Thursday, August 20, 2015

2015 : The Best Book List for WOMEN - PART 1

148 of the Sexiest, Sweetest Books of 2015 (So Far)

40 Books Women need to read in 2015 

(So Far)




Books and Summer go together like peanut butter and jelly, in my opinion. But don't fret, as we are on the cusp of ending our Summer sunsation and turning over a new leaf to Fall
 I have 40 books (a whopper of a list)  that are sure to stir up some heat, some sweetness and... well, everything in-between that all of us GIRLS - NEED TO READ! 
1. The Lonely Hearts Club by Brenda Janowitz



Ever been burned by love? Brenda Janowitz's fourth novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, is the story of Jo Waldman, a 22-year-old punk rocker who inadvertently starts an antilove movement that sweeps Manhattan.


2. Love, Fortunes, and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius


Love, Fortunes, and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius is an adventurous magical realism novel about a young girl whose fortune tells her she will never find love and her quest to prove fate wrong.

3.  B & Me: A True Story of Literary Arousal by J. C. Hallman


Author D.C. Hallman contemplates "sex, book jackets, an old bed and breakfast, love, Monica Lewinsky, Paris, marriage, more sex, the logistics of libraries" in his novel B & Me: A True Story of Literary Arousal


4. A Sister to Honor by Lucy Ferriss


A young woman leaves her family in rural Pakistan to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor at a New England college in the United States. When she begins to fall for an American boy, her brother attempts to intervene in order to protect his sister from American customs. In Lucy Ferriss's A Sister to Honor, lines between family, love, tradition, and loyalty become blurred.


5. The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos


Bestselling author Marisa de los Santos's The Precious One, told from the alternating perspectives of two estranged sisters, captures the essence of family, friendship, love, and the hope of second chances


6. Funny Girl by Nick Hornby


Nick Hornby — author of High Fidelity and About a Boy — has returned with Funny Girl, a novel about a young woman in the 1960s who deviates from her original path to be a beauty queen in order to pursue a career in comedy.



7. Women, Food, and Desire: Embrace Your Cravings, Make Peace with Food, Reclaim Your Body by Alexandra Jamieson


Alexandra Jamieson, a holistic health counselor and costar of Super Size Me, explores women's cravings for food, sleep, and sex in Women, Food, and Desire.




8. The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman


A woman, born in a brothel in the 18th century and abused growing up, finds an outlet through bare-knuckled fighting in her city's prize rings. She meets another woman with a different cross to bear, and both discover their own strengths together in Anna Freeman'sThe Fair Fight.



9. The Sound of Glass by Karen White

 

When a woman's husband dies tragically and she inherits his family home, she travels south to where he grew up. In Karen White's The Sound of Glass, buried secrets of domestic violence and complicated family relationships are unearthed.



10. Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland


In 1777 British-occupied New York, an actress secretly writing rebellious plays gets put on the hanging list for her actions, but in Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland, a British intelligence officer who has fallen for her might be the only who can save her.




11. Dirty Past by Emma Hart


Sofie Callahan left town and Conner Burker two and half years ago without giving any reason for her departure. In Emma Hart's Dirty Past, the heartbroken man has questions for the woman he once loved, and he is demanding answers.




12. The List by Joanna Bolowi


This month, Scottish comedian Joanna Bolouri debuts her hilarious first novel, The List, about a scorned woman who has given up on love. She instead writes a list of the 10 things in bed she always wanted to try but never has, and she makes a goal to do them all in a year.




13.  Heartbreak Hotel  by Deborah Moggach


From the author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel comes Heartbreak Hotel, a charming story about a retired actor who moves from London to rural Wales and meets a colorful collection of guests.




14. Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave


Laura Dave's Eight Hundred Grapes is a story about "the messy realities of family, the strength and weaknesses of romantic love, and the importance of finding a place to call home."




15.  My Heart and other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga


This YA novel touches on the sensitive subject of suicide — something that both the male and female protagonists bond over as they plan their own. In My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga, two young people begin to find a reason to live in each other, but is it enough for them?



16.  Whisper Beach by Shelley Noble


Seventeen-year-old Vanessa fled her hometown years ago, and despite the desperate way she left (pregnant and in love with someone who wasn't the father), she is returning a successful businesswoman. In Shelley Noble's Whisper Beach, old flames are rekindled, and one Summer will test the bonds of friendship, trust, and true love.



17. Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison


In her new revealing memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole, famous former Playboy bunny Holly Madison reveals what the mysterious (and sexy) world at the Playboy Mansion was really like.



18.  Moonlight on Butternut Lake by Mary McNear


A woman fleeing her abusive husband seeks refuge and serenity far away from the city she was in and finds a job as a home health aide to a man who was in a terrible car accident. In Mary McNear's Moonlight on Butternut Lake, two people marred by tragedy unexpectedly (and rather reluctantly) find comfort in one another.

19.  The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M. J. Rose


The Witch of Painted Sorrows is a gothic novel set in 1890s belle epoque Paris about a young woman's escape from her dangerous husband and her discovery of the underground occult world that comes alive after dark in the city.



20. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black


Holly Black, author of the dark fantasy The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, returns with an action-packed romantic adventure, The Darkest Part of the Forest, about a world of fairies, magic, knights, and unlikely heroes.



21. Flick by Abigail Tarttelin


In Abigail Tarttelin's YA fiction Flick, a boy can't wait to get out of his small town and forgettable life . . . until a breath of fresh air in the form of a girl named Rainbow blows in.



22. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari


Finding love today is way more complicated than it was for previous generations. Stand-up comedian Aziz Ansari teamed up with sociologist Eric Klinenberg for a look into the evolution of how we love in the modern age, and with a combination of humor and expert knowledge, Modern Romance is as informative as it is entertaining.



23. Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin


The New York Daily News calls Wednesday Martin's Primates of Park Avenue — a memoir about marriage and motherhood in New York's prestigious Upper East Side — "juicy, sexy, bawdy stuff."



24. A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott


Kate Alcott's novel A Touch of Stardust takes readers behind the scenes of filming Gone With the Wind and delves into detail about the romances of the real-life Rhett Butler, Clark Gable.



25. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen


After a life of feeling like she didn't fit in with her own family, Sydney meets the Chatham family and finally feels accepted. In bestselling author Sarah Dessen's Saint Anything, one girl meets people who love her for who she is — including a quiet boy who truly sees her first the first time in her life.



26. None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio



I. W. Gregorio's groundbreaking YA book None of the Above is about a young girl who discovers she is intersex and how her friends, family, and peers deal with this revelation.




27. The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford


In Susan Crawford's The Pocket Wife, a woman with bipolar disorder can't remember if she murdered her best friend, and now she must put together the pieces to find out if she is in danger herself, or if she's the dangerous one.



28. Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum


In a novel that's "Madame Bovary meets Fifty Shades of Grey," Jill Alexander Essbaum'sHausfrau packs romance, sex, and infidelity into the story about a woman searching for meaning in her life.



29. The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg


Paris in the 19th century was a passionate and vivid place, and Elizabeth Berg's The Dream Lover captures its essence in a novel about a courageous woman leaving her loveless marriage for a new life in the big city.



30. The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty by Amanda Filipacchi


Two women "at opposite ends of the beauty spectrum" face the same same problem: each fears she won't find someone to love her who can overcome her looks. Amanda Filipacchi'sThe Unfortunate Importance of Beauty explores the complexities of relationships amid beauty, love, desire, and personal identity.



31. Country by Danielle Steel


A woman's predictable life is altered forever when her husband dies unexpectedly on a family trip. Soon after, she meets a famous country star, who opens his world to her. She has to decide if she is willing to let go of what she knows and seize the moment. Danielle Steel's Country is a perfect Summer romance novel that will leave readers eager to seize the day.



32.  The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce


From Rachel Joyce, the author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, comes The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, a love story about Queenie Hennessy, the friend who inspired Harold’s cross-country journey in the original bestselling novel.



33. Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick


Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, Amanda Quick's Garden of Lies follows the compelling story of a woman and man tracking down a killer and finding romance along the way.



34. Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey


Dear Carolina is a Southern story about strong women, difficult decisions, and what friendship and family really means.



35. Confess by Colleen Hoover


In an attempt to heal from her past, Auburn Reed seeks out a job at an art studio where she finds an unexpected attraction between herself and the artist who works there. In ColleenHoover's Confess, a secret threatens to ruin the relationship she has put her heart on the line for, but could the confession be even worse?



36. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins


Take the missing wife premise of Gone Girl, set it in London, throw in a dysfunctional love triangle, give it an alcoholic trainwreck of a narrator, and you've got The Girl on the Trainby Paula Hawkins. If you're looking for a creepy mystery that'll turn you off marriage and keep you guessing until the end, this is the novel for you. I couldn't put it down.



37. Where Sun meets Sky by Karina Halle


A large part of our 20s are often spent in a cloud of existential angst, and in Karina Halle'sWhere Sea Meets Sky, a young man's quest to New Zealand to find the woman he loves perfectly captures the essence of that exciting and sometimes tumultuous period of our lives.



38. After Ever Happy by Anna Todd


Anna Todd's successful One Direction-based fan fiction series continues to thrive with the release of its fourth installment, After Ever Happy, which picks up where lovers Tessa and Hardin last left off.



39. The Dead Wife’s Handbook by Hannah Beckerman


Hannah Beckerman's The Dead Wife's Handbook is a touching novel about a wife and mother who dies unexpectedly and must watch from afar as her husband and daughter move on.



40. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway


Emmy and Oliver were best friends as children, until Oliver was kidnapped and taken away by his own dad. Robin Benway's YA novel deals with the aftermath of the crime and how both Emmy and Oliver cope with what's happened on their paths back to each other.






Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Because...it is just ONE OF THOSE DAYS!


Raspberry Sherbet SlushEE


What does the MOM with the Back to School Blues do after the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL?  

Make a yummy slushee...of course! 

This is a great slush because it is ONLY 3 INGREDIENTS!


Raspberry Sherbet Slushee
Prep Time:   5 minutes
Total Time:  5 minutes
Servings:     16 8-ounce beverages

Ingredients: 
3 HEAPING cups of Raspberry Sherbet (just over half of the container ;)
1/3 cup Sunny D
1 bottle (2 liters) Lemon Lime flavored Soda (Moon Mist/Sprite)

Instructions:
1. In a large blender, blend together the Raspberry Sherbet, the Sunny D, and 4 cups of the soda. 
2. Blend until smooth. (if blender is smaller, do this in a few batches)
3. Pour the mixture into glasses and then pour reminder of soda on top of each. 
4. ENJOY!





11 Books to help you BEAT the BLUES...


Studies show reading books, including self-help books can detrimental in treating mental illness, finding them as beneficial as individual or group therapy when it comes to uni polar depression, as well as helpful in treating anxiety.
This is KIND OF A BIG DEAL, right! 
So, I, being the clever Kel that I am , came up with a LIST of some great books to CHEER you UP, whether because two people get married, or someone is so funny, etc. etc. etc.

DISCLAIMER: The following list is in NO WAY a prescription, and I am in NO WAY a Doctor or Professional who is authorized to prescribe treatment. 

This list contains everything: classics and poetry and memoirs and weird old books you've never heard of. All you need is a cup of coffee (also suspected to lift the mood).

1. Emma by Jane Austen

It doesn't get much sweeter than little Miss Emma's love story. Basically, she makes a lot of bad decisions and gets in trouble, but just barely, and through it all her childhood friend/future husband loves her anyway. There are lots of adorable misunderstandings that seem tragic at the time but get pleasingly resolved by the end of the book.

2. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple


The bubbly pace of this book gets serious when the mom goes missing, but I promise everything turns out fine in the end. This book will make you feel warm and sentimental as you miss your cool, weird mom.

3Self Mastery through Conscious Autosuggestion by Emile Coué

A French hypnotherapist wrote this book in 1922, when people were busy inventing ridiculous things like the "anti-forgery pen," but his prescription of simple, daily affirmations was ahead of its time. Try Coué's lovely little statement yourself, right now: "Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better."

4. Every single book in the Anne of Green Gables series


Nothing goes wrong here. Sure, proposals flop and a few people die, but Anne's world is one of those blissful places where things are never truly not okay. Plus, Anne's indomitable willingness to daydream is incredibly inspiring.

5. Bringing the Shovel Down by Ross Gay

Ross Gay is the exuberant Whitman of our time; his poems can't help but overflow with a dangerously contagious love of life. For a sample of his style, check out three of his poems in Timber Journal.

6. The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis

Reading about love, exploring love, thinking about love, remembering that love exists — these are all ways in which happiness lies. C. S. Lewis' nuanced treatment of love is both inspiring and fascinating.

7. Hello American Lady Creature by Lisa L. Kirchner

Sometimes all you want is to read about someone else's life: the good, the bad, and the yoga classes. The narrative of Hello American Lady Creature is packed with plenty of loss — an inability to have children, a crushing divorce, the state of being alone far from home — but it ends in soaring redemption. Who doesn't love a good pulling-oneself-up-by-one's-bootstraps ride?

8. Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts by Regena Thomashauer

Don't get me wrong, this is a ridiculous book. It insists that you do things to yourself with glitter. I cannot elaborate. But frothy pink packaging aside, it's an overblown reminder that women need to be a little bit more selfish and a lot more pleasure-centric. The perfect indulgent read for when you're feeling awfully unglamorous.

9. Herzog by Saul Bellow

I adored this book, and found the obsessive narrator's slow, slow, slow recovery both fascinating and heartening, but I wouldn't have recommended it in this list if I hadn't stumbled across a Guardianarticle where the author read Herzog to help him out of his own slump. Looks like reading about a depressive can, in a way, be its own cure.

10. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Whether or not you want to treat your ailments with a sprig of rosemary is up to you, but it never hurts to read up on your folklore. Plus, studies have actually shown that gardening helps with depression. Don't mock the rosemary until you plant it.

11. Aunts Aren't Gentlemen by P.G. Wodehouse

How does that phrase go — an ounce of laughter is worth a pound of literally everything else? Anyway, I'll be recommending Wodehouse books as the world's best laughing cure until the day I die (from laughing). How great is that title? If you can handle British humor with a good helping of the ridiculous, this is the book you want in your solitary corner.



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