I need to make sure that at least five of my friends are going to feel the love with me, and join me in chatting about this great book!

First, a little bit about the book:

My Name Is Will
A Novel of
Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare
by Jess Winfield

A Tale of two Shakespeares....

Struggling UC Santa Cruz grad student, Willie Shakespeare Greenberg is trying to write his thesis about
the Bard. Kind of....

Cut off by his father for laziness, and desperate for dough, Willie agrees to deliver a single giant, psychedelic mushroom to a mysterious collector, making himself an unwitting target in Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs.

Meanwhile, would-be playwright (and oppressed Catholic) William Shakespeare is eighteen years old and stuck teaching Latin in the boondocks of Stratford-upon-Avon. The future Bard's life is turned upside down when a stranger entrusts him with a sacred relic from Rome...This, at a time when adherents of the "Old Faith" are being hanged, drawn and quartered as traitors.

Seemingly separated in time and place, the lives of Willie and William begin to intersect in curious ways, from harrowing encounters with the law (and a few ex-girlfriends) to dubious experiments with mind-altering substances. Their misadventures could be dismissed as youthful folly. But wise or foolish, the bold choices they make will shape not only the 'Shakespeare' each is destined to come...but the very course of history itself."

SO TO get the full details and visit Alison's Book Marks click her blog name! Thanks.