Dark Witch
by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nora Roberts is known for her wonderful Irish magic novels. She has written a number that are set in Ireland, involve some magic that has been passed down through the generations and needs a new set of people to hopefully correct a wrong from long ago.
Dark Witch came out around Halloween of 2013 and starts in the year 1263, a long, long time ago. Socha is a dark witch, and no that is not a bad thing. In this context the dark witch is not evil, but one who protects and heals those of the village are castle during that time period. Socha's man, Daithi is off at war, and she is home with their three children. Brannaugh is the oldest and has her mother's abilities and temperament. She will be a great healer one day. Eamon is the middle child and only boy, and he has his own way with birds, specifically Falcons. Teagan is the youngest child, a daughter and only three when the story starts, but if full of magic even at that young age.
The evil sorcerer Cabhan is greedy and power hungry. He wants Socha's power and he thinks he can tempt her into giving it over to him. Socha is a mother above all and she is not falling for his lies, she is set to protect her children. She passes her magic down to her children, dividing it among the three, not giving it all to one and then sets to defeat Cabhan. She tricks him, and poisons them both, she willingly gave her life to protect her children and to end Cabhan, only it's not over.
750 years later, modern day Ireland and the story picks up as three descendants, one of each of Socha's children must come together to defeat Cabhan.
The beauty of Ireland, seen through the eyes of an innocent and naive girl who is left in wonder of the county. The magic that is just accepted as part of your being without question, and the quest to save the world. All themes that Nora Roberts is known for and does so well, are present in this novel. It will become the first book in a trilogy, the Cousins O'Dwyer series.
If you like The Three Sisters Island Trilogy, or the Dreams Trilogy, or well just about any Nora Roberts book, you will once again find yourself at the mercy of her storytelling abilities.
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Atkins Diet Recipes Under 30 Minutes - Over 30 Atkin Diet Recipes For All Phases
by Jennifer Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When it comes to diets, many have come and gone, some have worked and others don't, but The Atkins Diet has been around forever. Ok, not actually forever, but it sure seems like it! I can remember being in college and having a doctor recommend it to me because of some medical issues I was having. It has been around and weathered all the fad diets, and it is still here and still going strong, because it works and it works for so many people. It is doctor recommended for people who have blood sugar issues, not diabetics, but insulin resistance and other precursors to diabetes.
This particular book on Atkins Diet Recipes is especially good because of the information and way the book is broken down. First off the author gives you information about the Atkins diet, how it works and why it works for so many people. The diet is broken down into different phases, and the author addresses each phase with information about the phase as well as great recipes to go with that phase. I also like that in each phase the author gives you a list of foods for that phase. This way you know at a glance if you are following the diet or not.
The recipes are top notch! There are recipes for each phase of the diet, and they are all good. They don't feel like diet food, you don't feel restricted or deprived but you get great tasting food that fills you up and helps you to stick with the plan. The Atkins Diet recipes do change some of the things you are used to, but they are good changes in that it helps us to break that addiction to carbs we tend to have.
Over the years, the Atkins diet is the only one that I have found that I can actually lose weight on. So for me, this is something that I always want to have around. My best friend was able to lose over 75 pounds on Atkins and to keep it off for over five years now. In America we are addicted to carbs, especially in the midwest, the farming country, we don't know how to eat without lots of bread and potatoes. Atkins helps you get those carbs out of your diet, but does it in a way that does not make you feel like you are depriving yourself of food. It's a "diet" or lifestyle change that you can live with throughout your life.
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Mary of the Aether
by Jeffrey Aaron Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Living in a small town can have it's ups and downs. For Mary everyone knowing her and her father, who seems to be much too old to actually be her father, is one of the downs. Mary would rather live where she can fade into the background more easily. Mary has never fit in, and now at fourteen, her father spins an unbelievable tale that she is a Lightbearer from another world, and the last of the kind. Talk about not fitting in anymore, now she is going to stand out, unless she can keep people from knowing. The worst is that there are Lookers out there searching for her. She's not sure she can turn to the only friend she really has in Kristen, she has a big mouth, but maybe the guy she is crushing on. Aiden is a bit like Mary, not really an outcast, but not the most popular boy in town either. Can he be the one to help her? Mary of the Aether follows her story once she learns of her true nature, and what happens as she is searched out by others who want to destroy her. Jeffery Aaron Miller once again uses his unique knack for writing about other worlds to draw you in and to have you totally engaged in the story.
Jeffery Aaron Miller is a wonderful writer, who can take you to a fantasy world yet still keep you in touch with the real world and it's own conflicts. Mr. Miller just has a wonderful knack or ability to create these other worlds that are mixed with our own world, and yet the issues of growing up in this world, poverty and unpopularity, are intertwined with the lofty goals of the other world. There is so much in his storytelling to admire and to recognize for the youth of today. I find his writing and storytelling abilities to be fascinating. Mary of the Aether is another series that follows Mary and her truth as a Lightbearer and her quest to preserve that as the last living Lightbearer. This is a great book for the young adult and teens. The issues they face in the real world are dealt with, while giving some adventure and fun to the whole story with the other world and it's own realities.
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The Concealing
by D.E.L. Connor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Five teens, the best of friends, find that they are not only friends, but they have a mission in life. They are Spirit Warriors, they can move their own spirit to share the body of an animal, then back to their own body. What a trick to learn when you are 15! Spirit Warriors follows these five friends as they are brought to a time when they are needed to use their powers to defeat an evil. They have trained and looked for the evil for awhile now, but when they are finally confronted with it, they are surprised. It came in a disguise that no one would have expected and almost lead them into trouble.
The Spirit Warriors is well written and entertaining, and with the main characters all being in the middle teens, they bring in a world of issues from that same teen life. This makes the story good for the teen and young adult market, while keeping the topics of abuse and homosexuality, which are mentioned in a brighter light. As the discussion progresses one night, one of the guys admits his true leanings to the friends, and the discussion is nothing short of heart-warming. Nothing of the actually abuse is described but more alluded to, and so I find that they way the kids work through finding out these things to be beneficial to readers. The abuse is never talked about, but only realized after the fact and then the fight to make sure people know what really happened is encouraging.
Some will say this is the perfect book for girls, and while there are three girl teens in the main cast, there are also three boys throughout the book, two in the original circle of five, and a newcomer that will end up playing a large role in the end. I find that it has a mix that although girls will get it and enjoy it, there is still enough action and adventure to interest the boys as well. It is a coming-of-age novel that has to deal with the harsh realities of life, and at the same time, it entertains you with the spirits.
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The Anonymous Girl
by Holy Ghost Writer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The title and the author name of this book sparked my interest, I mean really, who wouldn't want to at least check out something written by someone calling themselves "Holy Ghost Writer"? After an author name like that, I found the whole book to be full of the same devil-may-care attitude and adventure.
Zaydee is in prison, and refusing to give her real name, so she has been nicknamed Princes Jane Doe in the press, but prison is nothing to Zaydee. This woman is a brilliant mind, a genius, and a top notch hacker. She is so confident in herself and her abilities, yet at the same time she is not completely cocky. She is independent and capable and is ready to rule her own world. This is the kind of character that you would want every girl to read about. The confidence and independence are traits that should be encouraged in young girls today. She is also a female in the world of computer hacking and internet stock trading, which are male dominated fields, so she is a role model in that respect as well for all girls. But, this is not a young adult or kids book, this definitely has some adult moments in the book, a couple of intimate encounters between characters, so I can't come out a recommend it to girls, but I love the character for girls to read about.
The book is so fun and there are so many things going on at one time, that sometimes you aren't sure exactly what Zaydee is planning next. There is buying and selling stocks, there is money making, there is just so much more and I can't tell you anything more than to tell you that you just have to read the book. You will enjoy the journey and adventure that Zaydee takes you on and the friends and confidants that she makes. They make the world seem like the good guys, or lesser bad guys can overthrow the corrupt good guys. This is a follow up to a previous book, and I did not read the first book, but had no trouble reading this book. It stands alone quite well.
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The Torn Holding Kate Series
by LaDonna Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Heartwork Village is a summer camp of sorts for kids who have been having troubles. Katie is dealing with the effects of her parents divorce and runs with the wrong crowd. Trip tries to save his little sister from the physical and sexual abuse of a step-father only to kill the man. They are all sent to Heartwork Village, but it is no normal camp. Quantum mechanics is at work, and the campers "jump" into alternative realities to help one team member work through the issues that brought them here in the first place. The Torn revolves around a group of kids. Katie, who is torn between Trip, the big muscular guy that provides her with safety, and Corey who provides her with eternal love. LaDonna Cole weaves a coming of age story into a soul-searching experience novel, with the adventure of these quantum jumps. An amazing mix of storylines and ideas to keep everyone interested.
When you think of reading a novel set in a camp for troubled teens, The Torn is not what you think of at all. The teamwork that is required by the teens to complete the jumps, the trust and the openness that they must share is amazing. Each jump, for each person is a wonderful lesson for the reader. The characters all deal with things that the everyday teen will be facing and so the whole book is inspirational and encouraging. LaDonna Cole gives the reader romance, adventure, fantasy and at the same time answers to deal with some of the most pressing problems of youth today. The feelings of worthlessness, self-hatred, parental divorce, abandonment, unloveable, and so much more. Parents and adult will find it a warming read, and even may find information to help them talk to youth dealing with the issues.
Book Two - Holding Kate Series - The Keepers
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The Rebirth of Dino Earth
by Pat Hatt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Rebirth of Dino Earth is a wonderful rhyming tale for children and adults alike. It introduces some of the favorite dinosaurs of children today, along with a Freaky Alien crew. In the mix is a moral, that no matter your size you are special and have something that only you can do.
The book is well written and engaging. Children of all ages will enjoy the colorful pictures and the rhyming verse. Pat Hatt reminds me of the much loved Dr. Seuss, in that he created a story that kids would enjoy, with characters they would like yet at the same time wrapped a lesson into the story. That was always my favorite part of Dr. Seuss stories, and I am pleased to see that another writer is carrying on that tradition in such a remarkable way.
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The Collector
by Mathias G. B. Colwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Phillip was born into the Guild, and for the past twenty-five years he has been a Collector. It is his job to keep everyone on earth safe from the creatures they don't even know exist. The Collector is set in the old-world, the image of the 1800's comes to mind, at a time when the creatures of myths: vampires, werewolves, fairies, trolls and such are true. Most of the world has no idea, but the Guild has existed to keep the creatures that start causing problems in the human world in line. Phillip and his partner James are just about to leave New York for England with a load of prisoners, when a high ranking Guild member sends Phillip on a collection, alone. Something doesn't feel right, and it only gt worse from there. Phillip finds that things are not ass they seem, and someone is trying to start another Great Transformation. He must team up with an unlikely source to hunt done the person and put a stop to it before the world is thrown into turmoil. Mathias G. B. Colwell does a wonderful job of combining adventure, mystery and fantasy into a wonderful tale.
From the title alone, The Collector sounds to be a dark mystery, but in reality it is a much more friendly and enjoyable story. Phillip is a Collector, it's a job, to collect those who are harming society. At the same time, Phillip has some struggles with his job, he is starting to wonder if it is all for the best. He struggles with coming to terms with the mission of the Guild and what it has become, and what he wants to really be. Mathias G. B. Colwell takes the fantasy of the creatures, adds them to old world society, throws in a mystery and some soul-searching and comes up with a wonderful little book that would appeal to all ages and genders.
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A Deeper Cut
by Sheri Wren Haymore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Every summer Hunter spends it with Granny Jen in Beaufort. This year he has brought Mikki with him, thinking it might be a good thing for them. This summer though, a murderer has decided to visit Beaufort also, and frame Hunter for at least one of the killings. A Deeper Cut mixes drug dealers and sweet, southern charm into a realistic tale of a summer on the shoreline. Hunter is tasked with figuring out who he really is, and whether to continue to let his father's disappearance and failures define him or not. +Sheri Wren Haymore writes a wonderful mystery, thriller that you want to know who did it, but at the same time keeps the beauty and charm of life is a small southern town.
A Deeper Cut follows Hunter, and more than just the cuts of the killer are needing to be healed this summer. Hunter has always felt that everyone, except maybe Granny Jen expected him to fail and turn out like his father. This summer he will have to face his father, and the demons he carries and figure out who he really is. +Sheri Wren Haymore mixes this soul-searching with the mystery of who if offing drug dealers and sets it all in a sweet, charming southern town. You will feel for Hunter, want to hold the boy and help him through his struggles. At the same time you will enjoy the intrigue of discovering who the real killer is and just why the killer might have it out for the Kittrell family.
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Sadie's War : A Supernatural Uprising Novel
by Jayelle Cochran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It is a MUST read!!
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
I received an Advanced Copy of the book to review. The book is scheduled to be released towards the end of February 2014.
**Sadie's War was officially released February 23rd. You can now find it on Amazon.**
Young Sadie is blind and alone, left to live on the streets in an area called the Gutter. She is poorly equipped for life on the streets and doesn't understand the most basic of ideas of the world. Fester literally runs into Sadie one day, and he is captivated by her beautiful blue eyes. He makes it his mission to keep an eye on her, and when he finds her almost frozen on the street, he takes her to his home. Once there, her lack of understanding of the world becomes even more clear, and Fester feels the need to protect her, as well as his friend Michael and his sister Chloe, who all live together. What follows is Jayelle Cochran's amazingly beautiful and poignant story of love and family, abuse and neglect, fear and trust. Wrapped into a supernatural war between regular humans and those with special power's, that Sadie mistakenly believe's is all her fault. Sadie's War is a journey of learning and adventure.
Sadie's War, as she thinks it is all her fault, is driven by one action. The fierce need to protect her from harm that both Michael and Fester feel. Sadie has no ability to trust, but slowly learns that all the lessons in her life where wrong, and that she can trust people. Although the two main characters, Sadie and Fester have suffered terrible physical and mental abuse at the hands of their parent's, the abuse is not detailed and only alluded to. Jayelle Cochran does a wonderful job of telling this remarkable story without terrorizing the reader. The fear and love that the characters feel come through in the book so vividly it had me crying and laughing all throughout the book. Even given the topics, this would still be a good book for young adults, with some parental guidance for any questions they might have. I found it to be a story of hope and love, of life after tragedy and what family can provide if you allow it. Amazingly poignant.
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Bloodstone - Deep Water: Book One
by Jeffrey Aaron Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
In the world of Jeffrey Aaron Miller's imagination there is a small village that lays nestled in the valley surrounded by mountains. Over the years, the village has isolated itself and cut itself off from the outside world. The idea was for protection, but soon they are to learn that it did not work. Jaren is a young man, bored with life in the isolated village. Arelas is a merchants daughter, one day a large team of horse-mounted knights ride into the village, only to destroy it completely. Jaren and Arelas are able to escape through a hidden cave. Bloodstone follows them as they travel from town to town, only to find that the knights have been there and destroyed it too, looking for people. A dying stranger gives them some answers to what is going on, and they set out on a quest to stop the madness.
Bloodstone gives you the feel of a old-world tale, with knights and villages surrounded by walls, and most people traveling by foot. This feeling makes is easy to envision this world where a small bit of magic has turned a King and his Knights mad with power and greed. Jeffrey Aaron Miller gives us a hero in a young boy, probably around 16 to 18 years old and the daughter of a merchant close to the same age as a heroine. As they travel the world looking for answers, they find themselves in much more than they bargained for. The story was well written and kept my attention throughout, although I have to admit that I did not enjoy the sudden end to the book, as it is book one. I do want to read the next book now, so I am sure that was the intention. This book would be great for all readers, and with the ages of the characters, even young adults and teens would be able to relate and enjoy the story.
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Albatross: Birds of Flight
by J.M. Erickson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Alex Burns has seen it all in his tour fighting terrorism, but upon finding out some classified information he is starting to think differently about his job. Too bad his bosses don't agree, next thing Alex knows he is the target of friendly fire. He survives but has no memory, so the government is watching him closely. What starts off the plan called Albatross is the government's disregard for anyone else. When they think Alex knows something, they start trying to kill off anyone he might have talked to, which doesn't sit well with Alex. J. M. Erickson takes you into the mind of a special forces agent done wrong, and a government that has no problems in killing innocent people to keep secrets. Add to that those innocent people who managed to get away and it's no so much revenge as a way to get the government to leave them alone they are looking for.
From the very beginning, when you meet Alex Burns and all through the times he and Dr. Caulfield are together, you learn of a man with so much more to offer than what he was trained to do. You come to feel for Alex and Dr. Caulfield. You sympathize with the life that Sam and Becky had to live through and you want the best for them, and you even understand why they are doing this. Albatross also reveals the dark side of governments, especially when certain areas have too much control without any supervision. J. M. Erickson tells a believable yet at the same time unbelievable story of a man slated to be knocked off by his own government, and what happens when they don't do the job and he is left to act later. This is a great read for anyone, you will be swept away with the intrigue and suspense.
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50 Green Smoothie Recipes - For Detox, Weight Loss, Boosting Your Energy & Improving Your Immunity!
by Jennifer Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Everyone is talking about Green Smoothies! Green Smoothies for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner. They can hide veggies and be used for meal replacements and body building and so much more. They are all the rage, and I know that I have looked at my fair share of books out there on them as I am sure you have too. This book is different, it gives you the Green Smoothie recipes you want, but there it is so much more than that.
If we think of the book in thirds, each being different, the first section is probably the one that I think is the best and most informative out there. Not only does it tell you about Green Smoothies, but it explains your body, how they can effect your body and why. There is even a formula to figure out your metabolism rate so you know how many calories you need to eat. I sat and figured this out as soon as I read it and I was surprised, because it was not what I had been told by the diet places before. There is more information in the first part of the book than I have seen in some book that were dedicated solely to the purpose of talking about improving your health. You will want to keep this book around just for this first part alone long after you have memorized all the recipes and no longer need the rest of the book.
Add to that you get a second section full of recipes. These are broken down into ones that are best for weight loss, others that are good for body building and yet others good for detox. This way you can look for just what you want without having to read through them all. The last part of the book is easy and hands on tips and helps to get you started on your journey and help keep you on he journey. There is a shopping guide, meal planning guidelines, samples meals and the like.
Once you have this book, and you will want to get the book once you look at it, not only can you learn about improving your health, you get the recipes, then you get tips on implementing it into your life. What more could you need other than that? It comes as close to doing it for you as anything out there can.
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Dream Family
by J.J. DiBenedetto
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
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I reviewed this book for +Readers' Favorite .
As per my agreement with them, anything that was below a 3/4 star rating I agree not to post a review of. I am not posting a review, but am leaving my star rating.
In the past I have just skipped posting anything at all about the book, but as this was a book in a series, and I had just posted about the previous books in the series, I wanted to give you some heads up as to why there was no post about the next book in the series.
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Dream Child
by J.J. DiBenedetto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Dr. Sara Alderson is in the middle of her residency, and she hasn't had a dream that needed her interference since her first year of med school. Just when she is about to believe that they have disappeared from her life forever, she gets the biggest shock of her life as she discovers her four-year-old daughter Lizzie has inherited her gift too. Dream Child follows Lizzie's dreams as she meets a new friend on the train to Washington DC for the week, and ends up dreaming about him. Sara and Brian have to calm Lizzie's fears and at the same time work to figure out what her dreams mean. This time Sara is more willing to reach out to other people in the family and allow them to know what is happening, instead of trying to do it completely by herself. J.J. DiBenedetto weaves this story around the children, not only Lizzie, but Sara is working in Pediatrics and a number of the patients on that floor are also introduced into the story as side stories, which are wonderful and heart-warming.
Dream Child is the third book in J.J. DiBenedetto's Dreams series of Cozy Mysteries about Sara, who can see other peoples dreams. It is a light-hearted and fun mystery that is an easy read. Sara has grown up, but there are still times when she is quite flaky and unsure of herself, and yet other times in the book where she is strong and confident. Lizzie is suppose to be a four year old, but sounds much more like a six to eight year old. Also she is allowed to follow her mother around the hospital while she is on rounds during residency, which would never be allowed in any hospital. Then again it's a story, it's not meant to be real life. Being that this one of a series, you can actually read this book without having read the series. It doesn't refer back to the other books much and if it does, it gives you the information you need to understand what it is talking about. If you are into quirky, cozy mysteries then this is the book for you.
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Dream Doctor
by J.J. DiBenedetto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Sara is getting married and staring med school, her husband Brian is going to finish his last year of undergraduate. What she really doesn't need is to be seeing other people's dreams, but that is just what happens to Sara every now and again. Dream Doctor follows Sara and a small group of friends through their first year of med school. At the same time Sara is having dreams, lots of dreams of someone murdering their professor. Actually it's not someone, it's lots of someone's and she can't figure out who is just dreaming about killing him and who is actually trying to kill him. J.J. DiBenedetto writes a humorous and quirky mystery as the clumsy med student tries to deal with not only the dreams about the professor, but the dreams of the neighbor next door and a few other close friends.
Dream Doctor is what I would call on of the new generation of cozy mystery stories. It is a lite, humorous and energetic take on the mystery idea all wrapped in the theme of the doctor, or med school in this case. Sara is a little hard to like at times. Sometimes she comes off bold and strong and other times she is mousy and unsure of herself. I find I like her much better when she is confident and secure. Sara occasional sees other people's dreams and sometimes that is fine, but sometimes she needs to do something about what she sees. J.J. DiBenedetto writes a unique concept in this regard, it's not every person she meets and it's not every night, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why she sees the dreams she sees. For a light-hearted easy read this is a good book for that. If you like the cozy mystery sub-genre you will like this book.
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Wayne Hicks Review
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KC Sprayberry Review
****To be honest, I would probably give this book a closer to a 3 star, more like a 3.25 star rating, but I wanted to post my review of it, so I went ahead and rounded the rating up to a 4 star.*******
Kwennsefulass
by Kris Godwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Imagine waking up and not knowing who you were, not know where you were, not knowing when you where and not knowing what you were. Kwennsefulass is that kind of story. A young man takes the name Kwenn, short for Kwennsefulass which is written on a necklace he wears, but he knows nothing else. He can't even tell you the world he is on or anything about it. As tragedy strikes the town he first stumbles into, and some consider it an omen and his fault. He feels a drive to find the reason for the tragedy and to answer for it, even if it had nothing to do with him. +Kris Godwin gives him a strong moral character even if he knows nothing else about himself. The story follows as he sets out with a few villages to find out what has happened, maybe regain his memory and to save the world.
As +Kris Godwin weaves this tale of fiction and fantasy and legend together, I am reminded of the stories of the Greek and Roman gods and the ways that they played with the fates of mortals. Kwennsefulass gives you a sense of that, yet it is something altogether different at the same time. From the moment Kwenn wakes, I felt for him, I could feel his loneliness and fear and I wanted him to find his memory and to find the answers, yet around each twist in the book I was glad that it hadn't come back yet. That meant there was still more book. Even days after finishing the book, I still find myself thinking about the story and Kwenn and what the author was wanting to say. This is a great story for all, and for some it will stay with you and become a friend.
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Room of Fire
by Jenn Rekka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Room of Fire starts off gentle enough at an East Coast University with a Professor, Carlos Sheldon and his Assistant Laura Gates going through the mail, and even though there is interesting mail, some plates and a cryptic message that ends up sending them to Europe, it all seems so pleasurable and relaxing. A gentlemen of the county, Duke to some, Gustav to others wants to sell off his antiques before his scoundrel of a nephew inherites the manor, what better place to acquire items for the University. There are just some items that the Duke will only let a few in on that exist. Luckily our Professor Sheldon and Laura are among those, and what he has hidden is family crypt could blow the art world away.
After acquiring the pieces they were after for the University, Laura and Prof Sheldon get permission from the University to stay and investigate the secret the Duke has told them about. This is where it get's a bit dicey, they are not the only ones looking into, but probably the only ones that are doing it legally.
Laura and Carlos will travel all over Europe following leads, sometimes in front of the bad guys and sometimes behind them. When it comes to bad guys, you have the bad,bad guys and the good, bad guys and yet which are which and are they working together or who are they all working for in the first place.
Mystery, intrigue, sabotage and kidnapping along with out and out theft all come into play as they volley for the same limited pieces for different reasons. Toss in an attractive good guy and a handsome bad boy and you have even more to struggle with. It is a dynamic read, and took me the morning of a snow day to read it, it was just interesting and I didn't want to put it down. There is also some history and antiques information slightly sprinkled in there that is neat too.
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Divergent
by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was walking through the store looking for a book to read while I was waiting on my daughters to get out of theater practice, and I had a book in mind, but of course they didn't have it, when I spotted this book. It sounded interesting, so I picked it up, and I am ever so glad I did.
In Divergent, the world is basically the city of Chicago with a huge fence around it. Everyone, for the most part except the farmer, or the faction called Amity, live inside the fence. Society is broken into factions, and based on how you perceive and process information you are placed in one of the factions to live. The placement happens at age sixteen, and this is where the book begins, as Beatrice Prior is about to go through the testing to determine what faction she is best suited to live in.
The book follows her journey as she changes factions, from the faction of her birth to the faction she feels is most like her. As she undergoes the initiation process and learns startling information. There is unease among the factions, or at least among two of the five factions, and it seems to be building, but why and what does it have to do with her and her life and future.
Beatrice makes friends and enemies in her new faction, starts a life and then has to deal with the changing world they live in. It is part coming of age novel, part alternative society novel, and altogether exciting and enjoyable to read. It was well written and I could hardly put the book down until I finished it.
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Indu Reddy Review
***Original posted on my previous blog, Ramblings of a Mother's Mind that I have discontinued and am moving all book reviews only to this blog******
The Jewel Box
by C. Michelle McCarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Follow the life saga of a naive young, small town Texas girl from the late 1960's when she was a young newlywed looking to get out of town until the present. Jill Novak is pretty and spunky, but when it comes to the real world and life, she knows almost nothing. At 18 she marries the first guy that promises her a way out of the small town of Lake Jackson, Kent Novak and they are gone. Married life turns out to be a whole lot different than she expected or planned, and it's not all her fault, needless to say it ends in a divorce, but she comes out with Jacy Nicole, or Nikki, a beautiful daughter.
The box follows Jill, from her point of view, in fact this is her retelling her life to the reader of how she got to where she is today. It watches her grown and mature, learn and lose, love and hurt. She makes hard choices to do things that she never thought she would ever do, and she lives with the guilt and grief from them long after they have past. She blames herself for events she had no control over, don't we all sometimes, and yet through it all grows into a reliable able adult.
She is not always the greatest judge of men. She will met the willy boss who uses her, the oversure of himself administrator that thinks he can cure anything with marriage, the handsome rich guy who loves her but she can't love back, her one true love and all the problems that brings, and someone so like her true love that she can't stop comparing them enough to actually love him.
Throughout it all she keeps going, keeps moving and trying to make a life for herself and her daughter. Best of all Nikki grows to be a wonderful young woman, in spite of all she see's her mom go through, or maybe it is because of all she sees. She learns from her mom's mistakes and bumps and takes her time and she is a treasure.
You will cry along with the book as you watch her with her true love try to be together, time after time, only for them to allow children and family, and in-laws to come between them. It happens to so many relationships, and I personally have seen the exact thing happen to some friends, so I think I cried even harder, but that is part of what make the book so perfect. The whole story really could have taken place, you can really see this life unfolding, and you can see people you know and love in parts of the book, and people you recognize in other parts and even people you were when you were younger sometimes.
It is a curl up by the fire and take the time to read kind of book, because it will take you a bit to get through. Sometimes you will have to put it down to cry, but you will want to continue to read to see just where it ends. Does true love win in the end, or does the interferences of life keep them apart.
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One: A New Beginning
by Lennie Stanfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Zack and his dad, Jim were good friends. They had always been close, but after the passing of Zack's mom and Jim's wife Deann, they grew even closer. It was a bound that got them through the tough times. This weekend they were going caving, a new cave no one knew about. Zack and Jim were always careful when caving, and took great care with their supplies and safety precautions, but no one could have foreseen what happened. One has been dormant for so long, many, many centuries and yet something is happening around him. Something that he feels he needs to check out. One observes Zack and the aftermath of the caving accident, he is moved to help. What follows is an unbelievable blending of faith and sci-fi. One is from another planet and together he and Zack rebuild and plan out Zack's life. Lennie Stanfield uses the people around Zack to confirm his faith and at the same time, One is part of the story that confirms the faith Zack has known his whole life. One: A New Beginning is also the story of a new life for One, his old life gone and a chance and a reason to become active again.
One: A New Beginning is a superb blending of faith and another planet with life on it. I have never seen it done in a book before, especially not like this, and yet it worked. Yes, I had to go bad and reread of of the pages where One is talking because of the more complex computer like language he uses, but it was worth it. The bond between Zack and his Dad, amazing! Not only that, but every family relationship you meet in this book, Lennie Stanfield has made a strong family relationship. I would love to find a place where all the relationships are that strong, but it was just so comforting to read about them. Zack is just graduating from two-year of college, so to say this could also be a coming of age book would be true, but I also think teens and adults would enjoy the story.
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How To Get Your Ex-Boyfriend Back - The Proven Step-By-Step System to Restore Your Relationship!
by Natalie Watson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Let's face it, at some point in all of ours lives, we have found ourselves on the losing end of a relationship. Things just weren't going well, and you wondered if the relationship could be restored. How to Get Your Ex-Boyfriend Back is an easy to follow guide that gives you practical advice, and advice that if more women would listen to daily, would save more than just relationships!
One of the easiest and simplest things that the author talks about is that you need to take care of you. No man wants to be with a frump. If you have starting letting yourself go and not making an effort for your boyfriend, that might be the reason the relationship fizzled. This is true not only in dating, but in marriage as well. I know it works, on the days I take an extra effort to dress nice and put on jewelry and such, he notices, he makes comments, he acts a whole different way around me. Is it worth the effort? You bet!
Whether you are dating or in a rocky marriage, this book has tips that can help you win back the guy you love, or keep the guy you love with you. The tips are easy and if you are willing to do them, they will work, just buy the book.
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The Heir to the Amulet
by S.P. Meijer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
The Heir to the Amulet mixes the ideas of Knights and old world, medieval places and areas or countries with futuristic, high-tech places and areas or countries and blends them into a story of mystery and intrigue, kidnapping and sabotage. Raith was success in her attempt to take over the country of Cymnosa, but the Queen and her children managed to escape. Years later, Queen Sarah has vanished in a plan crash, and the heir, Lora is living under a false identity in another country, while Richie is under the control of an evil Uncle. When Raith makes a bid to get the remaining two nations fighting, Lora undertakes the adventure of a lifetime to save her brother, her best friend and new friend, along with the rest of the world, in +S. P. Meijer's fantasy epic adventure.
Lost heir's are a dime a dozen, but Lora is different, she is 16 but packs a powerfulful determination into that body to right the wrongs of the world. You like her from the beginning. Her best friend Stephen is the son of the King of Magoria, although the King doesn't quite like her.+S.P. Meijer focuses on the kids, they are the heros of the book, they are the ones who get out there and make things happen. It's not the King or The Queen or any adult, although at times they help a bit, but it is mainly a group of 16 to 10 year old kids. That is what makes The Heir to The Amulet so good for kids to read. It gives them a sense of empowerment and encouragement, that they aren't too small and their voice matters.
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My Grain Brain Cookbook: 101 Gluten-Free Recipes Everyone Can Use To Boost Brain Power, Lose Belly Fat and Live Healthy: A Grain-Free, Low Sugar, Low Carb, ... Cookbook
by Sheryl Jensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Going Gluten-free is all the rage, everyone is talking about it, but is it worth it and can you do it? This easy cookbook by Sheryl Jensen opens with information on gluten and what it does to our bodies. There is research information and written so that everyone can understand it.
The second section of the book are the easy to follow recipes that are gluten-free and more. I made the Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread and the Chocolate Cupcakes and my kids loved them. They were easy to make and no one noticed anything about them, I just told them it was a new recipe, needless to say they will be staying on the menu!
For anyone who needs to be gluten-free, has thought about being gluten-free or is wondering, this book gives you the information and tools to start that lifestyle. Not only that, but for you to start eating and feeling healthier too.
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The Crystal Key
by T. L. Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite
Do we believe in tolerance or is it one way or no way? In The Crystal Key we travel to a fantasy world created by brother and sister God's, but at the moment one rules and the other is completely left out. The time for the choosing, which one will rule has come and only those high in the temple even know it is real, not just a myth. This follows Rasmusen as he tries to become the Chosen for the brother God and the path his journey takes him on to the Choosing. We also follow Mirah, a young girl as she makes her journey to the Choosing learning and coming to terms with being the Chosen. All through these two tales of travel T. L. Howard weaves a story of true faith and what happens when we let power and greed get in the way of faith.
Of course neither Chosen one could journey on their own, so you have to meet a whole cast of characters for each set of travels. T. L. Howard writes it in such a way that it almost looks, in my mind, to be a medieval knights and castles kind of place. You easily come to know who to route for and who is a traitor. It's so easy to come to like the people, wishing they were real. The Crystal Key is a long book, about on par with a Harry Potter book, but it really didn't take that long to read, it kept me going to the end. Teens and adults alike will enjoy this story and it's strictly g-rated too! Even a better plus for the book.
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