Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Salon November 29, 2009

The Sunday Salon.com

* I had a great Thanksgiving. Lots of good food and family. :)

* This was a good reading weekend also. I read the first four books in the After the Storm miniseries by Love Inspired. They were good and I am looking forward to reading the last two.

* One month to go before the end of the year. Lots of books to get read and reviewed. I am feeling a little overwhelmed.

* My favorite TV show is ending next Friday. Monk the series finale is Friday December 4. I am really depressed about it but looking forward to seeing how they tie up the loose ends. I have started reading the books based off the show and will let yall know what I think about them.

* I hope everyone has a great week back to work and reading time. :)

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Rubies in the Orchard: How to Uncover the Hidden Gems in Your Business by Lynda Resnick (Review)



From the website:

POM Wonderful. FIJI Water. Teleflora. The Franklin Mint. Lynda Resnick’s marketing triumphs read like an encyclopedia of branding. She is the smartest and hardest-working marketing brain in the business-the kind of marketer who can sell “ice sculptures to Eskimos.” But her brilliant ideas aren’t simply the result of random inspiration; they’re the products of a systematic approach to marketing that any company-large or small-can adapt to achieve success. In RUBIES IN THE ORCHARD, she divulges her secrets for creating some of the world’s most memorable and iconic brands, and the bull’s-eye strategies to sell them.

Lynda believes that every company can find “rubies in the orchard”, elements of intrinsic value that consumers will desire. Here, she shows how every successful marketing campaign begins with uncovering these hidden gems, and communicating their value honestly and transparently to the consumer.

Through Lynda’s behind-the-scenes narrative, we learn the secrets of her extraordinary successes, including POM Wonderful-the wildly popular 100% pomegranate juice that created an entirely new product category out of a fickle and obscure fruit-and FIJI Water, a fledgling brand she transformed into the #1 premium bottled water in America, with sales that have increased 300% since 2004.

A born marketer, Lynda shares tales from a remarkable life, from opening her own ad agency at age nineteen to the time she famously overpaid for Jackie Kennedy’s pearls at auction, then transformed her “mistake” into tens of millions of dollars in sales for the Franklin Mint. Here for the first time, she reveals her commonsense method of breaking through marketplace clutter and consumer cynicism, and creating blockbuster brands with true staying power.


My Review:

I found this to be an interesting and informative book. It seems to be heavy on the autobiography part and light on the marketing advice. What marketing advice is in the book sounds great. I am not in the marketing profession but she shows real life examples of how she made it work super successfully. The main point is finding the rubies or intrinsic values for that company and truly believing in the product. She promotes thinking inside the box. I liked reading the background information on the different companies she worked on like POM, Fiji Water, Telefora, and Franklin Mint. My favorite of her companies is probably POM Wonderful. The pomegranate was an overlooked wonder fruit before her company developed it. We now know its nutritional and flavor possibilities. She also touches on "green" issues like packaging and carbon footprints. This is a quick but light read. Not everybody will like it though particularly because of the focus on her and her personal achievements comes off as a self promotional. I did not let it bother me but it is up to the individual reader to see past it if they can and find the rubies. :)
Thank you to Janna at POM Wonderful for my review copy.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Green by Ted Dekker (Review)



Book Description


At Last . . . The Circle Reborn

The story of how Thomas Hunter first entered the Black Forest and forever changed our history began at a time when armies were gathered for a final battle in the valley of Migdon. Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles.


But even more, Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

My Review:
This is my first circle book to read. Overall I thought the story was interesting and well written. It felt like I was missing a lot from previous books. There seems to be a debate among the readers of the circle books about whether new readers should start with Green or end with Green. Having read Green and none of the others I wished I would have started with the original first book. I think it would have made more sense for me. The ending in this book confused me also and I wonder if I keep reading the series would it help? I thought the spiritual aspects of the book were amazing. The parallels to our lives now as Christians touched me. This series is described as being a spiritual epic and I would agree. After reading the book I have the desire to dive deeper and be more serious about my faith and to lose the apathy starting to take hold of me. Recommended but start with Black the first book in the series. :)
About the Author
Ted Dekker is the New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is known for stories that combine adrenaline-laced plots with incredible confrontations between good and evil. He has sold 3.6 million books to date and lives in Austin, Texas.
Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson Publishing Company.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

What's On Your Nightstand? November 24, 2009 Edition


My new camera is up and running so I have pictures for yall this month. I have tons of reading challenges and personal goals to finish before December 31, 2009. It will be down to the wire on some of it. The above pictures are not all some books will be coming from the library. I know I will not finish all the Steeple Hill Love Inspired and Suspense books so my main goal is to read all the holiday ones. I have the seconds challenge, A to Z, What's in a Name, Holiday, and Decades reading challenge to finish. Heavens to Betsy. This is going to be interesting. :)

Sunday, November 22, 2009

The Sunday Salon November 22, 2009

The Sunday Salon.com

* Overall a good weekend. It went by really quick. Don't they all though.

* I read 3 books this weekend. They are:
- Return Policy by Michael Synder
- Mistletoe and Murder by Florence Case
- How Do I Love Thee? by Nancy Moser

* They were all good. Return Policy is Michael Synder's second novel. I read his first My Name is Russell Fink and loved it last year. I hope to put a review up of this one soon. I did put up a review today of How Do I Love Thee? with giveaway.

* I have a two day work week. I am taking the day before Thanksgiving off and I was already off Thursday and Friday. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I can't wait to eat all the yummy food!

* I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I will still be around updating. I have several reviews I need to get done this week. I hope everyone finds some reading time in there too. :)

How Do I Love Thee? by Nancy Moser (Review and Giveaway)

***Leave a comment on this post before Sunday December 29 at midnight to be entered to win a copy.***


About the Book:
Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. Bedridden by chronic illness, she has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives...
"I love your verses with all my heart," writes Robert Browning, an admiring fellow poet. As friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert's love is not for her poetry alone. Might God grant her more than mere existence? And will she risk defying her father in pursuit of true happiness?
My Review:
This is a wonderful story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning's love story. The first 170 pages focuses on Elizabeth's life before she meets Robert. It is sad and depressing. Her health is bad and her father loves them but is tyrannical and decreed none of his children can get married. Her world becomes her room and her family. Slowly a few visitors are let in. This book starts when she is in her late 30s. It is told in first person Elizabeth's view and the first part is a little hard to get through but it helps the reader see her background. I was interested in the topic so I kept reading and enjoyed the story especially after Robert comes into the picture. I was not familiar with her story beyond the basics. I love some of her love poems she wrote to Robert. The story flows good and is well written. It reads like the time period it is set in and the reader can tell the author has done her research. In the back of the book the author has included a chapter by chapter guide on the facts/fiction in the story. Also at the end are some of Elizabeth's love poems she wrote to Robert. I enjoyed rereading them. She was a very talented poet and I enjoyed this glimpse into her life. Recommended.
About the author:
Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and a eighteen novels, including Mozart's Sister, Just Jane, and Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner. She is an inspirational speaker, giving seminars around the country. She has earned a degree in architecture; run a business with her husband; traveled extensively in Europe; and has performed in various theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She and her husband have three grown children and make their home in the Midwest. Read more about her books at www.nancymoser.com
Thank you Bethany House Publishers for my review copy.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Winner Piece de Resistance

The winner of Piece de Resistance by Sandra Byrd is ...

Lady Araujo

Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who entered.


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Timestamp: 2009-11-21 04:54:43 UTC