2009 Reading List

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

For 2009, I want to keep a reading journal so at the end of the year I can look back and see what I've read and what new authors I found. I will try to keep this list current.

My Best Friend's Girl, Dorothy Koomson- A light, cute fast read. Thumbs Up (Jan 09)

To Have and To Hold: A Novel
, Jane Green- Very good, typical Green. Thumbs Up (Jan 09)


Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See- Very good. Rich in Asian culture. (For book club, Jan. 09)


The Next Big Thing, Johanna Edwards. Cute and fast. The main character is overweight. A little cliche with the ending but I'm glad she didn't feel the need to drop down to a size 4 to be happy. (Jan. 09)

Barefoot, Elin Hilderbrand. Thumbs up. A fast, light read with one main character named Melanie. This was the first book I've read by her, I will definitely look for her others. (Feb. 09)

Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster. Thumbs Way Up. This was hilarious. Even though I wasn't a VP I could relate to the laid off, lifestlyle adjustments Lancaster made. I can't wait to read her other two. (Feb. 09)

Forget About It, Caprice Crane. Thumbs Up. Cute and fast. Made me wonder what I'd change if I could fake amnesia. What inner parts of me would I want to bring out? (March 09)

A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby. Neutral. It was a little hard to get through at first. I stuck it out to see how the characters worked through the issues that made them want to commit suicide (it's not depressing) and if they found ways to be happy. (For book club, March 09)

Still Alice, Lisa Genova. Thumbs WAY up. I flew through this after my mom passed it on.It's gripping and sad. It's got me a little freaked out. Every time I walk into a room and forget why I'm there I'm wondering if I should see a doctor! (April 09)

Let's Get To Know Each Other Better

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Melanie Sheridan is an African American lifestyle blogger writing about fashion, tech, her favorite apps, her newbie photography skills, saving money and couponing, books, social media, the occasional recipe, family and parenting and living in southern California.

She married her high school sweetheart 16 years ago and they share one amazing kid. Melanie is an avid reader, shoe collector, Twitter addict, newbie photographer, coupon clipper, closet gadget girl, wannabe foodie, #HockeyMom and recovering shopaholic.

Melanie has appeared on local television news segments and, in September 2013, was cast in a Walmart commercial that ran in local television, print and digital media. She has attended events for Coca Cola, Disney, General Mills, and TJ Maxx/Marshalls. She has had the honor of attending the invite-only Disney Social Media Moms Conference four times and the Blissdom conference as both attendee and speaker. 


She is an avid reader, shoe slut, Twitter addict, chocolate fiend, newbie photographer, closet gadget girl, wannabe foodie, late iAdopter, recovering shopaholic and a Pinning Fool. Melanie is very active in San Diego's social media community and attends many San Diego events. 

Melanie is currently freelancing and providing social media consulting services for small businesses. Please contact her for consulting rates and sponsored content opportunities.

In addition to Twitter, find Melanie on:
Melanie Sheridan on You Tube
Mel, A Dramatic Mommy on Facebook
Melanie Sheridan on LinkedIn 

Melanie Sheridan on Instagram
Melanie Sheridan on Pinterest (If you really want to get to know Melanie, follow her here. All her hopes, wants, dreams and interests in one place)

 

Events Melanie has co-hosted and co-planned:
*National Mom’s Out in 2009 and 2010 in partnership with BSM Media. Both events had some of San Diego's most influential bloggers in attendance and raised money for charity.

A few of the junkets Melanie has attended:
TJ Maxx/Marshalls corporate headquarters
General Mills blogger Eat and Greet in Minneapolis
Kodak
Disneyland/Disneyworld 
Souplantation/Sweet tomatoes for a local blogger's event
HOP press movie junket
The Lorax press movie junket
International Housewares Show (Chicago, on behalf of Hoover)
Coca Cola 

Past speaking engagements:

2012 speaker in a virtual conference for small business owners, panel topic blogging for business
Blissdom 2010 as a panelist on blog monetization 


Past blog sponsors:
TJ Maxx/Marshalls
Foot Petals
Smart and Final 
National Dairy Association

Awards/Nominations:
*2010 Influence SD nominee 
*2010 recipient of a ToeSox scholarship for the Susan G Komen 3 Day 

Charitable cause Melanie supports: 
*2009 and 2010 Online Ambassador for Susan G Komen 
*Susan G Komen 3Day walker in 2009, 2010 and November 2011 

Memberships:
SD Bloggers
Collective Bias

Melanie in the media:
Interview for Bankrate.com about apps and shopping with smartphones  (May 2012)


CA Non Stop segment on family camping 7/25/11 (KNSD)


CA Non Stop segment on saving money for Back to School 9/7/11 (KNSD)


Melanie and her family were in Redbook Magazine (June 2009) as part of a feature article on finances and were interviewed by the Los Angeles Times in December 2008.


Want to know even more about Melanie? Check out her 100 Things post. Want to get in touch with Melanie? Shoot her a message. Her email address is ADramaticMommy [at] gmail [dot] com.

Links to printable Google Docs:

-About Melanie
-LA Times article
-Redbook article


Updated August 2014

What I Subscribe To

I love books, and I love magazines. I'm not sure what it is about them that has me so hooked. Maybe it's my way of clinging to my college dream of moving to New York and writing for one.

[Remembering what it's like to be young and naive]

Anyway, when I open my mailbox and see the new issues arrive I get giddy.

I subscribe to so many it's hard to keep up. My newspaper rack is usually full and I can't get rid of a single one until I've made sure to review all my dogears. As I read, I fold over a corner of the pages that have something I want to look into later like a recipe, book suggestion or product I might want to buy.

Before I take all the issues to the library bookstore I grab a pen and paper and make notes from the dogears, then use my printer to copy the recipes or articles.

In no particular order, the contents of my mailbox:

Parents
Parenting
Working Mother
Black Enterprise
O
O at Home
Cookie
Lucky
Domino
Inc.
Family Fun
Real Simple
Good Housekeeping (got this one free from AdPerk)
Redbook
All You (sold at Wal Mart)
Pink

What I've Read - 2008 Reading List

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read. I just don't get people who say they don't like reading. Reading is the ultimate escape. It's relaxing. It's entertaining. It's informative. I'm sorry non-readers but you baffle me. What's not to like about reading?

Anyway, I wish I could list all the books I've read this year but there's so many I can't remember them all (not braggin', just sayin'). So, I'll list the ones I've read since I've been on holiday with a rating: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down or Switzerland (get it? neutral?) and a short note for the ones I didn't like.

I'll add to the list as I finish a book. Feel free to agree or call me a moron. I welcome spirited discussion. Earlier this month (4/08) I joined a book club through Meetup and I'll note which books were for the club.


In no particular order:

The Girls' Global Guide to Guys Theresa Alan- Thumbs Up


Goodnight Nobody: A Novel
Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club
Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club Rides Again Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

Dreamboat Judith Gould- Thumbs Down (Cliched and predictable)

My Favorite Mistake Beth Kendrick- Switzerland (Cute, fast read but characters were formulaic)

Suburbanistas Pamela Redmond Sutran- Thumbs Up

The Pact Jennifer Sturman- Switzerland (Chick Lit mystery, predictable)

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel Judith Freeman- Thumbs Up

Wife in the Fast Lane: A Novel Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Between, Georgia Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up (Way, way up)

Tales from the Crib Risa Green- Thumbs Up

Julie and Romeo Get Lucky Jeanne Ray- Thumbs Up

Pug Hill Allison Pace- Thumbs Up (Despite my dislike of small, yippy dogs)

Gods in Alabama
Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up! - Methinks she's going to become one of my favorite authors

The Ivy Chronicles Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Promise Not to Tell: A Novel Jennifer McMahon- Switzerland (I was expecting more creepy and scary)

The First Assistant Clare Naylor/Mimi Hare- Thumbs Up the The Second Assistant the first book, was also good

Just Between Us Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (A little too long)

Rescuing Rose Isabel Wolff- Thumbs Up (Stay away if you're tired of the Bridget Jones knockoffs)

Always and Forever Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (Again, a little long)

The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd- Thumbs Up

Awake Elizabeth Graver - Thumbs Up - Her writing style is a bit flowery. There were times when I got tired of it, and others where I loved her sentences


Oh My Stars Lorna Landvik - Thumbs Up - This was very good


Weekend in Paris Robyn Sisman - Thumbs Down - Couldn't finish it


Adventures of an Ice Princess Liz Maverick- Thumbs Down (Vapid)

The Almost Moon Alice Sebold- Thumbs Up

Remember Me? Sophie Kinsella- Thumbs Up Finished 4/20/08

Naked David Sedaris (for the book club) - What's between neutral and Thumbs Down? I didn't hate it. There were parts that made me laugh out loud. But it was weird. It's in essay format, but I didn't feel like I was learning about his life. Read at your own risk. Finished 5/10/08

Love the One You're With Emily Giffin- Thumbs Up



Flirting with Forty Jane Porter - Thumbs Up Finished 6/17/08

Water for Elephants Sarah Gruen - Thumbs WAY Up - This was for the book club. I didn't expect to like it because of the whole circus thing but it was great!

Love Monkey Kyle Smith - Thumbs Down This was for book club. Smith has a way with words, but I didn't connect to the character at all. (Finished 7/23/08)


The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger - Thumbs WAY Up For book club. SO, so good!

Certain Girls Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up


Savannah Breeze Mary Kay Andrews -Thumbs Up - This was the second in a (sort of) series. I also read Savannah Blues which was good too. Both are light reads.

Dream When You're Feeling Blue Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up


The Alphabet Sisters Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Family Baggage Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Swapping Lives Jane Green - Thumbs Up

The Center of Everything Laura Moriarty - Thumbs Up

Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman Elizabeth Buchan - Thumbs Down - I rarely put a book down without finishing it, but I just couldn't get into this


Ready or Not? Chris Manby - Thumbs Up
The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide Debby Holt - Switzerland - Light and fast but not the best ex-wife gets her life together book I've read

Happiness Sold Separately Lolly Winston - Thumbs Up

The Other Side of the Story Marian Keyes - Thumbs Up

Speechless Yvonne Collins/Sandy Rideout - Thumbs Up

Love Walked In Marisa de los Santos - Thumbs Up

Luscious Lemon Heather Swain - Thumbs Up


We Are All Welcome Here Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up - I think I'm going to like everything she does

High Stakes: A Tale of Vegas Vampires Erin McCarthy - Switzerland - I almost put it down, but it was such a fast read I finished before I got really bored

Ladies with Options Cynthia Hartwick - Thumbs Up

Middlesex Jeffery Eugenides - Thumbs Up

Hissy Fit Mary Kay Andrews - Thumbs Up

Home to Big Stone Gap Adriana Trigiani - Thumbs Up - I've loved all the books in the Big Stone Gap series

The Family Tree Carole Cadwalladr - Thumbs Down - Could barely make it past the first chapter


The Girl Who Stopped Swimming Joshilyn Jackson - Thumbs Up



Sweet Revenge Dianne Mott Davidson - Thumbs Down I usually enjoy this series despite the plot similarities, but this was so formulaic and almost painful to read.
 
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