Oh, my! What was young me thinking? I bought this book when I was probably a late teenager. Who knows why! Honestly, this book is not great. I flipped to a random page and it is talking about training your children. Children are not pets. It also says a child's behavior is the direct result of how the parents raised them. Not always true!

* Learned behavior - Blame the mother.

* Retrain your man

*Don't nag at your kids, train them

* Men need 30 minutes to "fire gaze" after a long, hard day at work. Leave the man alone.

*Mother-in-Law: An anagram of Woman Hitler

*Young people are more likely to lie, cheat & steal.

It actually says if a man tells an offensive joke, don't get offensive, because if you do, it is you who chose to be offended. Then it gives examples of so-called jokes a man might tell. I won't tell you the answer, but to give you an idea. What's the difference between a tart and a bitch? What's the difference between a woman with PMS and a terrorist? Why do men give their penis a name? What can you say to a man who's just had sex? The answers... are sexist and of course, they are offensive. Why can't someone be offended by them?

Jokes and humor do ease pain, as the book points out, but there is a line you can cross.

Judging from the title, it's obvious the book treats men like they are not smart, and the book really does! Some guys might be clueless, some girls might like shoes, but not every single one.

I really like T. B. Markinson, a lot, enjoying her style and usage of the english language in her vivid descriptions of anything from mood to relationships, so fluid and enjoyable that one can easily stay up reading past their bedtime.

Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage" had a character I really related to and that time of my life I was so like Phillip it was amusing. Here I find another character in Lizzie that reminds me so much myself. I related to her, felt like I knew her.

In addition to a charming, realistic romance, Lily, the main character meets with a fellow named Ethan once a week and they are both like therapists for each other which is just so enjoyable for me, a flawed-in-his-own-right confessor, who sounds like a good friend to have for his insight, wit and humor.

But then, Lizzie has so many people that just want to show her the way. She's so close but cannot see the forest for the trees. Placing her as a student of history, a field of study where the ending is known to all and the essential points must be dug out from intensive (solitary) research is the perfect field for her. She is probably not one to suddenly take an interest in the future/Science Fiction.

So. T.B. Markinson, thank you for yet another of your wonderful books, Recommended.

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

 

Chloe’s Christmas Eve shift at GoodFoods Market just got a lot more complicated. Normally, it’s only inward swooning over Tyson, keeping up with her insulin levels, and preventing herself from making millions of lists that plague her work life, but not today. Today management has discovered that he donation box has been robbed and the six teen workers are the most likely suspects. Now, they must work together to clear their names or they’ll be locked in jail (AKA the breakroom) for who knows how long. Can they prove their innocence (and maybe even catch the bad guy) or will this Christmas be ruined by criminal charges?

 

I loved Chloe instantly. She’s sweet and quirky and has a compulsive need to make lists of everything. She is constantly making mental lists. She actually writes out physical lists. Top ten lists, top five lists, best moments, worst moments, movies, actors, everything you can think of, she has a list about. That quirk humanized her to me. It also make me extremely envious. I love things too much that I can never pick a favorite or really whittle it down to a comprehensive list. Asking me what my favorite movie or show or book is would send me into a tale spin of “I can only pick one?!?!” drama. Anyway, Chloe can not only make lists, but remember them long enough to jot them down later. She seemed like a completely real character, with the perfect amount of flaws to keep her grounded. Her crush on Tyson is so adorable that I was awww-ing constantly.

 

The writing is so readable that I had a hard time putting it down. From moment one, I wanted needed to know what happened next. Will Chloe finally get Tyson? Who actually stole the money? Will Chloe make it home without having to reveal her secret diabetes woe to her co-workers? WILL CHLOE FINALLY GET TYSON? I need to know. I have to know now. TELL ME! It’s also surprisingly short to be so detailed. I’m always amazing at how some authors can completely wow me with 200 – 300 pages. The last book that made me feel that was was Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram (which you should definitely pickup if you haven’t already). For something that speaks to me so much, I really expect a longer book, but Czukas manages to smack my emotional face in the best possible way in a scant 300 pages.

 

For me, this has a very Breakfast Club feel. Even though the situation is entirely different, it’s still 6 kids with little to nothing in common thrown together to become friends. It has that unity between the misfits feel and that had me loving it more. These six kids are from different lives, different backgrounds, some even different schools, and yet under this particular situation, they become the most unlikely friends. And when it’s over, you can’t help but feel that these kids will find a way to stay connected, that this is the type of friendship that will last a lifetime. Hell, it leaves you with the hope that friendships can last a lifetime.

 

This novel is perfect. You get friendship, love, humor, drama, and a decent mystery all wrapped up into one. It’s exactly what I wanted when I picked it up and much more than I expected. Anyone who is a fan of contemporary shenanigans, The Breakfast Club, or just a fun little novel with a bit of heart, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed!

 

****Thank you to Harper Teen for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss and GoodReads First Reads for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review****

Couldn't finish

Pearls Before Swine