Book Reviews
This review is from:
Secrets of an Old Typewriter: Stories from a Smart and Sassy
Small Town Girl (Paperback) This book is a true
testament to what it like to live in a small town. The author starts the story a
few years before when I was born, but in small towns things don't change very
rapidly. Since I grew up in a small town, I can totally relate to the author's
ramblings about living in the protected shell of a small town. If you have
never lived in one, you might find it hard to believe that so many people would
get worked up over minor things like movies, but it is soooo true.
The
author attacks the description of the small town and the time line through it
with gusto. At times it seems she uses entirely too many words to describe some
situations. That may be the case in a larger township, but by using her wordy
descriptions, she is remaining true to her roots from a small town. Everything
that happens there is an adventure and worth the enthusiasm of extra wordiness
to describe it.
This is a fun and wordy romp through one person's eyes of what it was like to grow up and live in a small town. It was very true to form to what I remember the way of life was like. It brought back a lot of memories for me. There were quite a few stories strung together to make up this book. It flowed nicely and was quite enjoyable. The author made good use of the assortment of old typewriters. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Secrets of an Old Typewriter: Stories from a Smart and Sassy
Small Town Girl (Paperback) This book is a true
testament to what it like to live in a small town. The author starts the story a
few years before when I was born, but in small towns things don't change very
rapidly. Since I grew up in a small town, I can totally relate to the author's
ramblings about living in the protected shell of a small town. If you have
never lived in one, you might find it hard to believe that so many people would
get worked up over minor things like movies, but it is soooo true.
The
author attacks the description of the small town and the time line through it
with gusto. At times it seems she uses entirely too many words to describe some
situations. That may be the case in a larger township, but by using her wordy
descriptions, she is remaining true to her roots from a small town. Everything
that happens there is an adventure and worth the enthusiasm of extra wordiness
to describe it.
This is a fun and wordy romp through one person's eyes of what it was like to grow up and live in a small town. It was very true to form to what I remember the way of life was like. It brought back a lot of memories for me. There were quite a few stories strung together to make up this book. It flowed nicely and was quite enjoyable. The author made good use of the assortment of old typewriters. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I was gifted this book for an honest review.
The book starts out with a
plot to put granny in the old folk's home and the self centered teenager goes
along with it to win a trip to science camp. Once she gets to know granny and
lives in her world for awhile, she starts to see that maybe her way isn't the
only way. The grandmother does nothing but show love and support for her
grandchildren. The story unfolds into some quite funny situations. There is the
crazy aunt and her ridiculous wedding. The good looking neighbor boy pops in
every once in awhile and we mustn't forget the creeping cow! I will not spoil
the story, but it turns out the selfish teenager actually experiences empathy.
Something that is missing in many teenagers today. I would definitely recommend
this book to any teenager I know. I thank the author for sharing it with me. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
The book starts out with a
plot to put granny in the old folk's home and the self centered teenager goes
along with it to win a trip to science camp. Once she gets to know granny and
lives in her world for awhile, she starts to see that maybe her way isn't the
only way. The grandmother does nothing but show love and support for her
grandchildren. The story unfolds into some quite funny situations. There is the
crazy aunt and her ridiculous wedding. The good looking neighbor boy pops in
every once in awhile and we mustn't forget the creeping cow! I will not spoil
the story, but it turns out the selfish teenager actually experiences empathy.
Something that is missing in many teenagers today. I would definitely recommend
this book to any teenager I know. I thank the author for sharing it with me. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
It has been years since I have seen anything on the cat. Any cat, for that
matter. True there are stories of shape shifters everywhere, but they do not
concentrate on the cat family. Most of them are of the dog family.
This
story not only has cats, it has vampires, giants and wizards. I must admit, I
did not recognize the wizard for what he was at first, but it was explained
later. The whole thing rather reminds me of a big city Trublood with all the
super naturals around and the clueless humans living in their midsts. It was a
short tale, hence, short story, but it was action packed from the beginning. I
enjoyed the trip. It served its purpose well, I am quite intrigued and will
more than likely be checking the series from whence it originated. A very
exciting read for such a short little tale. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
matter. True there are stories of shape shifters everywhere, but they do not
concentrate on the cat family. Most of them are of the dog family.
This
story not only has cats, it has vampires, giants and wizards. I must admit, I
did not recognize the wizard for what he was at first, but it was explained
later. The whole thing rather reminds me of a big city Trublood with all the
super naturals around and the clueless humans living in their midsts. It was a
short tale, hence, short story, but it was action packed from the beginning. I
enjoyed the trip. It served its purpose well, I am quite intrigued and will
more than likely be checking the series from whence it originated. A very
exciting read for such a short little tale. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Shine by Nancy Seqovia
This is a nice little book on how to be a better person.
It has examples of where the author has failed and how she corrects her
issues. It is full of little tales to illustrate her points.
My favorite tale was the one of the broken pot.
It is a real keeper. The book is one that everyone should read if they
want to a better person. I gave
this book 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a nice little book on how to be a better person.
It has examples of where the author has failed and how she corrects her
issues. It is full of little tales to illustrate her points.
My favorite tale was the one of the broken pot.
It is a real keeper. The book is one that everyone should read if they
want to a better person. I gave
this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Crocky Dile by Shawnie
Clark
This is a
delightful little story book with adorable illustrations.
I enjoyed the story. It was really cute and the illustrations were spot
on. I did not care for the end where the crocodile might eat the reader. I would
be afraid that it would scare small children. I love crocodiles and alligators,
but I am an adult. The rest of the book was really cute.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Clark
This is a
delightful little story book with adorable illustrations.
I enjoyed the story. It was really cute and the illustrations were spot
on. I did not care for the end where the crocodile might eat the reader. I would
be afraid that it would scare small children. I love crocodiles and alligators,
but I am an adult. The rest of the book was really cute.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Evil Under the Circle by Steve
Smy
This is
an absolutely amazing story. It
has all the great elements, unknown monsters, mystery, special sources, wiccans,
druids and dragons. Who could ask for anything more.?
I love the way the Special Forces are really special with special
powers. Even though they work for
the government and have all resources at their disposal, it takes the ancient
druid and his baby dragon to help them out. The evil is unknown and is about to
break out of his prison of many years.
I won’t ruin the story for anyone else, but the druid and the Wiccan are
a force to be dealt with. This story starts out nicely and ramps up quite
quickly. The characters are well developed and described. It gives you a head
start on the series that looks truly fascinating by from the beginning. The
guardians are some forces that need to be checked out. This is a book that will
appeal to people who like action stories, sci fi stories, or stories of the
supernatural. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Smy
This is
an absolutely amazing story. It
has all the great elements, unknown monsters, mystery, special sources, wiccans,
druids and dragons. Who could ask for anything more.?
I love the way the Special Forces are really special with special
powers. Even though they work for
the government and have all resources at their disposal, it takes the ancient
druid and his baby dragon to help them out. The evil is unknown and is about to
break out of his prison of many years.
I won’t ruin the story for anyone else, but the druid and the Wiccan are
a force to be dealt with. This story starts out nicely and ramps up quite
quickly. The characters are well developed and described. It gives you a head
start on the series that looks truly fascinating by from the beginning. The
guardians are some forces that need to be checked out. This is a book that will
appeal to people who like action stories, sci fi stories, or stories of the
supernatural. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Who is the Chupacabra?
Night of the Chupacabra
This is a very interesting story.
The wild west was a hard place to live, much less travel, but one family tries
to find a new life and start for themselves. Little did they know what lay in
store for them. This is a story of loss and heartbreak, followed by hope and
loss again. A family is torn
asunder just to be reunited in time for tragedy to strike again. This is one
story where is does not pay to be a good guy, or even a bad guy.
No one stands a chance against the Chupacabra. The amazing thing is the
characters in the story manage to soldier on and continue despite the nightmare
on their coat tails.
The author did a great job uniting the story of the old west with a tale
of horror. It is fast paced and there are just enough clues sprinkled throughout
the story, to keep the reader guessing.
The characters are well developed and the story is well told. Just when
you think you have it figured out, you get caught by yet another surprise. That
monster gets around. After reading this story, you will be checking the shadows
for those glowing red eyes!
There is another part of this story coming out in the fall. I don’t want
to ruin the story for anyone, but it continues the saga with the same fast tract
excitement as the Night of the Chupacabra. I was gifted this book for an honest
review and I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Night of the Chupacabra
This is a very interesting story.
The wild west was a hard place to live, much less travel, but one family tries
to find a new life and start for themselves. Little did they know what lay in
store for them. This is a story of loss and heartbreak, followed by hope and
loss again. A family is torn
asunder just to be reunited in time for tragedy to strike again. This is one
story where is does not pay to be a good guy, or even a bad guy.
No one stands a chance against the Chupacabra. The amazing thing is the
characters in the story manage to soldier on and continue despite the nightmare
on their coat tails.
The author did a great job uniting the story of the old west with a tale
of horror. It is fast paced and there are just enough clues sprinkled throughout
the story, to keep the reader guessing.
The characters are well developed and the story is well told. Just when
you think you have it figured out, you get caught by yet another surprise. That
monster gets around. After reading this story, you will be checking the shadows
for those glowing red eyes!
There is another part of this story coming out in the fall. I don’t want
to ruin the story for anyone, but it continues the saga with the same fast tract
excitement as the Night of the Chupacabra. I was gifted this book for an honest
review and I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
It is okay to be
different
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
This is a fun little book with very colorful pictures and a
powerful message. Sometimes people are different for a reason. This book
confronts how uncomfortable a child is with her differences.
The grandmother seemed to be the only one trying not to fix her. She finds a use for her talents and
everyone finally sees why she is different.
I think this is a great book for children to show them that they
need to respect differences in people. We can’t all be the same.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
different
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
This is a fun little book with very colorful pictures and a
powerful message. Sometimes people are different for a reason. This book
confronts how uncomfortable a child is with her differences.
The grandmother seemed to be the only one trying not to fix her. She finds a use for her talents and
everyone finally sees why she is different.
I think this is a great book for children to show them that they
need to respect differences in people. We can’t all be the same.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
Parrots and Popcorn Pop off The
Page!
I was gifted this book for an honest
review.
This
is a delightful little picture book. The illustrations are large and
colorful. The artist is totally in tune with the story line of the book. The
brightly colored pictures are sure to thrill the small ones that would make up
the audience of this book.
The
story starts with a child, like most not happy with what she has or will
get. (Must be a sign of the
times) She begins to imagine how
things could be if she could perform magic with her brother’s not so magic
hat. I don’t want to spoil the
story line, but she has several adventures with the hat and some magic. Things don’t work out exactly the way
she wants, but she is able to remedy this by working out her issues with the
help of a new found friend.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
It is adorable.
Page!
I was gifted this book for an honest
review.
This
is a delightful little picture book. The illustrations are large and
colorful. The artist is totally in tune with the story line of the book. The
brightly colored pictures are sure to thrill the small ones that would make up
the audience of this book.
The
story starts with a child, like most not happy with what she has or will
get. (Must be a sign of the
times) She begins to imagine how
things could be if she could perform magic with her brother’s not so magic
hat. I don’t want to spoil the
story line, but she has several adventures with the hat and some magic. Things don’t work out exactly the way
she wants, but she is able to remedy this by working out her issues with the
help of a new found friend.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
It is adorable.
Night Gallery Lives!
I was always
a big fan of the Night Gallery TV Show,
that and the Alfred Hitchcock Show because their stories were so original
and entertaining. You just never
knew where one of their stories were going to end up.
Mr. Richards has the same talent.
His stories were delightfully
different.
It is a
collection of stories that run the gambit of strange and sometimes a little
creepy. One of the stories is of a
bar tender that has lived and exceptionally long time and another is of a cape
that has super powers and a personality.
If you add to that mix a strange bit of evolution history, you have the
perfect combination for late night entertainment.
The
author knows just how far to take the stories, so the reader doesn’t get
bored. He even graciously gives
lessons on how to write a literary masterpiece. The whole eclectic collection is only
connected by the fact that there are no connections in the stories.
They are all quite strange and off the wall.
This was a very refreshing read.
I really enjoyed this one.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars
I was always
a big fan of the Night Gallery TV Show,
that and the Alfred Hitchcock Show because their stories were so original
and entertaining. You just never
knew where one of their stories were going to end up.
Mr. Richards has the same talent.
His stories were delightfully
different.
It is a
collection of stories that run the gambit of strange and sometimes a little
creepy. One of the stories is of a
bar tender that has lived and exceptionally long time and another is of a cape
that has super powers and a personality.
If you add to that mix a strange bit of evolution history, you have the
perfect combination for late night entertainment.
The
author knows just how far to take the stories, so the reader doesn’t get
bored. He even graciously gives
lessons on how to write a literary masterpiece. The whole eclectic collection is only
connected by the fact that there are no connections in the stories.
They are all quite strange and off the wall.
This was a very refreshing read.
I really enjoyed this one.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars
Fun and Hijinks
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
This
is a fun little book. The author
has captured the mischief and creativity of three little boys getting ready for
an event. The work diligently on
their preparations but somehow get sidetracked when something blows
up.
The whole thing turns to chaotic fun as they fool the school, the
neighbors, and the government, for a while. I don’t want to spoil it for the
reader, but it is delightful fun little tale. The only one not entertained is
the principal of the school.
I was
afraid at first the kids would get away with their mischief and that does not
set well with me. I totally believe in consequences for actions taken. I was not to be disappointed; it all
works out in the end. This is a
book many a little boy will love.
It has everything, aliens, food and explosions!
I thank the author for sharing it with me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
This
is a fun little book. The author
has captured the mischief and creativity of three little boys getting ready for
an event. The work diligently on
their preparations but somehow get sidetracked when something blows
up.
The whole thing turns to chaotic fun as they fool the school, the
neighbors, and the government, for a while. I don’t want to spoil it for the
reader, but it is delightful fun little tale. The only one not entertained is
the principal of the school.
I was
afraid at first the kids would get away with their mischief and that does not
set well with me. I totally believe in consequences for actions taken. I was not to be disappointed; it all
works out in the end. This is a
book many a little boy will love.
It has everything, aliens, food and explosions!
I thank the author for sharing it with me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
A Bloody, Bloody Mess In The Wild, Wild West
Hell on Wheels meets The Wild, Wild
West
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
If you
are looking for a bloody, gory read, this is the one for you. It is set in the
old west right after the civil war.
I was expecting the usual carpet bagger/land owner type feuds. Boy, did I get a surprise. This book
goes from Mexico up into the United States and leaves a path of murder and
mayhem along the way. This book is full of unwarranted violence and just
downright craziness. The book
actually lives up to the title.
On a side note, there was something I was not expecting in this
book. I knew it was going to be
bloody and gory, can’t read the title and not know that.
We actually had an army of the undead. Some of which were historical
figures. That was definitely a different twist. There was also a murder for hire plot
and backstabbing traitors. The
book definitely delivered in the rough and gory department.
I did not however care for the very end of the book.
There was a
mystery person brought in at the end that was an interesting fellow. His
identity was kept from the reader until the very last.
I felt like that part was a little bit rushed.
Other than that, if you want to get your gross on, read this book, it is
a bloody mary mess.
I gave this book 4 out of 5
stars.
West
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
If you
are looking for a bloody, gory read, this is the one for you. It is set in the
old west right after the civil war.
I was expecting the usual carpet bagger/land owner type feuds. Boy, did I get a surprise. This book
goes from Mexico up into the United States and leaves a path of murder and
mayhem along the way. This book is full of unwarranted violence and just
downright craziness. The book
actually lives up to the title.
On a side note, there was something I was not expecting in this
book. I knew it was going to be
bloody and gory, can’t read the title and not know that.
We actually had an army of the undead. Some of which were historical
figures. That was definitely a different twist. There was also a murder for hire plot
and backstabbing traitors. The
book definitely delivered in the rough and gory department.
I did not however care for the very end of the book.
There was a
mystery person brought in at the end that was an interesting fellow. His
identity was kept from the reader until the very last.
I felt like that part was a little bit rushed.
Other than that, if you want to get your gross on, read this book, it is
a bloody mary mess.
I gave this book 4 out of 5
stars.
Don’t be so quick to judge
others
I was gifted this book for an honest
review.
This is a
great little chapter book that shows that sometimes we rush to judgment on
people. One girl is embarrassed
by her lifestyle and is afraid the most popular girl in school will make fun of
it and her home. Her home
consists of a huge Great Dane that likes to sleep under the table, sometimes
knocking it over on exiting, who also thinks gold earrings are ticks. Add to this a kitten that is obsessed
with a fish tank to the point of daily baths and a parrot that must have his
coffee and these are on top of a basement full of injured or sick birds. This is a very different lifestyle
indeed from the one of your average student.
The
girl spends a week fretting over her turn to host the sleepover.
She is so afraid that everyone will think she is weird.
I don’t want to spoil it for everyone, but the end is not one you would
expect to see in this day and age.
This is a cute book and an easy read for those that don’t like to read
much.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
others
I was gifted this book for an honest
review.
This is a
great little chapter book that shows that sometimes we rush to judgment on
people. One girl is embarrassed
by her lifestyle and is afraid the most popular girl in school will make fun of
it and her home. Her home
consists of a huge Great Dane that likes to sleep under the table, sometimes
knocking it over on exiting, who also thinks gold earrings are ticks. Add to this a kitten that is obsessed
with a fish tank to the point of daily baths and a parrot that must have his
coffee and these are on top of a basement full of injured or sick birds. This is a very different lifestyle
indeed from the one of your average student.
The
girl spends a week fretting over her turn to host the sleepover.
She is so afraid that everyone will think she is weird.
I don’t want to spoil it for everyone, but the end is not one you would
expect to see in this day and age.
This is a cute book and an easy read for those that don’t like to read
much.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
This book was gifted to me for an honest
review.
Cross between the Page Master and
Narnia
This book
starts out pretty typically like all the others, a nerdy kid that finds a way to
get to a different land. I must admit, I was a bit bored when it started because
it was so predictable. I kept
reading and I was glad that I did.
After the kid and his sister get to the new land, that is when all the
good stuff started to happen.
I
don’t want to spoil it for other readers.
I do want to say that the descriptions of all the different beings and
things in the new land were so excellently written that not once was I lost or
confused as to what they were talking about. The author has vivid imagination and it
was used throughout the book.
The way the
author kept referring back to the parents and the way they were neglecting their
children for their new lifestyle made me wonder if the author was trying to
make some kind of social point. I
never clearly understood what it was other than the parents were too busy
keeping up with the Jones’ to be real
parents.
I
loved all the characters, and the descriptions in the book. I felt like I was
really on the journey with them. I
was so involved with the book that when it came to the screeching halt at the
end, I couldn’t believe it. I know
it is to be a series, but I did not like the way the book ended.
It is my personal preference not to end things in that manner. That being
said other people may love it.
I was
all set to give this book a 5 star rating until I hit the end.
I can’t do it with that ending. It is still a good
and enjoyable book to read. I will be reading the next one in the series.
I thank the author for sharing it with
me.
I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star
rating.
review.
Cross between the Page Master and
Narnia
This book
starts out pretty typically like all the others, a nerdy kid that finds a way to
get to a different land. I must admit, I was a bit bored when it started because
it was so predictable. I kept
reading and I was glad that I did.
After the kid and his sister get to the new land, that is when all the
good stuff started to happen.
I
don’t want to spoil it for other readers.
I do want to say that the descriptions of all the different beings and
things in the new land were so excellently written that not once was I lost or
confused as to what they were talking about. The author has vivid imagination and it
was used throughout the book.
The way the
author kept referring back to the parents and the way they were neglecting their
children for their new lifestyle made me wonder if the author was trying to
make some kind of social point. I
never clearly understood what it was other than the parents were too busy
keeping up with the Jones’ to be real
parents.
I
loved all the characters, and the descriptions in the book. I felt like I was
really on the journey with them. I
was so involved with the book that when it came to the screeching halt at the
end, I couldn’t believe it. I know
it is to be a series, but I did not like the way the book ended.
It is my personal preference not to end things in that manner. That being
said other people may love it.
I was
all set to give this book a 5 star rating until I hit the end.
I can’t do it with that ending. It is still a good
and enjoyable book to read. I will be reading the next one in the series.
I thank the author for sharing it with
me.
I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star
rating.
This book was gifted to me for an honest
review.
A Different Approach
This book of
course was about supernatural beings and the ever popular vampires, but it came
at the subject with a different approach.
It was quite refreshing.
I was reading an eBook version of this story and did not have the blurb
available and did not go look for it.
I like to start cold and let the book lead me.
It wasn’t until pretty far into the book I actually realized that there
were even vampires in the book. That was rather
refreshing.
The author has a nice style that makes it very easy to read and relate to
the characters in the book. I liked the way she tied the drawing of the rose on
the napkin to the title of the book.
I don’t want to give anything away for future readers, but this is a very
well written book that I think supernatural enthusiasts will enjoy.
I can’t wait for book two to see where everyone goes from
here.
I thank the author for sharing it with
me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
review.
A Different Approach
This book of
course was about supernatural beings and the ever popular vampires, but it came
at the subject with a different approach.
It was quite refreshing.
I was reading an eBook version of this story and did not have the blurb
available and did not go look for it.
I like to start cold and let the book lead me.
It wasn’t until pretty far into the book I actually realized that there
were even vampires in the book. That was rather
refreshing.
The author has a nice style that makes it very easy to read and relate to
the characters in the book. I liked the way she tied the drawing of the rose on
the napkin to the title of the book.
I don’t want to give anything away for future readers, but this is a very
well written book that I think supernatural enthusiasts will enjoy.
I can’t wait for book two to see where everyone goes from
here.
I thank the author for sharing it with
me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
This book was gifted to me for an honest
review.
Delightful Little Read
This book is a delightful little read. It is full of really nicely done
illustrations. I first I thought
the book was going to be about someone being greedy and selfish, but as I read
on, I realized it is actually about
trying hard and doing your best.
It also pointed out the importance of being well prepared and using the
resources available to do a good job.
It also
allowed the star and the cat to make up in the end so there was no grief left at
the end of the book. I could
really relate to the kitty trying to write a script.
The picture looked just like me trying to write my own script.
The book is delightful and fun with a very good lesson instilled in it.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
review.
Delightful Little Read
This book is a delightful little read. It is full of really nicely done
illustrations. I first I thought
the book was going to be about someone being greedy and selfish, but as I read
on, I realized it is actually about
trying hard and doing your best.
It also pointed out the importance of being well prepared and using the
resources available to do a good job.
It also
allowed the star and the cat to make up in the end so there was no grief left at
the end of the book. I could
really relate to the kitty trying to write a script.
The picture looked just like me trying to write my own script.
The book is delightful and fun with a very good lesson instilled in it.
I gave this book 5 out of 5
stars.
I was gifted this book for an honest
review
This is a very interesting book of poetry .It was Interesting in the fact
that I enjoyed every bit of the book. It was quite the romp from soldiers
drinking iced coffee, to Christopher Columbus discovering America.
(Loved the comment, by the Native Americans!)
Mr. Ficklestein is quite an accomplished straight man.
He would have done well in the old movies that required one to keep a
straight face and make outlandish comments. This fellow is downright
entertaining. He covers all kinds of subjects in his book. He even
has a poem explaining note taking to students, although if I was a student, I
probably wouldn’t follow it.
There is even a section on art that appears randomly throughout the book. He dazzles us
with his checkerboard on drugs and his Mickey Mouse. Now I see why he stuck to poetry.
He even attempts to amaze us with his music that he still has to write.
All in all, quite an eclectic and entertaining read. I have not had that much fun reading a book in a long time.
I thank Mr. Ficklestein for sharing it with me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
review
This is a very interesting book of poetry .It was Interesting in the fact
that I enjoyed every bit of the book. It was quite the romp from soldiers
drinking iced coffee, to Christopher Columbus discovering America.
(Loved the comment, by the Native Americans!)
Mr. Ficklestein is quite an accomplished straight man.
He would have done well in the old movies that required one to keep a
straight face and make outlandish comments. This fellow is downright
entertaining. He covers all kinds of subjects in his book. He even
has a poem explaining note taking to students, although if I was a student, I
probably wouldn’t follow it.
There is even a section on art that appears randomly throughout the book. He dazzles us
with his checkerboard on drugs and his Mickey Mouse. Now I see why he stuck to poetry.
He even attempts to amaze us with his music that he still has to write.
All in all, quite an eclectic and entertaining read. I have not had that much fun reading a book in a long time.
I thank Mr. Ficklestein for sharing it with me.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction
I was gifted this book for an honest review.
I started reading this book expecting it to be realistically life like since it was based on a true story. It started out realistically enough with the explanation of how the whole situation started. After that it became a bit difficult to swallow. I don't know if it is because I have a background in Criminal Justice, but after the beginning of the story, the rest of it became a bit difficult to swallow.
The notion that she was being tracked and followed by Town Cars kicked it into the realm of difficult to believe for me. Government agencies use Suburban’s, Crown Vics, and Chargers. These are middle of the road, discreet vehicles. They use these to blend in while doing surveillance. They most assuredly do not have the budget to use Town Cars, or have fleets of them. Those would fall more into the politician's choice of vehicles, those and limos.
The next part was about her impending arrest and incarceration. She sure didn’t seem to take getting an attorney very seriously. I know there are expensive lawyers out there, but there are also decent ones. It seems to me she just gave up her search after the first interview. It really bothered me that she did so little on her on behalf.
Some of the story of her incarceration was well written and believable. Unfortunately, the farther I got into the story it seemed to become a series of trite note comparisons. “What are you in for?” “What am I in for?” “We both had stinky attorneys!” All that became a bit tiresome, plus everyone just about claimed they were innocent. It reminded me of the old saying, “There are no guilty people in prison.”
Just when I was ready to believe in her innocence, she admits she was guilty. That kind of set me back a bit. The addition of the jail house law clerk seemed to offer some promise of some action, but became an anti-climatic addition, as did her decision not to pursue another appeal.
I feel like the story started out fine and stalled somewhere in the middle. It is a shame because it had lots of potential to go many different directions. It seemed to hodge-podge its way to the end. I kept hoping it would pick up, but alas it did not.
I gave this story 3 out of 5 stars.
I was gifted this book for an honest review.
I started reading this book expecting it to be realistically life like since it was based on a true story. It started out realistically enough with the explanation of how the whole situation started. After that it became a bit difficult to swallow. I don't know if it is because I have a background in Criminal Justice, but after the beginning of the story, the rest of it became a bit difficult to swallow.
The notion that she was being tracked and followed by Town Cars kicked it into the realm of difficult to believe for me. Government agencies use Suburban’s, Crown Vics, and Chargers. These are middle of the road, discreet vehicles. They use these to blend in while doing surveillance. They most assuredly do not have the budget to use Town Cars, or have fleets of them. Those would fall more into the politician's choice of vehicles, those and limos.
The next part was about her impending arrest and incarceration. She sure didn’t seem to take getting an attorney very seriously. I know there are expensive lawyers out there, but there are also decent ones. It seems to me she just gave up her search after the first interview. It really bothered me that she did so little on her on behalf.
Some of the story of her incarceration was well written and believable. Unfortunately, the farther I got into the story it seemed to become a series of trite note comparisons. “What are you in for?” “What am I in for?” “We both had stinky attorneys!” All that became a bit tiresome, plus everyone just about claimed they were innocent. It reminded me of the old saying, “There are no guilty people in prison.”
Just when I was ready to believe in her innocence, she admits she was guilty. That kind of set me back a bit. The addition of the jail house law clerk seemed to offer some promise of some action, but became an anti-climatic addition, as did her decision not to pursue another appeal.
I feel like the story started out fine and stalled somewhere in the middle. It is a shame because it had lots of potential to go many different directions. It seemed to hodge-podge its way to the end. I kept hoping it would pick up, but alas it did not.
I gave this story 3 out of 5 stars.
Talk About Intense!
This book is very intense and contains many honest revelations. I was a little concerned that it would be a complete religious manuscript, but that was not the case. The author started out on a religious trend but went other ways through out the book. The author talked about his new holistic approach to life and how hard he tried to maintain it. When he began to rant, he lost his job and basically had to look to another way to control himself.
This is basically a person’s journey through the mysteries of his life and the complications of his illness. It is a very straightforward and honest look at the problems and struggles he went through. This book is a very intense read and not for the faint of heart. Many of the situations in this book would disturb many people. That being said, it is a great view into the life of person with this illness. I appreciate the honesty and the bravery it took to write this book.
When you read this book, be on the look out for his theories on Styrofoam and liver flukes. They are most entertaining and interesting.
At times this book tended to wander a bit and had trouble following it. Each time it did manage to get me back to the original thought. Due to this, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book is very intense and contains many honest revelations. I was a little concerned that it would be a complete religious manuscript, but that was not the case. The author started out on a religious trend but went other ways through out the book. The author talked about his new holistic approach to life and how hard he tried to maintain it. When he began to rant, he lost his job and basically had to look to another way to control himself.
This is basically a person’s journey through the mysteries of his life and the complications of his illness. It is a very straightforward and honest look at the problems and struggles he went through. This book is a very intense read and not for the faint of heart. Many of the situations in this book would disturb many people. That being said, it is a great view into the life of person with this illness. I appreciate the honesty and the bravery it took to write this book.
When you read this book, be on the look out for his theories on Styrofoam and liver flukes. They are most entertaining and interesting.
At times this book tended to wander a bit and had trouble following it. Each time it did manage to get me back to the original thought. Due to this, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
A Fun Night Out With The Ghouls
I was provided this book for an honest review. I found to be a fun little romp. It gives a whole new meaning to Ghoul’s night out. It was a light and fun read that I really enjoyed. It reminded me of a series of books I read by Mary Janice Davidson about a vampire queen that was as good at being a vampire as Ava was being a ghoul.
I must admit I have never read anything about ghouls, so I didn’t know what they were capable of doing. Wow, learning about them was interesting. They are like the buzzards of the supernatural world.
This apparently is the second in a series. I have not read the first one, but the second one provided enough background information that I was not completely lost. It did this without being boring or redundant.
This book will not win any Pulitzer prizes, but it is not meant to be that kind of literature. It is a fun, entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a break from the normal. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars for sheer entertainment purposes.
I was provided this book for an honest review. I found to be a fun little romp. It gives a whole new meaning to Ghoul’s night out. It was a light and fun read that I really enjoyed. It reminded me of a series of books I read by Mary Janice Davidson about a vampire queen that was as good at being a vampire as Ava was being a ghoul.
I must admit I have never read anything about ghouls, so I didn’t know what they were capable of doing. Wow, learning about them was interesting. They are like the buzzards of the supernatural world.
This apparently is the second in a series. I have not read the first one, but the second one provided enough background information that I was not completely lost. It did this without being boring or redundant.
This book will not win any Pulitzer prizes, but it is not meant to be that kind of literature. It is a fun, entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a break from the normal. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars for sheer entertainment purposes.
I was provided this book for an honest review. I was thrilled to death to get it. I just love horse books and stories, especially true ones. Being a horse owner myself, I can relate to many of the issues and triumphs of owning and keeping horses.
In this book, Nancy shows her issues of not fitting into societal norms for women her age. It shows her struggles and trials to find her place in life. She already had a great husband and a fantastic job, but according to societal conventions, she was missing something to make her life complete. She bought into this for awhile, and struggled to find her place in life that society thought she should have. As she struggles to feel like she belongs, you get to know her and feel her pain. She is brutally honest about all the feelings she has pertaining to this situation.
Bless her husband’s heart; because just when you think she is going to throw in the towel and end up somewhere major depressed or has some kind of break down, he suggests she look into horses. I bet he didn’t have any idea what kind of impact this was gong to have on her when he did it. He was just looking to give her some kind of relief from her suffering. What a great guy!
Now enters Eli. Little did Nancy know that this bundle of trouble would be the one thing to make her feel whole? Eli came with his own baggage and issues. These were the very things that helped Nancy and Eli bond. Working through all of them really helped them get to know each other on a very personal level.
Horses are a huge responsibility and very difficult to take care of on a normal day. Eli came with previous injuries and tendencies towards future injuries. It is hard to imagine, but as big and magnificent as horses are they are prone to many health problems and injuries. Nancy had it right with her little quote “But for a nail…” Even something that small can cause life threatening injuries.
As Nancy and Eli traveled their road to harmony together, Nancy learned many of the serious issues involved in owning a horse. She bravely took them all on and as she gained more confidence took more control of Eli’s actual care.
I love the way Nancy was so honest about her feelings throughout the book. Many people who own horses will not own up to the fears that she did. She also took it on the chin when she was dumped by her own horse and didn’t have any problems expressing her anxious thoughts the next time she went to ride.
Nancy has spun a wonderful tale of self doubt, redemption and unconditional love leading to recovery and self esteem. Of course Eli was a major part of this story without his help, Nancy could not have learned all that she did about owning her own horse. Eli and Nancy were meant to be together and their story was meant to be shared. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
In this book, Nancy shows her issues of not fitting into societal norms for women her age. It shows her struggles and trials to find her place in life. She already had a great husband and a fantastic job, but according to societal conventions, she was missing something to make her life complete. She bought into this for awhile, and struggled to find her place in life that society thought she should have. As she struggles to feel like she belongs, you get to know her and feel her pain. She is brutally honest about all the feelings she has pertaining to this situation.
Bless her husband’s heart; because just when you think she is going to throw in the towel and end up somewhere major depressed or has some kind of break down, he suggests she look into horses. I bet he didn’t have any idea what kind of impact this was gong to have on her when he did it. He was just looking to give her some kind of relief from her suffering. What a great guy!
Now enters Eli. Little did Nancy know that this bundle of trouble would be the one thing to make her feel whole? Eli came with his own baggage and issues. These were the very things that helped Nancy and Eli bond. Working through all of them really helped them get to know each other on a very personal level.
Horses are a huge responsibility and very difficult to take care of on a normal day. Eli came with previous injuries and tendencies towards future injuries. It is hard to imagine, but as big and magnificent as horses are they are prone to many health problems and injuries. Nancy had it right with her little quote “But for a nail…” Even something that small can cause life threatening injuries.
As Nancy and Eli traveled their road to harmony together, Nancy learned many of the serious issues involved in owning a horse. She bravely took them all on and as she gained more confidence took more control of Eli’s actual care.
I love the way Nancy was so honest about her feelings throughout the book. Many people who own horses will not own up to the fears that she did. She also took it on the chin when she was dumped by her own horse and didn’t have any problems expressing her anxious thoughts the next time she went to ride.
Nancy has spun a wonderful tale of self doubt, redemption and unconditional love leading to recovery and self esteem. Of course Eli was a major part of this story without his help, Nancy could not have learned all that she did about owning her own horse. Eli and Nancy were meant to be together and their story was meant to be shared. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Just Because It is Different Doesn’t Mean It Is Wrong
I was provided this book for an honest review. I was a little concerned when I first started reading this book that it would continue on the veins of prejudice. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a really good book with a lot of social commentaries in it. I really like it when the YA books approach and handle difficult social situations.
It is true enough that it is a human/different species romance like Twilight, but let’s admit it, that is what the kids want these days. This book was at least original enough to use androids instead of the usual vampires or werewolves. Anything that gets our younger generations to read without polluting their minds with propaganda is okay with me.
The more I read this book, about the prejudices against the androids; it reminded me of the societal prejudices of today against different races, and religions. I liked the way the reasons for the prejudices were questions by our young heroine. Admittedly, she did go to some serious extremes to find her information, but sometimes circumstances dictate our actions. The inclusion of her little rich friend with the powerful father was a nice touch.
About halfway through the book some information is withheld from the reader. It was driving me crazy to know that information. It was a very effective technique to keep you reading. When the information was finally revealed, it was certainly not what I was expecting. It actually turned out better than anything I could have imagined.
This is a great YA book that doesn’t spend all it’s time on sexual escapades. It is refreshing and the story is original and well written. I would recommend this book to any youngster looking for something to read.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars We need more YA books like this one.
I was provided this book for an honest review. I was a little concerned when I first started reading this book that it would continue on the veins of prejudice. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a really good book with a lot of social commentaries in it. I really like it when the YA books approach and handle difficult social situations.
It is true enough that it is a human/different species romance like Twilight, but let’s admit it, that is what the kids want these days. This book was at least original enough to use androids instead of the usual vampires or werewolves. Anything that gets our younger generations to read without polluting their minds with propaganda is okay with me.
The more I read this book, about the prejudices against the androids; it reminded me of the societal prejudices of today against different races, and religions. I liked the way the reasons for the prejudices were questions by our young heroine. Admittedly, she did go to some serious extremes to find her information, but sometimes circumstances dictate our actions. The inclusion of her little rich friend with the powerful father was a nice touch.
About halfway through the book some information is withheld from the reader. It was driving me crazy to know that information. It was a very effective technique to keep you reading. When the information was finally revealed, it was certainly not what I was expecting. It actually turned out better than anything I could have imagined.
This is a great YA book that doesn’t spend all it’s time on sexual escapades. It is refreshing and the story is original and well written. I would recommend this book to any youngster looking for something to read.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars We need more YA books like this one.
Real Estate of Chaos
This book was provided to me for an honest review and I must admit that after I read the book description, I was expecting a comedy. This book was anything but humorous. I felt like I was reading something else entirely than what was originally described. There were a few similarities, but, it was not what I was expecting.
The book opens with a scene that lets me know right off that this is not a humorous book. I don’t want to spoil the story for others, but the beginning was a very heavy way to begin any story.
Moving on from the original crisis, the story kind of lagged for me. It moved really slowly and I had to really concentrate to keep going with it.
I must admit that I was appalled that the residents of the house lived in such squalor and filth. I understand that this was part of the story, but the fact that it continued, and later was verified and excused, was a bit difficult for me to swallow. I just can’t wrap my brain around anyone thinking that was okay for any amount of time.
Another thing I found distressing, was the killing of an innocent animal with no repercussions or punishments by a child.
We have enough disturbed individuals in our society as it is without putting more ideas in their heads, thinking it is okay to do to get what you want.
The house, itself, sounded fascinating in the descriptions that were passed on in tiny nuggets in the story. The way the author doled out the details of the house and the way it was constructed, along with all the special features that had been added to the house made me think the author was going to do something special with this information later in the book. Sadly this was not the case.
The author did a great job of making the characters believable. There were some characters that I really did not like at all and some that were quite charming. The interactions that took place between some of the characters were at time quite maddening. There were high levels of usury and manipulation. This was of course all part of the story line I am sure.
The ending of the book I must admit, I did not get at all. I did read the book twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This particular story had two different endings. The first one, I felt was just thrown together and a bit ridiculous. The second ending I almost missed. I don’t know if it is just the way the kindle formatted it, but it came after all the author’s acknowledgements. I just happened to see it. That ending showed a little more thought and actually made sense. It looked to me like the author just threw the first choice in so they could say it was a book with two endings. I must admit I am not a fan of books with alternate endings.
As far as I am concerned this book has some issues that I didn’t particularly like, but I can’t hold my personal prejudices against it. The author did a really outstanding job of developing the characters to a believable level. They also pulled the story together after a rather sluggish start. The book was interesting and entertaining in a weird sort of way. Since I am not a fan of dual ending books, I can’t really hold that against it either.
Between the outstanding characters and the issues I had with the book, I ended up giving this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book was provided to me for an honest review and I must admit that after I read the book description, I was expecting a comedy. This book was anything but humorous. I felt like I was reading something else entirely than what was originally described. There were a few similarities, but, it was not what I was expecting.
The book opens with a scene that lets me know right off that this is not a humorous book. I don’t want to spoil the story for others, but the beginning was a very heavy way to begin any story.
Moving on from the original crisis, the story kind of lagged for me. It moved really slowly and I had to really concentrate to keep going with it.
I must admit that I was appalled that the residents of the house lived in such squalor and filth. I understand that this was part of the story, but the fact that it continued, and later was verified and excused, was a bit difficult for me to swallow. I just can’t wrap my brain around anyone thinking that was okay for any amount of time.
Another thing I found distressing, was the killing of an innocent animal with no repercussions or punishments by a child.
We have enough disturbed individuals in our society as it is without putting more ideas in their heads, thinking it is okay to do to get what you want.
The house, itself, sounded fascinating in the descriptions that were passed on in tiny nuggets in the story. The way the author doled out the details of the house and the way it was constructed, along with all the special features that had been added to the house made me think the author was going to do something special with this information later in the book. Sadly this was not the case.
The author did a great job of making the characters believable. There were some characters that I really did not like at all and some that were quite charming. The interactions that took place between some of the characters were at time quite maddening. There were high levels of usury and manipulation. This was of course all part of the story line I am sure.
The ending of the book I must admit, I did not get at all. I did read the book twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. This particular story had two different endings. The first one, I felt was just thrown together and a bit ridiculous. The second ending I almost missed. I don’t know if it is just the way the kindle formatted it, but it came after all the author’s acknowledgements. I just happened to see it. That ending showed a little more thought and actually made sense. It looked to me like the author just threw the first choice in so they could say it was a book with two endings. I must admit I am not a fan of books with alternate endings.
As far as I am concerned this book has some issues that I didn’t particularly like, but I can’t hold my personal prejudices against it. The author did a really outstanding job of developing the characters to a believable level. They also pulled the story together after a rather sluggish start. The book was interesting and entertaining in a weird sort of way. Since I am not a fan of dual ending books, I can’t really hold that against it either.
Between the outstanding characters and the issues I had with the book, I ended up giving this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Parallel Universes Running Simultaneously
First off, I
must put out there that this book is not for young teens. It has way too many
sexual references and innuendos. As far as I know the book is not advertised
for young teens, but with the reference to gaming and dragons, it is sure to
attract some of the younger set.
This is a story that has two stories running at the same time. One takes place in modern times and the
other one runs simultaneously during the days of kings and dragons.
The major player in the story is named Magic and he is dragon in one
story and an invalid in the other one. His buddy in modern day life takes care
of him and the same guy gives him nothing but grief in the alternate
universe.
It is an interesting
story line and told in a most unique way.
The story bounces back and forth between now and the old days. I must
admit I was a bit confused when the bouncing started; I am not used to this kind
of storytelling. This would have
been my problem, not the author’s.
Once I got used to the system, the story flowed along nicely. The farther
we got into the story the more pronounced the shifting was between the two
stories. Towards the end of the
story, the shifting was less pronounced, but I was able to follow the tale
seamlessly.
Magic and his
buddy go through many trials and tribulations on both sides of the story
line. The most amazing thing is
the way the author sends both of these tales into a very busy spiral. The story
is totally unpredictable and the characters are most original and colorful. I
really don’t want to spoil the story for those who haven’t read it, so I won’t
give too many details. They
travel their different flight patterns, but both end up at the same stopping
point at the same time. It was impressive the way the author wrangled that to
all to end the way it did.
I really liked the book, not only did it have dragons, it had sub
dragons. I have never heard of the
sub dragons before, but the author made the believable.
It was interesting the way the author used the same names and paralleled
them to each other. The story was
actually left with an opening for a sequel. I’m hoping this will happen and the
dragon will reappear. Like I said,
I really like dragons.
I gave
this book five stars out of five stars based on originality and
storytelling. It is a book I will
definitely recommend to others.
I thank the author for sharing it with me.
First off, I
must put out there that this book is not for young teens. It has way too many
sexual references and innuendos. As far as I know the book is not advertised
for young teens, but with the reference to gaming and dragons, it is sure to
attract some of the younger set.
This is a story that has two stories running at the same time. One takes place in modern times and the
other one runs simultaneously during the days of kings and dragons.
The major player in the story is named Magic and he is dragon in one
story and an invalid in the other one. His buddy in modern day life takes care
of him and the same guy gives him nothing but grief in the alternate
universe.
It is an interesting
story line and told in a most unique way.
The story bounces back and forth between now and the old days. I must
admit I was a bit confused when the bouncing started; I am not used to this kind
of storytelling. This would have
been my problem, not the author’s.
Once I got used to the system, the story flowed along nicely. The farther
we got into the story the more pronounced the shifting was between the two
stories. Towards the end of the
story, the shifting was less pronounced, but I was able to follow the tale
seamlessly.
Magic and his
buddy go through many trials and tribulations on both sides of the story
line. The most amazing thing is
the way the author sends both of these tales into a very busy spiral. The story
is totally unpredictable and the characters are most original and colorful. I
really don’t want to spoil the story for those who haven’t read it, so I won’t
give too many details. They
travel their different flight patterns, but both end up at the same stopping
point at the same time. It was impressive the way the author wrangled that to
all to end the way it did.
I really liked the book, not only did it have dragons, it had sub
dragons. I have never heard of the
sub dragons before, but the author made the believable.
It was interesting the way the author used the same names and paralleled
them to each other. The story was
actually left with an opening for a sequel. I’m hoping this will happen and the
dragon will reappear. Like I said,
I really like dragons.
I gave
this book five stars out of five stars based on originality and
storytelling. It is a book I will
definitely recommend to others.
I thank the author for sharing it with me.
When Understanding Is Passed On…
Gypsy’s
Meadow is a beautiful little book written by a mother and daughter team to honor
the horses they had lost. In a
very touching, but not gruesome way they let you know the hardships these
particular horses had suffered before they came home to be theirs.
They also let you know that the horses chose to belong to them and share
their spirits.
There is nothing like the love of a mother and child, it ranks right
above the love of a girl and her horse. There is something spiritual about the
love of a young girl and a horse. The fact that this mother and daughter were
both able to share that bond is amazing.
It is an awesome little book well told and illustrated in a childlike
manner.
The horses eventually
move on, but the story of love and trust with redemption is so well told that it
is totally worth the emotional journey to read it.
The proceeds of this book are to go to the horse rescue that provided
these amazing horses to allow this tale to be told. It is a book that will touch
you whether you are an adult or a child.
Definitely worth reading if you are a horse lover and especially worth
reading if you have ever owned a rescue horse.
If you have never
owned a horse, rescue or not, you cannot help but feel the love spill off these
pages as the mother and daughter author team pay their respects to some amazing
animals that defiantly shaped their lives.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and I thank the authors for sharing it
with me.
Gypsy’s
Meadow is a beautiful little book written by a mother and daughter team to honor
the horses they had lost. In a
very touching, but not gruesome way they let you know the hardships these
particular horses had suffered before they came home to be theirs.
They also let you know that the horses chose to belong to them and share
their spirits.
There is nothing like the love of a mother and child, it ranks right
above the love of a girl and her horse. There is something spiritual about the
love of a young girl and a horse. The fact that this mother and daughter were
both able to share that bond is amazing.
It is an awesome little book well told and illustrated in a childlike
manner.
The horses eventually
move on, but the story of love and trust with redemption is so well told that it
is totally worth the emotional journey to read it.
The proceeds of this book are to go to the horse rescue that provided
these amazing horses to allow this tale to be told. It is a book that will touch
you whether you are an adult or a child.
Definitely worth reading if you are a horse lover and especially worth
reading if you have ever owned a rescue horse.
If you have never
owned a horse, rescue or not, you cannot help but feel the love spill off these
pages as the mother and daughter author team pay their respects to some amazing
animals that defiantly shaped their lives.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and I thank the authors for sharing it
with me.
The Disillusioned by D.J. Williams
The Sins of the Father
Parents are notorious for keeping secrets from their children, but do they do it to protect the children or protect themselves? This is a question you must ask yourself as you read this story. The father figure in this story might have done well to remember the old saying, “Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.” Since he was a world traveling minister with an ego the size of Montana, I don’t think he ever thought anyone would spill his secret, even though it was known by several high profile world leaders.
This secret was huge and continued to fester even after the assassination of the father. It destroyed the mother, causing her to final give in to the pressure and guilt and commit suicide.
The two boys knew nothing of this secret until both their parents died; even then they had to follow clues to figure it all out. The two estranged brothers ended up working closely together to figure it all out. They were motivated by the threat of their father’s replacement tarnishing the family name.
The characters in the story are all involved in one way or the other in a large religious organization. There is a lot of money involved in telling of this story. I guess one could say the story was about the corruption of large religious groups, but I don’t really see it that way. I see it as how as humans when we do something so wrong and try to hide it from our loved ones, it just makes matters so much worse than if we had just come clean. It seems it always comes out in the end, no matter how hard we try to hide it. The more time and more lies that are involved, the more damage is done.
This story had many twists and hints to the plot. It was really nice the way the clues were put out so the reader could follow them. I hate it when someone in a story solves a mystery by using clues that reader didn’t even know about. The characters were real and very believable. I like the way Sam kept saying he wasn’t prepared for any of this. The two brothers showed real trust and real fear in this story and that I think was what led to their redemption in the end. The horrors in this book are quite graphic and might offend the faint of heart, but unfortunately they are things that actually happen in this world of ours. It is to the author’s credit that he is bringing them to the light for everyone to see.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book. It brought out a plethora of emotions. I felt anger at the father, sympathy for the mother, and whole range of feelings with the brothers as they went through their plight. Notice I said “with” the brothers because the author had me right there with them in every situation. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone so I won’t go into any of the plot details, but this is a book you do not want to miss. It is the adventure of a lifetime; I did not want to put it down! I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Parents are notorious for keeping secrets from their children, but do they do it to protect the children or protect themselves? This is a question you must ask yourself as you read this story. The father figure in this story might have done well to remember the old saying, “Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.” Since he was a world traveling minister with an ego the size of Montana, I don’t think he ever thought anyone would spill his secret, even though it was known by several high profile world leaders.
This secret was huge and continued to fester even after the assassination of the father. It destroyed the mother, causing her to final give in to the pressure and guilt and commit suicide.
The two boys knew nothing of this secret until both their parents died; even then they had to follow clues to figure it all out. The two estranged brothers ended up working closely together to figure it all out. They were motivated by the threat of their father’s replacement tarnishing the family name.
The characters in the story are all involved in one way or the other in a large religious organization. There is a lot of money involved in telling of this story. I guess one could say the story was about the corruption of large religious groups, but I don’t really see it that way. I see it as how as humans when we do something so wrong and try to hide it from our loved ones, it just makes matters so much worse than if we had just come clean. It seems it always comes out in the end, no matter how hard we try to hide it. The more time and more lies that are involved, the more damage is done.
This story had many twists and hints to the plot. It was really nice the way the clues were put out so the reader could follow them. I hate it when someone in a story solves a mystery by using clues that reader didn’t even know about. The characters were real and very believable. I like the way Sam kept saying he wasn’t prepared for any of this. The two brothers showed real trust and real fear in this story and that I think was what led to their redemption in the end. The horrors in this book are quite graphic and might offend the faint of heart, but unfortunately they are things that actually happen in this world of ours. It is to the author’s credit that he is bringing them to the light for everyone to see.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book. It brought out a plethora of emotions. I felt anger at the father, sympathy for the mother, and whole range of feelings with the brothers as they went through their plight. Notice I said “with” the brothers because the author had me right there with them in every situation. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone so I won’t go into any of the plot details, but this is a book you do not want to miss. It is the adventure of a lifetime; I did not want to put it down! I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Eleventh Elementum by J.L.Bond & Val Richards
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review and I must honestly say, this is a pretty good little book. I am the mother of a daughter so I went through more than my share of sloppily written love stories involving supernatural elements. More than a few of those books involved things that young adults did not need to even think about, just to get readers. This book the eleventh Elementum is a nice book for a young adult. It still addresses attractions between the players but does not go into gory detail or become a how to manual on how to catch a guy. As a parent I must say, this is a nice surprise.
The book opens with a very gripping and surprising event from the past. It then fast forwards to the present day. It was very clever how the authors wove the two time frames together. In order to understand the rest of the book, the reader must have a grasp of the first event, but this is not apparent at first. The authors take their time and do not rush the connection. They let it slowly unfold through the pages of the book.
The young adult characters are believable. The guys are pretty typical teenage boys and the girls pretty much follow suit. The one girl, the fashionista, you would like to strangle at times, so she is one you can definitely buy into as real. I was a little distressed about the parents being so absent, but the extended family seemed to make up for them being gone. The details and appearance of the androgynous person was a little different, but was handled nicely.
The story flowed nicely. The clues were slowly unfolded so the reader had time to connect most of them and make sense of their appearance in the story. There were a few that I never did understand, but I am guessing the answers to those actually lie in the sequels to come.
The authors did a nice descriptive job on most of the encounters. The last scene to me seemed a bit rushed and was ended on an emotional plateau. We all know how it ended, but it seemed to be an apparent hook to get the readers to buy the next book in the series to see how it worked out. All in all, it was a good book and an entertaining read. I would definitely recommend it to any of my friends with children in the appropriate age range. I thank the authors for sharing it with me. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
The book opens with a very gripping and surprising event from the past. It then fast forwards to the present day. It was very clever how the authors wove the two time frames together. In order to understand the rest of the book, the reader must have a grasp of the first event, but this is not apparent at first. The authors take their time and do not rush the connection. They let it slowly unfold through the pages of the book.
The young adult characters are believable. The guys are pretty typical teenage boys and the girls pretty much follow suit. The one girl, the fashionista, you would like to strangle at times, so she is one you can definitely buy into as real. I was a little distressed about the parents being so absent, but the extended family seemed to make up for them being gone. The details and appearance of the androgynous person was a little different, but was handled nicely.
The story flowed nicely. The clues were slowly unfolded so the reader had time to connect most of them and make sense of their appearance in the story. There were a few that I never did understand, but I am guessing the answers to those actually lie in the sequels to come.
The authors did a nice descriptive job on most of the encounters. The last scene to me seemed a bit rushed and was ended on an emotional plateau. We all know how it ended, but it seemed to be an apparent hook to get the readers to buy the next book in the series to see how it worked out. All in all, it was a good book and an entertaining read. I would definitely recommend it to any of my friends with children in the appropriate age range. I thank the authors for sharing it with me. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Dream Weaver by Su Williams
The Eyes Have It!
This book is a clear case of “the eyes have it”. You are drawn in immediately by the cover image. The imagery of a young girl asleep with the mesmerizing eyes overlooking her bed instantly gets your brain working on numerous levels. Are the eyes evil or they good? These are just a few of the things that go through your head. It is always good if you can get someone’s brain working before they even open the cover of the book.
Once Su gets you inside the book, the fun really begins. The young sleeping girl becomes a tragic figure in her own life. So many horrible things happen to her in such a short amount of time she begins to think she cannot make it and looks to over means of comfort. The dream weaver, Nick is painfully aware of her plight and does all he can to end her pain.
I don’t want to ruin the story line, but as the story continues Nick and Emari must face many decisions that will affect both of them together an individually. There are many twists in this story that no one really sees coming until you are in the middle of them. The story is exciting and suspenseful.
Ms. Williams does an excellent job of handling some very delicate social issues that affect many of our young adults today. Her characters are developed well and the plight of the young Emari is most believable. Emari suffers from an actual condition well known among our young people and Ms. Williams works hard in her story line to let those young people know that there is more to life than pain. She gives them a choice and a way out of their misery.
Not only is this a fabulous fantasy read, it is a social commentary that lends help and support to a number of afflicted young people. Ms. Williams has written the story with the compassion of one that understands and knows the pain that they feel. The helpful message is there and clearly stated for those that need it, for the rest of us, it is just a mesmerizing story full of beautiful imagery and fabulous characters. The book is well worth the price in entertainment alone.
This book was provided to me for an honest review. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars
This book is a clear case of “the eyes have it”. You are drawn in immediately by the cover image. The imagery of a young girl asleep with the mesmerizing eyes overlooking her bed instantly gets your brain working on numerous levels. Are the eyes evil or they good? These are just a few of the things that go through your head. It is always good if you can get someone’s brain working before they even open the cover of the book.
Once Su gets you inside the book, the fun really begins. The young sleeping girl becomes a tragic figure in her own life. So many horrible things happen to her in such a short amount of time she begins to think she cannot make it and looks to over means of comfort. The dream weaver, Nick is painfully aware of her plight and does all he can to end her pain.
I don’t want to ruin the story line, but as the story continues Nick and Emari must face many decisions that will affect both of them together an individually. There are many twists in this story that no one really sees coming until you are in the middle of them. The story is exciting and suspenseful.
Ms. Williams does an excellent job of handling some very delicate social issues that affect many of our young adults today. Her characters are developed well and the plight of the young Emari is most believable. Emari suffers from an actual condition well known among our young people and Ms. Williams works hard in her story line to let those young people know that there is more to life than pain. She gives them a choice and a way out of their misery.
Not only is this a fabulous fantasy read, it is a social commentary that lends help and support to a number of afflicted young people. Ms. Williams has written the story with the compassion of one that understands and knows the pain that they feel. The helpful message is there and clearly stated for those that need it, for the rest of us, it is just a mesmerizing story full of beautiful imagery and fabulous characters. The book is well worth the price in entertainment alone.
This book was provided to me for an honest review. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars
Bridge Ices Before Road by Sienna Rose
This was an interesting coming of age book. It had many levels, layers and components to it. It starts out with two unlikely girls becoming friends. I do not really read this type of book normally. I was reading it and about halfway through it I was starting to remember why I don't generally read these. Then the book picked up big time. There were all kinds of twists, turns, and exciting events. There were many things hinted at in the beginning half of the book. I was thinking they would remain hinted at and left, boy, was I wrong. All the hints were just the beginning of some exciting intrigue and sorrow. You don't realize it, but you get attached to the characters in this story as you read along. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, but the ending is not the one you would expect. It is well written and compelling. Rating 5 out of 5 stars
This book was provided to me by the author, Sienna Rose for an honest book review.