The Viagra Diaries {Book Review}

The Viagra Diaries
written by Barbara Rose Brooker
Paperback, 288 Pages
Fiction, April 2013
$16
{Synopsis}

Anny Applebaum is sixty-five and she wants fame, fortune, sex and undying love.

She writes “The Viagra Diaries,” a San Francisco weekly column researching love after sixty.

She places ads on Internet singles sites and interviews men over sixty.

Is love possible in the Viagra generation?

She falls madly in love with Marv Rothstein, a 75 year old emotionally unavailable diamond dealer who can't face age.

Anny decides to write a series of columns, modeled after Marv, calling him Mr. X.

As Anny’s Mr. X columns gain recognition, she struggles with her conflict about Marv, her career hopes, relationships, daughter, and her coming of age.

{Barbara Rose Brooker} is currently a teacher at San Francisco State University with an MA in creative writing. She has appeared on the Today show and The Talk and has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, and more.  You can find her online at barbararosebrooker.com.

{My Thoughts}
It is hard to imagine a 65 year old woman on a dating service, at least to myself anyway.  But that is what Anny does to try to get information for a new type of article that may keep her job alive.  She falls for Mr. X even though she knows she should forget all about him.  Especially since her neighbor is a much better alternative!  Anny finally becomes famous.  It's very much like Sex and the City, but with older women.  There are a few funny parts and a lot of 'why did she do that?'  I Rated This Book:  3.5/5 Stars.



Disclaimer: This post was written for the sponsor who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions. Note: this is my experience only and that others may have a different outcome.

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Spring Flowers

We have had some really nice flowers blooming this year.

Full of color and very pretty!

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Survival Guide to Get You & Your Family Ready for Spring!

{This is a GUEST POST written by Mom Central CEO, Stacy DeBroff, --enjoy!}


A survival guide for families to help them stay on top of important events and avoid "sticky situations" this spring season:

Organizing the calendars and not just closets Everyone automatically thinks of closets when they think of spring cleaning, but what about personal calendars? Sit down and input every event for the new month and set electronic reminders for a few weeks in advance so that you don't forget about getting presents for birthday parties or picking up snacks for the lacrosse team.

Oh no. Not enough memory! We've all been there. Our cameras and camcorders run out of memory as soon as our children get up on stage for their solo or crack that game-winning home-run. Make sure to transfer any existing videos and pictures that you have on your phones or cameras the night before a big event so that you have plenty of space to capture all those important moments!

Conserve Brain Space With so much to keep track of from band practice and dance rehearsals, our brains can get overloaded with too much information. Try shutting down all phones and computers at the end of a long day to give yourself some time to process important upcoming events.

Pack a "Just in Case" Bag Sometimes when we're at our kids' baseball games or running around at the playground, we realize that we've forgotten essentials that will keep us going from one activity to the next throughout the day. Think of events that are coming up such as a play date or even a spontaneous weekend getaway and pack a bag filled with water, nutritious snacks, camera and Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes travel packs so that kids can wipe their hands just in case soap and water isn't available.

Relax and Take a Breather Let's face it. Sometimes, there are just those days where we forget to do something. Relax and take a deep breath. Worrying about missed events and priorities can sometimes make situations worse.

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Wordless Wednesday- Dixie Goes Mole Hunting

MH has finally gotten the dog fence finished, so Nellie and Dixie can run around and not get into too much trouble.

At least we will know where they are and be able to have them outside with us while gardening, etc.

I have been enjoying the way Dixie plays while outside.

She hops around everywhere and is constantly sniffing.

Here she is after moles (she has already dug up two)...

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Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires {Book Review}

Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires
written by Devin Morgan
Paperback, 315 Pages
Fiction, April 2013
$8.99
{Synopsis}

Can true love survive despite the passage of centuries of time? Psychologist Sarah Hagan may have to pay the ultimate price to obtain the answer.

Sarah's once safe, quiet life working as a hypnotherapist in Chicago has been completely up-ended by Aris, a vampire whose story first began during the time of Alexander the Great. Aris has taken over the human body of one of Sarah's patients so that he can be once again close to the only woman to have ever captured his heart. Before Sarah can be sure of her love for Aris, she must overcome obstacles not only in her own modern-day world, but also in Aris' underground world of the Catacombs, as well as in the mountains of Spain where a vampire war threatens to erupt.

Did Sarah and Aris' love first ignite during the reign of Henry the VIII when Sarah was the handmaiden at court, Elizabeth Wyatt? Who is the stunningly handsome DeMarco who courts Sarah and will he entice her away from Aris? Can Sarah possibly be welcome in Aris' Catacombs? Will Sarah willingly give up her human life so that she can be with Aris--her one and only true love--for all eternity? Only time will tell.


{Devin Morgan} is a practicing clinical hypnotherapist and founder and director of the Rishi Institute where she teaches hatha yoga by day. She lives, practices and writes in Los Angeles, California.

{My Thoughts}
This second book picks up right where the first leaves off.  Sarah is getting to know Aris/Carlos better and finds that she enjoys spending time with him.  He says he will give her all the time she needs...  Then comes along DeMarco, who she is instantly attracted to.  They go on several dates, making it very confusing for Sarah.  She likes both men.  During this time, someone gets into Sarah's apartment and office and leaves behind a rose and limb.  That sets off alarms for Aris, and he has his friends keep an eye on her while he goes to London to try to get the Council to let him back in and convince them that they need to prepare for war.  Right at the end of the book, Sarah is kidnapped and wakes up in a cold castle in Spain.  She finally finds out who DeMarco really is and he wants to kill her!  More of a romance than anything.  The most action was the last scene with Sarah and her kidnappers.  Wondering where the story will lead to next and if Sarah and Aris will finally get together.  I Rated This Book:  3/5 Stars.



Disclaimer: This post was written for the sponsor who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions. Note: this is my experience only and that others may have a different outcome.

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