Both Sides Review

Imagine if you were in a tragic accident – unable to move or speak but otherwise cognizant of everything around you. Imagine hearing doctors deciding your fate without you having a voice in the outcome.

Alex is a 16-year-old girl who finds herself in that exact situation in Both Sides, a novel that begins when – while on a class field trip – Alex and another girl, Sandra, end up in a horrible accident.

If the doctors act quickly, they may be able to save one body…and one brain. Amid the confusion and uncertainty, we hear everything that’s going on in Alex’s mind – from her initial disbelief to her quips about the absurdity of it all to her realization that she may have to go through the rest of her life living in the body of a girl she couldn’t stand. If she survives.

Both Sides tackles these issues and more. Within its pages every reader will find her own answers and discover, in the end, a story of courage and a girl who never before existed.

Award-winning author Paul E. Stawski captures the minute-by-minute struggles of a 16-year-old girl whose world is suddenly turned upside down in Both Sides. Radical brain surgery is the only option. Time is running out and Alex’s mind is racing: will she still be the same person when she comes out on the other side?

My Review

The plot to this book alone is intriguing in itself. For something so powerful I feel the author did a wonderful job. I love how the author portrays the teenagers as exactly that, teenagers. Alex is not the "lovey dovey" type. She is at the age where she just wants to be treated like an adult. She loves her parents but they should just know that already without her having to say anything. Her best friend can be both a convenience and inconvenience depending on who is around. Alex is just a typical teenager. I found myself wanting to tell her about herself many times.

I personally identified more with Sandra. So naturally I wished there was more written about her. It had to be extremely hard for Sandra's mother to look and her daughter's body and know it's not really her or is it? The moment when Alex cried but didn't want to,had me wondering if Sandra's body was functioning on it's own.

Both Sides is a great book and I can barely wait to read the second book and find out what life will be like for Alex and Sandra. Who's in control, Alex or Sandra? Will the law change their mind and consider Alex/Sandra a living person? Will Alex/Sandra get to stay with Alex's parents or will Sandra's parents fight for custody?

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iTunes

About the Author
Paul E. Stawski won the Highlights for Children fiction contest for his short story, Code Red, a science-fiction story about a little girl who has to make a very grown-up decision. As a child, Paul was the subject of Newbery-Award winning author Lois Lenski's We Live in the North. Then, as an adult, he taught at an all-girls' high school before becoming a full-time writer. Both Sides is his first novel, he is currently writing the second book in the Both Sides series, Taking Sides due to be released January 2014. He lives in Troy, Michigan, with his wife and two cats.


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Website,  Facebook,  Twitter, Goodreads and YouTube

Taking Sides is the second book in the Both Sides series. In BOTH SIDES, Alex grappled with the idea of her brain being transplanted into Sandra’s brain-dead body. In TAKING SIDES, she struggles with her new reality, starting with the ride home from the hospital and the ensuing media circus. She’s now a celebrity who literally comes face-to-face with her new identity every time she looks in the mirror – and every time someone else looks at her. How will her friends react? How will Sandra’s? And what about their classmates and their parents? With everyone taking sides, Alex begins to wonder: is anyone on her side?

Tour Dates

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

Knowing Vera

Vera Custodio has never fallen in love, though she has strong feelings for her friend and sometimes lover, Zach Spencer. Long-forgotten memories resurface when Vera discovers Zach’s mother was the woman her father supposedly murdered many years ago.

After losing his leg, former triathlete Zach Spencer reevaluates his life—and realizes he’s falling in love with Vera. After she ends their relationship, Zach is determined to prove his love and follows her to Australia in search of the killer.

Caught between a web of family secrets and a deranged adversary, Vera and Zach must depend on each other for survival. Love blossoms, but the truth explodes everything Vera knows about herself. Will she close her heart forever or risk it all for a shot at happily-ever-after?

Book 3 of The Chance For Love Series - Each book can be read standalone, but earlier plots will be revealed by reading later books.


My Review

If you love twist and turns like I do you will love this book! This book was "jam packed" with drama, romance, mystery and culture. I just wanted to be entertained, but I was also educated on a culture I have never really known much about. And enjoyed every bit of it. The author is very detailed in her writing especially where it counts the most...... the romance. This book will have you never wanting to put it down. Before I knew it I had read the entire book! I haven't read the books before it but this is a great stand alone read. I was satisfied without wonder who was who and what was going on that I might have missed from the first book.

Spoiler Alert: (Somewhat)
Vera struggles with not only what love is but how to hold on to it. Being in love with the son of her father's murder victim is a lot to handle. She wants so badly for her father to have not been the killer that she follows mysterious leads all the way to Australia. She not only meets family that she has never met before but she learns so many things about her family that I for one would not have handled so gracefully. 

Vera may not have been one for love in the past but her lover Zach changes everything. His handsomeness on top of his charm reels her in slowly. Zach refuses to loose Vera to her uncle's friend Cliff. Cliff's flirting and determination to have Vera for himself only brings her closer to Zach her one true love. 

There is even a little surprise at the end of the book! Enjoy!

Buy the book from.....

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Other books in the Chance For Love Series

#1 Broken Build (Dave & Jen)

When a woman wrongs a man… can a man forgive and love?

Jen Jones wasn't a criminal. She just made a few bad choices and ruined a few lives, primarily that of her boss, CEO Dave Jewell. When her blackmailer is murdered, she becomes the next target.

Dave Jewell protects Jen because she holds the key to his company's code. What he doesn't expect is love, lies, and a link to his past. Jen must solve the mystery and thwart a ruthless killer while keeping her heart from being broken.


#2 Hidden Under Her Heart (Maryanne & Lucas)
Maryanne Torres has sworn off sex. Intent on finding a marrying man, she joins a church youth group. A party at her pastor’s house turns into a drinking binge, and Maryanne is raped.

Lucas Knight’s only concern was winning the Ironman Triathlon until the morning he finds Maryanne unconscious in the church parking lot. He becomes the prime suspect, even though Maryanne cannot identify her attacker.

Maryanne wants justice but the identity of her rapist is hidden in the baby she plans to abort. A trap is set. Lucas races to clear his name and keep Maryanne’s secret from drowning her and her baby.

About the author
Rachelle Ayala is the author of dramatic fiction crossing genres and boundaries featuring strong but flawed characters. She writes emotionally challenging stories and is not afraid of controversial topics. However, she is an optimist and laces her stories with romance and hope.

Rachelle is an active member of online critique group, Critique Circle, and a volunteer for the World Literary Cafe. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.

Follow the author

Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Goodreads 

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

Slowly and Safely Becoming More Active

It's not easy going from not being active for years to running every other day. So here are a couple of tips for a person like myself who doesn't have health problems but would like to survive the workouts.

You will be tempted to get a gym membership and maybe even get a trainer. Stop and think for a moment. Gym's are okay if you are an active person so let's save that for after you get the hang of it. Instead let's start a lot slower.

Let's start with not sitting or lying down all day. It may seem simple and obvious to most but to someone that works sitting down or even standing you may want to more resting than working out. A lot of times we take our home time seriously. When you finally get home you just want to rest and do as minimal "work" as much as possible but if you have children under the age of 6, you know that that is not always possible. You have to look at the time you spend exercising as "me" time. You are taking time out for yourself and your health.

Do what you know you can do. Starting simple and easy with leg lifts and crunches. Dancing is always a great warm up. Turn the music up loud and escape. Stretch after about 5 minutes of dancing and head back into the workout that you love best. Clean the house in one go. Don't stop for breaks unless it is very necessary. Stand the entire time. If you hurt stop. Unless you are a fitness trainer who has been slacking off lately do not push yourself too hard. It's good to be sore the next day but not so much that you can't function normally.

Find things to keep you motivated. Update your playlist and get out there! If you have workout equipment at home you can turn on the t.v. as you workout. Before you know it you will be 30 to 40 minutes in. Listen to an audio book only when working out. If your book is interesting enough you will have the motivation needed to keep it up.

Get creative. If you don't have workout equipment available you can always find substitutes. Canned foods or water jugs make great light weights. Toddlers make for great heavier weights! Walk the children to/and from school. Go outside and play. Walk the lot a work on your breaks.

Treat yourself. Changing your lifestyle is a huge decision that takes a lot of self control. It's okay to have a treat every now and then as long as you don't over do it. This is something that you want to be able to do your entire life so be realistic about your eating habits.

Be Proud. Get pumped about the little things. So what you only walked for 10 minutes. That's 10 minutes more than you did yesterday! Congratulations! If you ate one bag of chips instead of two. Congratulations! No matter what you weigh or how old you are it is a wonderful thing to make lifestyle choices that could prolong your health. Congratulations!

Things to Know When Everything Seems to be Falling Apart

We have all had bad days, but what about when those days turn into weeks or even months or maybe even years? I have a few things that might help you to peel away your anxieties and worries. WARNING: I'm not certified in anything other than life and it has shown me that greater is always coming.

You're Not Alone

The first thing that I tell myself when things are not going as I expect them is that I'm not alone. There is some one else out there that has or is going through the exact same thing that I am going through right now. Although your problem still exist, it can be somewhat soothing to know that the universe is not picking on you.

There are People Who Care

Asking for help does not come easy to everyone but, if you can lower your pride just long enough, you never know who will become a blessing to you. I have taken people and animals into my home many times. Why because I hope that someone would be that kind to me if and when I need help someday. Family would be a great start. Church members would be the next best step. If you're not a part of a church home it's okay. A true Christian will do all they can to help no matter if you're a Christian also or not.

God Loves You

Sometimes you just feel alone and unloved. I know these feelings from experience. God has even felt this way. That is why you are capable to feel these feelings because he feels them also. Are we not made in his image? There are times when we may have even made God feel unloved. Unlike human love, God's love for us is unconditional. No matter how much we hurt him he will  always love us. Sometimes his love comes in the form of correction. If you seem to be having the same problem over and over again God maybe trying to correct something in your life or in the life of someone close to you.

Greater is Coming

No matter how long you may have been hurting or struggling please know that greater is coming.You have to go through in order to come out. If you feel as if you may not make it, consider that if you quit you'll never get to reap what you sowed. All of your struggling and hard work would have been for nothing. There is a blessing with your name on it. Don't give up!

Things To Keep Your Spirits High

• Pray
• Listen to music preferably spiritual
• Smile even when it hurts
• Draw or Color (yes color)
• Craft something or work on a hobby
• Think Positive (ALWAYS)
• Remind yourself of the things/people you live for
• Watch funny movies/cartoons
• Do family activities (game night)
• Cook something from scratch (always interesting)
• Journal your feelings
• Call a favorite friend or family member
• Visualize the things you want and know that they are yours

A stray we received a few days ago. We are fattening him up and preparing him for his vaccinations then we may or may not re-home him. We haven't named him yet.

This weeks nail color is Provoke. 

Beneful Healthy Smile Product Review

http://www.beneful.com/Products/Dog-Snacks/Healthy-Smile-Ridges/

I received a few samples in the mail a little while ago and I decided that would share with you all how my little 3 lb Yorkie responded to the treats and dog food. Now my Layla can be extremely picky. What can I say she knows what she wants. The first thing we tried out was the dog food. I didn't give her much because it's not her regular brand of dog food and I didn't want to make her sick.

What I noticed about the dog food.

It had little white spots on the "o" shaped pieces. I assumed that was the source of the minty aroma that I smelled once I opened the bag.

What Layla thought.

It smelled funny. It wasn't what she usually ate and it didn't taste appetizing.

It ended up sitting in her doggy bowl and never being touched. The treats however got a different response.

The first and only ones we have tried are the ridges. When I first gave the treat to her she sniffed it and looked at me with her black pupils and asked in a subtle way "What is this?" I responded with "Try it!" of course I spoke my response out loud in English. It sat for about three days before I notice any change in the "ridges". She eventually dragged it under our bed, as she does all things she loves, and munched away at the bone for the past two days. I guess that means she likes it! I haven't noticed a change in her smile but then again she hasn't been trying them long enough to really notice a difference. This seems like it would be a good alternative for a dog owner that doesn't have time to put a brush to their dogs teeth but then again why become a dog owner? 

Natural ways to control doggie breath odor would be to make sure the doggie dish is clean. I mean if you would eat from it then your doing a great job. Have plenty of clean water available and make sure chew toys are clean. You can also start brushing your dogs teeth to remove plaque build up and any thing else that may be lingering around. I do not recommend using toothpaste even if it is "safe" for dogs. 

Life Tip

Try to use natural remedies when and where ever possible.

Final Conclusion

The treat was a delight for my baby but she was not so delighted to try the dog food. I personally don't feel that a minty dog food is the best way to go with doggie dental care. Why? Because a treat just makes more sense. I mean would you eat a minty meaty and veggie dried meal to prevent bad breath or would you just brush your teeth. With a treat something is rubbing against the dogs teeth to help clear them of plaque. Other wise your just creating more plaque.

Nail Color this week!

Revlon Moon Candy - Galactic

Click here to view product!

Favorite Fall Recipe

It's the first day of fall! I'm an October baby so naturally I love fall. I love to make this desert for my family. Not to mention my Husband asks me to make it all summer so now he can finally have it. Here is the recipe I found online many years ago.

Apple Caramel Cake

Core and peel 2-3 large apples.Chop into 1 inch chunks and put in a bowl.Add 2 tablespoons of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon Toss evenly.In a separate bowl add 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar four tsp of baking powder 1/4 tsp of salt 2 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract 1 cup of Vegetable oil, and 4 eggs. Mix. Add apples after a batter has formed. Pour in baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes or until golden brown. 

Icing recipe

In a saucepan over medium heat, 2 tablespoons of butter, and mix in 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Boil vigorously for 1 minute.Remove from heat, and beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Cool slightly, and beat in 1/2 tsp of  vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.


One More Apple Recipe for the road.

Apple Pork Chops

Serving Size: 4


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Core,peel, and slice two apples. 

Season four pork chops with either seasoning salt or salt and pepper. Place pork chops and sliced apples in roasting pan or baking dish. Add cinnamon and brown sugar to taste and place in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 mins.

Big Savings at Dollar General

At Dollar General this week everything is 50% off the already reduced price of a 50% off clearance. That's 75% off! Lawn chairs are only $4.00! Look for items with a green dot. The green dotted items are summer items. Things with red dots are also on clearance these are household items.These are just a few of the items I purchased.

Here is my daughter Noa playing with her bubble wand we got for only .25 cents!