Colorful Calendar … Killer Look

Creativity sometimes takes a back seat when it comes to getting organized and keeping track of the events of your day.

That doesn’t have to be the case if you get organized with an UNDATEDCOLORING ACADEMIC AGENDA from Action Publishing Inc. While this calendar is designed for students, it can be easily adapted to work for anyone in all walks of life. They also offer a selection of day planners too.

Having just launched my own book tour service for authors, I’ve been looking for a calendar that would help keep me super organized. I needed a way to look at a month at a glance, as well as have space for day to day activities. When I saw the COLORING ACADEMIC AGENDA, I knew it would work perfectly for me. It also offers me a way to be a bit creative while going over my activities.

With the adult coloring book phase popping up everywhere, the good folks at Action Publishing have incorporated a touch of whimsy into their calendars. There’s a full page to color opposite the month-at-a-glance page, as well as small coloring opportunities throughout the daily pages.

The bonus to me is the huge amount of space you have for the week’s events. There’s also a space to track a task; a goals/notes section; my time space; and a spot you can use to sketch, jot a note or keep a journal. In addition, there’s a vocabulary word of the week, useful tips and tools section, and a weekly activity to help strengthen your life skills. I won’t even go into all the neat information listed in the back of the calendar.

The calendar comes undated so you can begin using it anytime of the year. Spiral bound makes the calendar easy to layout flat to use or fold over as you would a composition book. The 8 ½-inch by 11-inch size makes keeping track of daily events much easier providing lots of writing space.

The pages of the calendar aren’t glossy making it easy to write on. I added sticky notes over the weekdays on my monthly calendar. This allows me to move things around without having to erase if an activity changes. When the activity is done, I then write it on the month page with any extra notes I have.

I’m just getting my calendar set up, but I can see it’s going to be an invaluable tool. Not only can I keep track of my daily schedule and look at what’s set for the month, but I can also dabble with a bit of coloring to help de-stress the day.

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this calendar was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

KILLER LOOK by Linda Fairstein

◊ KILLER LOOK by Linda Fairstein

◊ Series: An Alexandra Cooper Novel (Book #18)

◊ Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

◊ Audible Audio Edition

◊ Listening Length: 10 hours and 29 minutes

◊ Program Type: Audiobook

◊ Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

◊ Version: Unabridged

◊ Publisher: Penguin Audio

◊ Scheduled Audible.com Release Date: July 26, 2016

◊ Language: English

◊ ASIN: BO1FWJYUBS

SYNOPSIS:

New York Times best-selling author Linda Fairstein delivers a heart-pounding thriller that explores the dark secrets of Manhattan's iconic fashion scene in her latest Alexandra Cooper novel.

New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, well known for its glamour and style. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the runway, where American haute couture continually astounds with its creativity, daring, and innovation in the name of beauty. Yet high fashion means high stakes, as Alex Cooper quickly discovers when businessman and designer Wolf Savage is found dead in an apparent suicide, mere days before the biggest show of his career. When the man's daughter insists Savage's death was murder, the case becomes more than a media sensation: It is a race to find a killer in a world created entirely out of fantasy and illusion.

With her own job at the DA's office in jeopardy and the temptation to self-medicate her PTSD with alcohol almost too strong to resist, Alex is not anyone's first choice for help. But she is determined to uncover the grime - and the possible homicide - beneath the glitz. Along with detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, Alex must penetrate the twisted roots and mixed motives among the high-profile players in the Garment District. The investigation takes the trio from the missing money in Wolf Savage's international fashion house to his own recovery from addiction; from the role of Louisiana voodoo in his life to his excessive womanizing; and to the family secrets he kept so well hidden, even from those closest to him - just as things are about to get deadly on the catwalk.

Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney's office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is America's foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. Her Alexandra Cooper novels are international best sellers and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard.

MY THOUGHTS:

With a Linda Fairstein novel you not only get a tantalizing murder mystery, but you also get tidbits of history and a tour of interesting spots throughout New York City. Fairstein’s latest mystery combines murder with the glitz and glamour of the New York fashion district.

Narrator Barbara Rosenblat does an excellent job giving distinct voices to the various characters. Her unique vocals and manners are spot on when highlighting the ups and downs of the characters’ emotions. Her cadence enhances the story.

Fairstein has created realistic characters that are well-developed and likable. The interaction between the characters adds depth to the story. The secondary characters are colorful and add a bit of drama.

The New York setting adds intrigue and is virtually a character in its self. Through Fairstein’s vivid descriptions the garment district comes to life throughout the novel. With an eye for detail, Fairstein pulls readers/listeners into the story with touches of clothing history and New York’s place in all things fashion.

The story has enough twists and turns to have you changing your mind about the killer’s identity as fast as super models change for the runway. Fairstein combines her protagonist’s anxiety from a previous story with current events to show her development. New readers won’t be left in the dark about the problems causing Alexandra’s condition as Fairstein fills in the blanks enough to make this a stand-alone read.

KILLER LOOK is a fast-pace thriller filled with suspense and a shocking surprise ending you won’t see coming.

Killer Look by Linda Fairstein, An Alexandra Cooper Novel (Book #18), Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, Penguin, @2016, ASIN: BO1FWJYUBS, Unabridged, Digital Download, Run Time: 10 Hours and 29 Minutes

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite calendar that you couldn’t do without? Do you enjoy books that include bits of history throughout the story?