The nice folks over at 20th Century Fox sent us an advance copy of the Strawberry Shortcake: The Berryfest Princess Movie and asked us to give it a watch and review.

We watched it this weekend and here’s what my 6YO daughter, Boo, thought:

Boo’s Shortcake Review.

Side note: She was playing with her stuffed horse’s tail. Looking at it now, it’s a little disturbing.

Here are some of my observations:

In the previews, Orange Blossom with her light tan skin, seemed to be the lovely Latina of the group. When the film started, she had transformed into an African-American character, equally lovely mind you. The switch was so odd, that we actually went back and watched them both again, not believing what we saw. While I was befuddled why both groups couldn’t get their berrytastic props in Berrybitty City, my Boo had some very interesting explanations, including:

• “Mommy, she just spent too much time in the garden and got a tan.”
• “Oh, they just changed the lighting in the movie, so her skin looks lighter in the preview.”

Hmmm. I’m not sure what’s up, but I’d like to give the filmmakers the benefit of the doubt.

I like the general updated look of the characters. I was a Strawberry Shortcake collector when I was my daughter’s age (I think I still have some of the smell-tastic figures in storage somewhere). They kept Strawberry Shortcake sweet and genuinely nice, but they took out the token male in the group and the old villain is long gone.

The story in the movie is broken up into three main plot arcs. The first focuses on the election of the Berryfest princess, which turns out to be Strawberry Shortcake (shocker, I know). The second, on the stresses of planning the festival parade, where Strawberry learns even though you delegate important duties to reliable friends, your friends will let you down because they’re all a bowlful of flaky fruits. The calamity continues in the third section where the Berryfest feast (say that three times fast) is almost brought to a standstill when Strawberry gives the sacred wonderberry to an ailing and injured bird. But, have no fear…all’s well that ends well and Strawberry saves the day.

Movies like this aren’t without their valuable lessons. In this case, Boo learned that:

• You never put your name on a ballot until you’re sure what the winner’s duties are.
• The people you love will let you down and you will forgive and love them anyway.
• It’s okay to override other people’s wishes if you think it’s the right thing to do.

Hmmm. I think that last one’s gonna come back and bite me in the ass.

Ever since I had kids, reading for fun has become nearly impossible. By the time my head hits the pillow, I can maybe make it through a few pages before my lids start to flutter and I pass out from sheer exhaustion. (Something tells me all of my screen time at work and after bedtime isn’t helping the situation, either).

So, when I packed for my latest business trip, I didn’t even bother to pack any reading material. After all, my Google Reader is backed up with 500+ posts I should be reading.

Well, that was the plan until I realized I needed to eat breakfast at the airport and I didn’t want to have my laptop crammed on the tabletop with my scrambled eggs and diet coke (breakfast of champions, no?), so I popped back to the newsstand and grabbed a copy of Chelsea Handler’s Are You There God? It’s me. Chelsea. I’ve been a fan of her show for years and figured that I’d better have a copy of her book on hand in case I ever actually get to see her show. Having her autograph it may be my best shot at capturing her DNA and creating a clone to carry out my plot to take over the world…

But I digress.

I should have known what I was in for when the sales lady offered me a free tube of Robitussin with my purchase (which has to go down as the oddest gift with purchase in the history of retail sales).

Breakfast took forever, but I didn’t care. I had tons of time before my flight and from the first page, I was totally engrossed. I am Chelsea’s long-lost little sister that she never knew she had. Yes, she’s blonde (but I used to be!) and has a way better rack (we obviously had different moms), and she’s Jewish (I like latkes, you know). We both love vodka (she drinks way more of it than I do), takes prescription drugs (mine are actually legally obtained), and were forced to drive crappy hand-me-down vehicles that were “gifted” by our dads (at least mine had a decent paint job thanks to my big brother). See? We’re practically twins! I’m totally sending her an invite to Doodle’s third birthday party. They need to meet their Auntie Chelsea and she’s gotta bring the vodka (’cause after two hours at Chuck E Cheese, I’m gonna need it).

Anyway…back to the book.

She opens with an epic tale about how she, at age nine, caught herself up in a web of lies to impress her schoolmates. The deceit goes so far as to require an autographed picture of Goldie Hawn and an “out” of her offer to play Hawn’s daughter in a sequel to Private Benjamin.

The book goes from there through a collection of 12 stories where we meet her family, friends, lovers, and random strangers. Chelsea’s ability to make some of the most reprehensible people and behaviors (often her own) into hilarious and charming characters is fabulous and true gift.

My favorite recurring “character” has to be her dad. You can feel her constant abject humiliation dripping from every pore as she reveals how he fancies himself a used car dealer, when in reality he just collects crap-mobiles and attempts to scheister unsuspecting saps into buying them, even when they need a jump start before a test drive. The vein of politically incorrect humor runs directly from him to her, even though he has the amazing ability to not only cross the line, but moon-jump over it into an entire realm of “ohdeargoddidhejustsaywhatIthoughthejustsaid”-ness.

My favorite chapter, by far, was her tale of her mini-me. A rabid fan, who happened to be a complete dwarf-sized replica of Chelsea, manages to con her way into Chelsea’s heart and her show, Girls Behaving Badly. Chelsea is admittedly helpless to the charms of little people:

Next to fat babies, midgets are my favorite things to hold. I love them so much, and I want to help them to do adult things like drive cars, Jet-Ski, and lip synch. I am in awe of their little limbs, large craniums, and their medicine-ball asses. I love the litle baby steps they take while shifting their weight from side to side, and the fact that when you knock one over accidentally, he flails like a turtle on its back that can’t get up right away.

If you’re looking for political correctness, you probably aren’t watching Chelsea’s show and, therefore, I’d suggest you pass on the book. However, if you have no problem with inappropriate laughter in public places that may result in you spraying your beverage all over complete strangers, have at it.

____________________________________________

P.S. I finished the book on my trip and picked up her first book, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands while I was in San Diego. It was done before my plane landed back in Vegas. That’s two books in four days people – an indoor record for me post-kids. If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

P.P.S. Her next book, CHELSEA CHELSEA BANG BANG is due out next month. I can’t wait and neither should you! So, win a copy! Just leave a comment with your favorite vodka beverage (Chelsea prefers Ketel One in her first two books, but I suspect her preference has changed to Belvedere since they’re now sponsoring her tour — funny how that works, eh?) Get your entries in by midnight, Friday, February 19 and a winner will be chosen by a random drawing. I will actually make and review the winning cocktail, so make it good, y’all.

And the winner is…..Kristel of Last Girl Standing! The book will be on the way once it’s released. Given the state of the Canadian postal service, she should get it by Christmas.

As if the good folks at 20th Century Fox hadn’t had enough of my movie reviewing drivel, they sent me a copy of Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs to review. Since my 5YO, Boo, is quite movie-phobic, I had not had the pleasure of seeing the first and second installment of the series, but we didn’t let that stop us. Once I convinced Boo that her apparently fragile film psyche would not be damaged by the viewing, we sat down on a Saturday afternoon and watched it.

As far as the kids went, they watched the DVD like most kids do…sit for five minutes…play for five minutes…ask for a snack…pee…watch until something scary happens…flee…ask mommy to stop folding laundry and come and sit with them…use mommy as a human trampoline…squeeze mom off the couch and steal the blanket….repeat about 20 times until the movie is over.

From a grownup point of view, I found the film to be a fun story with some great grown-up friendly one-liners and interesting characters. I could definitely handle this in the minivan DVD player on a car trip. The slapstick visuals keep the kids entertained and the dialogue would keep me from slitting my wrists after the millionth listen to Mary Poppins.

The basic plot focuses on two mated woolly mammoths as they plan for thr birth of their new baby. As their friends realize how the new addition will impact their group dynamic, the sloth decides to adopt a batch of eggs…dinosaur eggs. His maternal instincts lead him through a rabbit hole into a prehistoric underworld fraught with carnivorous treachery and campy ensemble cast antics. There are moments of high drama that left Boo watching through her hands and whining that it was too scary, but then again she and Doodle cackled at some very funny moments.

There are some valid lessons to be learned from this movie. Lessons for adults and children alike, such as:

1. If you are a boy, never offer your nuts to a girl. It is a trick. She will rip the hairy nut straight from your body.
2. Queen Latifah and Ray Romano: A couple that could only happen in animation.
3. Sloths with lisps are inherently funny.
4. John Leguizamo has a face for voice overs.
5. Eating your playmates is the #1 way to end a playdate.
6. Life is what happens between opportunities to say “yabba dabba do!”
7. Weasel-like prehistoric mammals with sharp teeth and leafy eye patches are always dependable jungle guides.
8. “He who has gas, travels at the end of the pack.” is truly sage wisdom.
9. Kids laugh at burp and fart jokes from birth.
10. Babies are cute even when they’re 200 pounds, furry and with a trunk and tusks.
11. Peaches is not appropriate name for a baby. Unless you are a woolly mammoth or you want your daughter to grow up to be stripper.

In summary, it’s high on the cute factor and very easy on the re-watch. The kids liked it, but they aren’t begging to watch it again and again. I’d recommend it to parents of younger kids who want a fun watch that they can sit through with their kids and enjoy instead of merely tolerate.

The good folks over at 20th Century Fox sent me a copy of Aliens in the Attic to review last month, hoping my mindless drivel would help spur folks to purchase the movie when it was released.

The good news is that I did watch the movie and I did find it mildly amusing. The bad news is that it’s taken me nearly a month to write this review (but I had a really good excuse for my delay) and pretty much anyone who’s going to buy this movie probably has.

However, I won’t the risk of being irrelevant deter me from spouting off. Here’s my take on the movie.

1. The general premise: A suburban family heads to the country for some bonding time with their crazy divorced uncle and his kids and the family matriarch. They are joined by an imposing, hormonally crazed asshole 20-something boyfriend of the teenage daughter. After what appeared to be a lightning strike, the kids discover a band have aliens has arrived with plans to take over the world using mind-control implants that only work on the adults. The kids band together to defeat the aliens.

2. It was a fun, but somewhat stereotypical family movie definitely targeted toward the tween market. My kids are well below the target demographic and, after pre-screening it with another grown-up, we felt most of it was too scary for my movie-sensitive 5 YO daughter and the 2YO would get as much out of it as he would if I made him watch Project Runway.

3. Watching Kevin Nealon playing an authoritarian parent role made me feel really old. Tim Meadows as the town sheriff pretty much put the nail in the coffin.

4. The film seemed to nearly steal some moments from other alien movies. For example, the interactions between the youngest child and the “good” alien felt so much like the exchanges between Gertie and E.T., I had a palpable craving for Reese’s Pieces.

5. The best scene: the fight scene between Nana Rose (Doris Roberts) and the boyfriend Rickey (Robert Hoffman). Think John Woo meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Street Fighter.

So, in summary, it was a cute, but definitely followed the the trite recipe for family action-ish comedy that crowds DVD shelves in entertainment centers across the country. It reminded me of Herbie the Love Bug and the Apple Bottom Gang from my childhood. Just swap Don Knotts out with Doris Roberts and the surly cowboys with some remote-control wielding aliens and you’ve got it covered.

If you’re looking for a fun, family friendly gift for a tween in your life this holiday season, I’m sure they’d enjoy it. If you’re looking for thought provoking action films, I’d stick with the 10th anniversary edition of Fight Club.

Doodle’s tantrums have become quite legendary. So much so, that I swear his older sister’s attempts at one-upsmanship in this department, may result in a bulk purchase of ear plugs.

But he is two and he’s learning, thanks to a newly placed time-out chair.

The girl, on the other hand, is old enough to learn about keeping her anger under control.

I was raised with the philosophy that feelings are neither right nor wrong, but there is an appropriate time and place for expressing them. The middle of the grocery store is not one of them.

She’s not THIS bad, but, she’s had her moments.

I’ve made some progress with her, but sometimes, she needs to get the message from a source other than me in order for it to really sink in.

So, when Joy Berry Enterprises contacted me about reviewing some of their titles, I scanned through their copious topic list and more than a few titles caught my eye. They were gracious enough to send me “Let’s Talk About Feeling Angry” and “Teach Me About Bedtime”, both by, you guessed it, Joy Berry (you’re shocked, I’m sure.).

“Let’s Talk About Feeling Angry” follows a little girl named Maria through the eyes and voice of a dog named Max. Max observes Maria deal with multiple conflicts with her brother, breaking toys, hitting, kicking walls, and the like. Max walks Maria through more constructive ways to deal with the conflict like talking about it, bringing in grown-up mediation, and (one of my personal faves) kicking and screaming into your pillow in your bedroom.

I used this book for Boo’s 20-minutes-a-day reading project this weekend. Even though she was really focused on actually reading the words, the message did sink in through. It made the point without getting preachy and the pictures with conversation bubbles kept her engaged. After reading it, she wanted to try the companion CD out. The CD read the story to her with prompts telling her to turn the page. She happily followed along and even boogied to the “Feeling Angry” song that followed.

The text reminded me a lot of the messages conveyed in books like Roger Hargreaves’ Mr. Men series and other character-building books of my youth that attempted to teach concepts of sharing, humility, and self control (hmmm, I guess we can all see how well those worked, eh?).

The “Let’s Talk About” series is targeted for ages 4-5, but it was good reading practice for my nearly six-year-old and the message was quite clear.

Doodle was not to be left out of the fun and got to read “Teach Me About Bedtime.” Our bedtime struggles have vastly improved over the last month, but there are still some nights he has a tough time settling down. He is two, after all.

The board book is told through the point of view of a two or three-year-old girl as she goes through her day playing herself to exhaustion. We see her naptime and bedtime routine. We see her throw a tantrum (Trust me, a 2-D tantrum really does lose something in translation, but I get enough of the real deal that I wasn’t missing the live action.).

I loved the no-so subliminal “sleep in your own bed” messages of the text as well as the reminder that they can sleep in other venues as well. My favorite page, though, was this one…

Yes, Doodle. Mommy likes to sleep in. Past six. Please. (I KNOW! I am SO demanding!)

This one also came with a CD too, but it unfortunately did more to wind him up than down. Want Doodle to dance? Just add music. Brahms is his Suicidal Tendencies. A playpen is nothing but a one-man mosh pit for this dude. We did eventually get him down and without the use of duct tape! Woo Hoo!

Did it work? Well, we read the book Friday night and Saturday morning both kids slept past 6 a.m. and I did hear Doodle playing in his room for a full 15 minutes before creeping into my chamber and insisting on using my bed (with me in it) as a trampoline.

Joy Berry has a variety of book series for ages 1-12 available at her site. From what I’ve seen, they are well worth the money, especially since you’re probably going to get lots of mileage passing these on from kid to kid.

Good, bad, or ugly? Good. Definitely. Good.

Last week, I caught a showing of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in Downtown Disney. Yes, I saw it without my kids. In my defense, my five-year-old daughter  had no interest in seeing it and there’s no way my two-year-old son was going to sit still long enough for anyone to enjoy the show. So, it was date night and dinner was on the screen.

Overall, it was a really cute movie. From what I’ve heard, the story is a departure from the literary version, but the general concept remains: Boy inventor creates machine that makes food fall from the sky. Wackyness ensues. Hero wins the day. Very much the stuff that’s made Disney millions over the years. And in this case, deservedly so.

I wish my daughter had been with me to see this. She gets a little freaked out by scary villains, and the only true antagonist here was bad behavior – greed, gluttony and pride, along with some well-intentioned parental pushing/child-trying-to-make-dad-proud motivations. Oh, and there’s some very cute “impress the girl” moments.

The movie does get a little preachy in some parts, but the lessons are not lost on me. Here are some of the few I noted during the film. Yes, these will make more sense if/when you see the film, so if you haven’t feel free to print out the list and take it with you. It’ll be like I’m sitting next to you and filling your ears with my whispery snarks. Trust me, it’ll enhance the experience.

Lessons learned from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs:

• An economy dependent on sardines is doomed to fail.
• Sardines need better PR.
• Tesla rocks.
• Mr. T is hilarious, especially when he’s drawn in tiny shorts and a reverse Mohawk.
• Men with unibrows are inherently oppressive and monkeys named Steve are inherently funny.
• Smart girls are hot.
• I can spend an entire animated movie guessing voices.
• There is never an inappropriate time for bacon.
• Food puns are always bad.
• Those aren’t chocolate snowballs.
• First dates with jello are romantic.
• People who tease nerds should have their asses kicked.
• Boys DO make passes at girls who wear glasses.
• There is no graceful exit from a jello castle.
• Kids want to make their parents proud.
• Parents want their kids to learn from their wisdom.
• Bigger isn’t always better.
• Genetic mutation = bad
• Tux t-shirts are an awesome fashion statement only when complimented by a lab coat.
• Fat men in diapers are always disturbing.
• I hate tornadoes. Even spaghetti tornadoes.
• Cute furry animals can always be a dangerous distraction.
• Vegas buffets are deadly.
• Parents will kiss their kids after they puke. That’s love, I tell you.
• Make sure your parents know how to use the Internet in case you need to save the world.
• Mama’s gotta be a good wide receiver.
• Putting the word “Chicken” before you name makes you a pseudo hero.
• Never fake a nut allergy.
• Gummi bears are evil.
• Pee before you see this movie.
• Sad monkeys make me cry.
• Invent species that can save you later.
• Get that monkey’s translator thing. I totally need that in a few years for the “sex talk” with the kids.
• Blowfish kisses are hawt.

So, go see the movie and enjoy. We passed on the 3-D version, but I’d love to hear of anyone who experienced the true theatrical food fight.

My five year old wails from the back seat as we hum along from our great San Diego vacation back to our Sin City home.

“MOOOMMMY! Can I have your phone? I wanna play games.”

At the doctor’s office, my son discovers the doctor’s rolling stool is a great way to practice his Superman skills. I need to intercede before our trip becomes more than just a check for swine flu.

“Hey Doodle, wanna watch Elmo?”

It is 4:30 a.m. at the Salt Lake City airport. I am waiting for the Southwest ticket counter to open so I can check in for my flight home. Not enough down time to warrant a laptop session on the cold linoleum. I pull out my iPhone and do an obligatory scan of my email, deleting obsolete news feeds and marketing crap sent in the wee hours of the night. Then I move over to Tweetdeck to see how my east coast Interweb friends are faring this lovely morning. Someone’s sick. Others are regaling in the joys of the last workday before a holiday weekend. Another is remembering that today her new son reaches the age that her previous child passed away.

I reflect on how much of my life revolves around this little pink-shelled device with its touch screen full of happy apps that entertain me and my kids, keep track of my appointments and friends, stores my grocery list, and allows me to flash the kids’ latest pictures and videos to any unsuspecting stranger who unwittingly asks about my brood.

My smartphone is a lifeline. It is the Vaseline that allows me to squeeze just a little more into my life, juggle one more ball, and try to make a few more people (including me) happy.

Kathy Buckworth shares her love for her smartphone in her latest book, The Blackberry Diaries. While we come from different countries and prefer different devices, we both agree that our devices have been a bane and blessing.

We can get more done and (usually) keep the work and family plates spinning without a major crash, but our smartphones can also become an often humorous distraction. She writes in the opening of her book:

As a thoroughly Modern Mother, what I love most about my BlackBerry smartphone is that it allows me to maintain the façade of a dedicted writer, knowledgeable public speaker, and little known but professionally made-up television personality while simultaneously living the perilous life of a harried, time-starved, harassed, and generally cranky mom. Some of my best career wins have been communicated to me over my BlackBerry smartphone, in less than ideal circumstances. To whit: the call I took from my agent, letting me know that I was being offered a book deal…came when I was standing in line at the grocery store buying lice shampoo. I had to pretend not to care about the grossed out look on the cashier’s face (as she simultaneously scanned my purchase and backed up a good 14 inches so as to not be infested) while also wanting to grab her and yell, “I have a book deal! You should care!” I’m sure she thought I was insane – some crazy woman grinning and bouncing on her feet at the prospect of delousing as an afternoon’s entertainment.

The book continues on with many giggles and snickers of familiarity throughout. Her general premise focuses on how her smartphone has become her fifth child – constantly buzzing and demanding her attention, becoming the a point of admittedly false status-filled pride, an opportunity to excuse herself from uncomfortable situations and unpleasant commitments and more. Some of the parallels were quite cute and others seemed a bit labored.

My favorite (or should that be favourite since Kathy’s Canadian?) sections were the stories she told about her own challenges in parenting her four kids.  Her tales of (not-so-kid free) hangover recovery, the perils of children’s clothing design, and determining the right punishment for her son who needed some lessons in responsibility had me chuckling so loud that my kids wondered what I was reading (and my daughter was inherently fascinated because the cover is pink).

To be honest, The BlackBerry Diaries is not the best parent humor book I’ve ever read, but is certainly a fun read worth that you can easily clear on your next flight (because you have to read SOMETHING when they cut off the wifi access, right?). These days we could all use a good laugh and setting your eyes on something other than a screen is probably a good thing.

Blackberry Tour that is.

Kathy Buckworth, author of The Blackberry Diaries: Adventures in Modern Motherhood is coming to Vegas this weekend. Her nice PR folks have partnered with Blackberry and Verizon to back her book tour.

And I get to share the love with you.

I get to give away four copies of Kathy’s book AND a brand-new Blackberry Tour (a $500 retail value) with 30 days of service from Verizon Wireless.

How do you win?

It’s pretty simple. There are three ways to enter:

1. Comment on a post here at GoodBadUgly Reviews before noon (pacific time) on Friday, Aug, 28. Each comment gets you one entry.

2. Tweet the following:

@GBUReviews is going on tour, a Blackberry Tour, that is, with @BBDiaries. I want to win. http://tinyurl.com/n66vgy #GBUBBTour.

Each tweet sent before noon (pacific time) on Friday, Aug, 28 gets you one entry. Don’t be too annoying, though. Tweet once or twice. Otherwise folks will unfollow you and hate me.

3. Write a post on your blog about your experiences with your PDA (it doesn’t need to be a Blackberry, I’m an iPhone geek myself). Tell the world about how you dropped it in the toilet, got busted checking your email at a holiday meal with family, or whatever you want. Just be sure to mention that you’re entering into the contest and link back to this post here at GoodBadUgly Reviews. If you don’t have a blog of your own, send me your post and I’ll put it here or on my main blog, Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas. Send an email to fandpinlv (at) gmail (dot) com. I’ll do a list post so others can see your story. Each post earns you 10 entries in the drawing.

Winners will be contacted on Friday. I’m happy to get Kathy to sign your copy of the book if you win. Speaking of the book, I’ve been reading it this weekend and a full review of the book and the Tour will be coming soon. In the meantime, here’s a quick synopsis on the book from her site:

The BlackBerry Diaries: Adventures in Modern Motherhood” is a no-holds-barred trip through the wacky world of toddlers and technology. Kathy takes the reader through a year-long blog account of life with her new BlackBerry and how, as a Mississauga, Ont.-based mother of four, her two worlds — technology and children — collide.

If you’re in Vegas this weekend, be sure to check out Kathy at her appearance at the Galleria Mall from 1-3 p.m. on Fri., Aug. 28 and Sat. Aug. 29. I’ll be there on Sat. to say “hi” and read my own BB Diary entry.

So, be sure to enter. Share the love.

Back in January, my crazy therapist recommended a book to me. I’d heard of it, even seen it on a bookstore shelf or two. I’d seen a woman or two with her nose buried in it at Starbucks or the airport.

“I think you’ll relate to the main character,” said the therapist.

Okay. I’m game. I got it.

I started reading it back in January and finally finished it on the plane to BlogHer.

Don’t take the long span as a reflection on the book though. I just have a hard time reading.

Yes, I spend hours and hours in front of a computer screen at the office and at home. I read all stinking day.

But put me on the couch or between the sheets with words on paper? I’m out cold after three pages.

But, Elizabeth Gilbert shouldn’t take it personally. It’s just me.

The quasi-nonfictional account follows the author’s journey from divorce to healing. Her travels open in Italy (eat), moves to India (pray) and then to Bali (love). The story is quite real, although I imagine that the actual dialogue was recreated.

Although my crazy therapist was wrong on quite a few things, she was right about the book. It did speak to me. Multiple times. She captured a lot of the feelings of fear, anxiety, and bone-rattling doubt that shook me so deeply and made me question every choice I had ever made in my adult life.

There were moments of self-discovery and epiphany. Sometimes it was hard to read because the some of the parallels were so close they nearly overlapped. Granted, my post-divorce recovery did not include Italian lessons in Rome, Texans in ashrams, or sage medicine men. She was childless and came to grips with the realization that she probably was not called to parenthood. While I felt her pain, I couldn’t necessarily identify with that. Even then, her descriptions opened the a door into her emotions and perspective that helped me understand and appreciate a destiny that was not mine.

As far as books go, it was a good read. Not a difficult one. Not necessarily a riveting one either. I could put this book down (granted it was usually sitting on my chest when I woke up, so technically gravity put it down, not me). Some parts were more compelling than others. The pace stalled a bit in the middle, meditative India section, but things picked up toward the end in Bali thanks to some fascinating and amusing characters and events.

Do I recommend it? Yes. Do you need to be in a divorce to enjoy it? No. Should men be worried to see their wives or girlfriends reading it? Probably not. The book is about healing, self discovery and becoming the whole person you’re meant to be in order to love yourself and others fully and completely. What guy wouldn’t want that?