Victoria Kroeger

Heartwood

mandy — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:26:07 +0000

Canadian artist Sora lists Loreena McKennitt as one of her greatest musical influences, a fact that is apparent on her latest musical effort, Heartwood. A beautifully put together collection of songs that conjure up druid celebrations and ancient royal courts, the album is reminiscent of McKennitt's modern Celtic style. Inspiration aside, Sora is very much her own artist and Heartwood showcases her talents as both a singer and songwriter.

The title track is a great beginning to the album, and a wonderful introduction to Sora's artistic abilities. She has a classically beautiful voice that can be strong, airy, or sorrowful. For the most part, Heartwood's tracks are pretty, soothing songs that remind one of laughter, love, and sun-filled days. The album offers some variety with Sora delving into her dark side for a few songs.

The best of these darker tunes is “Eurydice,” a haunting song that possesses a hypnotic beat and seductive lyrics. The instrumentals on the album are also well done, blending perfectly with Sora's vocals. The violin and piano work is especially impressive on “Drift” and “Winter.” On both tracks, the music perfectly sets the tone for the listener before seamlessly weaving itself in with Sora's voice, making for wonderful pieces of audio art.

The cover art on Heartwood is a simple photo of Sora, tinted in warm shades of brown and gold with some etchings behind her. Heartwood also features an insert booklet with the lyrics for each song—something I personally find extremely helpful—as well as photographs of whimsical items such as feathers, leaves, stones, and bits of ribbon. The earthy yet enchanting look reflects the tone of the album and gives the listener a good indication of the mood Sora is trying to set.

With its powerful vocals and mesmerizing instrumentals, Heartwood is an album that will not disappoint. Long-time Celtic fans and those new to the genre should find it a satisfying listening experience.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, September 4th 2010

Forbidden Passion

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:59:00 +0000

By Rita Herron

Forever

Forbidden Passion is a paranormal romance centered around the relationship of Dr. Marlena Bender and Sheriff Dante Valtrez. Set in the small Southern town of Mysteria, the book begins with Marlena returning home to confront her troubled past. Twenty years before, Marlena witnessed the gruesome deaths of her mother and sister at the hands of two men in the woods. She was saved by Dante, then a local teenager.

Haunted by the events of that day, Marlena has pursued a career as a scientist, studying the genetic reasons for violent behavior. Dante, too, is haunted by that day, but for different reasons. He knows the truth about the attack on Marlena’s family: they weren’t attacked by men at all, but by a pack of demons; a pack that Dante himself used to be a part of. Ashamed of his dark past, Dante has devoted his life to protecting the citizens of Mysteria from the demonic forces that prey on them. Despite Dante’s resolve to stay away from Marlena, the two are thrown back into each other’s lives when a serial killer begins stalking Marlena, leaving her tokens from his victims.

This is the third, and I would presume final, book in Rita Herron’s Demonborn series. It’s your typical paranormal romance: the two main characters fight their mutual attraction to each other for half the book before finally succumbing to temptation. There are a lot of demon-related killings, as well as a prophecy and a high-stakes “good versus evil” showdown. Herron keeps the action coming at a pretty fast pace, so even though Forbidden Passion isn’t revolutionary, it isn’t boring either.

The book revolves mainly around the mystery/thriller aspect of the plot, throwing in bits of sexual tension here and there. This makes it a good read for those who prefer their romance novels to be driven by story instead of sex. In the end, Forbidden Passion was able to hold my interest for the duration of the book, but it wasn’t good enough for me to want to read the other books in the series.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, May 19th 2010

No Mexicans, Women or Dogs Allowed: The Rise of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:03:00 +0000

By Cynthia E. Orozco

University of Texas Press

So often, when studying the history of civil rights in the United States in school, the curriculum concentrates on the struggles faced by African Americans and white women. The plights of other minority groups though, such as Asian Americans or Hispanic Americans, are often omitted from the textbooks. In those rare instances when these other groups are mentioned, their histories are condensed into a paragraph or side note. Cynthia E. Orozco attempts to shed some light on one of these ignored civil rights movements in her book, No Mexicans, Women, or Dogs Allowed. Her chronicle is a fascinating exploration at an overlooked chapter of American history.

I grew up in Texas, graduated from a Texas university, and currently teach in the same district where I attended school as a youth. Suffice to say, I have some experience studying Texas history. I found Orozco’s book, which focuses mainly on the region of South Texas, to be extremely eye-opening. Orozco outlines the history and development of the Mexican American culture and civil rights movement, starting with the early 1900s and concentrating mostly on the cities of San Antonio and Corpus Christi. She draws readers in, not with flashy writing or hooks, but with historical data and simple statistics that are interesting and to the point.

The book starts out by defining the cultural differences between Mexican Americans whose families have lived in Texas since before it became a state and recently immigrated Mexicans—a difference that many modern Americans still struggle with. Orozco then delves into the history of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC as it is commonly known by, as well as other organizations that were influential in the Mexican-American civil rights movement. She also takes on the issue of gender inequality within Mexican-American society and how this affected the civil rights movement and modern scholars’ perception of the women who participated in it.

For those interested in American history, civil rights history, women’s history, or Mexican American history, this book should be at the top of your reading list. After completing this book, I found myself wanting to know more about the people and incidents discussed. One can only hope that more books like this one will be published so that people can be educated on all facets of the civil rights movement in America.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, February 20th 2010

Lesbian Cowboys: Erotic Adventures

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Edited by Sacchi Green, Rakelle Valencia

Cleis Press

Lesbian Cowboys: Erotic Adventures is a collection of fifteen short stories that, as promised, feature lesbian cowboys. On average, the stories run approximately fourteen pages or so, which results in the feeling that there is not much in the way of plot or character development. Actually, a more fitting title would have been Lesbian Cowboys Having Sex, as the majority of the stories are pretty to the point and do not waste much time getting to the good stuff (and by good stuff, I mean lots of sex).

As for the eroticism, some stories are soft and sweet. My favorite of these was Craig J. Sorenson’s “Two Fronts,” a quaint coming-of-age story about a young woman living on a ranch during World War II. Others are written with crude details, such as Roxy Katt’s “Fancy Pants.” Personally, I have never found the words “fur” or “titties” to be especially erotic, but to each her own. Most of the stories are just fun little sexual romps. In their quest to set the right “cowboy” tone, some of the authors get a bit cheesy with their use of slang, such as “I reckon,” “Yes’m,” and “obliged,” but, if you are reading anything that falls into the romance, erotica or love story category, a little bit of cheese is probably what you are seeking.

Despite them all sharing a central theme of the cowboy lover, the stories are definitely individual works and each has its own take on the lesbian cowboy. There is something for everyone here, with stories set in every time period from the Old West to the current day in the twenty-first century. The heroines are all variations on the cowboy stereotype: ranch hands, rodeo cowgirls, detectives, and drifters, meaning that there is something for everyone in this collection. Because this is a themed collection, the stories sometime can get a bit monotonous when read one right after the other, so I do not recommend trying to read them all in one sitting, unless you really love lesbian cowboys. In the end, the book delivers exactly what its cover tagline promises, sexy little stories filled with “lust, dust and leather.”

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, December 4th 2009

2010 Complete Tibetan Calendar

admin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:46:00 +0000

By Nitartha International, Nalandabodhi

Snow Lion Publications

The 2010 Complete Tibetan Calendar is, as calendars go, pretty nifty. It features an astrological forecast for each day of the year, determined by a combination of three factors: element combination, ruling conjunction, and auspicious combination. If you do not know what any of these things are, don’t worry; located at the end of the calendar, in the “About This” section, is a wonderfully constructed chart that explains what each astrological indicator is and how it affects a person’s daily life. The indicators are listed in both English and Tibetan, giving the calendar a nice cultural flare. There is also a key that tells one how to read all the information listed on each day’s calendar square, making it all very easy to use and understand. In addition, there are also a few paragraphs on Buddhism and Tibetan astrology that, while not deeply detailed, are still informative and educational.

Each month of the calendar features a drawing of an Arhat, a person who, in layman’s terms, is an elder in the Buddhist religion who has reached enlightenment. These particular drawings were done by the Seventeenth Karmapa Orgyen Trinley, a current spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. The sketches are very rudimentary with a minimum of lines and colors, but it is this very simplicity that gives them their charm.

One really wonderful thing about the calendar is that it marks Buddhist holidays, as well as the traditional Western ones for countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. All the astrological information is conveniently located at the bottom of the square for each day, leaving plenty of room to write in appointments, birthdays, reminders, and other important notes. This feature makes it useful as a functioning calendar, as well as an astrological chart.

The 2010 Complete Tibetan Calendar is created by Nitartha International and Nalandabodhi, two non-profit organizations which strive to preserve the traditions and culture of Tibet.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, November 30th 2009

Stagestruck Vampires and Other Phantasms

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:15:00 +0000

By Suzy McKee Charnas

Tachyon Publications

Recently, during a discussion on the flaws of Twilight, an acquaintance of mine made a rather insightful statement. “The vampire is supposed to die. Period.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love a sexy paranormal as much as the next chick, but lately I’ve noticed that a lot of vampires have, for lack of a better pun, lost their bite. The recent trend with all things horror and fantasy has been to either neuter or glamorize what were once considered spine-chilling denizens of darkness. Soul-less vampires and bloodthirsty werewolves have been replaced by pretty boys wearing leather who have brooding puppy dogs. Sexy? Yes. Blood curdling? Not so much. It is for this reason I say, thank God for Suzy McKee Charnas.

Winner of such prestigious science fiction/fantasy awards as the Hugo, Nebula, and Tiptree, Charnas reminds us why we are afraid of the dark. In her works, creatures of the night are sinister, vicious, and yes, even downright scary. Stagestruck Vampires and Other Phantasms is a collection of Charnas’s previously published dark fantasy short-stories, plus two new autobiographical essays. The first essay, “The Stagestruck Vampire,” is about Charnas’s exasperating experiences trying to turn one of her works into a play. In the other, “They’re Right, Art is Long,” Charnas explores how her own personal feminism has shaped her works and career. Both are charming, informative pieces that give the reader a nice insight into the author’s mind.

The best in the bunch is “Beauty and the Opera,” an alternate ending to the classic Phantom of the Opera story. In this version, Christine agrees to live with the Phantom for five years as his wife in exchange for Raoul’s life. Told from Christine’s point of view, the story is equal parts horror and romance. The Phantom featured here is the disturbed, disfigured killer from the novel, not the tragically romantic character that usually dominates the movies and stage. Charnas’s writing is dark, seductive and engaging, drawing the reader into a tale of macabre beauty.

My other favorite story was “Boobs,” a tale of a teenage werewolf who gets revenge on a boy who has been teasing her about her chest size. Probably the most unusual coming-of-age story you’ll read this year, it was satisfying in an A Rose for Emily kind of way. The other stories in the collection are a showcase of horrific oddity. Edgar Allen Poe meets The Twilight Zone.

This is real horror, not the gruesome blood fests that have come to dominate the genre in recent years. The stories are a creepy good time, and while you won’t lose sleep after reading them, you’ll probably want to check under your bed. Just in case.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, September 2nd 2009

From May to December

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:25:00 +0000

By Pat MacEnulty

Serpent’s Tail

From May to December is the story of four women, sisters Lolly and Jen and inmates Nicole and Sonya, whose lives intersect at a women’s correctional facility. As the title suggests, the timeline of the book spans from May to December and each chapter focuses on a different woman’s point of view.

Lolly teaches classes to women in prison. Her current project is a theater class where the inmates write their own monologues, learn to act, and plan out a production. A survivor of a childhood cancer that left her with only one leg, Lolly is a strong, educated woman whose worst nightmare comes to life at the beginning of the book. She once again has cancer, only this time, it’s in her breast. Lolly convinces her older sister Jen, who has always been somewhat resentful of Lolly due to her attention-grabbing illnesses and do-gooder attitude, to help teach the theater class.

A part-time theater professor, Jen is also promiscuous, an alcoholic and a former adult film actress. All these characteristics could have made for a very unlikable character, but Jen’s honest admittance of her mistakes and her actions to correct them, as well as her support for her sister when her illness takes a turn for the worst, make Jen come off as sympathetically damaged instead of disgusting. I was actually surprised at how much I liked the character by the end of the book.

As for the two inmates in the theater class, Nicole is a young coed who ended up in jail for taking the wrap for her drug-dealing boyfriend. She is a talented writer who first catches Lolly’s interest when she enrolls in her poetry class. Nicole’s part of the story is told through excerpts from her “memoirs” that are scattered throughout the book. These passages give insight into not only her life but also those of the other inmates who appear as colorful side characters, the most interesting of which is Viola, a woman who shot her husband after finding him in bed with another woman.

The last of the four main characters is Sonya, a gypsy woman who is serving time for running cons. Sonya has a husband and baby son but while she misses her child, she has no such attachment to her husband, their union being the result of an arranged gypsy marriage. A con-woman by birth, prison has cut Sonya off from the only existence she has ever known and as a result, she begins to question her actions and confront the guilt over the crimes she has committed. To add to her confusion, she has developed a crush on another female inmate named Alice.

While there was nothing groundbreaking or life-altering presented in this book, I was completely fascinated by it and could not wait to see what happened next. The characters were well-developed, and although not entirely relatable, they were at the very least sympathetic. The reasons for the various inmate’s imprisonment, usually related to men, drugs or money, all seemed very realistic and shed some light on the sad situations that cause many women to end up in prison. Entertaining but at the same time thought provoking, From May to December is for anyone who is looking for something a little heavier than the usual summer read.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, August 22nd 2009

Good Evening

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:56:00 +0000

By Nite Jewel

Human Ear Music

Somewhere, there is an indie coming-of-age film that is just begging to be scored by Nite Jewel. Nite Jewel is the stage name of one Ramona Gonzalez, a songwriter and composer who hails from Los Angeles California. Using a multi-track cassette recorder, keyboard, drums and other various instruments, Nite Jewel’s music is reminiscent of that synthesized techno pop sound that reached its pinnacle in the 1980s. Good Evening, Nite Jewel’s newest musical endeavor, is a collection of ten songs that do not disappoint. The songs are a combination of hypnotic trance rhythms, steady dance beats and gentle female vocals. Most of the beats are slow but there is something infectious about them. You end up swaying, if not right out dancing to the music. Despite its being danceable, the music has a relaxing quality to it that makes it perfect background music for everyday activities. One can easily enjoy the music without being distracted with it as they go about their day working, cleaning, and reading. I cannot understand a word being sung in any of the Nite Jewel songs, but I’m not sure I’m supposed to. The soft, murmuring lyrics give the music an ethereal feel (This is most apparent in the track “Chimera”), which only adds to its appeal. Although I enjoyed the entire album, there were two songs that really stood out. The first was “Universal Mind” which possesses a constant, steady beat, but still maintains a beautiful tranquility throughout the track. The second song, “Artificial Intelligence,” is chipper and uplifting and boasts the kind of rhythm that people cannot help but clap along to.

Good Evening plays well as a whole, the songs seamlessly blending from one to the next. My one complaint is that the audio on the album is very soft. I had to turn the volume up considerably on my computer and in my car to hear it properly.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 27th 2009

Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering

admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:34:00 +0000

By Suzanne Kamata

Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering is a collection of essays by twenty different women who are all raising children in a multicultural environment. The children in this book mainly fall into three categories: they are of mixed racial heritage, they are being raised in a country to which their parents have immigrated, or they have been adopted by parents from another culture. Being multiracial myself and having been raised in an army town where interracial relationships, foreign mothers, and multiracial children are fairly common, I was interested to see what Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering had to say.

Overall, I found the stories in the book to be very hit or miss. Some were moving and touched on issues that multicultural families sometimes face. One stand out is “Fade to Brown,” the story of a woman of mixed race who worries how her daughters’ differing skin colors (one is light, the other dark) will affect their relationship with each other and their cultural identity. It’s an insightful story, dealing with real concerns and specific problems that many people of mixed race can relate to.

Other stories in the collection are less on target. For instance, “Dr. Bucket in Bishkek” has nothing to do with raising children in a foreign country or culture. Instead, it is an amusing tale about an English woman’s experiences while being pregnant in Kyrgyzstan. While it makes for a good fish-out-of-water story, the essay has little to do with the central theme of the collection. Many of the stories were also centered more on how the mother was reacting to the family’s environment or circumstance instead of focusing on the children. These stories were more about bad marriages and personal prejudices than about mothers coping with unusual situations.

My main problem with many of these stories is that due to the way they were written, they just did not feel real. Don’t get me wrong—the writing is good, but it’s all very fanciful and poetic, making the work seem more like fiction than a relating of real life events. Instead of flowery prose, I would have preferred straightforward accounts of the obstacles and triumphs these mothers have encountered. In the end, Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering is worth a look for the better stories, but be prepared to have to wade through the bad ones as well.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, April 28th 2009

Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe

admin — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:31:00 +0000

By Nancy Goldstone

Penguin

Let me start out by saying that I am not a fan of non-fiction books. Seriously, the only things I read that can be categorized as historical are also categorized under romance. I expected this book to be like the ones I had to read for history classes in college: boring and never ending. It wasn’t an experience I was looking forward to. So imagine my surprise when I started reading and found that not only was the book interesting, it was so compelling that I literally could not put it down. I loved this book. I would even go as far as to say that it’s one of the best books I’ve read all year, and coming from someone who does not like non-fiction, that’s saying a lot.

Four Queens is the true story of four sisters from Provence who came to rule England, France, Germany, and Sicily during the 13th century. The subject matter is fascinating. Page after page is filled with royal marriages, secret alliances, crusades, wars, rebellions, and betrayals. This is the stuff that award-winning television miniseries are made of. The cast of characters is like something out of a soap opera.

There’s Marguerite, the eldest daughter, who must adapt to married life with her husband, the pious King Louis of France, while sidestepping his controlling mother, Blanche of Castille; Eleanor, married to the impulsive King Henry of England and determined to step out of her older sister’s shadow; Sanchia, as meek as she is beautiful, wed to Henry’s charismatic brother Richard; and Beatrice, young and spoiled and perfectly matched with Louis’s power hungry younger brother Charles.

While the events of the book are interesting in their own right, it is really the wit and charm that Goldstone injects into her writing that makes this novel a page turner. Her style is reminiscent of that favorite teacher you had in school, the one who could make the lecture fun and exciting while still presenting you with all the important facts and dates.

History tends to overlook women for the most part and it was refreshing and inspiring to read about four women who were so influential in a time when women’s rights were unheard of. If nothing else, the book proves one point: While French men may have a reputation for being weak, French women have always kicked ass!

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 14th 2008

The Delivery Man

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:06:00 +0000

By Joe McGinniss Jr.

Black Cat

The Delivery Man is the story of Chase, a twenty-something guy living in Las Vegas. The book switches between Chase’s present day life and flashbacks from his tragic Las Vegas childhood. The Delivery Man is Joe McGinniss Jr.’s first book, and while I enjoyed his writing style, I hope he does better with the plot on his next attempt.

The book starts out with Chase spending a typical night out with his friends, Hunter and Michele. Michele is Chase’s childhood friend and currently works as a hooker. Hunter is a wannabe actor who works as a pirate at one of the Las Vegas hotels. While it is apparent that all three have dabbled in drugs, Michele is the only one who has an obvious cocaine habit.

On this particular night, Chase is feeling anxious because his girlfriend Julia is coming to visit. Julia attends grad school in California, but there’s going to be an MBA conference in Las Vegas, so she will be in town for a week. At one point, Chase states that he does not feel he’s good enough for Julia because he’s a high school art teacher and not the successful artist he longs to be. Let’s go over that again.

Hanging out with junkies and hookers doesn’t make Chase feel like he’s wasting his life, but being a high school art teacher does. Luckily, Chase doesn’t have to worry about his embarrassing job for too long, because he gets fired for getting into a fistfight with a student. Free now to pursue his art career without any pesky job getting in the way, Chase takes the next logical step. He starts driving Michele around to her various johns, because nothing screams “Artist!” quite like “Hooker Chauffer.”

Anyway, a bunch of stuff happens after that: Michele steals money from her pimp/boyfriend, Julia gets pregnant, Chase gets beat up, there are a lot of drugs and sex with underage girls. I’m sure it’s all supposed to be really gritty and thrilling. Unfortunately, the whole thing comes off as more exhausting then exciting.

The biggest problem is the main character. It’s hard to feel anything for Chase because, well, he’s a loser. He’s weak and whiney, and after the first few chapters you stop caring what happens to him because it’s pretty obvious that Chase himself doesn’t even care. I could have even dredged up some sympathy if he’d been doing the best he could or was the victim of circumstance - if he were hardworking, but stuck in a dead end job due to lack of higher education and money, for example. This is not the case though. Chase has a college degree and a respectable job, but chooses to hang around with people that do nothing but drag him back into the trashy, pathetic world of his childhood.

A story about the "have-nots" can be eye-opening and emotional. A story about the "choose-nots" is just annoying.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 13th 2008

A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:49:00 +0000

By Margot Datz

Atria Books

Margot Datz’s A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids is a wonderfully colorful picture book for adults - the kind of book that should come with matching postcards, a calendar, and refrigerator magnets. Datz is both writer and illustrator, and she does a delightful job with both.

The focus of the book is how women can experience life to the fullest by living like mermaids. Mermaids, Datz tell us, came out from the sea long ago, and even though they have adapted to life on land, part of them still longs for the freedom of the sea. If you have ever felt like there was a wild, sensual creature inside of you longing to get out (and who among us hasn’t?), then you’re probably a landlocked mermaid. This book will help you to regain the tail that you lost so long ago.

Each page of the book has a little life tip accompanied by a whimsical picture of a mermaid acting it out. These pictures alone make the book worth it. Datz is a talented artist and her mermaids come alive on the page with a certain coy charm, appearing both ethereal and familiar at the same time. They are also racially diverse, which is encouraging since that is not the norm in these types of books.

The life lessons are about a variety of subjects, ranging from listening to your elders to being smart with money. The main lesson is to be true to yourself in all things - including the way you express your emotions, choose a life partner, or simply accessorize an outfit. All of these things, Datz stresses, are important in releasing your inner mermaid.

Nothing Datz presents in the book is new information, but she presents it in such a fun and entertaining way that you can’t help but be drawn into her mermaid world of love, life, and laughter.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 12th 2008

Magic and the Power of the Goddess: Initiation, Worship, and Ritual in the Western Mystery Tradition

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:06:00 +0000

By Gareth Knight

Destiny Books

The planet is in turmoil and, according to Magic and the Power of the Goddess by Gareth Knight, we can heal it by connecting with the Goddess - the feminine energy that runs though our world. To fully connect with the Goddess though, one must study how she has been represented in various cultures throughout history.

The first part of the book deals with exercises and rituals (most involve meditation, circles, and candles) that one can perform in order to become more in sync with nature and the energy that runs through the planet. Knight claims that this energy is feminine and takes the form of the Goddess. By focusing on this energy, we should be able to heal not only ourselves, but the environment around us. The rest of the book concentrates on different myths from various cultures and how the Goddess is represented in each of these stories. Isis, Andromeda, Psyche, and the Virgin Mary are just a few of the women that Knight cites in these chapters.

Personally, I found this book to be a bit much. To me, meditation is a simple, stress-free practice, and I found Knight’s almost scientific approach to be very unappealing and complicated. The same goes for his take on ancient myths. I would have appreciated an in-depth analysis of how women and goddesses have been represented in mythology over time, but Knight’s analysis just seems to go in circles, never reaching any real conclusion. I’ve read a few new age books before, and while I’ve never really been a follower of what they preach, I could appreciate the author’s point of view. This book was different. I found Knight to be longwinded, rambling and, worst of all, boring. Maybe if I practiced Wicca I would be more impressed with Magic and the Power of the Goddess, but somehow I doubt it.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 11th 2008

Pulsa Bath Ball

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:07:00 +0000

By Pure Romance

The Pulsa Bath Ball by Pure Romance, the company best known for taking Tupperware parties to the next level, is your basic, no frills massager. Consisting of a grapefruit-sized loofah with a vibrating motor in its center, the Pulsa Bath is a massager intended for use in the bath or shower. Given how annoyingly loud the massager is when turned on, I would opt for the shower since the running water does a pretty good job of masking the motor’s whirl. As for the actual massaging capabilities of the Pulsa Bath, there’s a lot of be desired.

The size and shape of the device, while appropriate for a loofah, make it difficult to handle as a massager. Most hand-held massagers are small with either ridged or bumpy surfaces. There’s a reason for this, as the differing textures add the sensation and pressure needed to massage muscles. The soft, spongy texture of the Pulsa Bath makes the kneading and manipulation of muscles difficult and time consuming. The loofah is absorbent, though, and while it may fall short as a personal massager, it’s perfectly adequate as a bath sponge, its size and shape making it tuck away in any bathroom drawer or suitcase.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, October 13th 2007

Zodiac Girls: From Geek to Goddess

admin — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 12:44:00 +0000

By Cathy Hopkins

Kingfisher

Zodiac Girls: From Geek to Goddess by Cathy Hopkins is a re-telling of one of the oldest stories around. Girl goes to new school where she doesn’t know anyone, gets picked on by the school bully and fails to make the team, or in this case, the school play. Eventually, through misadventures and valuable life lessons, she comes to love herself, make friends and stick it to the aforementioned bully. What makes this re-telling different from all the others? Astrology. The heroine of From Geek to Goddess, Gemma, is chosen to be a Zodiac Girl. This means that for one month the planets, stars and a few Greek gods will help her on her journey from loner loser to queen bee.

Great premise, but the execution of the actual story was lacking. Hopkins tries to shove too many events into too few pages. Instead of just a couple of main events, we get several small, quick adventures that don’t really connect, giving the book a disjointed feeling. Also, for a book that’s supposed to involve magic and mythology, there’s not that much in the way of the supernatural that happens. It’s hinted at that several characters are Greek gods, but we never get to see them do anything superhuman. Most of the otherworldly help Gemma receives is via a magic cell phone and website, and even then, she is mostly just given vague, daily horoscopes that she could have read in the newspaper.

Still, the book does have its merits, the biggest of which being the character of Gemma herself. Outgoing, impulsive and fairly confident, Gemma does not mope when things go wrong, but instead looks for new and different ways to makes friends and improve her social life. She is positive and self-reliant, neither a goody-goody nor a brat. A good role model for any young girl.

Though not destined to become a classic, From Geek to Goddess would probably be an entertaining read for a child interested in Greek mythology or astrology. Even if they are not impressed with the story, the astrology wheel and Gemini Fun Facts page at the back of the book should be enough to make it worth their while.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, July 1st 2007