Happy New Year!

Included in this post: a giveaway, an announcement, and more!!!

Quick update on my last post. Isabel asked about what Susan is reading, so I am copying my response here:

Thanks for the suggestion, Isabel. (She recommended The Grunt Padre for Peter to read.) Susan is starting The Outcasts from John Flanagan's new Brotherband series and is second in line for The Warlock by Michael Scott, which I am reading. This series (The Immortal Secrets of Nicholas Flamel) has gotten way out of control with new characters, realms, battles, doublecrossing, I don't even know who is good and who is bad anymore. It's decent kids' fantasy but I'm no longer a fan.


I began The Outcasts and stopped. I was daunted by the glossary of sailing terms that comes as an intro. Post Christmas, I tired of the Whirly Words app on my iPhone, tried The Outcasts again and really enjoyed it.

The plot is very similar to the first Rangers' Apprentice book, The Ruins of Gorlan. Hal, like Will, is a disadvantaged boy about to begin Brotherband training in Skandia, the setting of this book. Hal's Skandian father died a hero, and his Araluen mother is a former slave, so he doesn't quite fit in with the Skandian boys his age.

Brotherband training is when all the boys turning 16 in within a single year are divided into teams and taught necessary skills like weapons mastery and ship navigation. Sounds a lot like the apprenticeship program in Ranger's Apprentice.

I enjoyed it. I skipped the glossary of terms and never referred to it. I don't think I missed out on anything either. Young readers can always refer to it if needed.

That's about it on books. But here are some other things I recommend this winter:


A must have in Chicago this time of year. I was checking out at the Sephora inside Penney's, and it just so happened that "my lips hurt real bad."



I quickly grabbed this lip treatment and added it to my purchases. The $22.50 price tag gave me pause, but my lips "hurt REAL bad." I love it. I may be addicted to it. The flavor is delicious and the light tint of color makes me feel less pasty this time of year. (I did not know it would give me a "sexy, just-bitten" look as noted in the Fresh website description.)


Silk, sock liners from Lands' End. They aren't scratchy like wool, and they are thin enough that they don't make my shoes too tight when worn under regular shoes. And for those who live in warmer climes, my sil in Ft. Worth wears them as regular socks under her cowgirl boots.

And lastly, this foaming soap is keeping us from having cracked hands. I've used the Earth Mama Angel Baby products before and I love everything I've bought from them. The Angel Baby Bottom Balm has myrrh in it. Have you ever smelled myrrh? It smells spicy, kind of piney, reminds me of chrism. Do you think Mary used it as bottom balm for baby Jesus? It works really well. Also, I use the Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash and the Angel Baby Oil to make my own organic baby wipes.

Anyway, Fresh, Lands' End, and Earth Mama Angel Baby have never heard of me. But I am giving away a travel size bottle of the Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash and a pair of Lands' End Womens' Medium sock liners in Ecru. All you have to do is comment on this post, and for a second entry, you can "like" my post on Facebook and comment here again to let me know. The winner will be picked on Sunday, January 8th, the Feast of the Epiphany.

Lastly, this blog is undergoing a transformation. You may have noticed that you were re-directed to my new site at www.housewifespice.com where I will continue to blog about books, but lots of other things as well: movies, recipes, tv shows, daily life, science fair experiments (planned and unplanned), and so on. I'm still a Catholic mom who is crazy about books, but I'm crazy about other things too that I'd like to share with you.