BOOK TOUR: Dinner Conversations by Jason Reid

Title: DINNER CONVERSATIONS

Author: Jason Reid

Publisher: Createspace/Reid Group

Pages: 348

Genre: Humor / Family / Parenting

“You are going to LAUGH! You are going to then wonder if these conversations actually happened. You are going to wonder what kind of guy would actually say these things to his family.”

The answer is simple—yes, these conversations did actually happen. They occurred over a period of roughly 5 years, mainly at my dinner table.  I took them verbatim and posted them on Facebook so that all my friends could get a good laugh.

I must be honest with you, some of you will are going to laugh and say things like “…that sounds like something I would say or want to say” others are going to think that I am a horrible parent.  I am ok with either thought process.

What I hope is that after laughing, scratching your head and wondering what is wrong with Jay Reid, you realize that you need to create more of your own Dinner Conversations.  

Please join me @ www.Facebook.com/DinnerConversations to read more and post your own.” 

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review: This is a hilarious collection of conversations between the author, his wife and their children. Anyone who has ever sat around a family dinner table over a period of years is sure to find several conversations which will sound eerily familiar. I know I did!

I think this would be fun to read aloud from at future family gatherings, just to see what sort of "dinner conversations" it sparks around our table.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating:  Four stars

Taxes

Kids

"You have to pay how much in taxes?!?"

Jay

"Yep, half or more of my money goes to pay taxes, the rest goes to pay for you guys. I have almost nothing left over."

Kids

"That's crazy!”

Jay

"I agree, but I am stuck with all of you."

Jason Reid is an entrepreneur by trade and a dad by passion. He currently lives in Murrieta, California with his wonderful wife and amazing four children. Over the years he has written numerous business books, a novel, and children’s The Protector Bug book series.

His latest book is the humor/family/parenting book, Dinner Conversations.

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Winner of P&E Readers Poll 2016 for Best Publicity Firm

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BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Finding Mom by Amanda Mawhinney

Non-fiction, parenting, self-help, personal growth, mom self-care.

Date Published: October 6, 2016

Publisher: My Koala Pouch publishing

Synopsis: Vitality. Passion. Tranquility. Do any of these words currently describe you? 
Finding Mom will reawaken your dreams and help you to find and reinvent yourself.

Sometimes we love being a mom, but get frustrated when motherhood takes over our life. You are a mom and so much more. That’s why it’s important to start your journey to find your purpose beyond just being a mom. Learn the secrets to finding “me time” in even your busiest days. Uncover and recover your unique mom personality with a personality quiz. Create a sustainable and effective plan for your future that your family will support. No matter how busy you are, how many kids you have, or how young your children are, this book makes finding fulfillment possible for you.

What are you waiting for? Make a difference in your life and start finding yourself today!

Review: This book is a quick easy read, which makes it perfect for busy moms. I read the whole thing, as well as took all the quizzes included, in just over an hour, so it could be done during nap time.  

I would have loved to get advice like this when my children were younger. I can remember feeling guilty when I took time just for me as if I were "deserting" my maternal responsibilities. But I can also remember being refreshed and looking at situations with fresh eyes after having that "me time."

Reading this book and actually completing all the assignments in the pages is a bit like having your own private life coach. You might be surprised to see the differences between how you see yourself and how other people see you--and then you can work on a plan to close that gap. 

I would also add that this book is not JUST for moms. Anyone who is looking to improve their life can make use of the strategies found here.

**I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book as provided by RABT. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Amanda Mawhinney is an author, trainer and family relationship coach. Her professional passions are helping women to develop themselves and helping families to connect and build stronger bonds. Her blog, My Koala Pouch is where she writes about creating healthier families and fun activities for kids and adults. 

Amanda holds a degree in Psychology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She was an HR professional at a company with over 11,000 employees worldwide. She designed, created and implemented many developmental courses and an orientation program. She trained management, developed employees, facilitated mentorship programs and strengthened interdepartmental teams. Before having children of her own, Amanda worked with children with behavioral issues and their families. As an AmeriCorps volunteer she taught disabled and at- risk youth about giving back to the community and the environment.

Amanda currently homeschools her two delightful daughters and spends her days enjoying the great outdoors, reading, writing and doing fun activities with her family. Visit her website, My Koala Pouch at www.mykoalapouch.blogspot.com.

Contact Links

E-mail: mykoalapouch@gmail.com 

Blog: www.mykoalapouch.blogspot.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyKoalaPouch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyKoalaPouch/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mykoalapouch/ 

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Amanda-Mawhinney/e/B01C57TCMW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1 

Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15059327.Amanda_Mawhinney 

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BOOK TOUR: Guilt Free Motherhood by Amber Khan

Title: Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5-Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health & Well-Being
Author: Amber Khan
Publisher: Rethink Press
Pages: 156
Genre: Nonfiction/Parenting/Motherhood
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5 Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health & Well-Being is available at Amazon US & Amazon UK.

Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.

Synopsis: Own your happiness. Reclaim your well-being. Make a guilt-free lifestyle, your choice of living!

Do you think being a 'super mum' is your only option?
Do you neglect your own health while caring for others?
Do you struggle to maintain a happy work/life balance?
Do you often feel stressed and burnt-out? Then you may be suffering from 'Mummy Guilt'.

Guilt Free Motherhood will guide you to:

Ignite your passion to bring balance to your life;
Take practical steps towards self-care;
De-clutter your space, schedules and relationships;
Let go of the 'super mum' and the 'control freak' inside of you;
Practical ways of recharging your batteries.

A mother's journey should not be, and need not be, a GUILT trip. Guilt Free Motherhood gives you the tools you need to start living a more contented, healthy and energised lifestyle today - right in the midst of motherhood.

My review: I wish I would have had a reference like this thirty years ago! Every mother should read this book and take it to heart.  There is a lot of good advice on taking care of yourself, decluttering your life and home, letting go of the need to control everything.  At the end of the book are several case studies, which I found very interesting.  I think almost everyone could find someone there who is relatable, and you can see how she found her way out of the guilt.

There was obviously a lot of time and effort put into this book, and I hope that it finds its way into the hands of mothers everywhere. I for one will be passing my copy on to my daughter, who is expecting her second child in September.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

My rating: Five stars

BOOK TRAILER

Book Excerpt:

I think you’ll agree that the most important emotional issue a majority of mothers face, especially twenty-first century mothers, is the feeling of guilt. The spectrum of guilt is wide and varied, ranging from feeling guilty about not doing enough for your children, to feeling guilty about spending time or money on your own well-being, with hundreds more guilty feelings in between. I believe that a mother’s journey should not be, and need not be, a guilt trip.

The purpose of this book is to show how a mother can live a refreshing, blissful and blossoming lifestyle through a guided five-step process by letting go of the mummy guilt that makes us sacrifice our health, career and relationships.

Mummy guilt can be defined as the feeling of self-condemnation that we experience when thoughts of spending time and money on ourselves seem selfish. It can also be understood as the constant worry we feel for our kids which eventually turns into guilt. In fact, anyone caring for children is bound to experience similar guilty feelings.

Mummy guilt can start as early as when the pink stripes show up on your pregnancy test. I used to feel guilty about anything when I was expecting my first child. The first trimester was very tough. I could hardly keep food down, felt nauseous and weak, and worried constantly how it would affect the growth of my baby. Guilt sowed its seeds in me at the very start of my motherhood journey.

Later on, if I left kids at home with hubby for an hour or two, I felt guilty. When I went to work after dropping my baby at the nursery, I felt guilty. When I decided to be a stay-at-home mum, I felt guilt about abandoning my career. When I wanted to join the gym (to lose the extra 20kg I had gained during pregnancy) and regain my self-confidence, I felt guilty about spending that time and money on myself. Even going out (once in a blue moon) with friends, always turned into a guilt trip. Is a mother taking care of herself to keep her sanity and health, really a selfish act?

Well in my case the lack of self-care eventually turned into health problems. Back problems, weak joints, weak and injury-prone muscles, and I was only in my twenties! Problems that, you’d normally associate with old age, maybe. For almost a decade I neglected my health; it eventually took my left knee giving way to make me realise that if I didn't take care of myself now, I would soon end up miserable, in pain and maybe even run out of recovery options. What good would I be to my family then? Will husband have to quit work simply to look after me and the kids?

I know most of us are constrained by financial or support issues. I should know! Aged twenty-three, new mum, in a new country with no friends or family -- that was me over a decade ago. I tried to be a ‘supermum’ thinking I could manage it all. Even when my husband offered to help I’d often decline, thinking I could do it better because a job half done, or not finished to my standards, would only frustrate me more. I neglected my health, and felt stressed and exhausted most of the time. I was trapped by mummy guilt.

About the author
Amber Khan is a Lifestyle Mentor, Speaker, Author, sports enthusiast and a proud mum of three. She is the founder of Guilt Free Living which provides tools for the mothers to help them live a fulfilling, healthy & energised lifestyle. She has run retreats, given talks and written articles on the importance of wellness and how to re-energise the tired minds and bodies of mothers. She has authored Guilt Free Motherhood - A 5 Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health and Well-Being

Amber currently resides in London, UK with her husband and their three children.

For More Information

Visit Amber Khan’s website.

Connect with Amber on Facebook and Twitter.

Find out more about Amber at Goodreads.

Visit Amber’s blog

Media Contact:

Dorothy Thompson

Pump Up Your Book

P.O. Box 643

Chincoteague Island, Virginia 23336

Email: thewriterslife@gmail.com

Answering Your Kids' Toughest Questions, Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson

Synopsis: The Honest, Loving Answers Children Need to Hear 
It's not easy to know what to say when a child asks about a dying grandma, or the reality of the devil, or some act of violence featured on the news. But ignoring the questions won't help. Elyse Fitzpatrick and her daughter Jessica Thompson carefully walk parents through these difficult conversations, one topic at a time. These experienced moms will come alongside readers, offering helpful hints and age-appropriate guidelines on how much to share and when. And most importantly, they teach how to answer children in a way that points back to the truth of God's amazing love.

Thoughts: **I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads, in exchange for an honest review.**

I was anxious to read this book,based on the title, and then to pass it on to my daughter for conversations with my 4 yr. old grandson, now and as he gets older. Unfortunately, I was not thrilled with the way much of the material was presented. The beliefs of the author, although obviously Christian, are much more legalistic than the beliefs of this reader. To tell a child, for example, that snapping his fingers is a sin, because it doesn't serve God or love your neighbor, is a bit over the top.

In some areas, I feel the authors went too deep for the age group they were discussing, as in talking to preschoolers about death. Been there, done that, and all they want is to have their specific questions answered, not to hear a sermon about sin and salvation.

The section on homosexuality simply turned my stomach, as I suspected it would by the time I had read that much of the book. 

I still intend to pass this on to my daughter, BUT with the same caveat I give when passing on any parenting resource.....use what feels right for your situation, and pass by the rest.

My Rating: Two Stars

Just What Kind Of Mother Are You?, Paula Daly

Synopsis: What if your best friend's child disappears? And it was all your fault. This is exactly what happens to Lisa Kallisto, overwhelmed working mother of three, one freezing December in the English Lake District. She takes her eye off the ball for just a moment and her whole world descends into the stuff of nightmares. Because, not only is thirteen-year-old Lucinda missing, and not only is it all Lisa's fault, but she's the second teenage girl to disappear within this small tightknit community over two weeks. The first girl turned up stripped bare, dumped on a busy high street, after suffering from a terrifying ordeal. 

Wracked with guilt over her mistake and after being publicly blamed by Lucinda's family, Lisa sets out to right the wrong. But as she begins peeling away the layers surrounding Lucinda's disappearance, Lisa learns that the small, posh, quiet town she lives in isn't what she thought it was, and her friends may not be who they appear, either.

Thoughts: This story is full of more twists and turns than any I've read in quite a while. Every time I thought I had the mystery solved, I got that theory squashed quite firmly. Would love to read more mystery novels by this author in the future.

Surprised By Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected About Being A Mom, by Lisa-Jo Baker

Synopsis: A lawyer with a well-stamped passport and a passion for human rights, Lisa-Jo Baker never wanted to be a mom. And then she had kids. Having lost her own mother to cancer as a teenager, Lisa-Jo felt lost on her journey to womanhood and wholly unprepared to raise children.

Surprised by Motherhood is Lisa-Jo’s story of becoming and being a mom, and in the process, discovering that all the “what to expect” and “how to” books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood.

Set partly in South Africa and partly in the US (with a slight detour to Ukraine along the way), Surprised by Motherhood is a poignant memoir of one woman’s dawning realization that being a mom isn't about being perfect—it’s about being present.

Thoughts: This is, without question, the best book on motherhood that I have ever read. I would recommend it to every mother, no matter the age of your children.  I laughed, I cried, I shook my head in agreement as I remembered similar experiences in my motherhood journey....and through it all, I managed to hear the still small voice of God telling me that I did NOT fail as a mother, that I was the best mother I knew how to be and that the wonderful adults my children have become are proof of my success. The lessons this book holds were just what I needed to hear to FINALLY accept what people have been telling me for years---because this time, I heard it from HIM.  

(Having listened to my library's audiobook version, I will now always hear Lisa-Jo's beautiful South African accent when I read her blog or Facebook posts!)