I am married (for a second time), mother of two, and a writer. My paying job is currently as a manager of a Physical Therapy Clinic and as a Physical Therapist.
I like the outdoors and I enjoy doing things with my hands: crochet, cross stitch, paint, beginning knitter, and handyman. I consider myself a jack of all trades and a master of none.

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• The Weeping Empress on July 12, 2012
  
  Genre: YA fiction fantasy Synopsis: (from Goodreads) Chiyo Alglaeca was happy in her life. That is, until it was all taken away. Forced into notoriety, stalked by a mysterious cult, hunted by the emperor, and facing betrayal at every turn she clings to the only safety she can find: two enigmatic men and the sharp bringer of death, Salvation. The Weeping Empress explores the devastating effects of loss, the hunt for redemption, and the price of destiny. It questions the true meaning of evil and asks what monster is not also an innocent? Things I liked: I like how the author made up a whole new religion. I assume it's a new religion. I've never heard of it and as odd as this religion is, I think I would have. I also like that the religion has no rules - as unlikely as that might be, and that the head of this religion is a woman. That the main character, Chiyo, is a strong woman. I like the epilogue too, but I won't say why because that will give something away for people who want to read the book. Things I didn't like: Chiyo falls into this past time and easily develops a blood lust. Later on in the story the author explains more about this, but I think it would have worked better - been more believable if she would have put that explanation earlier in the story. It just seems out of place for a modern day wife, mother, and presumed employed female of the 20th century to fall back in time and not bat an eye at opening people up with a sword. I can understand her first battle - it was a matter of survival, but it should have really taken Chiyo a while to "enjoy" all the killing she does or at least have a reasonable explanation for it, but that doesn't come until later. I also would like to have seen why the bad guy - the Emperor - was such a bad guy. You just have to take it on faith that he is but it's hard to root for Chiyo and her killing cohorts -Senka and Muhlah - when you know nothing about why he is bad. I also don't get the logic of Kali, the Goddess that is the head of this religion, and why she is asking he followers to do what they do related to Chiyo - which is why Chiyo ends up as she does. Maybe I'm dense, but I don't get it. And lastly, the use of foreign words is make reading it difficult because most of the time Forsythe does not give you any context to figure out what the words means or a translation within the story. She does it on occasion so I'm not sure why she didn't do it throughout. As you can see, I have more things that I don't like about it than I do, but overall, it wasn't a bad story, it just needs some polishing. Rated: 3/5 Thank you Sadie for a free e-copy of this book.
  
• How Was I Supposed to Know? The Adventures of a Girl Whose Name Means Lost on March 27, 2013
  
  Genre: Memoir Blurb: (from Goodreads) Lorna is like everyone you’ve ever known. She is also like no one you’ll ever meet again. She’s just an ordinary person trying to make the best of the predicament du jour. What makes her different? The answers are revealed in this, her first, book. Here’s a hint: Lorna finds herself in more knotty predicaments than a novice knitter, yet she tells her often grim life story with a grin. Was Lorna born curious and insecure or did her father’s mysterious disappearance when she was four years old make her that way? Was she really a Good Girl or was she clever enough to be an adept actress? Why did she wait until she was fifty years old to start saying what was really on her mind? Lorna’s story is one of decisions and their consequences born out of ignorance, or innocence. Information was withheld; secrets were kept. Looking back, she asks, “How was I supposed to know?” And then she laughs, because what else can she do? This book explores Lorna’s adventure of not knowing what was around the next corner (or why she was even turning a corner) and the sometimes delightful, sometimes shocking, but always enlightening surprises that awaited her What I liked: Most everything about this novel. I don't read many memoirs so I don't have a lot to compare this too, but I really enjoyed this story. Lee is very good at telling her story. Despite the many sad events that happen to the author in her life, she tells her story in an entertaining and often funny manner. And it's nice to see how she personally is able to make lemonade out of the many lemons that are thrown her way. The writing is good, and the story moves right along. I like the pictures she includes in each chapter, as well. What I didn't like: Over use of capitalization of words that don't need to be capitalized, but that is just the writer in me. Rating: 4/5