Book Review of "My Memories Dance" by D.M. Hulme

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“My Memories Dance” is the debut novel of D.M. Hulme and she hit it out of the park at her first step up to the plate! In the interest of full-disclosure, I was asked to read an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of the book, which is a work of Creative Non-Fiction, and I was asked to give an honest review of it. About halfway through the book, I purchased it outright because I knew that I would want to read it again. Also in the interest of full disclosure, the author is also the mother of one of my BFF’s. My fellow NetGalley readers and reviewers think I’m “NUTS!” and “INSANE!” for agreeing to read and review anything written by a friend, a family member, the family of a friend, etc. but if there were any BFF I was going to say “yes” to when asked, this BFF is one I couldn’t say “no” to.

My first point of order is to say “Congratulations!” to D.M. Hulme on her debut book. I’ve written plenty of blogs about myself over the years but could I write a book about myself using the honesty I encountered in “My Memories Dance?” I don’t know if I could. I also have HOARDS of respect for anyone who successfully writes and publishes a book. SO, let’s get to it…..

“My Memories Dance” is about Sarah Walker. Sarah is a young woman who was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, from this point on “Northeast Philly” or just “Philly.” Sarah’s journey through over four decades will take you through the highs and the lows of her life but in addition to her story, you get to read it through the eyes of a Philly girl who loved to go to the dances, loved watching American Bandstand, spent summers “down the shore,” and so much more. As a South Philly “girl” myself, the references to Jerry “The Geater With The Heater” Blavat (who wrote the foreword for this book), Wildwood, Woolworth’s, “The El,” and, so much more brought back memories of my own upbringing in Philly. It’s quite the wild ride down memory lane for Sarah and myself.

You will meet Tom MacPherson, the man who eventually becomes Sarah’s husband. You will HATE Tom. And you will NEED to hate Tom. Because you will feel so much conflict about the decisions, and the mistakes Sarah makes over and over again in regard to Tom. I think your first question will be “why the HELL did she ever marry him?” It was certainly mine and I don’t have any doubt that it will be yours. You will find that Sarah does have her reasons. One of the reasons being the actual decade in which they marry and how things were back then. Sarah writes:

"Tom and I would fight a lot. The fights were mostly about his drinking, the staying out all night,    about money and about his parents."

The other reasons I can’t tell you because, well…..spoilers, that’s why!

Alex Bentley. You will LOVE Alex. It won’t be hard. Alex is dreamy. I can tell you that you will know what Alex looks like from his description in the book and he’s definitely DREAMY. Alex’s appearances in the book seem to make him a minor character of sorts. However, Alex is a MAJOR character for the entire book for a myriad of reasons. He’s in Sarah’s mind and heart from the day she meets him until the end of the book. So even when Sarah isn’t interacting directly with Alex, Alex is still present to Sarah.

Sarah’s journey isn’t easy. Sure, life isn’t easy but I have to admire Sarah for her strength, her determination and her perseverance. There isn’t a day in Sarah’s adult life when she isn’t working a job. There is one short time where Sarah doesn’t work but there is a reason for it. Sorry, that’s a spoiler. There isn’t a day where she doesn’t have to take care of a member of her family. Not one. Sarah simply never stops working. And it’s not the work-a-holic type of working, it’s not “career woman” working. When Sarah takes on one of two or three different jobs to make ends meet, she goes to clean house for some women in the neighborhood and Sarah writes:

"These ladies treated me like I was their daughter. They loved me, and all I did for them. It was very rewarding."

This is SURVIVAL working regardless if it’s her job or taking care of a family member or being there for one of her friends.

You will briefly meet Sarah’s daughter Kim as well. Kim? Well, she’s the reason I read the book. Because she asked me to read it. Sarah has this to say after a terribly unpleasant event occurs:

"Kim and I would talk everyday on the phone. I would vent my problems, and she would always talk me down from the ledge."

Gee, I know NOTHING about what this is like at all. LOL!

"She's a wonderful kid, and I would ask myself, how did I get so lucky to have a kid like her!"

And how did I get so lucky to have a friend like her? And I know she’s absolutely going to hate the fact that I included this line in my review. She’s humble that way. At one point, I sent Kim a brief message about the part of the book where her birth occurs. Her reply was, “SPOILER- I'm really not in it that much.” Oh but she is. Because embedded in Sarah’s mind throughout the book after Kim is born, she’s doing everything for her child. She never has to come out and say it; you will simply just know this to be a fact.

Sarah’s life will make you laugh and it will make you cry. D.M. Hulme is exactly the second author of my 45-year-old life to actually make me cry tears while reading a book. I do recommend having some tissue available. If you’re sitting on the beach, get the Jackie O sunglasses out for this one. You will shed tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

I don’t know how much “creative” is embedded in this “Creative Non-Fiction” book so I have to accept it all as real as it is presented. If that’s the case then I can promise that you will ROOT for Sarah like I did. You will HATE Tom like I did. You will LOVE Alex as I did. And you will hear the songs that are the soundtrack of Sarah’s life in your head as you travel on her journey with her through every single page.

Finally, I enjoyed the choice and direction that D.M. Hulme decided to go with the ending of her first book. I think you’ll find that this definitely is one of the “creative” parts of “Creative Non-Fiction.” It’s kind of a surprise ending of a different sort. You’re gonna love what she does with it. I didn’t see it coming but, as I realized what she was doing with the ending, I thought it was soooo perfect.

I’m rating this the same way I’d rate a NetGalley or Goodreads by using the five star system and I’m giving it FIVE STARS. Most debut books don’t get 5 stars from me. But when an author can evoke the emotional responses that I had while reading, whether tears of sorrow, tears of joy, or laughing out loud not caring who hears it, you get 5 stars! It’s really that simple.

Before or after you read the book, visit the website, http://www.mymemoriesdance.com. You’ll find some lovely information there about the book as well as some great links.  Once you've perused the website, watch the fabulous VIDEO as well.



So, while I recommend this book for anyone who likes to read, I call on Philly chicks, those born in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s, those of you who are the children of those born in these decades, and those of you who know what it means to go “down the shore,” to grab this one right NOW. You will NOT be able to put it down.

READ ABOUT "MY MEMORIES DANCE" IN ROWHOME MAGAZINE!!!!!

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BOOK RELEASE DATE AND NEW VIDEO TRAILER! "How We Deal With Gravity" by Ginger Scott

RELEASE DATE: JULY 8, 2014

BY

GINGER SCOTT

     When her son Max was diagnosed with autism, Avery Abbot’s life changed forever. Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again.

     But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women, booze and rock-n-roll—that was it for him. But it seemed fate had a different plan in mind, and with a dropped record contract, little money and nowhere to go, Mason turned to the only family that ever made him feel home.

     Avery loved Mason silently for years—until he broke her heart…completely. But time and life have a funny way of changing people, and sometimes second chances are there for a reason. Could this one save them both?

Reblog: "I SOMETIMES HATE THE LGBT COMMUNITY. AND I’M A MEMBER." by Amanda Kerry

"Recently, huge fights have spawned between different camps within the LGBT community. The fights are born around the use of certain words, different roles, opinions, outlooks, philosophies of life as an LGBT person, and quite simply wounded egos.

And I have had just about enough of the bullshit."

Read the rest at:  http://nihilismispointless.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/i-sometimes-hate-the-lgbt-community-and-im-a-member/

Book Review of "The Break-Up Artist" by Philip Siegel

Becca Williamson watched her sister get ditched at the altar. Becca also sees the couples at her school needlessly cast out the single girls to the point where they're treated like pariahs until they couple up. Even her best friend, Val will do or say anything to snag a boyfriend.

As a result, for just $100 via PayPal, Becca aka "The Break-Up Artist," will break up any couple. With a few creative tricks, Becca can shred a couple's relationship to pieces.

One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. If Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.

By far, one of the best young adult contemporary romance books I've read to date. What struck me right from the get go was the author is a MAN. I would never expect such a wildly good understanding of teenage females from a male author. For that, I give stars, stars, more stars, and kudos to Phillip Siegel!

One of the things I like about any book I read is when I can't put it down and I really want to take off from work to just finish it. This was definitely one of those books. This is also my first ARC via NetGalley that was approved from Harlequin so I was excited for the opportunity to read a Harlequin TEEN book. I was not disappointed.

Mr. Siegel does an amazing job in creating Becca's character. She's as complicated as any teenage girl would be. There were times I had to remind myself that Becca was indeed a teenager in high school. The author also did a great job in reminding the reader of that fact as well. The struggles Becca has to go through to be Becca and The Break-Up Artist in secret are so good, I wondered if the author actually met someone who did this for real. I'm sure they exist out there in real life.

What the author does with Huxley is pretty amazing and you won't see it coming right away but I think all readers will enjoy it. I loved the choices the author made in ending the book too. As I thought of the possible alternative endings that the author could have chosen, none of them seemed to fit in my mind so kudos for the ending as well.

I didn't exactly understand why Becca and Val were BFF's. Val's character is slightly annoying and I was surprised Becca would have a best friend who is so…..whiny. But, there are people out there who don't understand why I'm BFF's with certain people as well. Val has flaws and she's willing to lie about anything to snag a boyfriend. You will wonder if she falls into "couple zombie" mode if she snags that boyfriend.

Overall, this is a humorous and light-hearted look at one of the real issues teenagers have to deal with in high school. It's definitely realistic and if you like YA books with some "girl power," you'll love this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review but it comes out April 29th. So preorder it now so you can start reading it the day it releases. You won't be disappointed!

Book Review of "Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)"

Entwined in this fantastic cookbook packed with easy to make recipes is the sweetest little love story. You'll meet Ana Raquel and Greg soon enough but while you're enjoying their story, you'll also enjoy trying as many of these recipes as you can squeeze into a meal or a party. The Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Pizza will make fellow Italianos proud. Mouths will water over the Thai Peanut Chicken! The Christmas Morning Chocolate Swirl Buns are good any day of the year. By far, THE tastiest little romance book EVER!!!!!