And the Oscar Goes To...

The 84th Academy Awards aired on Sunday, February 26.  What a show!  I was eagerly anticipating this famous awards show and I certainly was not disappointed.  It's no secret that I am a huge fan of "The Help."  I greatly enjoyed the book and the movie.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well the movie represented the book.  I was delighted when I found out that the movie received several Oscar nominations including Best Picture.

Octavia Spencer won the Oscar in the category of best Actress in a Supporting Role.  Congratulations, Octavia!  I truly believe she earned that Oscar with her stellar performance.  Viola Davis was nominated for best Actress in a Leading Role.  Sadly, she did not win.  I must admit, I was disappointed that she didn't win.  I think she deserved it.

The fact that "The Help" received such recognition at the Oscars is a testimony to the impact a book can have on modern society.  If the book hadn't been written, the movie would not exist.  The fine actors brought the characters of the book to life.  People from all walks of life were able to relate to this story.  The message was eye-opening and touching.

CouponChief.com

CouponChief.com is one of the fastest growing coupon sites, with over 250,000 visitors per month.   They have one of the largest databases of online coupons on the net.  The site features over 50,000 coupons for over 15,000 stores.  No matter what you are looking to buy online, chances are you will find a coupon for it at CouponChief.com.

The site is very easy to use.  It even has a video that explains how to use the coupons step-by-step.  I found coupons for every store I searched for on this site, including some of the largest online retailers like eBay, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Of course, I was interested in the coupons that were available for books.  They have coupons for all types of books - textbooks, books in print and ebooks.  You can use the following links to find coupons specifically for books -

http://www.couponchief.com/tags/books

http://www.couponchief.com/textbooks

http://www.couponchief.com/ebooks

Online retailers can increase their exposure with CouponChief.com.  A merchant account is free and it is very easy to sign up for an account.

With today's economy, the coupon industry has exploded.  Digital coupons are becoming increasingly popular.  The ease of use can't be beat.  I hate clipping coupons, so digital coupons work great for me.  Who doesn't like to save money?  Check out CouponChief.com for significant savings. 

Book Review - "Blame Rane" by Rene' O'Shea

“Blame it on the rain.” That is a common phrase people use when they just don’t know who to blame. When things go wrong, the last person you want to blame is yourself. Sadly, that is where the blame usually lies – within. We have to take responsibility for our own actions. Rene’ O’Shea’s debut novel, Blame Rane, highlights this fundamental truth.


Blame Rane is a young woman whose life begins to spiral out of control. Tragically, her parents have been killed in a house fire. She has no family to turn to and is left completely destitute. Homeless and desperate, she decides to move in with a wild, foolhardy co-worker. Blame is a shy, sheltered girl that tries hard to fit in with her roommate. Blame is introduced to the fast lane and she goes nowhere fast. She makes a series of bad choices with very bad consequences. However, she doesn’t see them as choices. She thinks that she is just doing what she has to in order to survive. She subjects herself to domestic violence, drugs and a life of crime. She pays dearly for her bad decisions.


After struggling for years, Blame finally learns her lesson. She realizes that she is in control of her life. For the first time in her adult life, she begins to act wisely. By age forty, she has her life together. I wish I could say that she had a happy ending. Unfortunately, Blame’s past has an adverse effect on her children. It’s the cycle of life. Each generation will impact the next.


Throughout the book, O’Shea gives glimpses into the generations that preceded Blame. She reaches centuries back into history, giving the reader a vivid picture of the horrors of slavery. She shows how brave and resilient Blame’s ancestors were. It is very interesting how O’Shea portrays the impact that the past has on the present and future. She emphasizes the importance of knowing where we came from so that we can know where we are going. We can all learn powerful lessons from previous generations. We can learn from their mistakes and we gain strength from their examples.


Blame Rane is a powerful story. It is filled with thought-provoking life lessons. It is also entertaining with unexpected twists and suspense. You won’t want to put it down. When you’re done reading this book, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it. O’Shea is a talented writer with the ability to captivate her audience.

Whitney Houston, Dead at Age 48

Unbelievable!  When I heard the shocking news on Saturday, I literally did not believe it.  I thought it was just another rumor until I read the official headline in USA Today - Whitney Houston, dead at age 48.

As a musical superstar, Whitney Houston has left a remarkable legacy.  I vividly remember dancing to Houston's hits as a child during the '80s.  I can recall a classmate performing "I Will Always Love You" in a high school talent show.  I fondly look back to when I was jammin' to the "Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale" soundtracks.  Great memories!  I'm sure we all have memories about listening to the unparalleled voice of Whitney Houston.

Thankfully, we will always have her music.  Her greatest hits have sky-rocketed to the top of the iTunes charts.  Click here - Whitney - The Greatest Hits - Whitney Houston

For Houston's biography and all of her music on iTunes, click here - Whitney Houston

My sincere condolences go out to the family of the late Whitney Houston.  We will miss her.  She is gone too soon.

The Vow

The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, hits theatres on February 10.  I can't wait!  It sounds like an amazing movie.  The movie is based on a true story.  The Vow:  True Events That Inspired the Movie is a book that will hit shelves the same day the movie is released.  Here is the publisher's synopsis of the book:

Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993. Two months after their marriage, a devastating car wreck left Krickitt with a massive head injury and in a coma for weeks.  When she finally awoke, she had no idea who Kim was. With no recollection of their relationship and while Krickitt experienced personality changes common to those who suffer head injuries, Kim realized the woman he had married essentially died in the accident. And yet, against all odds, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again. Even though Kim stood by Krickitt through the darkest times a husband can ever imagine, he insists, "I'm no hero. I made a vow."

Doesn't that sound good?!  To put a visual with it, here is the movie trailer -




Click here to order the book from B&N.com

"Ali in Wonderland" by Ali Wentworth

Acclaimed actress and comedian, Ali Wentworth, released her memoir, "Ali in Wonderland" today. Here is the publisher's synopsis -

"Growing up in a family of political journalists--and daughter of President Reagan's White House social secretary--Ali Wentworth rebelled against her blue-blood upbringing, embracing Hollywood, motorcycles, even a few wildly inappropriate marriage proposals. Today she is an acclaimed comedic actress and writer, former "Oprah" regular, wife of political and media star George Stephanopoulos, and a mother who lets her two girls eat cotton candy before bed. Though she's settled down, her rebellious nature thrives in her comedy and her view of her crazy world.

In this addictively funny and warm memoir, she takes us through the looking glass and into the wonderland of her life, from a childhood among Washington's elite to a stint in the psych ward they called a New England prep school; days doing L.A. sketch comedy (with then-aspiring artists Will Ferrell and Lisa Kudrow) to a series of spectacularly failed loves (that eventually led her to Mr. Right). Constant throughout is her mother, Muffie--a flawlessly elegant yet firm, no-nonsense force of nature and pure WASP convictions.

As charming and off-the-wall as Ali herself, "Ali in Wonderland" is an entertaining look at life that is both intimate and hilarious."

Wentworth has received rave reviews -

"Everything that comes out of Ali Wentworth's mouth is funny!"--Jerry Seinfeld

"Ali Wentworth is funny and warm and crazy all at once."--Alec Baldwin

"Ali has written a truly hilarious book"--Chelsea Handler

"Wentworth is amusing and frank, often frenetic, with sharp intelligence underneath the sassy wackiness; passages about her struggle with depression, falling in love with her husband, and her daughter's baptism have funny moments, but they're thoughtful and touching, too.... Highly entertaining memoir."--Publishers Weekly

"Ali Wentworth tumbles comically through Ali in Wonderland."--Vanity Fair

"[H]ilarious..."--Food & Wine

Available at Barnes & Noble in Hardcover or Nook

or Click on the eBookstore tab above to find it on iTunes!