A Guest Review by Dellylu: The English Roses by Madonna

The ladies of Mrs. BG are tickled pink to present a guest review by Dellylu!  

Dellylu says:

I am crazy about Clarice Bean, writing, fashion, books and my best friend. I also like Alice in Wonderland but not nearly as much as my sister (Izzy).  I utterly love using the word utterly.

Dellylu is DeLynne's youngest daughter so, of course, she is an amazingly talented and delightful young lady.  Yes, we are biased but it is true! 

Dellylu is nine and her new blog,  I think...,  is a welcome addition to the blogosphere. She plans to write about  books, games, clothes, school, and other girl stuff.  The pillow she posted of her first sewing project is too cute.

If you have tween girls in your life, please direct them to Dellylu's blog.

Without futher ado, Dellylu's review:

My Grandma sent me a Angus and Robertson gift card for Christmas. I ordered The English Roses by Madonna and with pictures by Jeffrey Fulvimari.

It finally came and when it did I was utterly thrilled. The illustrations are sooo pretty. I also liked the bright colours. This book is so perfect for 9 to 12 year old girls.

This book is about 4 girls who do everything together.

But, there is a new girl named Binah and the English Roses are jealous of her.

Binah is very very beautiful, she is an excellent student and very good at sports,  she is very kind too.

 But Binah is lonely, she has no friends.  The English Roses are avoiding and ignoring her. This book tells a story of how The English Roses become friends with Binah.

Linking to the Read to Me Picture Book Challenge hosted by There's a Book!

Books As Decor: Thinking Outside the Bookshelf

Recently, I posted links to 'how to make beautiful book covers' tutorials that I discovered on two terrific decor/diy blogs. 

The consensus from readers: 

What lovely bookcovers! But I'm just not the crafty type! 

Well, bloggy bookworm friends, here is book decor idea that ab-so-dang-lutely requires no crafting!

The only requirements are old books and an aesthetic eye.  Old books, check. Aesthetic eye... hmm... don't know...

  But surely even we can think outside the bookshelf and arrange books in an aesthetically pleasing way.  (not sure about the fork though-- I'd probably place it on a stack of cookbooks but maybe that would be too themey)

Kim at Savvy Southern Style has a penchant for old books and frequently uses them in her decor.  And she doesn't rip the covers off!  Three cheers for Kim!

As a newbie to the Nifty Thrifty Tuesday linky party at Coastal Charm, Kim's books made me feel right at home.  Especially when I saw this:

Two cool old dictionaries and the Complete Shortstories of Somerset Maugham! Have you read any Maugham? I read and liked his Razor's Edge four years ago and would love to find a haul like this.

 Can you believe Kim found these at a thrift store for one dollar each! Wow! 

Kim, you are officially invited to join in Mrs. BG'a Bargain Book Bonanza linky party anytime! 

 Since Kim is a decor blogger who decorates with books, I had to ask if she is also a bookworm.

What is your guess? Yea or nay?

I guessed yea but Kim said:

I wish I loved to read, but I don't. My mom is an avid reader and some how that gene was left out of me. I think I took after my dad on that one.

Not a bookworm yet she appreciates the beauty of old books.  And did I mention that she rescues old books.

 Did you hear that Restoration Hardware? 

Rescue not torture!

Please visit Kim at Savvy Southern Style for more delightful decor ideas.

So what do you think, bookworms? More appealing than pretty bookcovers?

A big thank you to Kim for letting me share her photos and spotlight her blog! 

Bargain Book Bonanza (1)

Welcome to the first edition of Bargain Book Bonanza! 

 BBB is a linky party to showcase all the great books that we book lovers score on sale. 

Each Monday, all book lovers are invited to carouse, make merry and revel with bargain book abandon!

New and used books welcome!

BBB book(s) do not have to be current purchases. If a past book bargain did not get the bravo it deserved from your real life friends/family, claim your bragging rights now!  

 To join the party:

  

1. Grab the BBB button

2. Post your own BBB post on Monday

 3. Come back and link your BBB post to Mr. Linky 

4. Say Howdy! We will howdy back!

5. Mingle with other BBB guests! Make some new friends!

  

Easy as buying a bargain book!!

Lesa's BBB haul

Folks, I'm about to reveal my deep dark shameful secret: I'm a two-timer!  A library two-timer, that is! 

 In January, I posted about getting a library card from the library in the next county.  I still love my home county library but the new library's little bookstore keeps tempting me to stray over the county line.

Look what I found on the hardback/trade paperback table:

This haul of four hardbacks and two trade paperbacks in like new condition cost $5.  What a BBB!!

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding: I like the movie and can't wait to read this!

A Room with a View by E. M. Forster: I read Forster's book Where Angels Fear To Tread in 2009 and quite liked it. I've been meaning to read more of his works.

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier: Du Maurier popped up on several blogs last year making me want to dabble.

Washington Square by Henry James: I've been wanting to read this since seeing the 1949 film adaptation The Heiress starring Olivia de Havilland last year. Also, my friend,  Kathy The Literary Amnesiac recommends Henry James' novels and I trust her judgement.

 The Wind Singer and Slaves of the Mastery by William Nicholson:  These are the first two books in the Wind on Fire fantasy trilogy.  The synopsis and first few pages sounded a bit dystopian so I bought both on spec. Plus, the author is from the UK and I like authors from the UK.

   I have a good feeling about these books.

Have you read any of these? 

Can't wait to see everyone else's BBB!

SJ at Homemaker on a Dime featured Mrs. BG and Bargain Book Bonanza in her current Swap Followings linky party post!  Thank you, SJ, for the shout out and kind words! 

SJ is hosting her monthly Swap Follow Party today! She is a lovely lady with a fun diy decor blog. Plus, her blog tutorials are very informative. SJ is also a bookworm so go say hello and link up to Swap Follow.

Friday Follow and More!

Welcome to Mrs. BG!  If you are visiting for the first time, this is a collaborative blog authored by five gals of the bookish persuasion.  We muse, chat and laugh about any topic remotely reading related that tickles our fancy. Come on in and sit a spell! 


This is our first time to participate in Parajunkee's Follow My BookBlog Friday.  As the moderator of Mrs. BG, it is my job to to handle this sort of bloggy business.  I was not going to link up to Friday Follow since I'd already joined two other hops BUT THEN I saw this week's Friday Follow question.

What embarrassing thing have you done on cold medicine?

Hahahahahah!  That just happened this morning!!  I woke up early and my Nyquil from last night hadn't worn off yet. I attempted to edit DeLynne's latest Dinner Dictionary post.  With a groggy head and blurry vision (from Nyquil nothing else),  I added a Bob Marley photo and somehow lost DeLynne's last paragraph! How embarrassing! I hope she isn't too miffed with me when she wakes up in Australia in a few hours. 

Cold medicine and blogging don't mix, folks!!



Mrs. BG is also joining in these delightful hops this week.

Welcome! Welcome! New bloggy friends!

If you have a thing for books and bargains, please come back on Monday and join Mrs. BG's first linky party: Bargain Book Bonanza!

Dinner Dictionary on ice

We will talk about anything at our table. Tonight, with the thirteen year old and the nine year old we discussed the difference between smack, crack, and ice.

We arrived at this subject through the Rastafarian religion discussion we were having. I used Wikipedia to look up Rastafarian, and we discovered that it 'is not a highly organized religion; it is a movement'. Hubby snorted at that, saying that pot smokers weren't good at organizing themselves.

I was shocked to learn that Bob Marley was only 36 when he died, and that about 5% of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastas. I thought it comprised a much larger portion of the population.


Editor's Note: This is Lesa. I was adding a photo to DeLynne's post and somehow lost the last paragraph. So Sorry! I've never lost anyone's work before and my only excuse is that allergies are making me crazy and my vision is blurred! When DeLynne wakes up in Oz, hopefully she will retype what was lost.

Until she wakes up, a synopsis is that the drug info came from a big workshop she attended through her volunteer work at a women's shelter for domestic violence.

DeLynne asked: Do you talk openly with your children about drugs?

Ok, I am awake and had no cold medicine and my cup of Lady Grey is steaming comfortingly at my elbow. I accept full responsibility for this. I know Lesa just cannot stand a post without a photo. I should have put up one myself!

I went on to say that to answer the ice/smack/crack question I referred to a handbook given to me at a workshop by QuHIN for local volunteers. I am so blessed to be able to spend time each week at Sonshine Sanctuary (crisis accommodation for victims of domestic violence) with wonderful people. At Tuesday's information session one woman said she dreamed of opening a home for teen mothers, and ten years later we were sitting in Lily House. Women are just amazing, aren't they?

What are volunteers doing in your area?

Do you speak openly with your children about drugs?