TRACI TAYLOR'S BOOK REVIEW

Why I Pray in the Shower

2009-11-05T03:43:00.000-08:00

I was doing an appearance and ran into a guy named Darryl Duke who told me all about a book he'd written called Why I Pray in the Shower. Little did I know how much it would change so much of the way I think about things. Darryl’s a local guy who battled with all sorts of demons. His life was in a downward spiral and then one day he had an epiphany....I don't wanna give the whole story away, but I'll say that Darryl’s life completely changed. Sometimes reading “self help” type books can be a bore, but Why I Pray in the Shower is a book I couldn’t put down. I could relate to so many of the feelings Darryl experienced and wrote about. It’s so easy to get caught up in our frustrations and anger. To hold grudges and stew over the little things. But aren’t we missing out on the pleasures in life when we do that? Darryl Duke’s book walks along with him on his journey to finding true happiness in life. And whether or not you believe in prayer or in God, I really suggest Why I Pray in the Shower to you if you feel like you’re all alone in your struggles with no way out. Darryl Duke is proof that there is a way out. To learn more about Darryl Duke, to read his blog and to find out how you can pick up a copy of Why I Pray in the shower, click here.

2009-10-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

It's every parent's worst nightmare....your child ends up in a coma....will they ever come out of it? Can they hear you? Can they feel when you touch and hold them? In 1995, Jason Deierlein was and honor roll student, athlete and all around American kid, but his life and the lives of his parents changed forever on June 21st when Jason became comatose and stayed in a coma for 7 weeks. I've always said that if I ever were to end up in a coma, I'd want to be kept alive just in case there was a glimmer of hope for survival. Reading this book only made my stand stronger. In Return From A Comatose Mind, Jason shares what he remembers about being in a coma. Yep, Jason remembers hearing people talk and walk around. In one chapter, Jason describes actually feeling pain and screaming as you and I would, but no sound came out of his mouth. He was literally trapped in his own body. I can't promise you that you won't cry when you read this book (God knows, I sobbed). I can't promise you that you won't start thinking about all the what-if's, but I can promise you that this is a book that will grip your soul and a book that will keep you thinking long after you've finished reading it. To enter for your chance to win a copy of this book, click here. To learn more about Jason or to order a copy of Return From A Comatose Mind, click on the picture of the book above.

Through My Eyes

2009-10-02T03:57:00.000-07:00

Imagine this: you're a small child at the time of World War II. Imagine how terrifying it would be to live in fear of you life because you're of Jewish decent. Imagine rebuilding your life after leaving everything behind. Andre Nirenberger doesn't have to imagine this. He live it. Through My Eyes is a book writen by Andre that chronicles his life. Andre was borth in Poland in 1939 to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father. His father was out of town when World War II started, leaving his mother with the burden of hiding him from the Nazis. At one point, Andre just narrowly escaped being taken to Auschwitz. Andre could have been scarred for life because of everything that he went through, but it instead made him a stronger person and a very high profile high fashion hairstylist, who's clients included French Vogue models, movie stars, musicians and other high profile people. Andres journey didn't end there though....you'll have to read his book to find out what else he's accomplished! For more on Through My Eyes by Andre Nirenberger, click here. Andre also was kind enough to give me an extra copy of his book and I'd love to give it to you! Send me your name, address, daytime phone and email here and I'll enter you into the drawing!

Spangles, Elephants, Violets and Me

2009-09-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

I think that each of us at some point when we were kids wanted to run away from our parents and join the circus. A life of fun, lots of travel and much excitement. But what if you were a kid who's parents were actually part of the circus? Would it be as exciting as non-circus family kids believe? Well...the answer is a little bit yes and a little bit no. Victoria Cristiani Rossi lived the life of a circus kid as her parents were both part of the famous Cristiani family. Spangles, Elephants, Violets and Me is a book that takes and intimate look at the inside history of the Cristiani family told by someone who knew first hand what it was really like to live among the circus. Victoria tells stories of laughter and stories of tears, but what I enjoyed most about this book was the pictures. I'd find myself reading a story about a member of the Cristiani family and then flipping to the photos section to check out their picture. It sort of made me feel like I actually knew that person. If you were a kid who wanted to run away and join the circus, this book is a must read for you! You can find out how to pick up a copy of Spangles, Elephants, Violets & Me here and you can also put your name in the running to win a copy by emailing me your name, address, daytime phone number and date of birth here. Happy reading...I promise, this is a book that you won't be able to put down until you've read the whole thing!

Eat, Shrink and Be Merry!

2009-08-24T11:26:00.001-07:00

There’s nothing better than a cookbook sprinkled with humor and interesting tidbits and that’s exactly what Eat, Shrink and Be Merry is all about. Here’s an interesting fact from the book: “If you want to shed pounds, don’t fall victim to the “last supper” syndrome. You know…tomorrow you’re “officially: starting that trendy, new diet that’s all the rage in Beverly Hills…..for lots of people, just the anticipation of going on a diet can trigger drastic overeating, sending them into the vicious, unhealthy cycle of binging and crash dieting….” who knew?!? I’m a huge fan of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, so I grabbed my copy of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry and found a recipe that sounded tempting: The Great Pretenderloin (love the name, don’t you?!?) Here’s what the recipe called for:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp A-1 sauce
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary (I ended up using the not fresh kind)
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme (I ended up using the not fresh kind)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I used 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 whole beef tenderloin (about 3 lbs, fat trimmed)

Only thing I had to buy was the beef tenderloin, everything else I already had. Then I went to cooking and let me tell you…..YUM. No really, YUM! Not only was the recipe easy to make, but it smelled so good my mouth started to water before I’d even tried it. If you think that recipe sounds good, you should see all the others in the book Eat, Shrink and Be Merry! You can put yourself in the running to win a copy of the book by emailing me your name, address, phone number and date of birth here.

Vanessa's Choice

2009-08-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

Got home from work tonight, picked up this book and didn't put it down until I finished reading it. It's a quick and easy read, but one of those books that keeps you thinking about it long after you've finished. Vanessa's Choice is about a woman who made the decision to give her baby up for adoption rather than abort. I found myself wanting to slap some sense into Vanessa as I read her story, but then there were times I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and let her cry. It's one of those books where you feel an emotional connection to the main character. From abusive relationships, to being a single mom to a sweet little girl who for some reason calls her "Nessa" rather than "Mom" to finding herself homeless at 8 or so months pregnant, Vanessa's Choice explores Vanessa's struggles and triumph. I can't give it away, but the very last paraghaph in the book left me wanting more and wanting to know what happened next. Sonya Artis did a wonderful job writing this book and I'd love to give you the chance to win a copy. If you'd like one of your own, send me an email here with your name, address, date of birth and phone number. To learn more about Vanessa's Choice, click here.

You Go Girl

2009-07-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter where you work, there are gonna be jerks. So, you can cry, yell and take it out on your family after having to spend a whole day dealing with these people....or, you can learn how to keep your cool, not cry and not let them see they're getting to you. I'm a really sensitive person and take it pretty hard when people act like complete jerks. Can't tell you how many days I'd leave work and cry in the car the whole way home. Don't do that anymore. Not since I read Joy Hubers book, You Go Girl. Know when you're sitting there in your boss's office and he/she is screaming at you for something someone else did? Or something someone said something about you that's a complete lie? For many of us, our first reaction is to cry because we're being blindsided and we know we're not the ones in the wrong. Crying at work is not cool. Here's a little tip I learned from the book: "when you feel like you're gonna cry- glance up with your eyes. Don't move your neck or head, just glance up at the celing with your eyes. Doctors say the reason it works is because tear ducts are located in your lower or inner corners of your eyes." Wanna learn more secrets about how to hold it together at work and manage to get through the day surrounded by difficult people without going home and taking it out on the ones you love? You can find out how to pick up your copy of You Go Girl here.

Naturally Thin Secrets

2009-07-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you struggle with weight. One day it's up and the next it's down. Maybe you have the same problem that I do as well....you eat when you're not hungry. I'm not talking about shoveling food in your mouth just for the sake of doing it, but maybe you haven't eaten all day and force yourself to eat because you think you have to. I'm not a doctor and I can't claim what's right or what's wrong, but I can tell you that reading Naturally Thin Secrets really opened up my eyes to all sorts of stuff I never noticed before. Ever find yourself at a party where the host pushes food on you and you don't want it, but you take it anyway? Next time that happens, take a look around at who's turning down the offer for food. Bet you that it's people who are naturally thin. It's not that they're not eating in order to keep their figure, but that they're just not hungry. They know how to say no without feeling guilty. There are so many cool secrets like this. Secrets that naturally thin people have known all along, but now you can too with Naturally Thin Secrets. I promise you, this book will open to your eyes to tons of stuff and it's a really easy read too. You can learn more about how to get a copy of Naturally Thin Secrets here and you can also shoot me an email here and put yourself in the running to win my copy of the book.

Every Man Sees You Naked

2009-06-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Have a hard time understanding men? Ha! You're not alone. Picked up a copy of the book Every Man Sees You Naked by David Matthews. He's a writer for shows like The Young and The Restless, The Nanny and Half & Half. David gives we ladies an insider look at how the male brain works. Ever wonder exactly what guys look for in a woman? How about if men ever need romance (David says they don't)? Did you know that most men aren't attracted to powerful women? Or that even if a man is head over heels in love with you, he'll still check out other women? There are a lot of books and even a movie about what women want, but if you'd like to delve into the mind of men and get better idea of what they really want, this is definitly a book you'll want to check out. Warning though, this book contains some adult content. If you'd like a copy of this book, you can shoot me an email here and put yourself in the running to win one.