Download or read book Okayest Mom written by Natalie Gwyn and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Natalie Gwyn uses humor to brilliantly capture how God led and helped this mother of two to adopt four children from Ethiopia and successfully bond her blended family. A happy, working wife, already birth mother of two healthy young children -- a boy and a girl -- doubled the size of her family by adopting four Ethiopian children. Why? Her answer: "God." Popular blogger Natalie Gwyn has been cited widely for her candid, insightful, often humorous writing on cross-cultural adoptive Christian families (which number more than 4 million). HuffPo has linked to her controversial posts and celebrities like Kathie Lee Gifford have quoted and pictured her on social media. Here Natalie tells her whole mom story, including the only-God-could-do-this backstory. Her lighthearted narrative begins with the nudge of God toward the uncomfortable. She and her husband are almost certain they have misunderstood what the Almighty is asking of them, and with self-deprecating humor Natalie allows readers a glimpse into the process by which this already imperfect mom agreed to transnational, transracial adoption of more children than she already has. Natalie then takes the reader on her family's adventure to Ethiopia to legally adopt the three siblings God has chosen to add to their family. With the skill of a detective novelist, she reveals their discovery of a fourth sibling, their critical decision not to leave this child behind, and their harrowing quest to find, woo and legally adopt her, too. Similar to the laugh-out-loud humor of books on blended step-families, Natalie shares the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen scenes of this adoptive family's huge adjustments. She brilliantly captures each child's and each parent's perspective and, in doing so, reveals God in their midst.

Download or read book Untying the Knot written by Kate Gunn and published by Orpen Press. This book was released on 2019-01-15 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When you are going through separation or divorce it can often feel like there is no way through the pain and conflict. No small light twinkling at the end of the tunnel. Will it always feel this bad? How will you heal the hurt of your children? Will this damage them for life? How will you cope with increased costs and reduced money? Where will you live? Will you ever find peace and happiness again? Part personal story, part expert guide, Untying the Knot takes you through the process of separation as both parents and friends. From the very first days of unfathomable heartache, through telling the children, what to do with the family home and dealing with conflicts, to finding yourself, coming out the other side and much more. Written by Kate Gunn, with excerpts from ex-husband Kristian, Untying the Knot also provides dedicated expert advice from the likes of Emma Kenny, resident psychologist for ITV’s This Morning; Stella O’Malley, psychotherapist and author of Cotton Wool Kids and Bully-Proof Kids; Sara Byrne, clinical psychologist; and Deirdre Burke, barrister, solicitor and family law mediator. If you’re looking for a helping hand to lead you through the darkness, this is it.

Download or read book Edge written by Laura Huang and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-01-28 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laura Huang, an award-winning Harvard Business School professor, shows that success is about gaining an edge: that elusive quality that gives you an upper hand and attracts attention and support. Some people seem to naturally have it. Now, Huang teaches the rest of us how to create our own from the challenges and biases we think hold us back, and turning them to work in our favor. How do you find a competitive edge when the obstacles feel insurmountable? How do you get people to take you seriously when they're predisposed not to, and perhaps have already written you off? Laura Huang has come up against that problem many times--and so has anyone who's ever felt out of place or underestimated. Many of us sit back quietly, hoping that our hard work and effort will speak for itself. Or we try to force ourselves into the mold of who we think is "successful," stifling the creativity and charm that makes us unique and memorable. In Edge, Huang offers a different approach. She argues that success is rarely just about the quality of our ideas, credentials, and skills, or our effort. Instead, achieving success hinges on how well we shape others' perceptions--of our strengths, certainly, but also our flaws. It's about creating our own edge by confronting the factors that seem like shortcomings and turning them into assets that make others take notice. Huang draws from her groundbreaking research on entrepreneurial intuition, persuasion, and implicit decision-making, to impart her profound findings and share stories of previously-overlooked Olympians, assistants-turned-executives, and flailing companies that made momentous turnarounds. Through her deeply-researched framework, Huang shows how we can turn weaknesses into strengths and create an edge in any situation. She explains how an entrepreneur scored a massive investment despite initially being disparaged for his foreign accent, and how a first-time political candidate overcame voters' doubts about his physical disabilities. Edge shows that success is about knowing who you are and using that knowledge unapologetically and strategically. This book will teach you how to find your unique edge and keep it sharp.

Download or read book Confessions of a Once Fashionable Mum written by Georgia Madden and published by Black Inc.. This book was released on 2015-04-22 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successful hubbie? Tick. Facebook-worthy baby? Tick. Bikini-body six weeks after giving birth? Um ... not so much. Fashion PR exec Ally Bloom got her happy ending. Okay, her marriage might be showing the odd crack, her battleaxe mother-in-law might have come to stay, and she might not be the yummy mummy she'd imagined, but it's nothing a decent night's sleep and a firm commitment to a no-carb diet won't fix. But when Ally returns to work and finds she'll be reporting to a 22-year-old airhead, she decides to turn her back on life as a professional fashionista and embrace her inner earth mama instead. So it's out with the Louboutins and champagne and in with the sensible flats and coffee mornings with the Mummy Mafia. From attending her first grown-up dinner party only to discover that placenta is top of the menu to controlling her monster crush on local playgroup hottie Cameron, Ally must find her feet in the brave new world of the stay-at-home mum. ‘Sharp and funny, Madden’s novel captures the realities of new-mummyhood. The perfect nap-time read, and by nap I mean wine.’ —Meg Mason, author of Say It Again in a Nice Voice ‘[A] hilarious satire about modern motherhood’ —Practical Parenting ‘Nothing wrong with extreme exaggeration in pursuit of a good laugh. I'd love to see Madden doing stand-up.’ —Country Style ‘Slick, smart and skilful’ —Debbish ‘Confessions of a Once Fashionable Mum is a highly enjoyable read that reads like The Devil Wears Prada, but with dirty nappies and Happy Mummies groupies and the odd piece of fashion advice. 4⁄5 stars.’ —Never Ending Bookshelf ‘Every now and then I read a book and I think, “Damn, I wish I wrote that!” That’s totally how I feel about Confessions of a Once Fashionable Mum. I’m only half way through, but her novel is already so witty, entertaining and ... relatable ... it’s so nice to read a funny book that chronicles the joys of motherhood in such a humorous and honest way.’ —Summer Land ‘Confessions of a Once Fashionable Mum will make you giggle as you fly through the pages. I enjoyed it so much, I binge read it and knocked it over in a day.’ —Woogsworld ‘If you are looking for a book to escape into under some bubbles, either in the bath or the champagne variety, this is a good one as it is easy to read, actually funny and allows you to voyeuristically follow the misadventures of someone far more disorganised and vague than yourself.’ —Wellington Times Georgia Madden is an interiors journalist and a frequent contributor to a range of home and lifestyle magazines in Australia and the UK. She lives in Sydney.

Download or read book More Than Just a Pretty Face written by Syed M. Masood and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han, this sweetly funny coming-of-age story is about falling in love, family expectations, and being a Renaissance Man. Danyal Jilani doesn't lack confidence. He may not be the smartest guy in the room, but he's funny, gorgeous, and going to make a great chef one day. His father doesn't approve of his career choice, but that hardly matters. What does matter is the opinion of Danyal's longtime crush, the perfect-in-all-ways Kaval, and her family, who consider him a less than ideal arranged marriage prospect. When Danyal gets selected for Renaissance Man, a school-wide academic championship, it's the perfect opportunity to show everyone he's smarter than they think. He recruits the brilliant, totally-uninterested-in-him Bisma to help with the competition, but the more time Danyal spends with her...the more he learns from her...the more he cooks for her...the more he realizes that happiness may be staring him right in his pretty face. In this young adult debut full of depth and heart, author Syed M. Masood will have readers laughing, sighing, tearing up, and shouting "YES!" at the top of their lungs.

Download or read book Undead and Done written by MaryJanice Davidson and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor continues her rule in Hell in the scorchingly funny finale to the Undead series from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson. It had been a well-kept secret for centuries, but now the existence of vampires is all over the news, thanks to Betsy Taylor's half sister (and the frustrated former Antichrist), Laura. Life for the undead will never be the same, and it's up to Betsy to do some damage control. But her interview on the local news doesn't exactly put out the fire. It more or less pours kerosene on it. With all the added attention on supernatural beings, the werewolves are more than a little agitated (never a good thing) and demand that Betsy gets her interview skills, and her family, in order. And while things go from bad to worse in the world, Hell continues to be hell--especially when Betsy's new parole program becomes about as complicated as you'd expect. With a PR team launching a vampire-friendly campaign, the devil at large and out to make trouble, and mermaids on hand to see who falls--and how hard--the end isn't just near. It's here. And if anyone knows how to go out with a bang, it's the queen of Hell.

Download or read book Shifters of Rawr County Books 4 7 written by Sophie Stern and published by Sophie Stern. This book was released on with total page 427 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He has the heart of a lion, but the mouth of a liar. Experience shapeshifters, fake relationships, laughs, and spice in this 4-book collection featuring stories from Rawr County. Each book features a fake relationship trope, secrets, lies, and of course, a happily-ever-after. Books include: The Wolf's Pretend Mate The Tiger's Pretend Husband The Dragon's Fake Fiancee The Red Panda's Fake Mate 4 - The Wolf's Pretend Mate Daphne has had her heart set on being Alpha ever since she was a little cub. Everything she's done has been to prepare her for taking over the Rawr County Wolf Pack. She knows she's going to be a fair and wonderful leader, but when the pack elders hit her with a leadership requirement, she's caught off guard. She has to get MARRIED? She doesn't even have time to date! How is she going to find a husband? Fletcher is the kind of guy who never turns down a dare. He especially doesn't turn down a dare from curvy, luscious women he meets in bars. When one particularly adorable woman dares him to marry her, he thinks it's a joke, but when he wakes up married to the wolf Alpha the next day, he realizes he just might be in over his head. Will the pack accept Fletcher as Daphne's mate? Will they suspect their marriage isn't exactly legit? And who in the pack seems determine to sabotage Daphne's rule as leader? 5 - The Tiger's Pretend Husband She needs protection that only he can offer. Darla isn't exactly a tiny person. In fact, she's more than a person. She's a tiger shifter. Still, her kitty-cat claws are no match for the people who are hunting her. She crossed the wrong people one too many times, and now they're after her. But Darla has a plan. What she needs, more than anything else, is protection. What she wants, more than anything else, is Kapono. Will he agree to marry her to keep her safe? He may be able to protect her body, but can he protect her heart? 6 - The Dragon's Fake Fiancee Cosmo has been living in Rawr County for the last 10 years because he hates himself and wants to be miserable. Dragon Isle was no good for him. Everyone there was too happy and joyful. A dragon like him deserves to be unhappy. When his family tries to set him up with a childhood friend to date, he blurts out a lie: he's engaged. It's not true. But when they surprise him with an unexpected visit, he grabs his nearest employee, Athena, and introduces her as his fiancée. What could possibly go wrong? 7 - The Red Panda's Fake Mate Jennifer lives alone. She works alone. She travels alone. Everything in her life is centered around that solitude. She doesn't do well with crowds or groups of people, so she's chosen a job where she can work by herself without being distracted. When her boss requests her presence on a company retreat that could lead to an incredible promotion, she realizes she needs to make herself seem as mature, well-rounded, and stable as possible. What better way than by bringing her mate along? The problem is that Jennifer doesn't have a mate. Red pandas are notorious for living on their own or in very, very small groups, and she doesn't exactly have a list of boyfriends on call. When a chance encounter leads to the perfect opportunity to claim a fake mate as her own, Jennifer doesn't resist. After all, what's the worst thing that could happen?

Download or read book The Dragon s Fake Fianc e written by Sophie Stern and published by Sophie Stern. This book was released on with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cosmo has been living in Rawr County for the last 10 years because he hates himself and wants to be miserable. Dragon Isle was no good for him. Everyone there was too happy and joyful. A dragon like him deserves to be unhappy. When his family tries to set him up with a childhood friend to date, he blurts out a lie: he's engaged. It's not true. But when they surprise him with an unexpected visit, he grabs his nearest employee, Athena, and introduces her as his fiancée. What could possibly go right?

Download or read book Poison s Kiss written by Breeana Shields and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2017 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an alternate world based on the mythology of India, a girl trained since birth as a -poison maiden- in the Raja's service is ordered to kill a boy she loves.

Download or read book Parenting Your Canine Child written by Jessica Eden O'Neill and published by Jessica Eden O’Neill. This book was released on 2023-08-01 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This emotional, authentic, and sometimes comical narrative is a must-read for dog lovers of all skill levels seeking a unique and entertaining path to canine enlightenment. Discover the fascinating similarities between human and canine experiences in this thought-provoking book. Canine Expert, Jessica Eden O'Neill draws on her personal and professional experiences to explore topics such as empathizing with nervous dogs, the chaos of dog parks, and the true meaning of being a canine parent. Through relatable parallels, readers are challenged to reconsider their perceptions of dogs and become better pet owners, ultimately leading to a better understanding of their role in their dog's life.

Download or read book Rage Against the Minivan written by Kristen Howerton and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2020-06-09 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Howerton writes unflinchingly about what it means to be raising children in today’s world and how to liberate ourselves from the myth of perfect motherhood.”—Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed and Love Warrior, founder of Together Rising In this smart and subversively funny memoir, Kristen Howerton navigates the emotional and sometimes messy waters of motherhood and challenges the idea that there’s a “right” way to raise kids. Recounting her successes, trials, mishaps, and hard-won wisdom, this mother of four advocates for letting go of the expectations, the guilt, and the endless race to be the perfect parent to the perfect child in the perfect family. This book is for ● the parent who loves their kids like crazy but feels like parenting is making them crazy, too ● the parent who said “I will never . . .” and now they have ● the parent who looks like they have it all together but feels like a hot mess on the inside ● the parent who looks like a hot mess on the outside, too ● the parent who asks Am I good enough? Doing enough? Doing it right? What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with these children? Are they eighteen yet? With her signature blend of vulnerability, sarcasm, and insight, Howerton shares her unexpected journey from infertility to adoption to pregnancy to divorce to dealing with the shock and awe of raising teens. As a mom of a multiracial family and as a marriage and family therapist, she tackles the thorny issues parents face today, like hard conversations about racism, disciplining other people’s kids, the reality of Dad Privilege, and (never) attaining that elusive work/life balance. Rage Against the Minivan is a permission slip to let it go and allow yourself to be a “good enough” parent, focused on raising happy, kind, loving humans.

Download or read book People I Want to Punch in the Throat written by Jen Mann and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2014-09-09 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A debut collection of witty, biting essays laced with a surprising warmth, from Jen Mann, the writer behind the popular blog People I Want to Punch in the Throat People I want to punch in the throat: • anyone who feels the need to bling her washer and dryer • humblebraggers • people who treat their pets like children Jen Mann doesn’t have a filter, which sometimes gets her in trouble with her neighbors, her fellow PTA moms, and that one woman who tried to sell her sex toys at a home shopping party. Known for her hilariously acerbic observations on her blog, People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Mann now brings her sharp wit to bear on suburban life, marriage, and motherhood in this laugh-out-loud collection of essays. From the politics of joining a play group, to the thrill of mothers’ night out at the gun range, to the rewards of your most meaningful relationship (the one you have with your cleaning lady), nothing is sacred or off-limits. So the next time you find yourself wearing fuzzy bunny pajamas in the school carpool line or accidentally stuck at a co-worker’s swingers party, just think, What would Jen Mann do? Or better yet, buy her book. Praise for People I Want to Punch in the Throat “People I Want to Punch in the Throat is so good that it’ll make you want to adopt all the cats in the world. I’m not sure about the correlation, but it’s that good. It should come with a warning.”—Jenny Lawson, author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened “Jen Mann has an amazing way of telling stories that will make you cringe and burst out laughing at the same time. From swinger parties to racist toddlers, she makes the suburbs unbelievably funny.”—Karen Alpert, author of I Heart My Little A-Holes “Jen Mann says the things we’re all too afraid to say. Her honest and hilarious writing style reminds me of David Sedaris and Tina Fey.”—Robin O’Bryant, author of Ketchup Is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves “Jen Mann’s shrewd and unrelenting assault on the absurdity of suburban life is an honest peek into the occasional nightmare that is part of living the American dream. I love Jen. I wish she was my neighbor. It’s so refreshing to know that I’m not the only one who wants to punch almost everyone in the f***ing throat.”—Nicole Knepper, author of Moms Who Drink And Swear

Download or read book The Nowhere Child written by Christian White and published by Minotaur Books. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A nervy, soulful, genuinely surprising it-could-happen-to-you thriller — a book to make you peer over your shoulder for days afterwards.”—A.J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, The Nowhere Child is screenwriter Christian White’s internationally bestselling debut thriller of psychological suspense about a woman uncovering devastating secrets about her family—and her very identity... Kimberly Leamy is a photography teacher in Melbourne, Australia. Twenty-six years earlier, Sammy Went, a two-year old girl vanished from her home in Manson, Kentucky. An American accountant who contacts Kim is convinced she was that child, kidnapped just after her birthday. She cannot believe the woman who raised her, a loving social worker who died of cancer four years ago, crossed international lines to steal a toddler. On April 3rd, 1990, Jack and Molly Went’s daughter Sammy disappeared from the inside their Kentucky home. Already estranged since the girl’s birth, the couple drifted further apart as time passed. Jack did his best to raise and protect his other daughter and son while Molly found solace in her faith. The Church of the Light Within, a Pentecostal fundamentalist group who handle poisonous snakes as part of their worship, provided that faith. Without Sammy, the Wents eventually fell apart. Now, with proof that she and Sammy are in fact the same person, Kim travels to America to reunite with a family she never knew she had. And to solve the mystery of her abduction—a mystery that will take her deep into the dark heart of religious fanaticism where she must fight for her life against those determined to save her soul...

Download or read book Even If We re Broken written by A.M. Weald and published by A.M. Weald. This book was released on 2024-04-04 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two over-40 millennials each fighting their own mental health battles reunite for a summer archaeology job after 12 years and an ocean apart in this emotional own-voice debut novel for readers who enjoy slow-burn friends-to-lovers romances. Still reeling from being ghosted by her girlfriend, bioarchaeologist Kate Roth agrees to join an estranged colleague to teach at his field school at a Viking-age archaeology site in the wilds of Newfoundland. While welcoming the escape from Colorado where she’s been medicating resurfaced anxieties with wine and angry rock music, she’s wary of three important facts: 1) she’s had a crush on Viking Cowboy Ben for half her life, 2) Ben is a family man who lives in Norway, and 3) all her romantic relationships, and most friendships, seem to have an expiration date. For archaeologist Esben “Ben” Veholt, inviting the woman he’s been in love with since digging alongside her 23 years ago was, of course, the worst possible thing he could have done for himself. This summer was supposed to be his escape from reality: a love life in ruins, worsening body image issues, and a teenage daughter who suddenly wants nothing to do with him. When Kate accepts his offer, he intends to retain a professional relationship with her. A woman like Kate could never love him anyway—not with how much he’s changed inside and out. All seems fine on the surface as Kate and Esben’s friendship rebuilds, but as they dig deeper, they realize just how broken they both are. To heal from their painful pasts and reclaim their crumbling presents, they each need a friend who accepts them, mess and all. But summer won’t last forever, and a third chance at romance threatens to drift across the ocean yet again. Even If We’re Broken is for anyone who’s ever struggled with depression, anxiety, body image, chronic pain, suicide, and loss. It’s for archaeologists, and anyone who wanted to be an archaeologist. It’s for anyone who’s ever been in a long-distance relationship, and anyone who’s ever loved someone from afar.

Download or read book Situation Momedy written by Jenna Von Oy and published by Medallion Media Group. This book was released on 2015-10-19 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While preparing to give birth to her first daughter, actress Jenna von Oy, well-known for her roles as Six on Blossom and Stevie on The Parkers, discovered that the market was filled with clinical guides to pregnancy and beyond. Though they had their merits, she craved a best friend’s guide . . . one that didn’t sugarcoat reality but still offered relatable and heartfelt reassurance. Thus, Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom’s Guide to Laughing Your Way through Pregnancy & Year One was born. Jenna brings readers a lighthearted and comedic look at pregnancy and the first year of motherhood, highlighting major mommy milestones with chapters like “Houston, We Have a Pregnancy,” “This Is Your Brain on Baby,” “Bringing Sexy Back,” and “All’s Fair in Love and Mommy Wars.”

Download or read book Christmas Magic A Collection of Heartwarming Stories written by Genalin Jimenez and published by Genalin Jimenez. This book was released on with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this enchanting collection of Christmas tales, readers are transported to a world where the holiday spirit brings magic and miracles to those who need it most. From a lonely old man finding companionship in an unexpected visitor to a family experiencing the joy of giving back to their community, each story is a testament to the power of love, kindness, and the true meaning of Christmas. Through snowy landscapes and twinkling lights, the characters in these heartwarming stories learn valuable lessons about compassion, forgiveness, and the importance of coming together during the most wonderful time of the year. Whether it's a little girl's wish for a white Christmas coming true or a lost puppy leading a lost soul back home, each tale is a reminder that the holiday season is a time for miracles big and small. This book is a celebration of the magic of Christmas and a reminder that, no matter how dark the world may seem, the light of the season can always shine through. Join these characters on their heartwarming journeys and let the spirit of Christmas fill your heart with joy and hope.

Download or read book Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark written by Janet Kellogg Ray and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2021-09-09 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A scientific look at creationism from a former creationist A significant number of Americans, especially evangelical Christians, believe Earth and humankind were created in their present form sometime in the last 10,000 years or so—the rationale being that this is (presumably) the story told in the book of Genesis. Within that group, any threatening scientific evidence that suggests otherwise is rejected or, when possible, retrofitted into a creationist worldview. But can this uncomfortable blend of biblical literalism and pseudoscience hold up under scrutiny? Is it tenable to believe that the Grand Canyon was formed not millions of years ago by gradual erosion but merely thousands of years ago by the Great Flood? Were there really baby dinosaurs with Noah on his ark? Janet Kellogg Ray, a science educator who grew up a creationist, doesn’t want other Christians to have to do the exhausting mental gymnastics she did earlier in her life. Working through the findings of a range of fields including geology, paleontology, and biology, she shows how a literal interpretation of the book of Genesis simply doesn’t mesh with what we know to be reality. But as someone who remains a committed Christian, Ray also shows how an acceptance of the theory of evolution is not necessarily an acceptance of atheism, and how God can still be responsible for having created the world, even if it wasn’t in a single, momentary, miraculous event.