REVIEW: Yes, Please by A. Poehler

Title: Yes, Please

Author: Amy Poehler

Genre / Pages: Nonfiction, Humour / 

Publication: e-book

Rating: 3rd shelf

Source: Chapters Indigo

Lj's plot in one pot: Leslie Knope, I mean, Amy Poehler shares her down-home wisdom, including how to be funny, how cell phones are killing us and well, other stuff.

I was so excited to read this book. Like, NKOTB concert-goers excited. Predictably, what often happens when you get ridiculously amped for something...well, I was a little let down. 

It's not that it wasn't funny, or thoughtful or relevant...it was, I just. Hmm

Okay, I felt like she was lecturing at a college campus, not chatting with a friend. She was teaching, relating, etc., just I didn't really feel like she cared.  

Anyway, it was a good read.  

REVIEW: The Honest Toddler by B. Laditan

Title: The Honest Toddler

Author: Bunmi Laditan

Genre / Pages: Nonfiction, Parenting, Humour / 240

Publication: Harper Collins, 2013

Rating: 4th shelf

Source: Chapters Indigo

Lj's plot in one pot: Only slightly evil genius toddler elucidates, with care and concern, how parents might best serve their tiny lords and ladies...basically do EXACTLY what they say, before they say it.

The honest toddler is my spirit animal!  She is a sweet, caring individual who simply knows what she wants! And what she wants is EVERYTHING, but also NOTHING.

Written through the perspective of a toddler (who is unflinchingly honest), the reader learns a variety of rules and regulations (i.e. Broken crackers need not apply) about how to cope with...err I mean adore their toddler.

This book had me rolling around in silent laughter (as I could only read it during nap time and bed time), and I can't imagine that I could find humour in some of the atrocities that occur during toddlerhood.  I sincerely found almost each example/description perfectly fitting to my little guy and can't wait for my other friends-with-toddlers (there should be a support group) to read this as well.

Exhibit A? I started dog-earing pages that literally made me lol, and had to stop because I was folding every page!  I will try to select only the bestest quotes for y'all, and if they please you, then go find the book.

"Don't let your shower curtain become a love barrier...Gently yank it down and throw it in the trash.  Splash around with your toddler and live for once.  Someone else will clean up the mess.  They always do, trust me...I do believe that many adults prefer to bathe alone because they are ashamed of their bodies...Toddlers are generous people and will pretend not to notice after staring without blinking for five to ten minutes" p.104

"Toddlers know the minute their heads hit the pillow, you release balloons and unwrap a cake.  We are perfectly aware that when we're trapped in our rooms, wearing the wrong pajamas, you are eating a second, more desirable dinner...We're onto you.  Parents, you look terribly exhausted every single morning, and it's because you stay up until two a.m., looking at wavy hair on Pinterest and eating Almond Joys." p.227

REVIEW: Rush Home Road by L. Lansens

Title: Rush Home Road

Author: Lori Lansens 

Genre / Pages: Fiction, Coming-of-Age / 547

Publication: Vintage Canada, 2003

Rating: 3rd shelf

Source: Library

Lj's plot in one pot: Not so sweet lil Sharla Cody teaches Mum Addy a thing (or ten) about forgiveness as we peek into Adelaide's youth as a citizen of Rusholme, ON.

I am back! After a gentle nudge via social media, I realized I DO have the time in my life to spend on my blog.  Hopefully I can update things quickly and will have lots of  good (and bad!) reviews to share in the upcoming weeks.

This book was a book club choice and originally I was not looking forward to it (can you say Oprah's book club?!?).  But I immediately began to soak up the rich history that belongs to Adelaide.

The story is written with alternating chapters; between present and flashbacks to Addy's childhood and youth. 

Subject matter was tough to take, abandonment, death (at all stages of life), etc. Sharla had some decent comedic timing to lighten the (very) heavy load of Adelaide's misfortune. 

"Addy Shadd's skin was the colour of root beer, so wrinkled and stretched it looked like there was enough of it to cover two people...The lines around her lips puckered like a bum when she smoked her cigarette." p.18

Interested in learning more about the real life town that was the inspiration for Rusholme settlement in Canada? Click link here for the Buxton Museum website.