Author: The Smart Cookie

Thirty something reader, writer, and music lover who believes all people should have the freedom to espresso themselves however they choose. This community is born out of an equal love of reading, writing, and the power of faith and coffee.

#BookReview: Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella did all but that

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

I was honored to get to review this book as Sophie Kinsella is indirectly the only reason I fell in love with the song, Calling You by Kat Deluna, as she is the name behind the best-selling shopaholic series which resulted in a major motion picture staring Isla Fischer.

Yet, this book did not make me feel as invigorated as the song.

It follows a married couple who find out that their life expectancy is quite a stretch more than they originally thought when they promised “till death do us part.” Right away, you find yourself rooting for the main character, Sylvie. She’s the typical mother of two girls looking to spice things up in her life and marriage by coming up with this idea that her and her husband Dan should surprise each other with things, ideas, or creative endeavors to keep things “lively” since they have about 68 more years of healthy, happy married life.

Yet, although I finished the entire novel, I found myself skimming through entire chapters because they seemed almost superflous in nature to the overall story. Maybe I read this book all wrong but after just finishing a 60 chapter not yet published novel in an entire day, I can say that what was abundant in that book was missing in this one:

There was a lack of tension or an overall obstacle for the main character or characters to overcome.

True. This is a married couple we are talking about so the climax will not be as romantic as two arch-enemies that fall in love with one another BUT I guess I still felt something was missing.

Ultimately, that was the most surprising of all. That this book left me feeling like I just read one of those books I read in grade school ONLY BECAUSE I was obligated and not at all because I wanted to.

This book was my modern day post-academic life The Crucible by Arthur Miller. 

 

#BookReview: Why Perfect Illusion on @inkittbooks is the perfect READ

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

It has everything a book should have.

Revenge.

An arrogant rich guy.

A handsome guy in a leather jacket.

A girl who is a bookworm and doesn’t see her own greatness.

A best friend who can see through the facade.

A love story that will shock the whole world.

Perfect Illusion

To fall in love with the Perfect Illusion, check it out on Inkitt today.

#MusicReview: Rend Collective new praise album boasts Good NEWS!

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

I’m not particularly crazy about worship music because usually it isn’t very dance-worthy, is heavy on piano or organ, and tracks for worship are sometimes ten minutes or more in length. So when I got approached to listen to Rend Collective’s Good News, I will admit that I hesitated because of my stereotyping worship music.

Then, the first track started and I was into it and as each track went on, I got more and more into it. This album not only strengthened my love for my Lord and Savior Jesus but it made me an instant fan of Rend Collective and I will never hesitate to listen to another album they release ever again.

About Rend Collective:
Hailing from a small town off the coast of Northern Ireland, Rend Collective (Gareth Gilkeson, Chris Llewellyn, Ali Gilkeson, Patrick Thompson and Stephen Mitchell) wants to be known as a celebration band, worshiping for God’s Glory and fame. Since the release of their first album, Organic Family Hymnal, the group’s authentic and energetic style of worship has attracted an international audience, with career sales of more than 300,000 albums. The group saw early success as their first ever single “Build Your Kingdom Here,” peaked at No. 12 on the National Christian Audience Chart. Their 2014 release The Art of Celebration, charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart within the first week of its release. Known for their electric lively worship, the band has been a part of several major tours with top artists such as Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Kari Jobe, Lecrae and more. The group released critically acclaimed As Family We Go in 2015, followed by, Campfire Christmas Volume 1, their first Christmas record, and Campfire II, both in 2016, Rend Collective’s newest single, “Rescuer (Good News)” is available now.

Good News is set to release in January 19, 2018.

Song by Song Review

Life is Beautiful: Irish musicality trickles on every track of this album and this particular song speaks to our John 10;10 abundance Jesus died for each believer to live out.

I Will Be Undignified: A fiddle keeps this track fast-paced and promotes and unashamed dance in the presence of our King.

Rescuer (Good News): The title track of the album; praising God for rescuing us forevermore.

Counting Every Blessing: A worship song that brings to mind every blessing the Lord has provided and more importantly God’s goodness. I thoroughly enjoyed this track because it promoted me to beam with an unbreakable smile while listening to it.

Nailed To The Cross: We are taken back to Jesus’s victory on the Cross and all his death there redeemed for all mankind.

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Hymn For The Ages: Almost like a modern day “Amazing Grace,” praising Jesus for who he is.

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True North: This is another favorite off the album because not only is it a pure worship song but it has a musicality that makes me want to dance and feel fun and fancy free.

Resurrection Day: pablo (31)

This track completely had me overjoyed because it had Contemporary Christian musicality but praise-worthy worship feel.

9. No Outsiders: God is love and we can come as we are thanks to Jesus

10. Weep With Me: 

“Lord I believe you weep with me”

A worship track with an almost r&b feel to it that speaks to the depths of the listener’s brokenness.

Weep With Me (Reprise): A sweet finish featuring a strong use of violin and lead vocals

Marching On (Feat. Hillsong Young & Free): The EDM musicality and the lead vocalists motivated the listener to keep fighting the good fight.

Yahweh: A soft acoustic guitar strikes a soft chord to illustrate the gentleness of our God who is there in the midst of it all, and holds it all.

Counting Every Blessing: A ukelele version of the fourth track brings a new sense to resting in his presence.

Christ Lives In Me: I have a future and a hope because Christ lives in me is what this track emphasizes.

Get Connected with Rend Collective:
Website // https://rendcollective.com
Facebook // https://www.facebook.com/rendcollective/
Twitter // @rendcollective
Instagram // @rendcollective

“From the opening track to the last one, Good News will give you joy unspeakable and provide hope because Christ lives in each believer, life is forever beautiful.”

To see the The Smart Cookie quoted in the Good News press release click here

 

Happy Birthday to The Smart Cookie Philes!

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

Today, we are two years old. Wow, how fast time flies!

Some people are unaware of the origins of this site and how it came to be so I figured it was appropriate to share the birth story of The Smart Cookie.

Not being able to find a job once out of college was part of it.

Not being able to find a job that was my dream job and also accepted all of my idiosyncrasies was also part of it.

The Smart Cookie Philes was born on MLK day 2016 because like the GREAT changemaker, I too had a dream, and it wasn’t one dimensional or going to be abc-123 easy to achieve.

So I decided that the right opportunity doesn’t wait for no man, so I created the opportunity for me and many others.

To the untrained eye, this looks like a simple book blog and that was the original intention behind it.

Yet, I am a vivacious reader who also loves everything that music does for it’s listener. How it soothes the soul, makes you feel less alone, and connects people.

I realized then that books and music both connect people in similar ways even though they are entirely different mediums, they both start from the same origin: out of the heart and mind of a creative soul who wants to affect change some how some way in a wave, in a ripple, in a surge of hope.

Yet, I also wanted this to be a site where all people not just writers and musicians could feel welcome because society really provides a heavy load with it’s labels and pressures if you don’t exactly mirror every other person that has gone before you.

So this is a community for the rejects, for the weirdos, for the over-caffeinated writer who grew up too shy to do anything but vivaciously read and learn all the lyrics to their favorite songs and yet, had trouble finding solace and acceptance among those in their peer group.

This is a community for those who decide to dare to be different and are unafraid and unashamed to walk a path not yet walked so that by chance, they can lead the way for others who come after who feel the same way.

This is a community for those who become a part of it to ESPRESSO THEMSELVES however that looks no matter what because we only get one life and we should live it in the most genuine and authentic way we know.

Here at The Smart Cookie Philes we are all smart, strong, and enough. After all, when it comes to cookies, flavors and variety always makes for a more delicious experience overall.

THANK YOU for your continued support of my dream and the beautiful works of others.

Here’s to more years being exactly who you were meant to be and expressing yourself authentically.

So much love,

Chelsea DeVries

Creator of The Smart Cookie Philes

Never miss a crumb of the action by subscribing to my email newsletter That’s The Way The Cookie Crumbles.

 

 

Come closer and make a wish! #BookReview @ChelseaSedoti’s #AsYouWish

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

Chelsea Sedoti is a new favorite author of mine and I was entirely stoked to see she was coming out with a book that contained an actual cave that grants wishes. Magical realism is  a genre that I started getting all the feels for in eleventh grade English. We were assigned to read the book One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The book is a relic itself being that it was translated from its original Spanish to a  five hundred page novel in English. Once I started reading it, I fell in love with Marquez’s eloquence and the concept of magical realism.

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Magical Realism is a literary genre or style associated especially with Latin America that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction.

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And so Sedoti returns with a YA novel centered around a small desert town of Madison which appears ordinary to the tourists and visitors but actually has an extraordinary magical element: Every citizen of Madison gets one wish on their 18th birthday within a cave.

It makes the reader wonder what they might wish for if in Eldon’s shoes.

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Overall, I wish anyone who reads this book gets swept away by it’s magical charm amidst a regular ordinary main character, a teen that wonders if wishes do more harm than good and someone who isn’t afraid to walk a path uncharted.

And that is a concept I can get behind, wishfully or otherwise.

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All your wishes can come true when you enter my latest giveaway!

#GiftGuide: Best Music Albums in 2017

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

There were too many earworms in 2017 that I decided to narrow down my musical fangirling to an album only list of the Top Ten. The great thing about music is that it’s subjective so your favorite may not be here. If I missed one, comment below. Maybe I’ll make a playlist for 2018.

10. Ryan Follese by Ryan Follese

The lead singer of Hot Chelle Rae goes solo and heads back to his country roots with his first pop country solo album. Croon along to One Thing Right or jam out to Roots, either way you’ll fall in love with Ryan’s singer-songwriting talent and musicality.

To read the full review, feel free to float your boat.

9. Alessia Cara’s Know It All

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This Canadian pop rocker will have you realizing your beautiful and not alone at that party you didn’t want to go to but are now stuck at.

To join our Wild Things Club, visit here

8. Tomorrow We Live by KB

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Tampa native and Reach Records rapper KB just released a new album October 20 but to here the one that had my haters looking at me sideways and believing we will win, check out the rapper’s second album.

I won’t play anymore games, I’mma just do it.

7.  Identity by Colton Dixon

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How do you identify? Well with one listen of Colton Dixon’s third studio album I was renewed in my faith as a believer in Jesus Christ and realized why each of us is marked with his fingerprint because he designed us with a unique call and purpose. To find out more about the brand new life and how love came down, check out Colton’s newest album.

For all that matters, visit here.

6. All is Vanity by Christina Grimmie

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Her final musical project is her debut album. Post-humanous and with her signature supernatural vocal range, Grimmie shares song that showcase her r&b musicality and lyrics that showcase her huge heart and that she was okay with having standards.

For full review and to read my memorial post, join Team Grimmie

5. Lifer by Mercy Me

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Christian rock supergroup is back with a project even i couldn’t imagine. Every song on it is repeat-worthy and will have you happy dancing even if your answer doesn’t come right away.

To join Team life, visit here.

4. ’91 by Jamie Grace

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Jamie Grace is back with her first independent release but third studio album that represents the Christian music from the nineties she grew up on.

To join Team ’91, feel free to get your dance on.

3. All Things Work Together by Lecrae

With his first major label release, Lecrae will inspire and sow hope as he will make all who listen to this album see that he’s no stranger to hip hop music but instead aims to reach higher.

To find hope in all things, visit here.

2. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato

Six albums later and Demi Lovato is no longer apologizing for who she is. Instead, you’ll catch the singer-songwriter in raw and real vulnerability that will make you fall in love with her artistry.

To meet Lovato and all her daddy issues, visit here.

  1. Waves by Rachel Platten

Some of you may not know this but Rachel Platten was the first major artist to support The Smart Cookie Philes directly and her sophomore album proves she’s not done making waves or putting up a fight, she’s just not going to apologize because she’s not perfect for you.

Love her or leave her alone, she’ll keep dancing on broken glass. 

Happy Holidays and I hope 2018 is the year you start #ESPRESSOYOURSELF

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#GiftGuide: Best Books I Read in 2017

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

New this year, I read 58 books according to Goodreads so I wanted to share some of my absolute faves in a gift guide fit for the smart cookie in your life.

Know someone who loves to read? Wrap one of these or all of these and place it under the Christmas tree to look smart this Christmas.

Without further ado, I will work my way up from 10,

10. Instagram Graphic

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…

Calida Jokobi doesn’t see it that way. Surviving an abusive relationship with a sadistic, manipulative man changed her. She has spent the last two years carefully constructing her new persona with two goals in mind: to keep the remaining pieces of her heart safe and her deepest secrets buried. One man puts it all at risk.

Malcolm has been a part of Calida’s life for as long as she can remember. A friend. Her first teenage crush. Now he’s asking for something she swore she’d never give again: her heart.

Calida must decide if she should risk the fragile façade she’s created and give Malcolm the chance he’s asking for.

They say love can heal all wounds…

Malcolm Frankel wants to prove to Calida it’s true. She survived a hell most people couldn’t fathom. He’s been by her side fulfilling whatever role she needs him to play. All except the one he wants most. It took nearly losing her to make Malcolm realize he couldn’t keep denying his feelings.

He knows no one goes through an ordeal like that and comes out unscathed, but the closer they get, the more he learns just how deep Calida’s wounds go.

She’s the only woman he’s ever loved, and Malcolm is ready to put his own heart at risk for a chance at mending hers.

To read my review and for purchase links, visit here.

9. B.S. Incorporated by Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss

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If you just finished re-binging The Office on Netflix and need something to fill the gaping whole that remains because they decided not to bring it back for a re-boot, read this equally funny novel about a company that could rival Dunder Mifflin for sure.

For my review and for some share-worthy quotes, please visit my Meryl Streep room.

8. Magician’s Workshop I & II by  Christopher Hansen and J. R. Fehr

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Chronicles of Narnia meets Harry Potter in this allegorical novel about children that live in a society where their color decides whether they will train with the town’s magician’s in the exclusive workshop.

For my full review of both novels and some pinterest-savvy quotes, visit my wardrobe.

7. The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

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This book was one I randomly decided to read on a whim but was glad I made such a rash decision because as an acquaintance solves the mystery of what happened to recently disappeared Lizzie Lovett, town popular girl, you will learn some life lessons that will share more truth than lies.

For my full video review, please visit the mysterious campground.

6. The Door Keeper by Steen Jones

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Fantasy isn’t really my genre but that’s why I was as surprised as you are that I completed reading this book in one day!

For full review and the gist of the magic that awaits behind that door over there, here’s the key.

5. Chasing Eveline by Leslie Hauser

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A young adult novel equivalent of an earworm it shares the story of how music moves us and keeps us moving.

For full review, feel free to press play.

4. Proof by Ted D. Berner

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A science fiction novel based on Genesis 6:4 that exposes all those conspiracy theories you always wanted to know were true or not.

To find out all the secrets, enter at your own risk.

3. Family First by D.D. Bridges

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An urban fiction novel following an elite African-American family that takes in a juvenile delinquent who shows the family what it means to be truly misjudged.

For my full video review, court is adjorned. 

4. Fairytale by Danielle Steel

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I wasn’t a fan of Danielle Steel until I read this book. Now I want to read all her books. She’s the queen of a great plot progression and romantic story line.

To journey to the wine country of Southern California, click here.

 

  1. The Father Effect by John Finch

 

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Becoming a dad is easy but being a father is harder. See what kind of effect you leave on your children by reading John Finch’s memoir style book.

For full review and to purchase the novel, find encouragement here.

Congrats to all those in my Top Ten list. If you want to see your book in this list in 2018, be sure to contact the Smart Cookie asap at wittywriterpoet26@gmail.com.

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Until next year, have a happy holidays and may 2018 be the year you choose to #ESPRESSOYOURSELF

 

#BookReview: Not Broken by @authormekajames #DecTheShelves

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

I’m a sucker for a good love story and I love realistic romance novels. Sure, I won’t lie and pretend the sex scenes aren’t nice but that keeps me reading is characters who are multi-faceted, humanistically flawed, and still grin and bear their struggles.

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In walks Calida, our warrior princess. She’s a single mother with a heavy backstory (one that readers can unravel by reading this author’s first novel, Fiendish) although you aren’t required to do any additional reading in order to fully catch that Callida is entirely shaken up and a man unraveled her in ways that distorted her thought patterns and mind constructs for love and romance.

If you are looking for something to read that keeps you warm and begging for more, check out #NotBroken at these fine retailers:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2zzycc6
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2AUmoBH
B&N: http://bit.ly/2yLzN0S
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zPjleu
iTunes: http://apple.co/2gBxIKN

Enter to win my #Christmasgiveaway here!

 

#BookReview: Stripping Down by Sheila Hageman @SheilaMHageman

Posted on by The Smart Cookie

I feel as though I’ve seen Sheila Hageman naked. I don’t mean that in a dirty sense but Sheila has let it all hang out. I’ve seen the scars from her childhood where her dad gave her little attention before she watched him and her mother divorce. I’ve watched her brazenly announce at the age of nineteen to her mother and stepfather that she was going to become an exotic dancer. I’ve laid eyes on the stretch marks from giving birth and becoming a new mother all while having to watch her mother dying.

All this raw realness reads like a conversation with a candid friend who truly understands the relief found in sharing your story to heal and help others heal. A friend who wants society to see the damage of how women feel pressured to use sex and sensuality in order to be seen, acknowledged, and believe they are loved.

Her honest memoir won’t leave you feeling cheap and uncomfortable but will make you face the truth of the matter ringing out within her words.

As a Christmas gift, I want one lucky reader/follower to experience Sheila’s struggle with excepting her body and everything that comes with being a female for yourself. To enter, visit her starting December 15 2017.