Reviews by VixenViewTreasures

VixenViewTreasures says "Had a very hard time finishing the book, had to convince myself" about Lilian Jackson Braun - Cat Who Talked Turkey

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:44:10 GMT

The description on the dust jacket about The Cat Who Talked Turkey sounded interesting. Unfortunately for me the Jacket was the most interesting piece of the book. I found it tedious to follow and as far as the mystery goes, it took too long to even follow through with it. The first chapter briefly flits to the idea of a murder mystery, then it is all but forgotten until near the end of Chapter 7 where it is only again briefly touched upon as a casual side note.

Apparently this is more about cats than the bicentennial or the murder victim of which the dust jacket speaks.

The characters do not seem to develop much and the main character is rather boring.

The final chapter was the best, both because it finally came around to the murder and because I could see the end was near.

I will not be reading anymore books by this author as I had a most difficult time forcing myself to actually finish the book. A waste of my $23.95 plus tax not to mention time spent reading and falling asleep...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Sweet story of love lost and new loves found" about Harbor Lights

VixenViewTreasures — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:30:04 GMT

Sherryl Woods Harbor Lights is the final of the 3 part series of the Chesapeake Shores Novels. You can read the book by itself and still follow what is going on, but it also connects the O'Brien siblings in this final series. I was a little disappointed on the lack of follow up on some previous relationships, but the book had a great story all by itself and didn't really need the support of the other books to make it a good read. :)

Kevin O'Brien moves back home (seems an on-going theme with the O'Brien characters) after finding himself suddenly a single father. The love of his life (but did he really know her all that well) has died serving her country. Kevin is withdrawn and forlorn over the loss of his wife. He leaves the parenting up to his grandmother as he stays distant from any relationships. His family supports him as they understand all he has gone through, but they push him to get out so he can learn to live again -- not just for himself, but also for his son. He stumbles...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Characters with energy and a great follow up to first story" about Flowers on Main

VixenViewTreasures — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:06:19 GMT

Flowers on Main is the second in a three part series by Sherryl Woods. I enjoyed the second one as much as the first. I love that each book stands alone, yet completes the other. Very well written. Great connections.

In this story we meet in closer detail another of the O'Brien sisters. Unfortunately the one draw back here is that the story line is somewhat similar to the last character in that there are two lost loves with a turbulent past that ended for no particular reason (or maybe a reason, but still same thing sudden ending of two people still in love but too stubborn to admit it). However, the similarities end there.

Bree left her home town for Chicago and a life in theater where she worked to make a name for herself. She returns home after feeling like she has failed in what she set out to do...not willing to give up on dreams, she starts a flower shop as she rediscovered her love of gardening upon her return home. However, this re-found love bumps her right into an...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Well written and entertaining!" about Sherryl Woods - The Inn at Eagle Point

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:47:39 GMT

The Inn at Eagle Point is the first book I have read that Sherryl Woods has written. I found it very well written, great characters, lots of helpful details and a warm story that while this was part of a three book series stood well on its own.

Abby has to return to her home town after a long absence. She has moved on in life and has become quite successful where she currently lives in the city. She has two small twin daughters and an amicable divorce, or so she thinks. Upon returning home an old flame is also in the area. Her life becomes turned upside down as she struggles to help her sister and maintain her current life. Eventually, changes come about that she did not see coming, and as a result, she comes to find that which she belived-in to be not-quite-so.

Trace has returned home to help his father and more than that - to prove to his father that he's not the right person for the job. What he doesn't count on is running into a long lost love and have the old feelings return...

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VixenViewTreasures says "A unique twist to the traditional Cinderella story" about Luann McLane - Redneck Cinderella

VixenViewTreasures — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:42:01 GMT

Redneck Cinderella by LuAnn McLane is a story about a young woman and her father learning how to fit in after selling their farm and suddenly becoming well-off.

Jolie Russell and her Father are becoming the talk of the town - and not in a good way. They sold their farm at the instance of Cody Dean a wealthy land developer who convinced them that it would be good for them and that they could still live on a portion of their land. What they didn't know at the time was that they would have to fit in with the high-society folk, something they are quite unprepared to do.

Jolie lost her mother when she was just a young girl and having grown up with only her father as a role model, and lacking a mother figure, has grown into not only somewhat "backwards" but also very much a tomboy. She speaks her mind and feels at home with the "boys". However, Cody Dean has not escaped her eye and her feelings towards him are stirring her feminine side.

Along the way she meets Cody's brother, a local teacher...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Mystery, fun, magic, romance all rolled into one" about Barbara Bretton - Casting Spells

VixenViewTreasures — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:32:00 GMT

Casting Spells is a story of "magick" and murder mystery.

A beautiful postcard town with no deaths or crimes, suddenly has a death and ends up on the radar -- something the town folk want to avoid for very specific reasons.....they are not your normal town folk.

Chloe a sorcerer's daughter, though with no powers of her own, runs the local knitting shoppe and is the town's mayor by default of family lines. Luke MacKenzie is a police officer from the "big city" of Boston come to research the death of the mysterious woman -- who as it turns out, he knows from childhood. Sparks fly between Luke and Chloe; literally. The harder the town tries to hide things the more Chloe and Luke are drawn together the more is found about the death of the "woman in the naked dress".

Great magical story and a lot of fun to read. Chapters divided between Chloe's and Luke's perspectives. All told in the first person. Need to pay attention to the chapter or break headings to make sure you realize which...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Loved the intertwining of Mystery and Romance." about Jodi Thomas - Rewriting Monday

VixenViewTreasures — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:57:59 GMT

Rewriting Monday is a romantic story with the intrigue of mystery threaded throughout the pages. If you like mystery and romance this book has covered both subjects in a manner that flows well and doesn't detract from the story by having both elements.

I enjoyed the storyline, the characters, the foreshadowing of the "who dun-nit" and that the author even utilized her minor characters to not only support the story, but have some mystery of their own. It was also refreshing that the characters attraction for each other did not come to the usual immediate sparks flying type of relationship. An astute observer will come to his/her own conclusions about the who, but there is still enough surprise in that observation to keep you reading to find out the "were you right?" and the "why?".

However, it did take me several chapters to become accustom to Thomas' switch between first person and third person narration. Once I became familiar with her style of writing I could accept the switching,...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Easy to travel with, quick and has great flavor!" about Betty Crocker Bowl Appetit: Pasta Alfredo

VixenViewTreasures — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:41:20 GMT

When we recently planned a weekend skiing trip and wanted to find ways to save a few bucks, we thought, "hey, let's bring some of our own food." We stayed in a hotel that had a microwave and a refrigerator right in the room, so why not utilize those benefits to the fullest extent and save some moo-la while we're at it. While packing sandwich fixings is relatively easy, we thought it would be nice to have a hot meal too...enter: Betty Crocker's Bowl Appétit! A hot meal in a short time and with pretty good flavor too.

Betty Crocker's Bowl Appétit! has many different flavors. The one I tried was the Pasta Alfredo.

Some merits of this meal:
1. Easy to transport - no refrigeration required
2. Comes in its own serving container (recyclable)
3. Just add some water, no other extra supplies needed
4. Quick cooking and preparation - 4-5 1/2 minutes cooking, with a 2 minute rest time
5. Tastes pretty good

A couple of negatives:
1. At only 3 oz before water, it's not much of a meal, even after you......

VixenViewTreasures says "Limited use for learning words in context" about Que Color Es Este?/What Color Is It?

VixenViewTreasures — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 10:55:33 GMT

What Color Is It? ¿Qué color es éste? is a simple book - too simple if you are looking for complete sentences and learning words in context.

From the title, this book seems like it would be a great way to introduce Spanish to children in an easy nonthreatening way, and yet still make connections to language usage. However, if you are looking for complete sentences, keep looking you won't find it here in this pudgy book. The book is basically an under five style book. It is constructed of heavy cardstock style pages, and has one color word per page in both English and Spanish languages. The colors are limited to seven colors. The only sentence is the title sentence, which is then repeated on the last page.

If you are looking to expose a kindergartner or younger child to how to use a book, this is good because the pages are thick and non-tearing. If you are looking to teach a 2nd grader about stories in another language, this misses the boat - it's not a story, it's just a......

VixenViewTreasures says "Great way to make connections between languages" about P. D. Eastman - Perro Grande...Perro Pequeno/ Big Dog...Little Dog: Un Cuento De Las Buenas Noches/ A Bedtime Story

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:32:34 GMT

Perro Grande...Perro Pequeño aka Big Dog...Little Dog by P.D. Eastman is a Spanish to English story. It is a paperback in full color with story and illustrations by Eastman.

Fred and Ted are the Big dog and Little dog of the title. Each page compares the two friends Fred and Ted. The story is written in simple but complete sentences allowing the reader to see sentence structure and correct verb, noun, adjective usage of both languages.

It's a simple but cute story that takes you on the journey of the lives of Fred (Perro Grande) and Ted (Perro Pequeño). You start off with their size comparisons, and travel through things like money, weather, instruments, food, houses, cars, and winter sports. You learn about locations, rooms, and things that make the friends different, as well as problems big and small for these two, but in the end, they are friends, and friends work out their differences and find ways to work together to help one another. :)

This is an entertaining story that......

VixenViewTreasures says "Stories of success - Sandler succeeds in making you laugh" about Bedtime Stories

VixenViewTreasures — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:36:02 GMT

Bedtimes Stories is a comedy staring Adam Sandler playing the part of a Hotel handyman, Skeeter Bronson, who soon discovers some strange events occurring shortly after he tells his niece and nephew a bedtime story. This is funny both in content and in the lines Sandler throws at you. He really knows how to be a kid and that helps because you can’t help but laugh at his antics.

Story:

Once upon a time Skeeter’s dad, Marty Bronson (Jonathan Pryce) owned the hotel which Skeeter is now the handyman. Skeeter loves the hotel and helping his dad, his sister on the other hand, doesn’t really take a fancy to her role in the family business. Sadly, Marty is not much of a business man and he has to sell his family-run motel to an opportunist, Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths). Marty is initially reluctant to sell, but agrees when Barry promises to make Skeeter a manager someday, after he grows-up. Fast forward a number of years - Barry builds a large pricey hotel on the property,...

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VixenViewTreasures says "Not at all what I expected, but cute for the very young" about How Do I Feel? Como me siento?

VixenViewTreasures — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:58:58 GMT

How Do I Feel? ¿Cómo me siento? is an English to Spanish book about feelings. I ordered it from an on-line source, and was under the impression it would be just a little more ........... substantial.

I was expecting an easy to follow story about feelings in a normal book format. Instead it turns out that it is a "pudgy book". You know, the kind of book you buy your preschooler/kindergartner to help the child learn about words on a page, get interested in reading, and teach him/her proper page turning (without worry about pages being torn - as each page is cardboard thickness). While I was disappointed that it is not what I expected, it is a cute book, and I'm sure the content will entertain my 1st and 2nd grade Spanish enthusiasts.

The book starts with the feeling happy and shows a bird singing and also has the word feliz, which is the Spanish word for happy. The book continues to give one English word, a picture, and then the Spanish word - one per page. This is where I was disappointed......

VixenViewTreasures says "Get caught up in the fun - Lose Track of Time" about Nintendo Wii - Wii Play

VixenViewTreasures — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:56:22 GMT

The Wii Play comes with an additional Wii-remote so you can "play with a friend". A great idea since the Wii console only comes with one Wiimote - this is a great way to add on another Wiimote with little additional $$'s as it's included in the game price. :) There are nine games on the disk. They include:

Shooting Range - just like it sounds; you shoot at various targets
Find Mii - locate either pairs of Mii's, odd Mii's or your own Mii
Table Tennis - just like it sounds paddles, a ball, a net and a table
Pose Mii - use your Wiimote to pose your Mii and match it to the one pictured
Laser Hockey - like table hockey -- but electrified in neon
Billiards - traditional game of pool set-up; helps to know that you must go in # order
Fishing - catch the fish, but not the little guys or they cost you
Charge - ride a cow and knock downs some scarecrows - a race against time
Tanks! - battle it out with some tanks; blow up the enemies

When you put the disk in for the first play, the Wii starts you off with......

VixenViewTreasures says "Ouch! Waste of money and NOT pain free." about As Seen on TV Smooth Away

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:07:10 GMT

I found Smooth Away in my local Drug Store on the end aisle, you know where they put the products to catch your attention. It caught my attention because the statement "Removes hair instantly and Pain Free". Sounds good, I'm all about ways for quick hair removal - and pain free is definitely a good thing! Well, if I could give this a "0" I would, but since that choice is not available - I chose "1" for a number of reasons.

First, it does NOT work instantly as stated on the box. When you read the directions it states move in a circular direction 3 times clockwise and then 3 times counter-clockwise. Okay, sounds reasonable. Yeah, right...Nothing happens! Okay, lets try that again. Hmmmm....still nothing. Now mind you, it says not to use on hair longer than a 1/4 of an inch. Gads, who wants to have their hair longer than that before they do anything? Not me - so I was well within in the length, but nothing seemed to be happening. It didn't remove the hair, and if it......

VixenViewTreasures says "Good Flavor for a quick meal." about Market Day Amazing Meals in a Bag - Carnitas Enchiladas

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:46:15 GMT

Carnitas Enchiladas are a pork enchilada with cheese topping and a seasoned rice. It's like a pulled pork so it's nice and juicy not dried out and has some texture. It has poblano peppers giving it a nice spice. Other ingredients include: corn, cheddar cheese, onions and rice. It's a nice mix giving it a nice Mexican taste on the mild side. This is one where there could be just a bit more food to fill your belly, but if you have some corn chips and salsa on the side it helps to fill the gap. Maybe even a side salad would be a good thing. :) Still it's nice for a quick meal at work or if you aren't in the mood for dragging out all the fixings for your own Mexican feast. Just make sure you add some sides. :)

2 bags per box - 1 bag is a serving
6-7 minutes cook time 60 second rest time...

VixenViewTreasures says "Good Flavor - quick meal." about Market Day Amazing Meals in a Bag - Chicken Breast Tuscan

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:41:22 GMT

Chicken Breast Tuscan is rib meat chicken, with tomato and balsamic herb sauce on a bed of pasta. It has good flavor. It is a tomato based sauce so it's a healthy choice. The pasta can sometimes be a little overdone for my liking, although I'm one to like my pasta more aldanté. It also has a cheese topping; not too much, just enough to give some flavor. I've had so good cuts of chicken and I've also one time out of 4 had a bad cut, which is why I gave it a 3 instead of a 4. The portion is good, the flavor is good, but I would prefer my meat not have grizzle in it, which the one time I did get (guess I'm picky). This like the others makes a nice lunch for when you are at work as long as you remember the plate and fork.

It's based on the Papillote (pá-pèè-yáwt) method. Which is where the Amazing Meals in a Bag! gets it's name. Each meal is cooked in a paper bag similar to the European Papillote method. Food cooks in its own natural juices in the bag, sealing in all the......

VixenViewTreasures says "A healthy yet flavorful choice." about Market Day Amazing Meals in a Bag - Mediterranean Salmon

VixenViewTreasures — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:31:11 GMT

According to the package, Mediterranean Salmon is Atlantic Salmon with Mediterranean vegetable blend and fish fumet. I don't know what fumet means, but it does taste good. :) It also has some olives with a little bit of a tangy taste. The fish is good portion, especially if you have a side salad with your dinner, or choose to have the meal for lunch. I like that it's easy to prepare and healthy too. Just bring a fork and a paper plate and your good to go for a nice quick, tasty, healthy lunch while you're at work.

Suggest before serving to sprinkle fresh chopped parsley, drizzle with an extra vergin olive oil and add a crisp green salad to complete the meal. Guess it's not the complete meal the name would suggest.

2 bags per box - 1 bag is a serving
6-7 minutes cook time 60 second rest time...

VixenViewTreasures says "Quick snack that doesn't leave you needing something else." about Nature Valley - Chewy Trail Mix Bars, Fruit & Nut

VixenViewTreasures — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:47:54 GMT

Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars: Fruit & Nut have a lot of nuts and fruit in them. Let me say the "a lot" again - a lot of nuts and fruit, as well as whole grain oats. Nice and chewy, and not dried out or crumbly, they have good flavor and it's not like other snack foods. They are a bit on the sticky side though, so I tend to peel down the outter foil wrap as I eat it to keep my fingers free of the honey. They actually seem to take the edge off your hunger until meal time, thereby preventing snack overload.

Of all the different snack bars of this type out there this is the one that my family keeps asking for more. They are easy to toss in your lunch box, great for a snack at home, and you can even keep a couple in your car for those unexpected long trips or day at the mall (Christmas shopping comes to mind, LOL) where you find yourself out and about and using lots of energy, but don't really want to stop for a meal. These will do the trick to give you energy and take the edge......

VixenViewTreasures says "Keep your Wiimotes at the ready and save the environment!" about TeknoCreations InCharge for Wii

VixenViewTreasures — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:57:20 GMT

Hahaha! Look Ma' - No Batteries!

Here's the scoop...

The Wii InCharge Dual Charge Station is the only charging dock I've found that can charge the Wiimotes without removing the skins. Woot! What a great idea!

The Wii InCharge Dual Charge Station Product Features Include:

You can charge your Wiimotes with their silicon sleeves and wrist straps in place
They weight 50% less than AA batteries and other charging solutions
You can charge one or two controllers at one time
The package Includes two Lithium polymer battery packs
They have Non-metal conductive charging solution
The charge is not affected by dirt or grime
There are no contacts to break or have to align
The Wiimote is barely warm after charging; heat dissipates within a minute or less
If you really want to - you can charge just the pack without the Wiimote attached

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I have looked and looked for a......

VixenViewTreasures says "Too funny - you can really relate to some of the situations!" about Four Christmases

VixenViewTreasures — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:07:57 GMT

What's the story:
Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are a young well-to-do couple that are cynical about marriage and have decided they really like just being a couple without the need for marriage and all the downfalls that go along with it. Both sets of parents have divorced, and Kate and Brad have decided they don't want to "go there". They come across to others as a bit shallow and all about themselves. They haven't spent Christmas with their families in a long time; each year they take a vacation just the two of them. They always come-up with a new excuse to give why they can't come home for the Christmas holiday.

This year the plan is to go to Fiji - unfortunately, weather is not on their side, and a bigger unfortunate problem lands in their laps when they are singled out by a news crew to explain why they are in the airport and what it does to their holiday and family plans. Ooooppps! They are caught and now unable to escape their obligations to their respective......