A Winter Poem

A relative sent me this poem in her Christmas card 

and I knew that I had to share it with you this winter.

This was one of our trees a year ago today, March 7, 2013

White Fields

By James Stephens

In the winter time we go

Walking in the fields of snow;

Where there is no grass at all;

Where the top of every wall,

Every fence, and every tree,

Is as white as white can be.

Pointing out the way we came,

-Every one of them the same -

All across the fields there be

Prints in silver filigree;

And our mothers always know,

By the footprints in the snow,

Where it is the children go.

The Winner of THE FEVER TREE by Jennifer McVeigh

Using Random.org, I have chosen a winner of THE FEVER TREE by Jennifer McVeigh.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email and if not, then I will choose a different winner.  Thanks to all of you who read my blog, took the time to enter, and support me.

And the winner is.......................................

Amy F.

How I Kicked the Diet Dew Habit

Last Year I Gave Up Diet Mountain Dew for Lent

Today is the first day of the Lenten season.  It spans the time from Ash Wednesday (today) to Easter Sunday (April 20). It is a season of remembering the sacrifice Jesus gave for each one of us and remembering that He came back to life.  It is 40 days to remember the fasting Jesus did during his final days. It is a time for us, as Christians, to reflect, repent, pray, and prepare our hearts for His glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Many Christians decide to give up something in their life during the 40 days of Lent to try to somehow understand Jesus's sacrifice for us. There really is no comparison, but by giving up something we love and desire, we can get be reminded daily of His suffering on the Cross.  Many people will give up a food item like chips, candy, or chocolate.  Or beverages like pop or alcohol or coffee (the horror!). I have also had friends who have given up social media, shopping, or TV.  

For many years I was a Diet Mountain Dew drinker.  I knew that it wasn't good for me.  I knew that the aspartame in diet pop was likely the cause of my upset stomachs, headaches and general feeling of blah. I really wanted to give up pop in general, so last year during Lent, I gave up Diet Mountain Dew.  Before Lent, I had gone from drinking one a day to maybe just a few a week. So, I was prepared to go "cold turkey" during Lent.  If you are thinking about giving up pop or any other "bad habit", here are some suggestions. 

Steps to Stop Drinking Pop or Diet Pop

• Reduce your consumption - If you drink 3 a day, start by drinking 2 a day, giving up the one that will be easiest for you to lose.  If you have one in the morning, one at lunch, and one during the afternoon, give up your one at lunch. Do this for one week. If you are just having one pop a day, give up one of your days, for example, no pop on Wednesday.  If you were drinking caffeinated pop, you may experience headaches as you remove the caffeine from your diet.  Drink plenty of water and take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help, if needed.
• Reduce your consumption again - For the next week remove another pop from your routine.  Either remove a second from your daily intake or from your weekly intake .
• Add in exercise or a sparkling water to replace pop during one of your times. You may still want that "bubbly" taste during your afternoon break.  Try a drink like La Croix Coconut water that is calorie free but still offers the sweet bubbly flavor.  You may also be feeling sluggish due to the lack of caffeine and/or sugar.  Be sure to check the ingredients of your sparkling beverage so it isn't adding the same amount of sugar as a soda or is "sugar-free" and contains aspartame just like pop.  Drinks like Vitamin Water, Vitamin Water Zero, etc are ones you should avoid.  Talking a brief walk can also be a way to help your mind forget about the pop you aren't drinking. 
• Continue to remove pop from your daily routine until you are down to just one or two a week.  When you feel ready, remove all pop from your daily routine. 

I didn't go from several Diet Mountain Dew a week to nothing.  I worked my way down to just a few a week so that when Lent came around, I knew that I was ready to completely remove it.  In giving up the Diet Mountain Dew, I have also pretty much given up all pop.  Occasionally, I will have a Diet Coke as part of a mixed drink.  But, when I am out for dinner, I order water or iced tea and I have found a few drinks that are more exciting than water to drink during the day.  I have greatly increased my daily water intake, but sometimes I just want something more than water.

Some beverages I have found to replace the taste I get from pop:

Both of these Steaz Beverages are very refreshing.  The one on top is a sparkling variety and the one below is just like a flavored iced tea.  I have not be able to find these in any of our local stores.  Since they are considered organic, they may only be available in health food stores.  I have gotten mine on Amazon with my Prime Membership.

The Hint water was one I tried after Amazon offered it as one of their "Lightening Deals" last year.  The water has just a hint of blackberry flavor.  The only odd thing I can say about it is that it seem "thick". I don't know how to describe it other than there seems to be a different consistency than just plain water, even though it tastes exactly like water....with a hint of flavor. I also haven't seen Hint Water in any of our local stores.

I have been an Izze fan for awhile.  They are nice small cans and are a refreshing drink anytime of day.  My favorites are the Blackberry and Orange. My husband likes the Grapefruit one. Izze is available at Target and Hy-Vee in my area. It comes in cans as well as glass bottles.

I am new to the La Croix fan club.  I have been telling all my friends about it.  I love the Coconut and Peach/Pear varieties.  I have mixed the Coconut with Simply Raspberry Lemonade for a little variety as well.

Benefits Are Worth It

There are many benefits to reducing and/or removing the consumption of Diet and Regular Pop.  If this is something you struggle with, I hope that you will consider these steps and ask a friend, a co-worker, your spouse, or even your children to support you.  It won't be easy, but I promise you won't regret it.  From someone who hasn't had a Diet Mountain Dew in a year, having just one sip made me realize how much I don't miss it.  I wonder how I ever drank the stuff in the first place.  It just didn't even taste good to me anymore. My headaches are few. My upsets stomachs are nearly non-existent.  My mid-afternoon sluggish moments are revived by running on the treadmill rather than running to the fridge.

 You can do it! I know you can! 

Book Review: Fallen Beauty By Erika Robuck

FALLEN BEAUTY

By: Erika Robuck

Published: March 4, 2014

Fiction

I am thrilled to be a part of the FALLEN BEAUTY Official Blog Tour.  Today FALLEN BEAUTY is officially on sale.  You can get your very own copy, HERE. 

Erika Robuck will embark on a national tour in March, meeting with booksellers, bloggers, and readers across the country…

March 7 - Launch event at BARNES & NOBLE in Annapolis, MD

March 11 - Luncheon at PAGE & PALETTE in Fairhope, AL (12PM) 

March 12 - Reading and book signing featuring friend and NYT Bestselling author, Karen White, at FOXTALE BOOK SHOPPE in Woodstock, GA (6:30PM)

March 13 - Ticketed luncheon at FICTION ADDICTION in Greenville, SC (City Range at 12PM)

March 14 - Reading and book signing at MALAPROPS in Asheville, NC (7PM)

March 15 - Reading and book signing at PARK ROAD BOOKS in Charlotte, NC (2PM)

March 17 - Reading and book signing at THE COUNTRY BOOKSHOP in Southern Pines, NC (4:30PM)

March 22 - A multi-author event featuring Nora Roberts’ Shadow Spell at TURN THE PAGE in Boonsboro, MD (12PM)

                                                               

*For more information on Erika’s tour events, please visit www.ErikaRobuck.com and participating bookstore websites. 

Please be sure to check out the other stops along the FALLEN BEAUTY Blog Tour for more unique review coverage and additional chances to enter to win a giveaway copy of FALLEN BEAUTY!!

February 17 -  A Patchwork of Books and Maurice On Books

February 18 - Jenn’s Bookshelves, Burton Book Review, and Leah's Thoughts

February 19 - Great New Books

February 20 - Chick Lit Plus and Girls Just Reading

February 21 - Book Dilettante, Chefdruck: French, and Bookfoolery

February 22 -  *Millay's Birthday* - BookNAround,  Entertainment Realm, and Two Classy Chics

February 24 - Laura's Review Bookshelf and Crystal Book Reviews

February 25 - Literally Jen and Confessions of a Book Addict

February 26 - Literate Housewife and LitChat

February 27 - Anita Loves Books, To Read or Not To Read, and Kayla's Reads and Reviews

February 28 - Silver's Reviews, A Novel Review, and The Write Teacher(s)

March 3 - Alison's Book Marks

March 4 - *On-Sale* - Biblio File, Sincerely Stacie, Minding Spot, and Bookalicious Mama

March 5 - Teresa's Reading Corner, Book Addict Katie, and So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

March 6 - Entomology of a Bookworm, Steph The Bookworm, and Kritters Ramblings

March 7 - My 5 Monkeys and Traveling With T

By visiting all these other sites on the "Book Tour" you can get a real sense for what this book is about.  I am honored to be a part of the "Book Celebration" in a sense and excited to share my thoughts with you about FALLEN BEAUTY. 

In Erika Robuck's tale, you will find passion, intrigue, romance, and feel a sizzling energy during a very difficult time in two women's lives.  First we are introduced to Laura.  She is the daughter of a dress-maker who suddenly dies and Laura must find a way to take over the business. In the mean time, her sister is planning to marry an upcoming political figure and Laura has just found out she is pregnant with her forbidden lover's child.  The other woman in the story goes by many names including Vincent, but is really Edna St. Vincent Millay, the famous poet.  She and her husband live a "progressive" life in the mountains near a small village in upstate New York.  They have lots of wild parties that include sex and alcohol.  The people of the community are horrified to have such debauchery take place so near their homes and have shunned Millay from their lives as well as anyone who takes part in the wild parties.

The story begins in 1928, a time when family loyalty, responsibility and respect are the driving forces behind everyone's choices.  When Laura falls in love with someone who is not available, their one night of passion leads to a child that she is forced to raise on her own, much to the glaring eyes of the people in her community.  She watches as her shop bell no longer rings and orders stop coming in.  Desperate for a way to pay her bills, she agrees to make costumes for the flagrant poet.  Even though she is already shunned by her community and friends, Laura must take this risk to be able to keep her shop and take care of her daughter.  

Each chapter we are told the story from both Laura's and Vincent's perspective.  I was mainly interested in Laura's story.  She was a women that I would have chosen as a friend. She had a deep care and concern for others and was passionate about her clothing designs. Vincent on the other hand, was selfish, dramatic, and narcissistic. I found her whining to be nauseating and annoying.  In her world, there are no rules and she is in charge.  She has no care of what others think and was extremely full of herself. I was glad her parts of the book were short.  I am not a huge poetry fan, but for those that are, they will appreciate that Millay's poems are sprinkled throughout the story.  

When I was approached to review this book, the first thing that drew me to it was the cover. I have always felt that the cover truly is the first part in the sale of a book and this one definitely catches the eye and will make you pick it up.  It is just gorgeous. I love the title, FALLEN BEAUTY as it tells so much about both Laura and Millay. Even though it was used to describe Laura in the book, it can equally be used to paint a picture of Millay's life throughout the story. As we travel through ten years in these two women's lives, we are treated to heartache and love, growth and change. How did the two women fare by the end of the story? You will have to read to find out.

My favorite line from the book actually came from Vincent's story.  I read an uncorrected proof and can't state for sure that this part of the book made the final cut, but I hope it did.

"If my life was a quilt, there would be squares I'd want torn out."

Don't we all wish we could recreate past incidents in our lives? Those blocks of a quilt tell our story and no matter the pain, the blocks must remain. 

In the beginning, I wasn't sure I liked the book, but it grew on me as I turned the pages.  I was reading it fast at first because I had a deadline, but as I neared the last third of the book, I was turning the pages more to find out what would happen.  If you can get past the sordid life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, you will find much about this novel to love.

Erika Robuck - Photo Credit Catsch Photography LLC

Erika Robuck has appeared on the Southern Independent Bestseller List for CALL ME ZELDA and is the critically acclaimed author of HEMINGWAY'S GIRL.  Born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, Erika was inspired by the cobblestones and old churches.  She is a contributor to the popular fiction blog, Writer Unboxed, and maintains her own historical fiction blog called Muse.  For more information please visit www.erikarobuck.com, and Twitter @ErikaRobuck.

To purchase FALLEN BEAUTY, click on the photo below:

Thanks to Penguin Group for sending me a copy of this book for review and for the spot in the "Book Tour". I was not compensated in any way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.  If you chose to purchase the book through the above links, I will receive a small compensation without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com book reviews. 

Books That Came My Way in February

I have had some great books come my way this past month and I know I have another great month of reading ahead.  Last month will be tough to beat with three 5 Star book reviews in just one month.  Here are the books that came my way for review or from my own purchases.  Maybe one of these books will pique your interest as well.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on a book I have read or shared with you as well!

If you would like to purchase any of these books, clicking on the photo of the book will take you directly to Amazon.  If you choose to purchase, I will receive a small compensation without you having to pay any more for your purchase.  I appreciate you supporting SincerelyStacie.com book reviews.

MARCH'S BOOK CLUB BOOK

THE SISTER SEASON
By: Jennifer Scott

This came my way for review in November and got pushed to the bottom of my to-read pile.  It was my turn to choose the book this month and since I have two sisters and there are two sisters in my book club, I thought this was the perfect choice.

It’s December 21, and the Yancey sisters have been called home. When the girls were young, holidays at their family farm meant a tinsel-garnished tree, the scent of simmering food, and laughter ringing through the house. But as the years unfolded, family bonds fractured, and the three sisters scattered and settled into separate lives. Until now. The Yancey sisters are coming to spend the holidays with their mother. They’re also coming to bury their father.

Claire, the youngest, a free spirit who journeyed to California, returns first. Then comes Julia, the eldest, a college professor with a teenage son of her own. And finally there’s Maya, the middle child, who works so hard to be the perfect mother and wife. 

During the sisters’ week together, old conflicts surface, new secrets emerge, and the limits and definitions of family are tested. And as the longest night of the year slips by and brightening days beckon, the sisters will have to answer one question: When you’re a sister, aren’t you a sister forever?

BOOKS I RECEIVED FOR REVIEW 

SILENT IMPACT 
Stories of Influence Through Purpose, Persistence, and Passion
By: Joe Schmit

This came to me from the author and I am really looking forward to reading it  It sounds both motivating and inspiring! The author, Joe Schmit used to work at KCRG-TV9 news in Cedar Rapids, which is near us and is currently in Minneapolis as a broadcaster.

We make our biggest impressions when we are not trying to be impressive. The words we say or don't say, the things we do or don't do, and the ways we react or don't react can have a tremendous influence on those around us. In Silent Impact, award-winning broadcaster Joe Schmit tells stories of real people and the ways in which they had profound influence on others in daily life. He points to simple, powerful lessons in the stories, and will inspire you to recognize your daily opportunities to make an intentional impact on others.

RAISING JOHN
By Jennifer Lesher

This is a part of a book tour with Virtual Author Book Tours.  Check out my review on March 25, 2014.

How do you go on living when you have done the unforgivable? How do you love a mother you barely remember? John is an orphan who misses the mother he hardly knew. Robert is the drunk driver who killed her. As the story opens we meet 4-year-old John, who wonders why his mother had to die. Robert wakes up in lockup, expecting to sleep off a blackout and go home, until he learns of the accident he caused. John grows up under the care of his devoted maternal grandmother, who grapples with guilt over her daughter’s past. Just as John is on the cusp of manhood, he must confront his mother’s death anew and question everything he has come to believe about himself and the people he loves. Robert is sentenced to 4 years in state prison. His incarceration begins a journey that will have a profound effect on not only himself, but on the life of the boy he orphaned, and on the legacy of the young mother who died.

BURN THE FAT FEED THE MUSCLE
Transform Your Body Forever Using the Secrets of the Leanest People in the World
By: Tom Venuto

This came to me through a request from the publisher/marketing group. I've been reading a lot of books about getting healthy and I'm really looking forward to this one as well.

For twenty-five years, industry veteran and bestselling author Tom Venuto has built a reputation as one of the world’s most respected fat-loss experts. In Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle—known by fans as “the bible of fat loss”—Tom reveals the body transformation secrets of the leanest people in the world. This is not a diet and it’s not just a weight-loss program; this is a breakthrough system to change your life and get you leaner, stronger, fitter, and healthier with the latest discoveries in exercise and nutrition science. 

WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A...FIREFIGHTER
Will's Amazing Day
By: Wigu Publishing

I have read two others in this series and loved them both.  I'm thrilled to share this one with you as well! This is a great series for children that you don't want to miss!

Will was excited to go on his class field trip, until he learned they would be touring the local firehouse. Now, he is dreading the trip. For as long as he can remember, Will has been afraid of fire and, worse than that, firefighters! Though he knows firefighters are heroes who do dangerous work, to him they are giants in heavy coats and masks. As he journeys with his class through the fire station, Will and readers alike are introduced to the exciting world of firefighting. Can Will overcome his fears and maybe even learn something surprising about himself?

MAKE YOURSELF AMAZING
By: Sarah Coleman

This came to me through a request from the author.  This is only available as an eBook and is free with your Amazon Prime (One Year Membership).

Make Yourself Amazing will transform your thinking and relationships. 

Do you want to:
Be a better person?
Achieve your goals?
Reduce stress?
Develop more meaningful connections?
Tackle challenges with confidence?
...and more? 

Make Yourself Amazing examines integrity, habits, perseverance, the power of thoughts and words, looking for the best in others, and taking risks. Your heart and mind will not be the same. 

BOOKS I PURCHASED

THE SECRET DAUGHTER

By: Shilpi Somaya Gowda

This was a Kindle purchase based on it one-day low price.  If you want to be "in the know" on daily Kindle Deals, be sure to follow me on FACEBOOK or TWITTER where I share all the great deals I find! 

Secret Daughter, a first novel by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, explores powerfully and poignantly the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love through the experiences of two families - one Indian, one American - and the child that binds them together. 

A CONFIDENT HEART DEVOTIONAL
60 Days to Stop Doubting Yourself
By: Renee Swope

This was a Kindle purchase based on a one-day low price.  I already own  A CONFIDENT HEART and jumped at the chance to get the Devotional as well.  I've loved everything I have read from Renee Swope.

Built on the hope-infusing truths found in the 2012 Retailer's Choice Winner, A Confident Heart, Renee Swope's new 60-day devotional takes women on a journey toward lasting confidence. Swope has expanded her popular "When I say--God says" statements and Scriptures, and offers women a daily thought-map to help them exchange their most common and crippling self-doubts with God's transforming truths.

Like having a conversation with a friend and mentor, Renee's authentic style and soul-stirring devotions include personal stories, powerful biblical teaching, and real-life application wrapped around one of God's promises each day to help readers: 

•live confidently in their God-given roles, relationships and responsibilities
•break free from people-pleasing and performance-based living
•believe God's promises and apply his truth in their daily lives
•trust the certainty of God's truth over their circumstances and emotions

SH*T MY DAD SAYS
By: Justin Halpern

I purchased this for my husband for Valentine's Day and also look forward to reading it.  I learned about it after a recommendation from my friend who said it is HiLaRiOuS! It is still just $2.99 for Kindle.

After being dumped by his longtime girlfriend, twenty-eight-year-old Justin Halpern found himself living at home with his seventy-three-year-old dad. Sam Halpern, who is "like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair," has never minced words, and when Justin moved back home, he began to record all the ridiculous things his dad said to him:

"That woman was sexy. . . . Out of your league? Son, let women figure out why they won't screw you. Don't do it for them."

"Do people your age know how to comb their hair? It looks like two squirrels crawled on their heads and started fucking."

"The worst thing you can be is a liar. . . . Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar. Nazi one, liar two."

More than a million people now follow Mr. Halpern's philosophical musings on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his quotes. An all-American story that unfolds on the Little League field, in Denny's, during excruciating family road trips, and, most frequently, in the Halperns' kitchen over bowls of Grape-Nuts, Sh*t My Dad Says is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father-son relationship from a major new comic voice.

THE HOUSE GIRL
By: Tara Conklin

I've been wanting to read this and it was a one-day low priced purchase so I couldn't pass it up.

The House Girl, the historical fiction debut by Tara Conklin, is an unforgettable story of love, history, and a search for justice, set in modern-day New York and 1852 Virginia.

Weaving together the story of an escaped slave in the pre–Civil War South and a determined junior lawyer, The House Girl follows Lina Sparrow as she looks for an appropriate lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking compensation for families of slaves. In her research, she learns about Lu Anne Bell, a renowned prewar artist whose famous works might have actually been painted by her slave, Josephine.

Featuring two remarkable, unforgettable heroines, Tara Conklin's The House Girl is riveting and powerful, literary fiction at its very best.

REAL HAPPY FAMILY
By: Caeli Wolfson Widger

This came to me as part of the Kindle First program.  It is also free with a Amazon Prime (One Year Membership).

Part-time actress, full-time party girl Lorelei Branch isn’t famous yet, but she’s perfected a Hollywood lifestyle full of clubbing, fashion, and the latest juice cleanse. When Robin, her sister-in-law and agent, throws a plum job her way, Lorelei jumps at the chance and auditions to be the new girl on television’s hottest reality show, Flo’s Studio.

Enter Colleen, Lorelei’s pill-popping mother, who wants nothing more than to see her daughter win the fame and glory she never had a chance to pursue herself. But Lorelei’s dream of becoming the next reality star is dashed when she loses the spot on Flo’s Studio to a stunning African woman. In an attempt to defend her daughter against what she calls a rigged contest, Colleen goes ballistic and delivers a racist rant on live television, sparking a national media frenzy. Lorelei flees the limelight, humiliated and broke, with her slacker boyfriend Don and heads for Reno where she begins to self-destruct.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Branch family starts to come apart at the seams. Colleen and her husband, Carl, are quietly drifting apart. Darren, Lorelei’s older half-brother, is stuck in Florida working on a contentious film set while his wife, Robin, continues the tedious regimen of fertility drugs meant to help them conceive a child. Desperate to bring the family together again and make things right, Colleen hatches a plan to stage an intervention for Lorelei on the reality show Real Happy Family. Soon the entire Branch family is entangled in a mission to bring the prodigal daughter back into the fold.

Will Lorelei ever forgive Colleen? Will Real Happy Family air their most sensational intervention yet? All roads lead to a seedy Reno hotel room, where a reality TV crew is waiting.

HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE
By: Barbara O'Neal

This is still just $1.99 on Kindle and is a book I've been wanting to read for awhile.

In a novel as warm and embracing as a family kitchen, Barbara O’Neal explores the poignant, sometimes complex relationships between mothers and daughters—and the healing magic of homemade bread. 
 
Professional baker Ramona Gallagher is a master of an art that has sustained her through the most turbulent times, including a baby at fifteen and an endless family feud. But now Ramona’s bakery threatens to crumble around her. Literally. She’s one water-heater disaster away from losing her grandmother’s rambling Victorian and everything she’s worked so hard to build.

When Ramona’s soldier son-in-law is wounded in Afghanistan, her daughter, Sophia, races overseas to be at his side, leaving Ramona as the only suitable guardian for Sophia’s thirteen-year-old stepdaughter, Katie. Heartbroken, Katie feels that she’s being dumped again—this time on the doorstep of a woman out of practice with mothering.

Ramona relies upon a special set of tools—patience, persistence, and the reliability of a good recipe—when rebellious Katie arrives. And as she relives her own history of difficult choices, Ramona shares her love of baking with the troubled girl. Slowly, Katie begins to find self-acceptance and a place to call home. And when a man from her past returns to offer a second chance at love, Ramona discovers that even the best recipe tastes better when you add time, care, and a few secret ingredients of your own.

THE 10 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WOMEN
By:  Glynnis MacNicol and Rachel Sklar

This is a Kindle Serial for just $1.99.  A Serial means you will get updates each time there is a new episode without additional cost. I've heard a lot about this book and like to read books about people who succeed against the odds or their stories of hard work and dedication.

The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women is a collection of essays revealing the secret career habits and hard-won wisdom of a diverse group of accomplished women, selected by Rachel Sklar and Glynnis MacNicol, co-founders of TheLi.st, the well-known network dedicated to elevating professional women.

Perhaps no group has experienced more upheaval in the last few decades than working women. In this series, each woman explores the one key habit or lesson that has made the difference in forging her career and attaining professional success.

Whether it’s CNN personality Sally Kohn’s exploration of emotional correctness or What Not To Wear's Stacy London on the wear and tear of our aspirational “Culture of Extraordinary”; why millennial Nisha Chittal won't tell you her age and what Cindy Gallop learned about sex while dating men half hers; how lessons from waitressing led Jenna Wortham to The New York Times or how Paula Froelich perfected the art of the “controlled burn” to start over after the end of a dream career—these essays uncover the challenges and delights of chasing, and finding, success in work and life as a professional woman.

THE ONE GOOD THING 
By: Kevin Alan Milne

This is still just $2.99 on Kindle.  It came to me as a recommendation from my friend, Tammy.  If she tells me about a book that I should read, I don't hesitate.  We have always enjoyed the same type of books and this one sounds like it will be another great read.

For as long as Halley Steen has known her husband Nathan, he has carried a handful of stones in his pocket. Each day he uses those stones to remind him to follow the Golden Rule, moving a stone from one pocket to the other with each act of kindness. So it's not unusual that Nathan stops to help a stranger on the side of the highway while on his way to his son's football game one Friday evening. But that one act will change all of their lives forever, when a car hydroplanes off the road, killing Nathan instantly.

As Halley and her children Ty and Alice struggle with their grief, Nathan's spiritual legacy lives on. A Facebook page appears, where countless stories about Nathan's selfless acts are shared. But among them is one that stands out, from a woman who says that Nathan saved her life. Neither Halley nor her children have ever heard of Madeline Zuckerman. But soon Halley discovers years of e-mails from this woman to her husband on his computer that refer to "our little girl." How could her husband have kept the secret of this other child for their entire marriage? Why had he lied to her? Was he not the man she thought he was?Only thirteen-year-old Alice maintains unwavering faith in her father. She knows there's an explanation. When she sets out to find Madeline and learn the truth, she will start to unravel the complex story of The One Good Thing Nathan Steen did that had the greatest impact of all.