Moonhead and the Music Machine

This book made me feel as if I were on acid or something. It's a wee bit trippy, but not necessarily bad. This beautifully illustrated graphic novel follows Joet Moonhead as he attempts to rise above his not so awesome life. As can be imagined, the kids at school pick on him because HE HAS A MOON FOR A HEAD! He lusts after one of the popular girls, Melissa, but the only person who treats him normal is his friend Sockets. Joey decides that in order to be noticed (in a good way) by the people who matter he must form a band and play in the talent show.  Joey can't just play any old music instrument, he has to make something really cool. With the help of his friend Ghostboy they make this crazy instrument and blow the socks off the whole school. Suddenly Joey Moonhead is too cool for Sockets. Is he letting popularity get to his already too large head?

This book is utterly ridiculous. Thank goodness for the awesome illustrations. That's really what kept me going. The bright psychedelic colors are amazeballs. The storyline is your not so typical coming of age story. Due to the illustrations of some of Joey's lustier thoughts I wouldn't recommend this to young teens. That is unless you want to listen to parents chew you out about why there are colorful animals humping like crazy and phallic symbols (among others) galore. Interesting read....

Live to Eat: Meals Everyone Can Make

I'm a sucker for a good cookbook and I was soo pleased to find one that wasn't intimidating! There are twenty recipes in this cookbook which may not seem like a lot but each is easily molded or adapted to create new meals. There are four sections each highlighting a different "hero" ingredient: chili, verjuice, olive oil, and dark chocolate. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph, a tantalizing description, and simple straightforward directions (something a kitchen klutz like myself greatly appreciates!).

While I haven't had time to try out all the recipes, I did try two of the simpler ones to start off with, the potatoes in verjuice and simple tomato salad (I love me some mozzarella!). They were easy, inexpensive to make, and HEAVENLY. Looking back I wish I would have taken a picture!

A great cookbook for beginner cooks and those wishing to try something new, quick, and healthy. Not recommended for vegetarians... unless you host a lot of dinners and cook with meat and seafood.

I received this book free from the author, in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

The Survivor's Zombinac

This has been sitting on my shelf, begging to be read ever since I helped fund the kickstarter for it ages ago. Well better late then never. It definitely helped fill in the time waiting for The Walking Dead to return to TV. This graphic novel is a must for any zombie aficionado. It contains hilarious scenarios, survival tips, hilarious advertisements, practical tips, and other random fun. For all those zombie survivalists there are tips on what sort of building to take shelter in, vehicle to drive, and weapon to use. I definitely learned that in the case of being stuck at work or in an office, detaching the paper cutter blade makes an effective machete. Win! Overall, it's funny and the perfect addition to Any Walking Dead fan's collection. Really glad I helped fund this kickstarter!

Vagabond

I literally picked up this manga for two reasons: 1) it had cool artwork and 2) it was $1. So, my expectations weren't super high or anything. It was a really quick read and I finished it in about an hour. The manga follows Shinmen Takezo as he struggles to put his life together after being on the losing end of a massive battle. With the help of some mysterious ladies, he is able to get back on his feet. He vows that he will kill anyone who tries to kill him and as such... kills a lot of people. Wielding a wooden sword he makes his way across the countryside killing any who would dare stop him. As the book proclaims, "This is the journey of a wild young brute who strives to reach enlightenment by way of the sword - fighting on the edge of death."

For fans of action packed historical manga.

The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic

I had pretty high hopes for this book. The Titanic is one of the most morbidly fascinating disasters in the twentieth century so of course I was jacked to read another book about it. It was.... not exactly what I was gunning for. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't my cup of tea either. The story has several story-lines, some of which I thought were unnecessary. The focus however, is on a young Irish lass named Maggie Murphey. Her story is told through memories, journals, and first person narrative. Other narrators include; Harry - a young steward, Frances - an anxiously awaiting older sister in New York, Seamus - a heartsick Irish lad who pines for Maggie after she's left, and Grace - Maggie's great granddaughter who learns of her great grandmother's history in the 1980's.

The story is a mish mash of past and present, as Maggie unfolds her tale for her granddaughter. Maggie recounts how quickly the opulence of The Titanic made way for the horrors of trying to escape. There's romance and history but that's about it. I thought the ending was predictable (and no, I'm not referring to the fact that I knew the Titanic was going to sink) and the multiple narrators a bit much. After reading this all I wanted to do was watch Leonardo Dicaprio in the Titanic. And who knows, maybe I will.

The Identical DVD Review & Giveaway!!

When I heard about The Identical I knew I had to see it for three reasons:
1. It's starring my childhood crush, Seth Green (I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan... and still am).
2. It's starring THE Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd.
3. I thought it was about Elvis Presley. The movie takes place in the same era, has the same type of music, dances, fashion, etc. However, it turns out this movie is a whole different fictional, story. Which is actually totally cool with me, I just need to read movie descriptions better before I make assumptions.

This movie is touted as a family movie, but honestly who cares. The only thing that matters is that YOU will love it, guaranteed. It really is an all ages movie (unless you freak out about mild drinking and smoking, in that case, why are you reading my blog?) and is entertaining all the way through. I was hooked from the beginning.

Ryan Wade, a preacher's son, is trying to make his way in life. He tried following what his daddy (Ray Liotta) had planned for him but he realized that in order to stay true to himself he has to forge his own path. He knows that rock and roll music stirs his soul but he doesn't know how to turn that into a career. Instead, he marries his high school sweetheart and becomes a car mechanic in his hometown. A few states away, a man nearly identical to Ryan is living out his dream as a rock and roll star. Ryan follows his career with great interest never realizing how close their paths are. As Ryan struggles to chase his dream he encounters failure, success, passion, love, and stumbles across a hidden family secret that will ultimately change the way he views himself and reveals who he really is.

Seriously, it's a great story, wonderfully cast, and filled with AMAZING original music evocative of the period. Trust me you don't want to miss this!

What's that, you want to watch this movie? Well how would you like to win a free copy? All you have to do is comment below with your name and I will randomly select a winner this Friday.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Fool Moon

This series continues to get better and better. I'm only on the second one and I can't wait to continue the series. This is literally not one minute of downtime in this book. Every time you think wizard, Harry Dresden, is going to get a break all sorts of hell breaks loose. The book opens with Harry complaining how slow it's been, then BAM, werewolf action. As if werewolves couldn't be more deadly, Harry discovers that there are more than one type of werewolf out there, some impostors, some immortal, some cursed, ALL deadly and if things keep the way they're going he may have to face all of them. Werewolves, mobsters, and cops are all after Harry Dresden, how will he ever scrape through this one? Trust me, you have to read to find out and you won't be disappointed!

How to Pick Up a Stripper: And Other Acts of Kindness

I initially picked up this book because of the great title. I had no expectations out of it, it literally just looked good. Turns out, it's actually a really awesome book. Normally, I can't stand evangelicals and bible thumpers that try to push their religion down your throat. This book made me realize that there is a proper way to spread the love of God, and that's through kindness. Straight kindness. Pastor Todd Stevens talks about all the things that his Friendship Church accomplishes by thiunking outside of the box. People don't want to be preached at, they react better to actions. Todd and his church make a point to randomly wash car shields, pass out free gas cards, help special needs children, give free food to strippers and soo much more! They hand out little cards that say something like (forgive me, I don't have the book next to me) " Spreading the love of God - No Strings attached." They aren't forcing people to come to church or guilting the community. They are doing good deeds because it's the right thing to do and people will react more positively to it. This is a must read for any Christian or do gooder. There are so many great ideas and positive stories. Seriesouly soo good!

I received this book for free from Book Look Bloggers in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Food: A Love Story

I listened to the audiobook version and I couldn't have been more pleased. Since it was narrated by Jim Gaffigan himself, it was like listening to 7 hours of his stand up. It was great. Jim talks about what he knows best, food. He incorporates some of his jokes from his stand up into this books and expands them into hilariousness. He talks about chain restaurnts, regional food, ethnic food, vegetarians, frozen food, etc. If it's somehow food related, it's in here. One of my favorite quotes that really speaks to me this season is:

“During December we are all ingesting, imbibing, and spending with a reckless abandon like a bachelor party on a guilt-free boondoggle. Everyone has the unspoken agreement that what happens in December stays in December.”

Spoken like a true food lover. This is a must read for all Jim Gaffigan fans and fans of eating. Hilarious.

Finding Jesus

This is quite literally the greatest search and find of all time. It's "Where's Waldo" but with Jesus. I knew I would love it when I saw "Seek and ye shall find - Jesus" emblazoned on the back. How is that for winning. There are sixteen different scenes in which to find Jesus. He's hiding at biker weddings, raves, grocery stores, and rock concerts. As the intro proclaimed:

"When Jesus told his disciples, I am with you always," most people assumed he was just adding a little figurative, feel good-good flourish. As it turns out, Christ is a pretty literal guy. Whether you're rocking out at a concert, dancing, at the club, or seeing a movie, our Savior is everywhere you go. Not in a creepy Police song way, per se, but more like a Godly wingman who knows how to appear and disappear on cue.... Bearded hipster or God's right-hand man? Hard to tell. Robe-wearing hippie or the risen Lord out for a good time? Your guess is as good as anyone's."

How can you not fall in love with a book after an intro like that? Finding JC in your everyday life has never been soo fun! He knows how to blend right in with the crowd, so get your magnifying glass ready! Perfect for anyone. Adults, kids, religious folk, hipsters, search and find fans, etc. This book is pure happiness :)

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Christmas with a SEAL

Let me just preface this with a .... I don't normally read smut disclaimer. I won this through Good Reads giveaways and I thought, "Why not? Let's see what all the hype is about!" If you're the kind of person that likes blushing while reading, little to no plot, ridiculous dialogue, and disgustingly beautiful people. Then this is the book for you, or rather, the genre for you.

Twenty pages is there is already a sex scene. For you smut aficionados, this book was pretty vanilla, no whips, chains, or handcuffs for Phillip, the smoking hot Navy SEAL. Just good ol' fashioned ridiculously perfect sex (dream on ladies, dream on).

Frankie is going through a creative block, her silver business is ruined and she is stuck living with her grandmother. She decides that in order to get her creative juices flowing again (see what I did there), she has to "get her sexy on" with her friend's older brother. After a totally hot night of, you guessed it, lots of sex, Frankie's one night stand turns into something a little more serious. She never thought that she would see Phillip again but fate has intervened and they are both going to make the most of it (by having lots of sex). Predictably they both start falling for each other. It's kinda Christmasy in that Frankie is trying to convince Phillip that the holidays are special. But other than that it's just a backdrop to their lovemaking.... Interesting read....

You Have to Fucking Eat

I feel that if I had children, this book would be my calling card. It contains everything that parents don't want to say out loud. "You Have to Fucking Eat" is the sequel to the wildly popular "Go the Fuck to Sleep" and follows in the same vein. It's wildly inappropriate, hilarious, and oh so true. Here is a short little excerpt:

"Your cute little tummy is rumbling
And pancakes are your favorite treat.
I'm kind of surprised that you suddenly hate them.
That's bullshit. Stop lying and eat."

Seriously, how can you not love this. It's the best picture book for adults (parents specifically) on the market and is a must buy for Christmas.

Battle Royale: Angels' Border

I've heard this compared to Hunger Games and... yeah, it pretty much is. It's just a manga/ graphic novel version that is just as dark and depressing, yet oddly good. There aren't any science fiction or fantasy elements in this story, just a bunch of ninth graders trapped on an island with weapons and forced to kill each other until only one remains. There is a lot of back story though on some characters which adds to the depth of it. Sometimes I got a little lost on who was who or who liked who, so it's essential to pay close attention when reading. Also, I hadn't read  a manga in a while, so it took a hot second for me to get in the habit of properly reading from right to left. Definitely an interesting read!

Storm Front: Book One of the Dresden Files

I have put off reading Jim Butcher for ages because I wasn't a fan of the cover art (seemed more geared to guys and Dungeons and Dragon's players, not that it's a problem, but it didn't seem like my cup of tea) and I didn't really know anyone that read him. I am soo mad that I waited this long to start reading him! OMG, I fell in love with this series! Hardcore. I've always been a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series (at least the first 10, after that it got a little too smutty even for me) and Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series seems like the male equivalent of that. I listened to the audio narrated by James Marsters (aka Spike from Buffy) and I became instantly hooked. I knocked out the audio in no time at all, I couldn't stop listening (due in part to Marster's excellent narration)! I became soo absorbed in Harry Dresden's world of magic, mystery, and the dark underbelly of Chicago that I sped through it. Seriously, soo damn good! I plan on listening to the rest of the series now. Possibly the best crime noir fantasy series I've ever read. Get on it!

An Age of License

As a single twenty something who loves to travel, I LOVED this graphic novel. It was honest, funny, insightful and really spoke to me! This memoir illustrates the author's journey abroad, her attempts at love, her aspirations for the future, and the experiences one gains while traveling. It's all honest and true which makes it that much more enjoyable. I honestly can't remember the last time I enjoyed a graphic novel so much. Also, from a librarian's standpoint, this would definitely fall under the genre of new adult. Even though it's cataloged in our collection as young adult, I would say that it's geared more towards young twenty somethings. Adorable!

The Strange Library

Bizarre, but oddly satisfying read. It's only about a thirty minute read, but in that time there's enough development and plot to keep you going. A young boy enters a library searching for answers. Once he is directed to room 107 he finds that he may never get the chance to leave. An old twisted librarian keeps him hostage in a labyrinth and his only chance at escape is with a doughnut loving sheep man and a mysteriously beautiful girl. The awesome graphics help keep this crazy story going and it's clear that this short story had some beginning in a dream or nightmare. It's clever and intriguing, I only wish librarians were painted in a better light ;) In Haruki Murakami's book, they like to feast on juicy knowledge filled brains. As the sheep man says: " If all they [librarians] did was lend out knowledge for free, what would the payoff be for them?" Brain sucking librarians aside, I really enjoyed this fanciful little tale. Worth a read for the pictures and amazing cover alone.

Spotlight Tour - The Metabolism Solution

One of the awesome things about blogging and reviewing books is that you get to participate in some pretty awesome stuff. One of which being this spotlight tour for Lisa Lyn's "The Metabolism Solution." I won't be posting the full review today (check back later for that bad boy), but I will be posting some information and a GIVEAWAY about the book. How's that for excitement?!!!

Book Details:

Book Title: The Metabolism Solution, Lose 1 Pound A Day and Melt Belly Fat Fast by Lisa Lynn
Category: Adult non-fiction,  207 pages
Genre: Health, Fitness, Weight Loss, Christian, Cooking, Self help
Available in: Print and E-book format

Book Description:

Are you ready to lose 1 pound a day? Have you tried every weight loss plan under the sun? Don’t give up in frustration; The Metabolism Solution will make it faster and easier. What makes The Metabolism Solution different? It will teach you how to safely harness the power of your metabolism to lose weight and melt belly fat fast. You will learn the right way to work out to boost your metabolism with the best part being seeing results the first day after your first 30-minute workout. You will learn how to address your weight loss and fitness issues from the inside out, allowing you to focus on what created the weight gain in the beginning and how to correct those issues. Do you love delicious food? You'll adore Lisa Lynn’s 100 irresistibly delicious fat blasting recipes. The Metabolism Solution is the perfect roadmap for not only transforming your body, but changing your whole life.

Giveaway:

The giveaway is: LynFit Fat Loss Trio Package (worth $108.95!) along with a copy of her book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

America Again: Rebecoming the Greatness We Never Weren't

LOVED this!! I love satire so it's amazing that I haven't gotten around to reading Stephen Colbert sooner. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version because it's narrated by the Colbert himself. Laugh out loud funny, this audiobook may have listeners careening out of control on the highway. It's that good.

Colbert breaks his book apart into the following sections: American exceptionalism, jobs, healthcare, Wall Street, energy, elections, justice, food, easy solutions, and "I am Drunk." Each chapter is meant to reinforce the listener/reader's belief that America is the greatest and he gives hilarious reasons why. “America is exceptional. Does that statement shock you? It shocks me to have to say it! To be forced by your doubt to say out loud that America is exceptional implies something ugly. It's like telling the host of a dinner party 'I'm certain your wife is a female.' Saying it out loud just feels wrong. No matter how big her hands are.”

Hilarious, ironic, and well worth a listen :)

Susie's Hope - Review and Giveaway!

I don't normally go for super sappy movies, but I do have a soft spot for animals and when I learned that this movie was about Susie's Law, legislation that cracked down on animal abusers in North Carolina, I was intrigued.

Donna Lawrence was a pit bull attack survivor. An abandoned pit bull mauled her leg and left her in physical therapy for months. Nearly a year later, Donna learned that a pit bull mix puppy had been found abused and literally broken. Burns were on 60% of her body, her ears were cut off, her jaw broken, teeth missing, and maggots everywhere. She was on the brink of death but a local animal shelter was able to save her. Although, she had been attacked by a pit bull mix, Donna felt a kinship for this puppy. Donna was wrongfully attacked by a dog and Susie was wrongfully attacked by a human, they were a perfect match!  Donna and her husband eventually fostered the pup, and deciding that Susie was a part of the family, eventually adopted her. Susie's abuser was found and brought to court, but unfortunately due to North Carolina's laws the worst that would happen to him would be 8 months probation, he would never serve a term in jail. Donna and her friends decided that the law had to be changed so animal abusers could no longer walk away free. This is their story.

The movie was inspiring and got me to research Susie's Hope, a nonprofit organization that I had never even heard of. The movie is good, albeit a little sappy and HEAVILY Hollwoodized (watch the movie and then read about it online, there are several key differences), but it does a great job of getting the message out.  The story of how some motivated people were able to change the law should get you inspired. Anyone can make a difference if they only try!!

So overall, sappy (but in a good way), semi-low budget (you'll recognize a few faces), and very dramatized, but perfect for animal lovers and lifetime channel enthusiasts. The only thing I have a beef with is the hipocracy that people crusading for animal rights sometime inhabit. Animal cruelty and eating meat go hand in hand. Donna was clearly no vegetarian (numerous bacon frying scenes) and she talks about justice for ALL animals, but really she just means justice for pets. Farm animals and wildlife aren't as cuddly and cute as dogs are so who cares what their living conditions are... end rant.

Finally, who wants to win a free copy of this DVD?!? All you have to do is comment below and I will randomly select a winner next Friday!

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Belfast Noir

A collection of stories that packs a punch. Each crime/thriller/mystery short story is beautifully crafted and readers will lose themselves in the powerful and engrossing prose. The setting is the dark underbelly of Belfast. All the grime, murder, and violence found in Belfast shows itself in these stories. I can honestly say that there is not one story I didn't like, the dog fighting one was a little rough, but overall, I found myself totally digging all the stories. Some of the contributing authors are big names like Lee Child and Alex Barclay and others are little known, but amazing emerging authors. This noir anthology is a must for anyone interested in this genre, and even for those who aren't (like myself) because it's an impossibly hard to put down collection. Belfast show's its true colors (ie bloodstains) in this gritty collection. Thoroughly enjoyable!

The Brothers' Keepers

It's The Davinci Code meets The View but with less women and more religion. I must preface this review by saying, I did not read the first book in this series and I don't think that it threw me off too much, yeah I didn't get some references, but whatever. I was really excited for this book, I saw "archaeologist" in the description and I immediately thought "Indiana Jones." I was right in some regard I guess, there is a lot of adventure, intrigue, and espionage. Archaeologist Grace Madison discovers that her son's bride has been shot at on their honeymoon and that her daughter has gone missing. In no time at all she and a team consisting of her family (sans daughter Maggie), former professors, and some Israeli intelligence (with the aid of MI6 and the CIA of course) are trying to find out what Maggie has uncovered that got her kidnapped. It leads them on a wild goose chase all over Europe trying to trap down half off a scroll, an ancient water source, and dodge assassins in the process. It's good in theory but far too unbelievable. The Davinci Code may seem plausible because everything is fleshed out. In this novel, so much happens too fast that you can barely react or catch what's happening. The author crams so much in that all the characters seem super human, literally on every page someone is shooting at them or trying to blow them up and they don't bat an eyelash. They may act surprised for a minute but then they just keep going. Granted Grace's husband, son, and daughter in law have all been involved in the special forces at some point, but not Grace! She somehow rolls with the punches, says a few prayers, and goes with it. Also the submarines, special ski equipment, and carnival at the end seemed a little extravagant to me, but to each their own. It wasn't awful, the characters had some fun quirks, there is a nice unresolved love triangle, and some interesting "historical" tidbits. Dan Brown fans and fans of fast paced spy novels will enjoy this.

I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in return for my honest, unbiased review and participation of this blog tour, http://litfusegroup.com/author/nhorton.

Country Days

This short collection of stories is a feel good reminiscing of growing up in the Irish countryside. Alice Taylor recalls her childhood, her marriage, her neighbors, her children, and her faith in often times hilarious and insightful clarity and the reader is stuck wishing that they too lived in a quaint little village in Ireland. At least that's how I felt. When I finished listening to the audiobook, I wanted to pack up my suitcase and head over. Such a serene sounding life, beautiful and filled with wonder. Listening to the audiobook was also nice because the narrator had such a wonderful voice (anyone with an Irish accent has a nice voice, but that's beside the point).

This is a must read or listen for anyone obsessed with the Irish countryside or small village life. It's a quick read (only a 4 hour audiobook, so I can only imagine how short the actual book is), easy to put down, because each chapter is a short essay or remembrance.

The Portlandia Cookbook

Disclaimer: I've only watched about three episodes of the show, but I was still easily able to recognize characters and their quirky mannerisms in the book. If I had never seen the show I would definitely been a lot more lost. While there are recipes (this is a cookbook after all), there are also many anecdotal sidebars, tips, and stories that refer back to the show and characters. I was hoping that there would be more vegan or vegetarian options, but alas, I believe there was only two or three vegan recipes, not including drinks (but plenty of vegetarian options). I actually was impressed with how good some of the recipes sound. I thought this would be mainly a humorous book, with cooking thrown in as a joke, but there are some pretty damn legit recipes in here. I have bookmarked: kale and quinoa bowl with tofu and mushrooms, tomatoes and snap peas with roasted corn chile dressing, and the tortilla espanola. The pictures looked heavenly and the recipes didn't look overly complicated so I think they are definitely worth a try.


After reading this book, I definitely want to start watching the show again, this book was laugh out loud funny! Unfortunately, only fans of the show or people who live in Portland will really get all the jokes, but as long as you're one of those two you will definitely love this humorous cookbook!

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Bog

Thematically, not a bad story. But definitely, definitely, not my cup of tea. Before I let my opinion of this book cloud your mind, I do want to state that while, I might not have loved this book, I don't see why some kids wouldn't. It's a kid's book through and through and kids (probably 3rd through 6th) that are into fantasy and fairy tales might get a big kick out of this. Usually, I'm perfectly fine reading children's books, but this chapter book must have been the exception. I was a sheer force of will power that enabled me to finish it. Basically the story goes a little something like this.

Bog, a cave troll, goes to seek revenge for his father's "death" (he was turned into stone). The legendary troll hunter has been training recruits on how to trap trolls and lure them into the sunlight. Bog decides that the only way to protect his remaining family is to hunt the Troll Hunter and stop the cycle. Before he sets off on his quest, his grandmother gives him shocking news, Bog is half human! Bog always wondered why he wasn't as ugly and big as the other trolls, but he never could have imagined that his father was ever in love with a human. With a heavy heart he sets out of the woods, before long he saves the life of a forest troll, Small, and they become fast friends. Small agrees to help Bog on his quest but there is only one catch, they have to take a little human child with them. Bog adamantly refuses but when he discovers that there may be a legendary nose stone that can turned stone trolls back to life he begrudgingly takes her along in case she may be useful.

Yep, that's about it. The folklore surrounding the trolls was interesting as was their descriptions. I just couldn't give a hoot about the plot.