Book Review ~ Dead House

I grew up in the beginner days of R.L. Stine.  Back when Stephan King movies were popping out like weeds in a garden.  My grade school friends and I would one up each other's scary reads... You read Carrie?  Well I read IT!  Take that!  So I might have a thing for mysteries, and a wee bit of horror.
But I'm funny about my horror movies and or books.  Keep it clean please.  I like a good thriller, but I HATE demonic things.  HATE, like with a big old capital H.  Make me think for one second that you're summoning some evil spirit, and I'm out of there.  And this book straddled my delicate fence perfectly.
It goes a little like this... One girl, 2 souls.  One is your average teen, living in the sunlight, happy, friendly, pretty dang normal.  Soul #2 is her polar opposite.  Lives in the night.  Smokes, drinks, parties... the bad apple.  Both live in the same body... but the wonderful docs swear only one of them is really real...  
And then we get twisty.  Which soul is the real soul?  Or are both real?  And what happens when only one soul takes over?  And what about, just what if there's something else out there, something a wee bit darker playing the cards for both souls?  
So the cover jacket says this is the Author's first published piece... And I'm amazed.  It's a fun read, written as notes from a police file. There's pictures, and illustrations, but still remains grown up enough.  Could I put it down?  Sure.  Did I have guesses on the ending, a wee bit.  Did I want to finish it sooner than later, YES.  Best book ever, No.  But I liked it, and I think anyone who loves something new, and fresh, with a bit of mystery, and emotional turmoil will like it too.  
I need a rating system here.  I give it 4 out of 5... ummm, goats?  It was another one of those books where everything was going so strong, and well written, but the ending seemed to flat line for me.  I wanted more.  But none the less I still loved it, and The book was promptly added to my shelf to read again later.
So go, go get it, and support a new author who I'm sure we'll be hearing from a lot more in the future!
~~  Please note, I was not paid in any means for this fantastic review.  I grabbed the book from a table at a bookstore and took a chance.  (apparently some folks get paid to do reviews, I'm not one of the,... yet.  But the IRS makes me disclose all of this.  Because you know, they read my blog.  :)   )
~Em
Read any good books lately?

{Thankful, November 4, 2015}

Day 4... and no, I'm not talking tin foil... although tin foil does rock.  
Today I'm talking friends.  Those who toss a tin foil hat on their head right next to you without fear.  Those who get it, no matter what "it" is.  Friends who live across the country yet are always there.  The friends I've just met, the friends I have yet to meet, and the friends who have been there forever.  There's a few of you out there who keep me going.  You know who you are.  <3  Some days I owe you my all.  
~Em

{Thankful, November 3, 2015}

Hopefully this, Day 3, of my thankful post doesn't sound overly boastful.  Today I'm thankful for my talents.  Does that sound bad?  I'm always afraid of being too proud about anything.  I tend to cling to anything creative.  Something there screams safety, and memories.  I suppose I could be clinging to worse things.  :)  In a post written by a friend, she questioned what talents everyone wish they had...  And I never dreamnt that what I do daily, to help support my family, or to relax at night, would be things people only wish they could do... which seems sillier considering how much I still wish I could learn or improve...  And I suppose that means that those people we are envious of, probably, maybe are just as envious about us.  
The talent I want?  I wish I could sing, well.  Like famous Rock Star quality.  :)  No fears though, I'll stick to artistic expression with my hands.  
How about you?  Any talents you wish you had?
~Emily

{Thankful, Nov 2, 2015}

Day 2

These 2.  They drive me nuts, and wear me down, but I am still incredibly blessed, and thankful that both are in my life.  Need I say more? ~Emily

{Thankful, Nov 1, 2015}

Things have been beyond hectic and crazy here.  One of those exhausting crazies, where your head aches slightly always, and you avoid making a to-do list because you just might cry.  And you're just not sure if you're really getting ahead, ever...

Example.  My 12 year old car (I loved that thing, lol) died.  So through a lot of hard work and heartaches, and fights, we managed to buy a newer car... Which was a big deal, I'd been in an SUV for over a decade... And then a week later I am asked to join a new job, with dogs, in my car, ALL THE TIME.  (opps, maybe a tiny car wasn't the best idea)  And then my newer car breaks down, and we fight with the dealers, and it's fixed, for now.  And then the husband's car dies in the driveway.  Dead dead.  Two steps forward, a billion steps back.

This waltz has been going on all summer, and now fall, long.

With so many steps back happening all the time, the steps forward, the blessings tend to get forgotten rather fast.  (Like being thankful that you have a newer car that runs, when all you can think about are the two car payments you now have, as you shove 3 Golden Retrievers into you much too small back seat.)

So I'm going to do something I always hate doing... following memes.  My apologies in advance.  :)  Here's the beginning of my attempt of a month of remembering the good things, everyday.  Photo style.  (And maybe I'll remember not to ramble on for 2 hours with every picture)


Day 1 (November 1, 2015)

This summer I took a job with a therapy dog ministry (more on that one day, I'm sure).  In short they send me lots of Golden pups, and I train them.  Their main focus is to provide a shoulder to lean on, to comfort people no matter what, and it's probably one of the most amazing ministries out there... But I'm thankful to steal little moments with these pups, to be able to get my own little comfort sessions with them, as things go crazy around here.  This one I have bonded to the most (shhh don't tell), and even though I have to give her up soon, I'm thankful fo these little moments with her.  <3

What are you most thankful for this hectic holiday season?
Please feel free to share in the comments, or to link to your own thankful posts!

~Emily