Book Review Tuesday: Partials by Dan Wells

This week's book is Partials by Dan Wells. Read on to learn whether or not you should check this dystopian novel out.

Partials by Dan Wells

            The market is saturated with dystopian novels right now. Actually, some would say it is super-saturated. Yet I can’t seem to stop picking them up in the bookstores. Well, that’s not entirely true. I don’t just happen to pick them up and become interested. I actively seek them out. I research ahead of time the best dystopian novels out right now. I think it’s safe to say I have a problem. I recently found out about Partials by Dan Wells, and I am very glad that I did.

            Partials is the story of a teenage girl determined to find out what the government has to hide. It is set in 2076 after almost the entire population has been wiped out by “Partials,” which are essentially human being knock-offs. They look like humans, think like humans, feel emotions like humans, but were manufactured by the government to fight as our soldiers in war. But the Partials brought war upon human beings, and released a virus that reduced the population to only several thousand immune people and caused any baby to die immediately after birth. Kira decides to make it her mission to cure RM and prevent the human population from ending completely; however, she learns that things are not quite what they seem when it comes to the Partials.

            In my opinion, one of the best aspects of this novel is how well it convinces the reader that this fictional reality could actually happen. Everything is very scientific, which really forces the reader to focus on what is happening in the story. I love a story that makes me think about things that I have not thought about before, and Dan Wells really made me question whether our society’s reliance on artificial intelligence could be our downfall. On the flip side, despite the novel’s depth, it does not become tedious to read. I could still follow along with the plotline and the science of it was not so complicated that it became overwhelming to understand what the characters were talking about.

            The character of Kira was another reason I thoroughly enjoyed Partials. She is essentially the character we all hope we would be in this situation. She is caring, intelligent, and not over-confident about her abilities. She fights the system, but still does not always know what choice is the right choice. One of the ways that other novels become too cheesy is that they become too bogged down in the romance side of the story. Kira has a romantic interest, but it never becomes the focal point of the story. I appreciate that, especially in a dystopian novel. This novel also has quite a few twists and turns that really leave the reader wanting more. The sign of a great book is one that you just literally can’t stop reading, even if it is 3am. And Partials definitely delivers that.

            Overall, read Partials. Between the action, science, and foreboding sense of potential reality, you will be salivating for the sequel, Fragments.

What did you think of the review? Have you read Partials? If so, what did you think? If not, are you thinking about reading it now? Any other dystopian novels that you would recommend? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below!

Click here to check this book out on Amazon.

Not Your Mom's Mom's Group: Why you should be in a Mom's Group!

I have been so busy lately that my blog has been a bit neglected. The reason I have been so busy? Besides all of the normal stuff, of course. I am the head of a mommy group! And it is work! But I recently realized just how much I enjoy it! My group, Making Mommyhood Fun, is based here in Birmingham and currently has 68 members! And we only started at the end of February! My co-founder and I have been blown away by how many people have joined. I have really met some great moms, and Ella has really come to adore some of the kids in the group.

But I know that mom's groups sound like something only stay-at-home-moms that play tennis and vacation in the Mediterranean are interested in. But they are really something completely different nowadays. I always feel like people look at me strange when I say that I am going out with my mommy group for a mom's night out or craft night. They definitely give me a "Aren't you too young to be in a mom's group?" look. But that really couldn't be farther from the truth. Our members are extremely varied in age. We also have moms from all walks of life. Some are single, some married, some divorced, some work, some stay at home, some work from home, some are religious, some are conservative, some are liberal, some have newborns, some have grown children, etc. There is someone that anyone can relate to in the group, which was really important to both Sydni and I. We did not want a group that exluded anyone or made anyone feel uncomfortable. Having such a diverse group of women has been the best part of the group in my opinion. I love learning about other people and cultures, and our group has really allowed that to happen.

Still on the fence about whether you should join or create your own group? Well, read on for a list of reasons to take the plunge into the mommy group world.

Reasons you should join/create a mom's group:

1. You need friends! Not that you may not already have a plethora of girlfriends you can call at a moment's notice, but how many do you have that also have kids, or are also married, or are also dealing with a messy divorce, or also understand that moms are often late so they don't bat an eyelash when you walk into the store 20mins late and wearing mismatched shoes? Other moms offer this! Find some mommy friends! They understand the struggles of a toddler that refuses to sleep in their own bed or throws tantrums for cheese (yes, I am talking about Ella here).

2. You need to get out of the house sometimes! Adult time is necessary to stay sane! I literally can't function properly after a week in the house with no outside interaction. It's a lifesaver. Not to mention being in a mom's group is a great way to get to do things that you want to do, just not alone. Concert or festival coming up that you are dying to go to? Just post it and you will be amazed how many other moms want to go too!

3. Being in a mommy group is one of the best ways to network! You can meet so many different types of women, many of whom can expose you to things (such as job opportunities) that you never even thought about. As you meet more moms, talk about what your talents are or what you are passionate about because you never know what connection that person may be able to offer you (by the way, this is just a good practice in everyday settings as well).

4. Your kids need social interaction. They need to be around other kids. This is especially true if, like Ella, your child is an only child and not in daycare. They crave the interaction just as much as you do!

5. Uh, hello? Mom's night out!!! Duh!! This is one of the best reasons! Time out with the girls WITHOUT the kids?? Yes, please! Whether it is to go see a new movie, eat out, go to a wine tasting, craft night, or anything else, you need to have time to yourself. Taking a break from the kids is okay! Enjoying time with friends is good! And not feeling guilty afterwards is essential!!! Leave the kids with Dad or a babysitter, and go have a good time. And don't feel bad about it!


After all of these great reasons to join or create a group, I hope you are about Google mommy groups in your area! MeetUp is a great way to find all kinds of groups in your area! And if there isn't a group in your area that you feel comfortable joining, then start your own (which you can also do on MeetUp for a small monthly fee)! I promise that it is not hard at all! It's actually really fun and exciting! And if you are in the Birmingham, AL area, check our group out! Here's a sample list of the things we have done or will be doing in our group:
Local festivals
SplashPad
Wine and Painting night (MNO)
Dinner and movie (MNO)
Pool dates
In-home playdates
Picnics
Mom's Sunday Brunch
Book Club
Cooking Club
Cookouts
Trivia Nights
Water parks
IJump
Skating party
And a ton more!!!

So go ahead and join a mom's group! You will be happy you did. No tennis playing and Meditteranean vacations required!

Book Review Tuesday: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Okay, so I totally slacked and this post is actually happening on Wednesday...my bad! Regardless, here it is!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Warning—Some Slight Spoilers!!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs centers around a teenage boy trying to find out the truth behind his Grandpa’s ‘fairy tale’ past. Jacob Portman quickly discovers that what once seemed like fairy tales are stories quite darker than he ever imagined. His journey halfway across the world introduces him to new people, new worlds, and new terrors.                

            Ransom Riggs did something unique when writing this novel--he included visual aids. The photographs allow the reader to really see what the author had in mind when writing the story of Jacob Portman. Although the photographs can be a bit disturbing, I appreciate the fact that I know exactly what to picture when the author says, “…a pair of freakish twins who were dressed in the weirdest costumes I’d ever seen” (p. 45).

  

           As far as the actual story, I followed the plotline fairly easily. The flow of the story was a bit jumpy, but I did not think I was missing parts. Riggs is very descriptive with his characters, locations, and emotions. This is essential to really feeling like you are a part of the story and not just an outsider looking in. The fact that World War II played a significant part of the novel just added to the positives for this novel for me—I like studying history, especially WWII. Some parts of the novel were a little expected such as the romance between Jacob and Emma, but having said that, I did not mind that what I expected came to fruition. That’s saying something! One thing I did not expect was that this would turn in to a series, which will obviously happen considering the cliffhanger ending. The idea of the story on the whole is pretty unique though. Riggs made himself stand apart by not writing a novel about love stories with vampires like so many other books out there—but don’t get me wrong I love those stories just as much as the next Twi-hard! It was refreshing! And I expect that Riggs’ writing will just get better.

 

 I look forward to reading the next novel to see what happens to Jacob and his peculiar friends!

-Lyndsey Mosley

Book Review Tuesday:

I've been doing a ton of reading lately, but haven't posted any book reviews yet. Therefore, I decided to start a new weekly post for the blog, "Book Review Tuesday", and it begins today! This first review is actually one I did a while back, but I still wanted to post it.

Let me know what you think! And share your thoughts on the book if you have read it! Enjoy!

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

 I read Redeeming Love based on the recommendation of a friend. I have to say that it is not the type of book that I normally would pick up, but since I am broadening my horizons I gave it a try. I made a good decision.

 It centers around a young woman named Angel brought up in a horrible life of prostitution from a very young age. A man named Micahel Hosea rescues her. Well, he thinks he is rescuing her but she wants nothing to do with him. The story follows the trials and tribulations that face a girl with a dark, shameful past and a God-fearing, Christian man.

The story is a Christian novel, which again is not something I have familiarity with reading, but the Christian themes are played in so well that it does not feel like you are sitting through a sermon. It simply made you realize the affect your faith can have on your life. The idea that everything can be dealt with if you trust in God is central throughout the story. Granted, there are some things in the story that are hard to believe. Such as a man's willingness to forgive as quickly as Michael does. But it is portrayed to be testimony of his faith in God.

Francine Rivers did a wonderful job of making you fall in love with her characters even though you knew of all of their misgivings. Most people cannot relate to a prostitute but people can relate to wishing you had not done something in your past. Everyone has something they regret and there are times that that regret makes you feel unworthy of something or someone. That is Angel in a nutshell.

 

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

 

-Lyndsey Mosley


Click here to purchase a copy from Amazon.

Post of Pictures

Well, we are pretty sure Ella threw our camera into the trash. Yep. That happened. Along with our remote control to the new TV. Yeah, that's our child. At least she throws her own diapers in the trash, too. That's a plus.

But anways, here are some pictures that have been taken lately..mostly taken by other people...hence the having no camera thing.

 These are all from my Uncle and Aunt's vow renewal ceremony. Photos taken by Ashley Norris of AP Photography

 And these are a few from Easter Weekend

Liebster Award!

So a few weeks ago something pretty awesome happened. This little ol' blog of mine was nominated for a Liebster Award! How cool is that! A great blogger by the name of Shauna at Freckles and Curse Words is the fabulous fellow blogger that gave me this really neat nomination. If you aren't already familiar with her blog, then you should definitely go check it out. It's pretty hilarious and very relatable! Luckily, Shauna also explained what a Liebster Award is since I am pretty new to this and was pretty clueless. I also Googled. I seriously can't get through one day without Googling something. There are some rules involved so let's get those out of the way first.

Rules:

1. Thank the person that gave you such an awesome nomination...and be sure to link back to them in your post!
2. Show how proud of your Liebster you are by displaying the badge for it somewhere on your blog!
3. Answer the 11 questions that you provided with by the person that nominated you.
4. Tell 11 random facts about yourself.
5. Pick 5-11 blogs with not a lot of followers yet and nominate them for their first Liebster.
6. Come up with the 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
7. Make sure you list the rules in your post!!
8. Comment on the blogs you nominate letting them know you nominated them and give them a link to check out your post to learn all about the Liebster!

My 11 Questions with Answers:

1. What made you decide to start a blog?  I needed somewhere to share all of my happiness and frustrations about being a new mom. I was in awe of my child yet overwhelmed at the same time. I had to get it out....and the blogging world seemed like the place to go. Besides, the world really needed another Mommy Blog, right?!? 

2. Your dream vacation would be.......There are two places that I have always wanted to go for as long as I can remember. Paris and New York City. I am so enticed by city life, yet the biggest city I have ever really been is probably Atlanta. Sad but true. I have this fantasy that I am meant to live in am apartment with a doorman in Manhattan, work at a news station while I also work on my book and save money to start a bookstore, sip Cosmos after work, and attend all of the glamorous parties. Alas, I live in Alabama...but a girl can dream! And Paris is my biggest dream! One day all of these things will come together for me!

3. Your go to comfort food? Would it be strange if I said Deer Jerky? Cuz I just did...and it's true. I live and die for that stuff! It's my crack.

4. Your favourite style era? The roaring '20s. I love the Flapper look.

5. Song you could listen to 400,354, 245 times in a row...3AM by Matchbox Twenty...Definitely my music when I am in one of THOSE moods.

6. Wine, Beer, or Liquor? Wine..Moscato d'Asti to be exact.

7. What is the one book you could read over again? All of the Harry Potters...and I have done it..multiple times.

8. Is there a goal your working on right now? What is it? All of these things! But if I have to choose just one, it is definitely trying to work on myself as a person. Being the best mother to Ella and partner to KT that I can. Trying to let go of things from the past that seem to keep creeping up on me and hindering me even now. There are a lot of things buried deep that I need to just let go of, but I am really struggling. I think I need a shrink. Any recommendations?? Just kidding...kinda..not really.

9. If someone gave you a butt load of cash to go back to school, would you go? What for? ABSOLUTELY!! I am a firm believer in education and that you can never truly get enough of it. The day I stop learning new things is the day you should be worried about me. Seriously. I think a lot about what I would get my Masters in, especially lately since I have been considering it, but I haven't narrowed it down yet. Library Sciences, Journalism, Business, etc..I am a little torn on what will benefit me the most at this point. Any suggestions??

10. Are you for or against plastic surgery? I am for whatever makes you the happiest. Who am I to say what you should or should not do with your body? I may not want any plastic surgery right now, but who knows what the future will hold. Because let's be honest, there are certain parts of your body that just never look the same after having kids....or BREASTFEEDING!!!

11. What TV show are you into right now? We have been watching Resurrection and Mixology onDemand. I like them both, but Resurrection had really better start doing some explaining here soon!


My 11 Random Facts:
1. As mentioned before, I Google a lot. Like a lot a lot.
2. As a matter of fact, I think my ideal job would be a fact checker (one that actually made good money) because I love to check and see if someone is actually correct when they spew random facts, especially if they are trying to challenge me on something I said.
3. I have a degree in Political Science, don't ask me why...
4. I really love to read. I even have my own Book Club and yeah, it IS pretty awesome.
5. Ella literally changed my entire life, but she made it better than I ever thought another human being could.
6. I don't drink soda..except the occasional Root Beer...
7. I have an entire kit to do Yoga, but I have actually only ever used it twice..but if you hear me talk about "doing my yoga" you would think I did it everyday.
8. I have wanted to move out of Alabama for as long as I can remember, yet at 25, I'm still here. Go figure.
9. I love to go shopping even if I don't buy anything. I am also more prone to buy one very expensive item of very good quality versus buying a ton of cheap things that will break or tear in a month.
10. I really enjoy volunteering and interacting with other people of different backgrounds to learn about them and their life.
11. I was very serious earlier about always wanting to learn new things. I strongly believe that to keep our minds sharp and to also keep them open, we must always go out of our way to learn new things. This includes learning about different types of people, so that we can constantly learn to be more compassionate for others. This is the way I try to live my life, and it is also one of the most important things that I hope to teach to Ella.

Blogs I choose:
1. Solitary Spark--A Creative Writing Blog
2. Chasing Dragons
3. Skinny Latte Mommy
4. CurviMamiPetite
5. Letters to Sophia
6. Eva Marie Taylor

Your 11 Questions:
1. What has been the hardest part of blogging so far?
2. What has been the easiest part of blogging so far?
3. You have one day completely to yourself to do with as you please, what are you doing?
4. What is the last book you read?
5. If you had an open airline ticket to anywhere, where would you end up?
6. What's the best piece of advice you could give your children or future children?
7. What song is on your playlist that you are embarrassed to admit that you secretly rock out to when no one is around?
8. You are headed to a child's birthday party, do you wrap the gift or put it in a bag?
9. Your favorite place to go when you need some time to yourself?
10. You are given $10,000, but you only have one hour to spend it. What do you buy?
11. What is the biggest difference between the life you saw for yourself ten years ago and the life you actually have now?

Yay for my Liebster! Thanks so much Shauna! Looking forward to reading everyone's posts!

An Army Against Bullying

Today I was watching an episode of 'Katie', and the episode was about sexual cyber-bullying. It featured Sheila Pott, a woman that lost her daughter, Audrie, due to suicide after having revealing pictures go viral. We have all heard about bullying and the newest form of it, cyber-bullying. I know I have seen the commercials and ads and read the testimonies, and it always made me very sad to think of other people having to go through that. However, today was different. I wasn't just sad, I was scared. Scared because I now have a daughter that may one day experience this torment. Ella was sitting in my lap while I watched this mother share the story of her daughter hanging herself in their bathroom after having pictures of her passed out, naked body defiled by a marker all over sent to her classmates. I realized if this behavior continues it could one day be my child that is publicly humiliated like this...and it horrified me.

I immediately knew I had to do something, so I did what I do best. I researched. Click here for some facts you may not know about cyber-bullying.



Reading all of these facts and statistics satisfied my immediate need for knowledge, but I realized I also needed to DO something. Educating and raising Ella to be a strong, compassionate person is a big chunk of it, but the rest of the world has to change in order to eradicate this problem. Actually, "problem" isn't the right word for it. It's not severe enough to describe a situation where children are taking their own lives. It's an epidemic really. So I began to write. I do strongly believe that education and knowledge about the facts are key to ending this type of bullying that everyone keeps saying is really just kids being kids and pulling pranks. But education can only go so far. Bullies need to see the emotional and mental affects they cause. For those that are bullied, education and empathy won't do much to alleviate the pain they feel. They need to have their confidence, strength, and self-worth re-built. I deeply believe all of these things can be done, and I sincerely hope it can be done before another generation goes through the emotional damage of bullying.

How to stop bullying:
---For boys that are bullying:

1. Think about how you would feel if it was your mom or your little sister that was being violated. photographed, and made fun of by her peers? What would you do? Would you laugh right along with your buddies or would you punch the guy in the throat for even thinking about lifting her shirt up? What if it was your future wife that had naked pictures taken of her and put on the internet? Would you be okay with those pictures being available for anyone to look at or would you be enraged that someone dared to do that kind of thing to her? Because all of these things are what you are causing if you participate or even if you are just a witness.
2. Think about the consequences. It's not a prank, it's sexual assault. Your life could be destroyed. You could end up in jail and even be labeled as a sex offender for the rest of your life. You could lose out on getting into the college you want, being offered your dream job, you may never marry because you can't find a woman willing to accept your past, and you may never have the life you are envisioning right now. Touching and violating a girl that is unconscious or intoxicated is illegal. She cannot legally offer consent. Your "prank" is actually rape. Is it really worth getting a laugh out of your friends?

---For parents of girls that are bullied:

1. "Constant Vigilance"-Yes, that is a Harry Potter reference, but I believe it fits here perfectly. No one knows your child better than you, which means your child will do their best to hide it from you! Check their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blog to see what they are up to when you aren't around. You don't have to cross the invasion of privacy line to know what is going on in their lives. Pay attention to their sleeping and eating habits and their mood swings. Stress affects a person physically. Are they losing or gaining weight? Is their hair falling out? Are they withdrawing more and more into themselves? All of these could be signs that something is going on and you need to know about it.
2. Don't be the parent that your child is scared to talk to about things! Don't make your child fear you. Offer them support and let them know you are in their corner no matter what. Your daughter could have been passed out drunk when she was assaulted. Be sure she knows she can still tell you about it without you freaking out about the drinking.
3. Don't overreact. Your initial reaction is to be outraged (and rightly so!) and want someone to pay for this horrible torture your child has been going through, but don't do anything just yet. Talk to your child and see how they want you to respond. Factor their wants in to your decision about what to do. A lot of times you can inadvertently make things worse for your child. Form a gameplan and always put your child first. Spend time reassuring them they did nothing wrong, helping them cope with their feelings and emotions, and helping them re-build their self-confidence and self-image. Your child is more important than your anger! (This doesn't mean don't seek punishment for the offenders though!)

---For girls that are being bullied:

1. You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are intelligent. You are strong. You are important. You matter. And you will be okay! These are the most important things for you to know. Bullying hurts you but you are stronger than it...even if you don't feel very strong. You have support and help available to you. Take advantage of it. Talk to someone, a parent, teacher, friend, counselor, or even call a hotline. Whomever you feel most comfortable with. Hold your head up high and know that no one can break you unless you let them. Please know that you aren't alone. Besides just your friends and family supporting you, you have an army of strangers standing beside you, myself included.

As I was thinking about all of this today, I wondered who would really care what I had to say about sexual cyber-bullying. I've never been cyber-bullied and by most standards, I got off pretty easy in school as far as bullying goes. (Although I do distinctly remember a period of time in 8th grade that I asked my mom to check me out for every lunch period to avoid being the target of bullying) But I was never sexually assaulted in any way...if anything it was the opposite for me. I was made fun of for being the girl that never did anything with any boys. I was a "goody goody" and I remember how much I resented that term. Even if it was true. After thinking about all of this I realized that you don't have to be a victim of bullying to be against it. In fact, if more people that usually just watch from the sidelines decided to step forward and voice their outrage about the topic, then change could really begin to happen. Bullies have to be shown that they are not just facing their victims anymore, they are facing a nation full of people that will not accept their actions. Today I join the army against bullies, and I really hope everyone that reads this joins with me.

Please share your pledge to join the army against bullying below in the comments. Feel free to share your story of bullying if you'd like! And please share this with your friends because the more we talk about bullying the bigger of a difference we are making!