Bend Your Brain

Well, now that I've reached beyond my IQ, let's attempt Bend Your Brain word puzzles!
 I am ready! I'm going to fry my brain with some neuron-bursting puzzle conundrums!

Beyond IQ

The next book I am going to review is called Beyond IQ by Garth Sundam. You don't need a genius IQ to figure out what this book is about, it's all about ways to boost your creative thinking process. Like the title says, smarts are more than just being able to solve complex mathematical problems in your head, it's about how you process the information you receive. When you see a problem what are all the different ways you can think of to solve it?
 I absolutely loved this book. Each chapter features puzzlers and problems for you to solve using the technique that was described on each topic, like The Book of Nonsense or Retrain Attention, Retrain Intuition. They are challenging and really get your brain to use all of it's thinking power. If you're like me, there is not a puzzle too difficult to give up on. Have at it, and have fun! That's the main point in Beyond IQ!  #BloggingForBooks

 Some sample questions to get you started:
 
 How is a butterfly like a sunbonnet? A pumpkin like a propeller?

 Finish this limerick: There was an Old Person whose habits/Induced him to feed upon rabbits......

 Jane and Janet are sisters born five minutes apart to the same parents and yet they are not twins. How is this so?

A Curious Man by Neal Thompson

  A Curious Man: The Strange & Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not" Ripley

  I grew up enjoying the Believe It or Not cartoons, yet I seldom gave a thought to the man behind them, so I was especially eager to dive into this novel from Blogging For Books. The title alone makes me want to read on...
 Robert Ripley led-as the title suggests-a Strange and Brilliant life. This biography gave a good background of his early years, you can see from the start that  he was a man full of creative ideas. He was a hard worker, yet a happy-go-lucky guy who didn't let his setbacks bring him down.
  Bob Ripley's travels are covered extensively in this book, giving a peek at a time when travel was an exotic luxury. The tales of his adventures are a real treat, plus I loved the bits of Believe It or Not trivia mixed in with the chapters.
 The book also doesn't gloss over Mr. Ripley's personal faults. He had some ideas about women and secretaries that would never be accepted in this day from a man of his status.
 The one redeemable quality about him was that even in his cad-like ways he was still sweet on his one true love, Oakie.
 I learned a lot about Robert Ripley in this book and I would recommend it for anyone. 
 Dig in and uncover some curious facts behind Believe It or Not's Curious Man.

I'm Creating Luminous Works with Innovative Materials and Techniques...

I have begun my new book, The New Colored Pencil by Kristy Ann Kutch! Thanks to Blogging For Books I had the chance to check out this new book all about creating works of art using colored pencil.
  This is the kind of book you don't sit down and read like a novel. Gather your supplies and pick a chapter to start a new technique. The first few chapters are devoted to finding the best supplies. Since I'm a beginner at colored pencil, I haven't gone out and bought a lot of expensive supplies just yet. First, I'm going to try a few designs with my standard school colored pencils and some fancy resume paper I had laying around. Regular colored pencils like Faber Castell that you buy in the back-to-school section at Walmart are not going to have the same effect as a more expensive pencil, they don't blend as well, but they're ok for some early sketches to see if you like working in this medium.
 I started by finding a picture of a flower in a magazine and started applying some of the techniques, such as playing with color contrast and layering colors. I had a lot of fun trying to make the picture more realistic, although I think I was too ambitious in picking my first design....To start, stick with a simply design...
  Here is my first attempt using the color contrast and layered color design. (And it is still a work in progress)

 I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in trying a new creative art. Open to any chapter and dive in. And if you find you really enjoy this art, go out and buy some good quality supplies. I'm going to!

My First Book Has Arrived!!

It's here!!!
RandomHouse Bloggers sent my first book to review and I chose The New Colored Pencil by Kristy Ann Kutch. I've always liked to draw, but my technique could use some work. I think I'm too formal and stiff, so tomorrow I crack this open and start learning some new techniques.....

Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman Koch

I've finally found my blogging niche: Book Reviews. Since reading is my life, naturally this is the topic for me.

Now....Review Time, Break it down!

   This is my first Herman Koch novel. The cover says he also the New York Times best selling author of The Dinner, and after reading this novel I'm intrigued. I would check out more from this author.
  Summer House With Swimming Pool actually takes place in Europe, not in California like I thought for the first few chapters. The book starts with Dr. Marc Schlosser in his doctor's office. My first impression of this guy was 'narcissistic sociopath'. I would never want a guy like this for my doctor. The story then backtracks three years to the time he meets Ralph Meier and receives the invitation to stay with the Meiers for a brief vacation.
 I loved the relationships in this story and how they entertwined. Dr.Marc remains a cad, but his wife and daughters have a likeable quality. It's a carefully crafted plot expertly written.
 My only questions at the end were about Marc and Judith. I would've liked more resolved between these two. Did Marc's wife ever find out what happened? Did Judith continue seeing him? And I'm still a little foggy on what really happened with daughter Julia on the beach. Was the crime for real, or did her boyfriend implied she made up the story?
 Over all, three and a half stars out of five.

Krave Cereal

I tried Krave cereal for the first time this morning. Yummy, lightly crisp pillows of chocolate. But, it is a Sugarfest for 6:20 in the morning. I suggest adding a few as a topper to Snore Cereals like regular Total flakes or Fiber One flakes.