New releases from Simon & Schuster Product Review

Hello!

Everyone deserves some time out with a really great book!

Which is why we are thrilled to announce that we’ll be giving you or your child the chance to read and review one of the latest releases from Simon & Schuster Australia.

With characters you’ll love, places you’ll want to visit, we hope you’ll find these new books, from some of the finest writers, hard to put down.

This month’s Simon & Schuster Book Review, will feature the following new release titles:

DORK DIARIES: TV STAR

DORK DIARIES: TV STAR

Winner of the Total Girl and K-Zone Toy of the Year Awards in 2013 (Best Girls’ Book), the Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renée Russell is adored by young readers everywhere!

Now Nikki Maxwell, Queen of the Dorks, is back in the seventh book of the blockbuster Dork Diaries series – now with over 11 million copies in print.

Nikki and her friends are about to have their five minutes of fame! A reality TV crew is going to follow them for the whole month as they record their hit song together. But will the excitement also cause unexpected problems, now that cameras are everywhere Nikki and her friends go? Is life in the spotlight really going to be all they think it is or will it be a Dork Disaster?

Full of Nikki’s doodles, diary entries and darkish disasters, get ready to embrace your inner dork with his brand new novel from the hit series!

Average Ratings (from 40 ratings)
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BEING JADE

BEING JADE

Banjo Murphy is killed on the night he finally walks away from his wife, Jade, after twenty-five years of her adultery. In the aftermath, Banjo is bewildered to discover he still exists, and in despair he watches Jade collapse into deep depression and his daughters, Lissy and Cassandra, struggle with their unexpected loss.

Lissy is tortured by the mystery surrounding her father’s death. What compelled Banjo to leave the night he died? And why won’t Jade talk about what happened? Despite their volatile relationship, Lissy believes her parents’ love to have been enduring, but sensible

Cassandra sees things differently. When Cassy discovers a sketchbook chronicling Jade’s affairs, the truth of their parents’ relationship begins to unfold and Lissy’s loyalties are divided.

Searching for answers, Lissy contacts Jade’s ex-lovers. And watching from afar, Banjo aches as he discovers what these men meant to Jade – until Lissy’s quest reveals an explosive truth …

Average Ratings (from 36 ratings)
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ALL FALL DOWN

ALL FALL DOWN

Allison Weiss is a typical working mother, trying to balance a business, ageing parents, a demanding daughter and a marriage. But when the website she develops becomes a huge success, she finds herself challenged to the point of being completely overwhelmed.

As she struggles to hold her life together and meet the needs of all the people around her, Allison finds that the painkillers she was prescribed for a back injury help her deal with more than just physical discomfort – they make her feel calm and get her through the increasingly hectic days. Sure, she worries that the bottles seem to empty a bit faster each week, but it’s not like she’s some Hollywood starlet partying all night. It’s not as if she has an actual problem.

Until she ends up in a world she never thought she’d experience outside of a movie theatre: rehab. And as Allison struggles to get her life back on track, she learns a few life lessons along the way.

With a sparkling comedic touch and tender, true-to-life characterisations, All Fall Down is a tale of empowerment and redemption and Jennifer Weiner’s richest, most absorbing and timely story yet.

Average Ratings (from 31 ratings)
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FIVE KINGDOMS: SKY RAIDERS

FIVE KINGDOMS: SKY RAIDERS

The launch of an exciting new fantasy series for 7-12 year olds. Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when he and his friends break into a spooky house with the scariest rep in town, it turns out to be the start of an adventure on a whole different level!

As his friends are mysteriously sucked away into another realm Cole dives in after them and finds himself in a magical place called The Outskirts. Made up of five kingdoms, The Outskirts lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, between life and death. It’s an in-between place. And once you find your way to the Outskirts, it’s very hard to leave…

Average Ratings (from 26 ratings)
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These titles can be purchased as an eBook or paperback from your preferred book retailer.

Would you like to be part of the Simon & Schuster book review team?

In the Simon & Schuster book review, Mouths of Mums members selected will receive one of the four books profiled above. We’ll be asking them to read the book they receive and then post their review and ratings on the relevant book’s page.

Applications to participate in the New Releases from Simon & Schuster book review will be emailed to all Mouths of Mums members on 9 July 2014. You can also apply after this time by clicking APPLY TO REVIEW at the top of this page. If you’re not already a member and would like to receive the invitation to review, you can join Mouths of Mums here.


Published 9th July 2014

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Topics

Mopping isn’t exactly the chore most of us look forward to, but like most mums, for Katrina Macilroy, it’s unavoidable.

With three teenagers, a husband, a dog, two cats and timber flooring throughout most of her home, there’s plenty to keep her mop busy.

“I thought the toddler stage was hard, but teenagers take it to a whole other level,” Katrina told Mouths of Mums.

She describes herself as a ‘full-time Uber driver’ for her three kids, but when she’s home, she may as well be a full-time cleaner.

Her husband is a concreter, the family has plenty of sand coming inside and, with teenagers touching everything, the floors quickly show the evidence of a full family life.

“I have to mop like every second day because the floor gets marks,” she said.

So when Katrina was given the chance to try the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set, she was keen to see whether it could actually make one of her least favourite cleaning tasks any easier.

“I didn’t have high hopes for it to start with, because I’ve used spin mops before and I’d been disappointed,” she admitted.

But it didn’t take long for her to change her mind. One of the first things Katrina noticed was just how easy the mop was to use.

Person using the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO mop system.

The foot pedal made wringing the mop quick and simple, without having to stop and fiddle with anything.

“It was so easy to spin it,” she says. “It wasn’t like you’re spinning it for hours or anything.”

She was also impressed by how quickly the mop itself could be put together, and the simple button that releases the mop head for washing.

“That simple press notion, everyone can do that. So I love that.”

It’s The Little Things That Add Up

For Katrina, who regularly finds herself cleaning up after a busy family, these little details made a surprisingly big difference. She also loved the triangular mop head, particularly when it came to getting into the corners and edges that her previous mop struggled with.

“The triangle design makes it easy to get into all the little corners,” she says.

But ultimately, the big question was whether it actually cleaned her floors. Katrina’s answer was an enthusiastic yes.

“My floor has never been so clean,” she says.

Katrina was also surprised by how light and manoeuvrable the mop felt, because at just 4’11”, she says mopping can sometimes be an uncomfortable job.

“I’m not a tall person, so trying to mop is always just a horrible experience.”

Person carrying the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO mop system.

But she found the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set easy to move around and able to go in different directions without feeling heavy or awkward.

And it wasn’t just the mop itself that won Katrina over. She says the bucket design solved one of her biggest mopping frustrations: accidentally tipping the bucket over.

With timber floors, getting too much water onto the floor is something she tries hard to avoid. “The amount of mop buckets I’ve tipped over and just gone everywhere,” she says.

That can turn a simple cleaning job into another mess to deal with, particularly when you’re suddenly scrambling for towels and a dry mop head.

But Katrina says the Vileda bucket feels much more stable because of its design.

And for someone who mops as often as she does, she says that has saved her time. “This thing has saved me so much time, I can’t get over it.”

The Only Mop You’ll Need

Katrina also admits that she’d previously convinced herself she needed a steam mop. She even bought one, only to discover that plugging it in every time she wanted to clean wasn’t exactly appealing.

“You have to plug it in like a vacuum. Like, that’s not fun, I don’t want to do that.”

After trying the Vileda, she says she’s no longer convinced she needs one.

“Why do you need a steam mop when you can get this one?”

For Katrina, the combination of being lightweight, easy to wring, simple to manoeuvre and able to get into those awkward corners has made mopping feel much less frustrating. And despite going into the trial with low expectations, she’s now very happy to recommend it.

“I’m not trying to sell you a product, but I’m just saying that I’m very impressed with it. It’s really good.”

Her final verdict?

“It’s been really, really good. Recommend!”

This Real Story was provided as part of a paid sponsorship opportunity. Katrina was chosen to share her story because she was sent out and tried the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean TURBO Mop & Bucket Set, and genuinely loved it! And Vileda is so confident they’ve made the best spin mop ever, they’re backing the new & improved Easy Wring & Clean TURBO with a 5 Year Guarantee. 

  • This mop so good and the views all are positive so I just purchased one on milkrun through Woolworths and it come with 2 mop head refills. Can’t wait to use it.

    Reply

  • Yes, I couldn’t agree more. The Vileda spin mop is by far my favourite mop for a good thorough clean at home. I even got the landlords to purchase one for the holiday house I clean to make cleaning a breeze and get the job done properly. I always grab a spare when they’re out for half price.

    Reply

  • Ah, I received a ‘you’re a finalist’ email from MoM for this fantastic mop but didn’t receive anything beyond that. I was looking forward to giving this a try to compare the three existing options I have but alas. Looks good, fingers crossed I can try it in the near future!

    Reply

  • Omg! Yes! With 4 dogs and 4 teens AND the guests they bring home with them LOL our timber floors and tiles don’t stand a chance! I would love to see them add some wheels to the bottom of the bucket so that you don’t have to carry the bucket around with you.

    Reply

  • I feel like I really need to try out this mop now!!

    Reply

  • This sounds like an excellent mop that makes cleaning so easy! I love a product that not only is as effective as advertised but makes a job less grueling. I gotta say though, a steam mop that plugs in sounds like an awful idea. I have a tineco floor mop, which is cordless and charges at a base, and it’s incredible on my white tiles.

    Reply

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