Crib Notes Blog

Just Don't- Release day!

3/24/2020

I'm reading this now, then will pass it to my teenager. He hasn't shown too many a55hole tendencies, so I'm catching it early 😉
I got a sneak peek, but the book drops today, so order now!
(Full review coming soon! You'd think being stuck at home would give me more reading time...)
My Amazon link: https://shopstyle.it/l/be3Hn
Follow Kara: https://www.facebook.com/DBAKaraKCpage/
Review page: http://www.cribnoteskelly.com/book-reviews.html

Rage Against the Minivan {review}

3/16/2020

Rage Against the Minivan. It sounds a little fist in the air/storm the castle/smash the patriarchy (and it is) but it's also raw and vulnerable and real.

I had a chance to see a little bit of the behind the scenes of the development of the book, a peek behind the curtain, and I instantly loved the message. I've been following the blog of the same name for quite a while, so I knew Kristen's style, and I thought I knew her story. I was wrong... (Spoiler alert, not everything you see on the internet is true...or the full story.)

A few years ago (almost 10!), I had the chance to review Good Enough is the New Perfect. It was like a revelation-- the only one demanding 'perfect' from me, was me. While Good Enough was a self help format, RATM is more of a memoir. But it's not all about Kristen. It's about all of us, as we try to figure out how being a parent is everything we always wanted and nothing we ever imagined.

Kristen is an (ex) marriage and family therapist, and while the expertise shines through, the judgement is left behind. It's not preachy. Speaking of preachy, faith-- and organized religion more specifically-- is tricky. Don't worry, she lets you laugh along with her there too. Marriage, infertility, miscarriage*, adoption, a career, pregnancy, divorce, babies, teens, stay at home mom, multiracial families, religion-- she covers it all, not necessarily in that order.

More than anything this book invites you to give yourself a little grace. We can say no. We can opt out. We can RAGE AGAINST THE MINIVAN (even if there's one in your driveway). This book is funny (really funny) and has moments of levity, but also covers really deep, heavy topics (there's truly something for everyone; she just happened to go through all of it!) that left me wiping tears.

You will see yourself in this book. And isn't that what we all want? To feel seen? Rage Against the Minivan is not a 'how to'; it's a 'let's do this thing'. So let's do it. Together. I'll pick you up; I have a minivan.

*content warning

Pre-orders mean a lot to authors! Reserve your copy now, and it'll be delivered when it's released in June.

Bridal Girl {book review}

4/24/2018

Bridal Girl is the seventh book that I've read-- and reviewed and loved!-- from Meredith Schorr. Meredith and I only know each other through social media (and really, isn't that most relationships these days?!), but I have said from my very first review: I just get her jokes. Her characters are relatable, her pop culture references are timely but universal, her dialogue is conversational and easy to follow, and her plot lines-- though sometimes exaggerated for entertainment, as expected in romantic comedy-- are funny and real.

Bridal Girl is Book 3 of the Blogger Girl series, and starts with Kim-- who we first met in Blogger Girl (Book 1)-- engaged to the man of her dreams, all ready for her Happily ever After. But there are still 7 months, +/-17 problems, and about 700 things to get through before the big day... Planning a wedding is not for the faint of heart. Add in a deadline for her second novel, and Kim is just about pushed over the edge.

My sister got married at the end of last year, so it was really fun to read about the craziness of planning a wedding after just having been a part of some of the same (less crazy) wedding dilemmas. When I got married, I, like Kimmy, had a naked-in-the-bridal-suite experience of my own! I also purchased multiple prom dresses (decision making is not my strongest quality), and have been known to speak in Pig Latin to relay a secret message. Soooo, like I said, relatable :)

Through chapters marked by a countdown till the big day ("big day" sometimes being the wedding and sometimes being a book deadline), Meredith guides us through all of the ups and downs of a bride-to-be and a novice author, keeping us laughing, cringing, and guessing along the way. My only complaint is that Bridal Girl is simply too well written, causing me to finish the book too quickly ;)

*It's true that Bridal Girl is Book 3 in the Blogger Girl series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone book. (I don't know why you wouldn't want to read all of them, but just saying, you totally could.)

Bridal Girl was written by Meredith Schorr, published by Henery Press, April 2018

Hot Mess (book review)

1/12/2018

I like to clean out. I love to organize. I get excited when a consignment-style shop gives me $6 for my old clothes.

But. Sometimes saying you're organized is easier than actually being-- or even harder: staying-- organized.

We look to a blog post, a magazine article, a Pinterest board, a Target end cap, for ideas. But sometimes fancy labels and trendy bins are failed organization attempts in disguise. A cute container does not an organized closet make. (In addition to organizing, I also like strange language patterns [nerd].) But really, it's true. This is just one of the topics that Laurie Palau covers in her new book Hot Mess: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized.

(I met Laurie a couple years ago through a mutual friend. I actually attended one of her Clutter Clinics-- read more about my experience here.)

I love that the title includes the word PRACTICAL, because that's one of the things I immediately noticed about Laurie's style. Recently, she posted a thought that totally resonated with me: "The [really popular recent] method of only holding onto things that spark joy in your life sparked a revolution of people decluttering-- which is great-- but it's unrealistic. My daughter's lacrosse stick sparks no joy in my life, but I need a home for it." EXACTLY!

My bills? Don't spark joy. My kids' homework? No joy. Q-tips? No.The boys' endless sporting equipment? While I love watching them play, the equipment itself does not spark joy. But all of these things are necessary. And the entryway, kitchen island, bathroom counter, and garage floor, are not the places these things should live (respectively. I guess. Although when something lacks a *home* who knows where it'll actually end up.)

Hot Mess (btw, cute title, right?!) approaches purging and organizing in a realistic, practical, and do-able way. Instead of trying to explain all the types of clutter, all the aspects of organizing, and all the pitfalls to avoid, I'm going to recommend that you read Hot Mess. If you're local to me, you're welcome to borrow mine, but I'd suggest getting your own (it's under $15 and on Prime and under $3 for digital download!). It's the kind of book you're going to want to refer back to. In the meantime, find a home for it on a neatly-organized book shelf ;)

Follow Laurie and Simply B Organized on Facebook, Instagram, and her podcast: This Organized Life

Hot Mess: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized was written by Laurie Palau, published 2017, zolopublishing, New Hope, PA

Hot Mess Sale!

1/4/2018

I have a full review coming soon, but this book is what we ALL need to start the year! Get it now for 25% off!
http://amzn.to/2ArQM5I

The Boyfriend Swap (book review)

9/21/2017

Long, long ago (aka 2011) I read Meredith Schorr's Just Friends with Benefits and commented how the pop culture references were so funny and relateable. Six years later, I laughed out loud when I read one specific line of dialogue between characters in her latest title The Boyfriend Swap, as it was exactly what I have said to my husband about the same song. All of this super vague and awkwardly-written commentary (I'm trying not to spoil the joke or the story!) is just to say that Schorr and her characters get me. Or I get them. Either way, it's a good match.

The Boyfriend Swap-- posed as The Holiday meets The Proposal --features Robyn and Sidney, who connect through a mutual friend to devise a plan to survive the holidays with their respective families...and each other's boyfriend. As you can imagine, some madness and mayhem ensue as the girls try to decide if the boyfriend swap was the perfect plan or a horrible idea.

The Boyfriend Swap is the latest in what's becoming quite a tall pile of Meredith Schorr books on my shelf. They never fail to entertain me with stories that are familiar enough to settle in with, but original enough to keep me guessing. The holiday theme makes this the perfect book to read over Chrismukkah break!

Pre-order the paperback or the Kindle version now or grab a copy in November, but don't miss this one!

Saying Goodbye to My Little Geek

9/6/2017

My Little Geek is a fun little book that I had the honor of reviewing a few years ago. I just found out that it (and its siblings) will soon be out of print! Use code L337 to get 'em while you can, for 50% off!http://www.cribnoteskelly.com/cnblogwe-have-a-lot-to-say/my-little-geek-book-review

Everywhere, Wonder {book review}

6/25/2017

Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr books are among my favorite, and Everywhere, Wonder does not fall short of that expectation.

While it's listed as a children's book, it can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Its pages are filled with, well, wonder. There are philosophical musings (think "if a tree falls in the forest...") presented without the least bit of pretension. There are magical realizations that are grounded in reality. There are everyday happenings posed in wondrous ways.

This is one time that it's ok to judge a book by its cover. You'll love Everywhere, Wonder for the way it looks as much as the way it sounds (the glory of a Swanson/Behr book).

Everywhere, Wonder was written by Matthew Swanson, illustrated by Robbi Behr, published by Macmillan Imprint February 2017

This Plus That

3/13/2017

I'm so sorry to hear that Amy Krouse Rosenthal passed away. Such talent...

"all done + time to go = the end"

http://www.cribnoteskelly.com/cnblogwe-have-a-lot-to-say/this-plus-that-book-review

Shameful

10/21/2016

Guuuuys, it's been so long since I posted a book review. It's shameful.
Soon. Soon.

What should be first? Children's book or one for the moms?