Tag Archives: Educational

Rating: 5-stars

Gather & Make by Genevieve Layman is one of the most interesting garden and nature books that I’ve read. Here, she discusses things such as the benefits of plants and nature to us humans. Insects like the bees are crucial to plants. There’s even a project to make for insects. I did not realize how many health benefits there was just in interacting with mother nature. But that was not the only things I discovered. Did you know that there is such a thing as horticultural therapy? I did not. Genevieve’s book has taught me a lot. It’s inspiring, peaceful, and fun. Plus, it’s educational to read. Inserted in this nonfiction book, are projects, trivia, and facts for each section. These informative pieces are not things I would have come across in similar books. The book isn’t just facts and text. There are step-by-step guides, and pictures that go in hand with everything she discusses. Especially, on the health benefits. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to all readers. Genevieve Layman is definitely an expert in her field of study, and her book is a must have. Old or young, there are plenty of things to do and learn in Gather & Make for all.

Review: Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness by Rachel E. Spector

Synopsis:

For courses in Community/Public Health Nursing, Transcultural Nursing, and CEUs.

Promotes an awareness of the dimensions and complexities involved in caring for people from diverse cultural backgrounds

The ninth edition of Cultural Diversity in Health and Wellness examines the differences existing within North America by probing the health care system, consumers, and examples of traditional health beliefs and practices among selected populations. An essential for any health-care professional, this book sets the standard for cultural perspectives and more importantly HEALTH—the balance of the person, both within one’s being—physical, mental, and spiritual—and in the outside world—natural, communal, and metaphysical. (Terms such as HEALTH are written this way to emphasize holistic meaning.) An emphasis on the influences of recent social, political, and demographic changes helps to explore the issues and perceptions of health and illness today, while introductory and capstone chapters help place material within perspective.

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

Cultural Diversity in Health and in Illness by Rachel E. Spector was an interesting textbook to study. There were a lot odd cultural stuff that made me think, why people do them while others made sense. I was taken on a journey through each cultural group and explored their ways of religion, health, and illness. Most believe in evil eye. I do not. But how so many of them despite their differences that did was a curiosity to me. I had to buy this textbook for my cultural diversity class in health. There was plenty to discover, learn, and think about…the writer did an excellent job in portraying each ethnic group. Not all groups were included in this book. But a good majority were. It broke down the major minority and majority ethnic groups into sections for a student, like me, to learn. Odd but well-organized. Many old healing traditions stuck out to me as weird. For health professionals this is a great brief study in creative health culture diversity. The traditions and customs of most groups are explored. I was not going into a health profession but needed a health credit. Overall, it was an intriguing study.

Review: The Art & Craft of PR by Sandra Stahl

Synopsis:

This book is built around the idea that PR as a communications discipline has no boundaries. It is the PR professional’s manual for creating that specific type of mindset and building the necessary skills to meet today’s communications challenges, which include mastery of the fundamentals, cultivating unbridled curiosity and creativity, the art of listening, and never losing sight of business objectives.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Art & Craft of PR by Sandra Stahl is a wonderful book on public relations for all. I have had no training in this area and was interested in learning more about the topic. The writer, Sandra Stahl has created a nonfiction book that is both educational and entertaining to read. I did not have any issues in following her words. From what PR is to how it works, Sandra Stahl kept me reading. Her book went beyond what others did not do. Her book spoke about he creative and always changing PR world. Communication and persuasion beyond the typical box of thinking. I loved how organized and fun this nonfiction title was. The best part of this book, was the messages from masters of the PR world. Their advice is something that could work for all interested learners, whether you’re just starting out or refreshing your knowledge on the topic. Overall, I highly recommend it to readers everywhere.

Review: Defeating Dementia by Richard Furman, MD.,FACS

Synopsis:

Dementia. It’s one of the most dreaded conditions we face as we age. Many people claim they would rather be diagnosed with cancer than dementia or Alzheimer’s. What many don’t realize is that dementia is not a forgone conclusion as we get older. Our own lifestyle choices and habits can have a significant impact–for good or ill–on our chances of developing the disease. And that means there’s hope.

Drawing from the latest medical research, Dr. Richard Furman helps readers understand dementia and Alzheimer’s and shows them how to make three powerful lifestyle changes that can help decrease the probability of developing this disease. He explains how eating the right foods, exercising, and sustaining an ideal weight can dramatically reduce the likelihood of developing dementia in the first place, and even how it can slow the progression of the disease in someone who has already received a diagnosis.

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

Defeating Dementia by Richard Furman, MD, FACS is a great book to read. Currently, my grandpa and I are struggling with my grandma. She is suffering from dementia. The things listed in this book may not take away the Dementia she is suffering from but it could help improve her memory a little bit. Obesity is a huge factor for dementia. My grandma is 78-years-old and overweight. She eats more sugar and fried foods than she does healthy ones. Plus, she is hurting with knee pain. She cannot walk as fast as my 80-year-old grandpa. He walks slow but it feels faster than the pace my grandma uses. She walks back and forth in the halls of our house but not for 30-minutes a day. Exercise, dieting, and staying mentall and socially active helps prevent or slow down this horrible disease. No, we cannot cure it yet…but to prevent it and slowing it from happening to us, is better than nothing at all. We can keep ourselves healthy and sharp. We have to make changes while we’re young and keep at them until the end.

Defeating Dementia is well-done. I can tell a lot is steamed from medical knowledge, research, and personal journey. I just wished there were things that older populations like my grandma can do to keep it from getting worse. But if we had known the signs, and followed the recommendations in this educational book, we could have slowed down my grandma’s dementia and maybe preventing it from reaching where it is now. I am going to follow these guidelines for myself to keep myself healthy mentally, physically, and socially. My grandma used to socialize a lot and I think her not being socially active like in the past, speed up the disease. There are many factors that contribute to dementia as doctor Richard Furman describes. We need to act now for ourselves and our families. Waiting until it hits us, is not going to save us. Overall, I recommend this informative book to all readers.

Review: The Art of Fully Living by Tal Gur

Synopsis:

Master the art of fully living, one life goal at a time.

Do you want to experience your one life—your whole life—to its fullest measure?

In this stirring book, author, blogger and lifestyle entrepreneur, Tal Gur offers his own transformational journey as an inspiring example and practical guide to implementing the art of fully living to its fullest potential. You’ll learn how to actualize your potential by forging all aspects of your life through the process built into your life goals.

Once you discover “the art of fully living,” there is no going back; it will feel unacceptable to settle for less than your dreams—and what’s more, you’ll dream even more wildly, aspiring to action with greater clarity of purpose, broader horizons of possibility, and holistic vision across all areas of your life.

The very structure of this book models Tal’s immersive approach to goal-driven living: each chapter of The Art of Fully Living is dedicated to a year of focus—socializing, fitness, freedom, contribution, love, adventure, wealth, relationship, spirituality, and creativity—and follows Tal’s endeavors as he works toward fulfilling 100 life goals in only 10 years.

This daunting ambition, springing from one late-night conversation among friends and a gnawing discontentment within the typical “success” story, becomes extremely relatable through Tal’s bold storytelling; what’s more, the deep lessons learned become immediately applicable for your own purposes as Tal thoughtfully extracts the actionable wisdom from his own experiences to articulate the principles and techniques of “the art of fully living.”

The Art of Fully Living takes you along the exhilarating ride of Tal’s journey while illuminating your own possible life-goal trajectory: as Tal relates how he socialized nonstop in vibrant Melbourne to master English and trained intensively to complete Ironman New Zealand and practice ancient Thai martial arts, you’ll learn how to apply immersion to achieve your own life goals; as Tal describes how he eliminated his crushing student debt in one year and attained financial and location independence, you’ll learn how to simplify your life, recognize your own present wealth, and turn your passions into a living; and as Tal animates his experiences learning to surf and salsa, to drum in a troupe and compose electronic music, and to write this very book, you’ll learn how to let your intuition be your guide, reveal your authentic core, and achieve flow—among the myriad other adventures and take-aways that fill this book.

Tal not only introduces the idea that the art of fully living is another skill to master but also guides you through honing this skill with chapter lessons and actionable key takeaways.

This is especially for you if you find yourself frustrated often, feeling low, or if you’re struggling while asking yourself “What do I REALLY want?”

You will find your calling.
You will define your life goals.
You will discover how to leverage your strengths to achieve your dreams.
You will know what it means to be truly free.
You will be fulfilled by the path you have chosen to take from this point on.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone discovered and did what made them feel fully alive?

Your dreams are your dreams for a reason; they are rooted in your deepest understanding of who you want and can become.

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

The Art of Fully Living by Tal Gur is an excellent nonfiction book to read. It has many lessons about life that anyone, including myself can apply to their life. This book, was different than others that I have read in the past. The writer has gone on this journey for his own life and the way he tells it was enjoyable to read. I normally read mostly fiction because they can keep my attention. However, this memoir like guide was educational and refreshing to read. There were a lot of pointers that made me rethink the way I was going about my own life’s dreams. Overall, I recommend this book to all.

Review: The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story by Darcy Pattison

Synopsis:

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

Do you believe everything you read in the newspaper?

Early in August 1937, a news flash came: a sea monster had been spotted lurking off the shore of Nantucket Island. Historically, the Massachusetts island had served as port for whaling ships. Eyewitnesses swore this wasn’t a whale, but some new, fearsome creature. As eyewitness account piled up, newspaper stories of the sea monster spread quickly. Across the nation, people shivered in fear.

Then, footprints were found on a Nantucket beach. Photographs were sent to prominent biologists for their opinion. Discussion swirled about raising a hunting party.

On August 18, news spread across the island: the sea monster had been captured. Islanders ran to the beach and couldn’t believe their eyes.

This nonfiction picture book is a perfect tool to discuss non-political fake news stories.

Back matter discusses the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Quotes from Thomas Jefferson make it clear that fake news has always been one of the costs of a free press. A Timeline lists actual events in the order they occurred. A vocabulary list defines relevant words.

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story by Darcy Pattison is a great story for children. It teaches them to not believe everything the read. Just because the newspaper prints a story does not mean it’s true. Newspapers can decide which stories they want to print for their audiences and which ones they do not want to print. Things such as hoaxes, free press, and publicity stunts can be seen and used for a great story. No real Sea monster existed yet it gained so much attention. This same thing can be applied to books, social media, and websites. Not everything published is accurate nor true. Be careful what you read. This book teaches children about fake news. How it happens, how it is used, and that things like a newspaper have that right. I thought it was entertaining, colorful, and informative.

Review: Jesus the Bridegroom by Brant Pitre

Synopsis:

In Jesus the Bridegroom, Brant Pitre once again taps into the wells of Jewish Scripture and tradition, and unlocks the secrets of what is arguably the most well-known symbol of the Christian faith: the cross of Christ. In this thrilling exploration, Pitre shows how the suffering and death of Jesus was far more than a tragic Roman execution. Instead, the Passion of Christ was the fulfillment of ancient Jewish prophecies of a wedding, when the God of the universe would wed himself to humankind in an everlasting nuptial covenant.

To be sure, most Christians are familiar with the apostle Paul’s teaching that Christ is the ‘Bridegroom’ and the Church is the ‘Bride’. But what does this really mean? And what would ever possess Paul to compare the death of Christ to the love of a husband for his wife? If you would have been at the Crucifixion, with Jesus hanging there dying, is that how you would have described it? How could a first-century Jew like Paul, who knew how brutal Roman crucifixions were, have ever compared the execution of Jesus to a wedding? And why does he refer to this as the “great mystery” (Ephesians 5:32)?

As Pitre shows, the key to unlocking this mystery can be found by going back to Jewish Scripture and tradition and seeing the entire history of salvation, from Mount Sinai to Mount Calvary, as a divine love story between Creator and creature, between God and Israel, between Christ and his bride—a story that comes to its climax on the wood of a Roman cross.

In the pages of Jesus the Bridegroom, dozens of familiar passages in the Bible—the Exodus, the Song of Songs, the Wedding at Cana, the Woman at the Well, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and even the Second Coming at the End of Time—are suddenly transformed before our eyes. Indeed, when seen in the light of Jewish Scripture and tradition, the life of Christ is nothing less than the greatest love story ever told.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Jesus the Bridegroom by Brant Pitre is a must read for all Christian readers, especially those who are Catholic. It explains and takes readers, like myself, on a journey to following the relationship between Jesus and the church. I was impressed with the research that went into making this book. There were plenty of quoted material that went with the pages as they continued the discussion. I loved how Brant Pitre showed us, readers, the way of Jesus and the way of the Jews. History, faith, and Christian doctrine are implemented throughout this book. I enjoyed diving deeper into my faith with Brant Pitre as my guide. His words were easy to follow and made understanding the content of that historical moment in a way that was epic. I would recommend this to readers worldwide. If you’re Catholic definitely read this, if you’re another Christian faith, read it to familiarize yourself with relationship of Jesus Christ. Overall, it was educational, informative, and well-done.

Review: The Fed-up Cow by Peta Lemon

Synopsis:

Hilda is FED-UP with being a cow. Spending all day doing not much but moo. There has to be something more she can do.

So she decides to be a sheep…
… then a pig
… and even a chicken.

Is the grass any greener on the other side?

Join Hilda, the fed-up cow, on her voyage of self-discovery in this daft but timeless story, written in rhyme.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Fed-up Cow by Peta Lemon is an engaging story. A children’s book hat is entertaining as well as educational.Here, I got to meet Hilda, a cow tired of being just a cow. She thought it was better to be others things than to be herself. The overall lesson, showed children that being who you were meant to be is the best person to be after all. Hilda tried to be a sheep, a pig, and even a chicken before realizing that being a brown spotted cow was just the thing to be. Overall, the story rhymed, and I liked the beautiful illustrations that went with this book.

Review: Sharks (A 400 Million Year Journey) by Ted Rechlin

Synopsis:

Sharks have been cruising our planet’s waters for millions of years. They were here long before us. They were here long before the dinosaurs. Sharks are a window into the distant past and into deep time. See how the most legendary ocean dwellers got their start, and how they became the sharks we know today.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Sharks: A 400 Million Year Journey by Ted Rechlin is another great educational read for children everywhere. Sharks are world known and an interesting topic. Here, I got to follow the history of sharks and learn about the different species as well. The pages were bright, colorful, and engaging. The book reads like a comic book but the illustrations are amazing. Overall, I recommend this stunning book to parents, guardians, and teachers everywhere.

Review: Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32

Synopsis:

The magical Hotel of Hoo is a mysterious place with some very unusual occupants. As our guests explore the strange hotel, they are invited to experience everything it has to offer with just one warning… don’t ever look behind door 32.

This imaginative picture book aims to take children beyond the first ten cardinal numbers, and introduces them to the patterns of counting in a fun and accessible way. With rooms to explore and unique objects to count, children will enjoy lingering on each page as they make their way closer to the forbidden door.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 by B.C.R. Fegan is another brilliant children’s book. This one is beautifully illustrated. Captivating to look thorough and easy to follow along. The words are just engaging. The words rhyme together and bring a variety of characters to children everywhere. Overall, this entertaining journey was educational, funny, and full of mystery. I highly recommend Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 to all parents, guardians, and teachers.

Review: The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer

Synopsis:

When Dr. Maker was diagnosed in 2011, she, like most people, knew almost nothing about breast cancer. What she did know is that she didn’t feel safe simply following her doctors’ advice. She needed to understand for herself all her treatment options, the statistical outcomes for each option, and all the potential side effects, so she could make informed decisions. Because of her academic background and expertise as a researcher, she discovered a great deal about the disease and its treatments that few lay people are aware of.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer is the story of her journey and the things she learned along the way. This information helped her to make informed decisions about her treatment, and it also helped her to make the lifestyle changes that she hopes will keep her in remission. This is the book she wished she had before, during, and after her treatment.

Topics that will help readers take charge of their recovery include how to find the best doctors and hospitals; how to build a support system; and pros and cons of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormones. Topics that will help readers stay in remission include how to make the body less receptive to cancer, including changes in diet, exercise, supplements, and stress reduction. Readers may not make the same decisions that Dr. Maker did, but the information in the book will empower them to make the decisions they consider best for themselves and their loved ones.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer by Janet Maker, Ph.D., is the most informative book I have read. As a young woman myself, I was impressed with the content inside. The material isn’t boring like most informative books that I come across. It has topics of concern that women should be more aware of and what they can do. Sure, we have heard those things before, but what makes this different than others is that even I, a non cancer victim, can take information from this. There’s a lot about the types of foods, plastic, and carcinogens that we probably ingest every day constantly and not think twice about…that’s what makes this book so important. The layout and words are educational and from a former breast cancer survivor. Maybe, it is also the fact she can write education yet informative books welll. But whatever the case is, this was wonderful to read. As a college student, I was satisfied with the level of material presented to me. It is definitely worth its weight in gold. This isn’t a memoir…it is like a textbook in a way that it alerts the reader to the many issues and factors relating to this cancer and many other cancers as well. I enjoyed reading this. Overall, I highly recommend it to others.

Review: Trees, Rocks, and Beyond (Crater Lake Eruption 1615-1665)

Synopsis:

Crater Lake’s unique beauty is one of Oregon’s greatest natural landmarks. But when did Mount Mazama erupt? Was it 7,700 years ago? Or more recently–maybe 350–400 years ago?

In this volume, Ralph E. Anderson explores this question and comes to a conclusion that may surprise the reader. What do the surrounding standing snags buried in ash have to reveal? Or what of the clues left by Mount Hood’s last eruption, found in Crater Lake’s ash? And what has Mount St. Helens’s recovery taught about nature’s resilience?
Anderson spent the last four years traveling the Pacific Northwest, gathering evidence to discuss Crater Lake’s Trees, Rocks, and Beyond.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Trees, Rocks, and Beyond by Ralph E. Anderson is one of the most interesting nonfiction books that I’ve read. His book is about the crater lake eruption during 1615-1665. This journey was educational as it well entertaining. Imagine searching and finding something tha just doesn’t add up withthe sources found…a hunch plus, findings show it may not be as it was stated. The timing seems off for the amount Mazama eruption. According to sources, it happened 7,700 years ago. But other evidence shows it may have been more recent like 350-400 years ago. I enjoyed following Anderson as spent 4-years gathering evidence on this subject. His travels hooked my curiosity from the beginning. Overall, I would recommend this to title tomreaders everywhere.

Review: Henry and The Hidden Treasure

Synopsis:

Henry and the Hidden Treasure is an imaginative adventure a young child has in defending his pocket money against his little sister. Henry constructs elaborate defensive measures that he is sure will stand up to the clever ambitions of Lucy. Little does he know, Lucy has a few tricks of her own.
With a focus on introducing children to the use of ordinal numbers, Henry and the Hidden Treasure also draws out some important qualities of being a kid – such as creativity, the value of listening to parental advice, and of course, being nice to your sister.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Henry and The Hidden Treasure by B.C.R. Fagan is educational, inspiring, and entertaining. I loved the colorful illustrations and meaningful messages. The plot is enticing. Engaging children to follow along as they read or being read to…the main theme surrounding sibling love was beautifully done. Overall, this is one children’s book that I recommend to readers everywhere.

Review: Professor Ladybug Teaches All About Me

Synopsis:

Welcome to the wonderful world of Professor Ladybug! This simple workbook is designed for children to explore and record facts about themselves, as well as their friends and family.

These 80+ pages are also a great way to build self-esteem and confidence in any young child. Watch them get more confident through exercises that help them explore their favorite things as well as their own family relationships.
The simple activities will provide hours of educational fun for your child and are perfect for home or school. Presented in an easy-to-use format, this workbook is designed primarily for early learners. Even the most reluctant learner will love exploring and learning with Professor Ladybug. Skill areas include:

Self-Esteem
Reading Readiness
Memory Recall
Drawing Skills
Simple Sentences

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Professor Ladybug Teaches All About Me is an excellent workbook for young children. It creates a wide variety of activities that keep them busy. Engaging them to learn, think, write, create, and draw. I love it. The pages cover everything that the children will need to learn more about themselves, their families, pets, friends, and teachers. Color and trace activities inside as well. Creative with a great page layout. Certificates in the back to award to the children upon completing their learning tasks. I wish children’s workbooks were more like this one when I was little. Overall, I highly recommend this one to both teachers and parents alike.

Review: Professor Ladybug Teaches ABC

Synopsis:

The simple activities in this workbook will provide hours of educational fun for your child. These worksheets are perfect for home or school. Young learners will have a blast learning the alphabet with our fun and creative exercises. Presented in an easy-to-use format that allows children to trace, draw, write, and explore simple words and sentences, this illustrated workbook is designed primarily for early learners (ages 3-5).

Skill areas include:

Reading Readiness, Simple Sentences, Beginning Sounds.

These workbook pages are also a great way to build self-esteem and confidence in any young child. Watch them get more confident through exercises that use common animals, foods, and every day objects to make learning easy. There are bonus language games at the end of the workbook to give your learners a little extra practice. Even the most reluctant learner will love exploring and learning the alphabet with Professor Ladybug.

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

Professor Ladybug Teaches ABC is an excellent workbook for teachers and parents to use. The workbook is full of activities that engage children ages 3-5. Every page can be colored by the student or child. Fun games that require the learning of the presented alphabet letter are also on every page. I liked how numbers and letters were combined. Counting, tracing, and writing are able to children in these grades. The only added thing that I would have liked to see was a bit more space for students to practice writing words beginning with the designated letters. The space already provided only gives students a one time chance to practice writing the new words they learned starting with each alphabet letter. Overall, it was well-done, creative, and enjoyable to read. I would recommend Professor Ladybug Teaches ABC to all.

Review: The Monk Woman’s Daughter

Synopsis:

This eye-opening and entertaining first novel paints a vivid picture of the rough-and-tumble of 19th century urban America. Vera St. John is a resourceful girl growing into an unconventional woman. She comes of age through the wild streets of New York City, the quiet rural village of Flatbush, the mob violence of Baltimore, and the turmoil of Washington City during the Civil War, struggling to make her way out of poverty. All the while she hides an explosive secret: she is the daughter of the “infamous Maria Monk” one of the century’s most notorious women. Vera sees her world with irreverence and insight, and comes to learn about the corrosive nature of power, the importance of freedom, and the real meaning of belonging.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Monk Woman’s Daughter by Susan Storer Clark is a historical mystery with a lot of suspense. Keeps readers like myself entertained. The historical parts to this fictional tale was well-researched. I felt like I stepped back to that particular time period. Susan Storer Clark brought up a lot of strong issues that were faced back then into her novel. That was interesting…it felt a little bit like an educational journey but in the most exciting way. One theme was centered around women. How they dealt with the life they were given or stuck within…like the main character, struggling with the weight of her parents. The Monk Woman’s Daughter is an intriguing tale that I recommend all to read.

Review: Trivium AFOQT Practice Test Book

Synopsis:

Trivium Test Prep’s AFOQT Practice Test Book: AFOQT Prep Book with Over 500 Practice Questions for the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test is a comprehensive practice question book offering 500 AFOQT practice questions on the subject matter covered on the PTCB exam.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Trivium Test Prep’s AFOQT Practice Test Book: AFOQT Prep Book with Over 500 Practice Questions for the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test is a compact, nonfiction, study guide ensuring the best tests to pass. This book, is filled with five hundred test questions to help interested individuals study, learn, and pass their certification board examination. Answers to practice tests are included with detailed answers explaining why and how. Overall, this was a great exam booklet containing everything one needs to know to do well.

Review: NYSTCE English Language Arts CST (003)

Synopsis:

NYSTCE English Language Arts CST (003) Study Guide: Rapid Review Test Prep and Practice Questions for the New York State Teacher Certification Examination (003) will provide you with a concise overview of the NYSTCE 003 test, so you know exactly what to expect on test day. We’ll take you through all the concepts covered on the test and give you the opportunity to test your knowledge with practice questions. Even if it’s been a while since you last took a major test, don’t worry; we’ll make sure you’re more than ready!

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Cirrus Test Prep’s NYSTCE English Language Arts CST (003) Study Guide: Rapid Review Test Prep and Practice Questions for the New York State Teacher Certification Examination (003) is an excellent book. It provides interested individuals with the knowledge and practice they need to pass their exam. Inside are two full practice tests as well as essays. Students can review terminology, learn new strategies, and practice taking the tests to pass. The materials on every page were concise and accurate. Detailed. It explains, teaches, and shows examples. I love when test booklets demonstrate those areas well. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to those wanting to be certified teachers in the state of New York.

Review: Excel Formulas that Automate Task You No Longer have Time For

Synopsis:

A Survival Guide To Getting The Most Work Done You Can In The Least Amount of Time

Do you find yourself with more time-consuming work to do in less time than ever?

Are you constantly under time pressure to get “urgent” things out? And then answer a bunch of endless what-if questions that require you to refigure everything out over and over again “urgently”?

Wouldn’t it be good if you had “more resources” to help you out with these endless tedious tasks?

This is definitely possible using automated tools you already have. And this is not complicated.

The fact is, common software you already have provides a great tool to turbo-boost your productivity. MS Excel is the perfect tool for managing and analyzing large amounts of information instantly and accurately. Most people use Excel for simple spreadsheets, tables and charts. Some use it for financial data. But it can do so much more to help you out in your daily grind.

This book will provide you with step-by-step guidance on:

• How to instantly create a spreadsheet which lists files in any drive or folder.
• How to compare lists and look up information in seconds and with no mistakes.
• How to use forms to create thousands of documents with just one click.
• How to convert a simple list into a workable spreadsheet.
• How to find and present information as soon as someone asks for it.

The additional resources you need to get your work done are right at your finger tips.

You can do this too – even if you’ve never done it before.

Give it a try – You will see your productivity, your value, and your stress-level improve!

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Excel Formulas that Automate Tasks You No Longer have Time For by Erik Kopp is a great book. Both educational and a time saver. In my profession, I deal with a lot of data and Excel is one of the best ways to deal with them. However, my knowledge of using it was limited. But after reading this easy to understand guide book, I was learning fast. A time and money saver. Erik Kopp definitely knows his way around Excel. For those in businesses, college, or just starting out as entrepreneurs, this is a must read for you. I enjoyed following along. The pages are concise, detailed, and engaging. I highly recommend it to all.

Review: Ralphy the Rabbit Finds Himself

Synopsis:

It’s never too early for a child to learn to feel special and happy about who they are.
Ralphy the Rabbit has always been self-conscious about his ears because they look like dog ears. He’s ecstatic when Marta finally overlooks them and takes him home from the pet store. But when Oscar the Cat fakes an injury, compelling Marta to neglect Ralphy and nurse a faking Oscar back to health, Ralphy wishes he could speak like the parakeets in the pet store to let Marta know about Oscar.
One day, Ralphy spots a magician on TV, who changes a rabbit into a little girl. That’s it! Ralphy wants the magician to change him into a little boy. He could get rid of his dog-like ears and tell Marta about Oscar! The problem? The magician works far, far away at the flea market and Ralphy has no way to get there.
When an opportunity arises for Ralphy to get a ride to the magician, he and Oscar wind up stranded together on the streets of Orlando. Can Ralphy and Oscar overcome their differences and help each other? Will Ralphy reach the magician?
Join Ralphy and Oscar on their journey of self-discovery where they have the opportunity to learn about friendship, creativity and acceptance and above all, about being comfortable with who they are.
Ralphy the Rabbit: Finds Himself is the first book in the David L Wallace chapter book series. If you like entertaining early reader stories that provides you a way to teach a child to feel good about themselves, then you’ll love David L Wallace’s debut children’s story.
Get Ralphy the Rabbit: Finds Himself and give yourself a fun way to help equip children to navigate their ages 6-8, preteen and coming of age years, today.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Ralphy the Rabbit Finds Himself by by David L. Wallace is a beautifully illustrated children’s book. Inside, are many lessons to learn. Educational and entertaining to follow. Every page is engaging. I couldn’t stop reading it. Major themes of friendship and acceptance are found here. Ralphy the Rabbit is an interesting character. I instantly fell in love. Overall, I recommend this read to readers everywhere.

Review: Web Hosting Guide for Beginners

Synopsis:

Whether you are a startup entrepreneur or a web development agency, picking the right web hosting service will be a key to your success in the business. This will be especially important if you are using the internet to sell your services or products.

However, picking a web hosting service is a difficult decision. You don’t know which is the best web hosting service for your particular use. You are not sure what features you should be looking for. In short, you will probably choose whatever service comes along first and later regret having made the wrong choice.

This guide is intended to help you make an informed decision and pick the right web hosting service for yourself. By the time you are finished reading this book, you will know what you should be looking for in order to make the right decision for your business.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Web Hosting Guide for Beginners by J.D Rockefeller is a great tool. Actually, it’s the one must have tool for those wanting a website. This book guide shows what’s involved and how to go about that process. For those new in the website business world, J.D. Rockefeller makes this easy as pie. His steps and explanations are on the basic level to help everyone understand the content. First step, would be to know what kind of website one is wanting and what they will use it for…then, finding out wether building their own or using a web hosting site is for them. Web hosting can be difficult to follow. Yet, I found that this writer knows his business. The layouts, graphic designing, web hosts and all can be found on these pages. As a blogger, if I had this book when I first started out it would have been great. I have heard so many wanting to do a website but can’t figure it out…and after reading this book, I highly recommend it to all.

Web Hosting Guide for Beginners is narrated by Annilese Rennie. Her soothing voice makes it enjoyable to listen. As I listen, she clearly articulates each word well. Never do I feel bored. Her tone of voice makes learning this topic more engaging. At first, I wasn’t sure weather the audible would be interesting but with Annelise Rennie narrating it for me…I could easily follow along and grasp the terms. The terminology is important for those needing to learn this for themselves or for their businesses. I felt like I wasn’t just listening but being taught. The narrator was an excellent choice for this nonfiction read.

Review: Challenge Your Assumptions, Change Your World

Synopsis:

Andy Cohen, New York Times notable author of Follow the Other Hand, introduces the Assumpt!, a breakthrough way to make better business decisions, faster and smarter.

Orville Wright, co-founder of modern aviation, dismissed the idea of creating a landing strip. He assumed that if man had to smooth out the airstrip, he didn’t deserve to fly. Houdini, master of escapes, didn’t know how to exit a new model car. He assumed that all door handles operated in the same way.Even the smartest, most successful and talented people make assumptions.

Yet good decisions are often stymied by assumptions that go unchecked.So why does this book encourage you to make assumptions? It turns out your assumptions are a key component in your daily decision-making process. But how do you identify your assumptions? How do you separate out those that help or hurt? Build or destroy? Solve problems or create new ones?

This book shows you how to utilize your assumptions productively and in ways you haven’t imagined. Challenge Your Assumptions, Change Your World is full of big ideas–it’s a unique book that will change how you make decisions and in turn increase your success in business and life.

Reviews

“Decisions are only as good as the assumptions they are built on. Cohen shows you which ones to use and which to watch out for. ” –John Danner, UC Berkeley and Princeton faculty member, global advisor and keynote speaker.

“Andy challenged the thinking and attitudes of my team with some real eye-opening consequences. In my experience, it is rare that such an impactful person can translate these skills into written form. Reading this is like he is in the room with you.” –Irene Dorner, former President and Chief Executive Officer of HSBC USA

“The vast majority of security issues we face today stem from misplaced trust assumptions. This is a must-read for the security professional.” –Colonel (Ret.) Greg Conti, Ph.D.

About the Author

Andy Cohen is a popular and recognized TEDx speaker, author, and international thought-leader. He has a degree in experimental psychology and a room full of prestigious advertising awards. Andy has taught at the world’s most respected universities including New York, Cornell, Duke, UC, Berkeley; ISB (India); and CKGSB (China).

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Challenge Your Assumptions, Change Your World by Andy Cohen is exactly that. This is one nonfiction guide that challenges, provokes, and teaches readers. The principles and content inside are based on the writer’s experience. His background in the business world is shown throughout the pages. Easy to follow along. I’m a full-time student and an entrepreneur. This book helped me understand a lot. I always make assumptions more so than my peers. Weeding through the good versus bad assumptions was made easier after reading, Challenge Your Assumptions, Change Your World. Andy Cohen’s book is indeed the best tool for all. Whether you’re a student, work in business, or an entrepreneur, you can easily learn what it takes to keep from making the wrong assumptions. Mistakes happen all the time. But if one could help prevent a good handful from being repeated, then it’s worth it. I really enjoyed following along. The chapters and writing style were well-done. Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere.

Review: Yesterday’s Moments…Today’s Memories

Synopsis:

YESTERDAY’S MOMENTS… Today’s Memories is the third in David Turner’s nostalgic trilogy depicting rural and small-town life in Canada during the last century.

“From as far back as I could recall,” Turner says, “I’d been listening to the stories passed down through generations of my family. As the years went by, an unrelenting passion dictated I record these recollections and the lives of those who lived here. To flourish both intellectually and emotionally, we need to know who we are and where we’ve been.
“One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing is the ability to convey those thoughts to others. Whenever a story is repeated, it rekindles the attribute of something otherwise forgotten. Friends and loved ones pass on, and with the years, our memories fade—but through their stories, the legacy of those who came before can live forever.”
The counties of Grey, York, Peel, Simcoe, and Perth have been home to the Turner family for many decades. In 2014, David and his wife Mary retired to Huron County.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Yesterday’s Moments…Today’s Memories is a great biography and memoir to read. It took me back to the writer’s family history. His roots. Once there, I got to follow some of his ancestors as their lives unfolded before me. Page after page, I was dragged deep into the past. From farming to mechanics, the people inside the book come to life. I loved how David Turner preserved his ancestry and their lives. It thought it was interesting. As I read, I keep making comparisons as to back then versus now. Travel, adventure, exploration….can be found within the book as well. It was even more interesting when big historical moments landed on the pages. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to find that a relative was there the night of Titanic sinking? I thought it was. The lives and cultures as well as the food….was interesting. Yesterday’s Moments…Today’s Memories is a beautifully captured tale of many memories and history…that will lure readers old and young to its pages. Being a millennial, I find anything with the past and past lives as interesting as any of peers find advance technology. David Turner’s writing shows his talent as a story teller. There is so much to be found and learned…I highly recommend this memoir to readers worldwide. Truly a treasure to behold.

Review: Love Your Enemies in Case Your Friends Turn Out to be Bastards (Organizational Case Studies Examining Worksite Politics)

Synopsis:

Know Your Enemies… features two sections written from totally different perspectives, each vantage point designed to assist in the interpretation and survival of worksite politics.

Section One is a collection of 37 Vignettes, some humorous, some not so humorous – anecdotes describing examples of worksite dysfunction, interspersed with diagnostic clarification (summaries every fifth or sixth Vignette) to help generate ideas and increase awareness and knowledge of the ploys utilized by a few to manipulate the unwary.
Section Two is a 180-degree shift in writing style, this time utilizing an integrated methodological approach to examine organization dysfunction and the predators within the infrastructure, and to provide coping strategies/techniques, in essence a cadre of survival skills, to reduce risk of exploitation and increase quality of work life and empowerment.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Love Your Enemies In Case Your Friends Turn Out to be Bastards by Jake Hagerman is quite an interesting read. The book is easily written in a way that anyone can relate to as well as enjoy. Entertaining, informative, and powerful. Tons of situations that are a combination of real and fake that lures readers deeper into the messages being presented. A creative nonfiction piece that is part memoir and part fiction. I found it enlightening. The writer’s experiences were believable. Readers can put themselves into these parts. The understanding and knowledge are clear. Jake Hagerman carefully divided his nonfiction book into two sides. One that shows readers what happens and the other how to survive through those events. Legal, personal, and environmental aspects played an important role in this book. The topic entirely focuses on the mental health care and the work environment. It was great reading the writer’s insights to everything happening. His reflections were deep and thought provoking. The way the professional and personal lives overlapped made this a great book. It was like reading the same content from two perspectives. In the workforce, it’s like a zoo. Without proper organization, communication, and proper strategies nothing will work as effectively or efficiently as it should. I found everything inside motivating. Jake Hagerman was like a coach guiding and showing me the way. Love Your Enemies…is indeed a book that I would recommend to others. Skill sets are crucial and this book helps to build them.

Amazon link: Love Your Enemies

Review: Abduction (How Liberalism Steals Our Children’s Hearts and Minds)

Synopsis:

Abduction issues an Amber Alert for the souls and minds of America’s youth. The book exposes how the liberal Left seeks to brainwash our children. It places a spotlight on the corruption that permeates the entertainment, educational, and judicial systems of our nation. Parents, teachers, and policymakers need to know what is happening right under their noses. Abduction offers a practical guide for fighting back against those who would destroy the moral compasses of our children.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Abduction: How Liberalism Steels Our Children’s Minds and Hearts by both Steve Feazel and Dr. Carol M. Swan is an excellent read. This book is a must have for all readers whether you’re an intrigued conservative on what the liberals have done and are doing or a liberal yourself. Topics like mainstream media, how porn has been incorporated as an approved academic subject and many more. I found myself engaged with the content. Shocking truth…and a lot of research went into writing this. The book not only goes on how liberalism works on spepcific areas but also shows the conservative side as well. I like how the writers brought both sides into the informative piece and not just one sided. However, it does show greatly the side affects of liberalism on every issue. That stunned me. As a conservative myself, there were things…a lot that I wasn’t aware of about both my side and the opposite side. After reading Abduction: How Liberalism Steels Our Children’s Minds and Hearts, I have been reeducated on everything I thought I knew. The writers dive deep, into political, economical, and institutional issues. Education is at the center of it all. Liberals are teaching our kids everywhere more so than conservatives…I can only remember one time a particular teacher tried reinforcing me to believe her perspective on a major topic. That was in my senior year in high school. She thought that if we didn’t accept her policy on the matter than we were wrong. That’s not what teachers are for…they are to teach us subject not force us to accept their beliefs unless enrolled in a religious school. Otherwise the teacher was wrong for what she did. In college, I have not meet any teachers forcing my to accept anything I didn’t agree with…Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers worldwide.

Review: Acanemia

Synopsis:

An irreverent appraisal of America’s higher education players–administrators, faculty, and students–offered by an emeritus professor at a university established in the 1960s.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Acanemia is a fascinating memoir. It took me on a journey to learning about higher education failures. I also got a sneak peak to a liberal instructor’s point of view on education. It was quite an informative read. Lawerence E. Hussman took me through his journey of learning in school while talking about the good and bads of higher education. He doesn’t blame a particular group or institution but explains it’s a group failure. This book discusses the numerous issues facing the American higher education system. I agree with the writer. As an American student, the higher education has many failures indeed. Lawerence E. Hussman goes on with suggestions to reforming the higher education system. One such problem is that school officials have a personal versus inclusive agendas. This a major effect upon education and those earning their education. I found this book to be quite educational. I enjoyed exploring the roles of education and the system itself. Acanemia is a must read whether one is getting their education or working in that field. It’s even beneficial to those looking to solve the issues happening everywhere. Lawerence E. Hussman gives a deeper meaning to the topic. Both drawing from his personal experiences and from what he does as an educator. Overall, I recommend it to all.

Review: Emma has A Dilemma

Synopsis:

Emma has a dilemma, and she doesn’t have a clue what she’s going to do about it! She gets her first F ever on an easy grammar test about nouns and pronouns. Wizard Jake appears out of nowhere when he hears her crying and is willing to help her. He is a genius at grammar and tries patiently to teach her the ins and outs of both nouns and pronouns. Will she learn in time for her make-up test? Or will she end up with a permanent F on her record?

Only this glorious tale about two people from different worlds can answer that question.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Emma has a Dilemma is a unique and engaging children’s book. Inside the story has a rhyming rhythm to it and the words will lead readers into a fascinating world of fiction. A young girl struggling with learning pronouns and nouns finds help in the form of Wizard Jake. He helps Emma learn both common and proper nouns as well as pronouns. Fun, exciting, and educational. I loved reading this illustrated book. It’s easy to follow along and learn new things. I would recommend this book not only to teachers but also to parents everywhere. Great for both inside and out of the classroom. Makes learning entertaining.

Review: Oliver and Jumpy

Synopsis:

Oliver is an elegant tuxedo cat, who is full of himself. As a matter of fact he says: “I love myself!”, quite often. Naughty, isn’t he? But his best friend Jumpy, a kangaroo lady, is aware that he has a soft heart and will always want to help others. The great thing is Jumpy’s pouch, which Oliver loves to ride in! He calls her his kangaroo taxi! These little bedtime stories with their lovely illustrations are great for small kids. A parent can read the text and tell the child in his own words. These animal stories have sufficient text to keep early readers happy and provide some educational value. Love you all! Meow!

Story 52: Oliver the Babysitter – Oliver has to look after his sister’s kittens.

Story 53: Smoke over the Sea – The friends have amazing adventures on an island in the sea.

Story 54: Raindrop – The journey of a raindrop.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Oliver and Jumpy Stories 52-54 make another excellent children’s book. The book like the others before was beautifully illustrated. Each colorful illustration went perfectly with each fascinating tale. Children everywhere will love this new title. Werner Stejskal has once again lured me into his world of fiction. Oliver is a cat and Jumpy is a kangaroo. Both are best friends. Each of them travel to different places and have fun adventures. In this exciting new tale, Olive and Jumpy learn about fire, water droplets, and get to experience babysitting family members. Funny, sweet, and intriguing. This book is highly entertaining as well as engaging. Children will not only enjoy the fun times ahead but learn about different topics as well. Educational and pure enjoyment. Oliver and Jumpy are the best. I highly recommend Werner Stejskal’s well-told stories to readers everywhere. He truly knows how to keep readers interested with each new book.

Review: Unleashing the Intrapreneur

Synopsis:

Millennials desire to be autonomous, be creative, and live meaningful lives. But because current company landscapes impede on that, their career is driven elsewhere, to companies that support their priorities. Companies that welcome and provide Millennials intrapreneurial opportunities entice employees to stay and help the company move forward. Millennials will dedicate futures to companies that stake their confidence in and allocate resources to them. The future of corporate America belongs to the individuals and the companies that embrace the idea of the intrapreneur.

This book is about helping Millennials find their voice, their passion, their vision and aligning these ideas so that they can allow their intrapreneurial spirit to soar and lead them towards a fulfilling career.
Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Unleashing the Intrapreneur by Debbie Wooldridge is an interesting read. This book focuses on the millennial succeeding. This how-to-book isn’t just a business inspiration to the millennial who will be in charge of this world but a way for them to get out there and be successful. It more than just a reading guide that lists and walks them through steps. It gives them critical information to be analyzed and learned. I loved how the chapters were set-up like a workbook. It’s like okay here’s the lecture now, let’s see what you obtained from that lecture. Business won’t work unless there is a passion, voice, and vision behind it. This guide not only informs, but teaches and allows individuals to recognize what they are passionate about and how to go from there. It’s the building block to get up and move forward in the business world. I loved reading Debbie Wooldridge’s book. Her experience and leadership is present throughout this guide. Overall, I recommend it to readers everywhere.

Review: Mastering Online Marketing

Synopsis:

Mastering Online Marketing is the most comprehensive and up-to-date book available on advanced web marketing. It reveals the secrets that can help take your Internet marketing to a new level.

Hundreds of books have been published on online marketing, so what makes this one special? Whether you are new to the subject and looking for a comprehensive overview, or are familiar with the concepts but want to get more from your marketing efforts, with this book, you will learn state-of-the-art techniques and get an actionable and practical knowledge to set up an efficient online marketing system to support and improve your business.

This book describes the latest developments in Internet marketing and provides detailed and practical knowledge that can help you improve your campaigns to get more visitors, leads, and customers. By using these tools and techniques, you can quickly outperform your competition.

Mastering Online Marketing will turn you into an online marketing expert and teach you everything you need to know.

* Learn more about current trends in Internet marketing, including inbound marketing

* Create success by attracting more visitors, improving your leads generation, and using refined leads nurturing with effective email marketing

* Understand what marketing automation is and how new integrated marketing automation systems are changing the game with visitor tracking, progressive lead profiling, and hyper-personalized content

* Get details on search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing, display advertisements, retargeting, remarketing, and search keyword analysis

* Learn best practices in key areas such as blogging, calls-to-action, landing pages and registration forms, and leads nurturing and marketing emails

* Leverage content marketing and learn how to create effective marketing assets like blog articles, eBooks, infographics, white papers, checklists, video tutorials, templates, podcasts, webinars, and more

* Use social media marketing on popular social media and content publishing channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and SlideShare

* Measure website user behavior, online and offline campaign results, and goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) with web analytics using Google Analytics

* Learn more about other tools for Internet marketing, including how to run web surveys and questionnaires, virtual web meetings, and more

* Get an insight into the future of online marketing, where technologies like adaptive media, big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) may enable new ways to profile your audience and send more personalized marketing messages

Mastering Online Marketing covers everything you need to know about advanced web marketing. This is the book to read if you want to quickly learn state-of-the-art techniques and best practices. Build your online marketing success and improve your business right away!

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Mastering Online Marketing by Magnus Unemyr is one of the best nonfiction books I have read. The material covered is plentiful. It covers everything people like myself are deeply interested in as well as what I would need to know. Perfectly packed with useful knowledge. I was amazed at all the topics covered. Magnus Unemyr has created a wonderful book that I can read time and time again. His marketing information is useful for every situation. How to get results, how to work on keeping those results and what to do with those results. A powerful tool for all. Mastering Online Marketing is like taking a college course and hands-on experience all wrapped into one brilliant book. The writer has organized the book into easy to read sections. Readers will have no trouble understanding the material presented. A lot of work went into creating this masterpiece…as a blogger mastering online marketing is a must need skill. I felt more prepared after reading this book. Overall, I highly recommend Mastering Online Marketing by Magnus Unemyr to readers everywhere.

Review: Fukushima and the Coming Tokyo Earthquake

Synopsis:

This book details the story of two earthquakes, one that has already happened and one that is imminent, and their consequences, not only for Japan but also for the rest of the world. It is structured in a way that ‘chunks up’ in sections, from Japanese cultural elements, to the sequence of events after the earthquake and reactor meltdowns, through to global consequences of the two quakes.

The radioactive leaks from the Fukushima reactors have led to an abandonment of nuclear power by many countries. This will have consequences in a world where exponential use of fossil fuels is causing global warming. In addition, this book shows that the world’s advanced economies are heavily dependent on Japanese technology and components, supplies of which will be seriously restrained when a large earthquake strikes near Tokyo. The cost of rebuilding one of the world’s biggest metropolises after a large earthquake has been estimated at up to $1.45 trillion, around a third of Japan’s GDP. At least part of this amount will likely come from selling a portion of Japan’s $1 trillion in US treasury bonds. This is turn will have knock-on effects on the world’s fragile economies.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Fukushima and the Coming Tokyo Earthquake by Tony Smyth is a great informative yet educational read. There’s a lot that many such as myself don’t know that about the situation ahead. Tony Smyth provides stunning questions that all would have while reading his book. But he also goes on to explain the answers. Each chapter was well-organized and easy to digest.

Earthquake disasters, financial costs, and the potential damages caused by such natural disasters are all covered inside this book. Technology lies in Japan. The same technology most of the world relies on…yet it’s located where the most damage can be done. Why? Imagine relying on one resource then it being destroyed. Humans think nature is not worth taking serious until it happens to them. Peoples lives are in danger due to companies not doing what they should. Currently studying PR and this book shows horrifying PR situations. Deadly…costly…and shocking. The truths and dangers are quite interesting. Economies are already in bad shape then Fukushima provides a nightmare revelation that that can make economies disappear. Tony Smyth’s writing style was not boring, it was intriguing. I had to keep on reading until the end of the book. Readers will want to read this. I recommend it to all.

Review: The Rantings of an Uneducated Reactionary

Synopsis:

These days, there is no such thing as politics as usual. So Americans who care about the future of this country need books on politics that don’t pull any punches. The Rantings of an Uneducated Reactionary comes out swinging and doesn’t stop till the last page. These political, ideological, and philosophical essays are like nothing readers have ever seen. After three decades of writing on these topics, author Oscar J. Phillips delivers incisive analysis, using humor and curve balls to keep readers on their toes. At times, readers may feel their blood boil as they read the in-your-face, put-you-on-the-spot truth, but Phillips’s controversial stance offers truth that can’t be denied. He does not dance around taboo or provocative subjects but instead offers refreshingly undiluted conservativism with super-sharp accuracy. As unorthodox as The Rantings of an Uneducated Reactionary may be, it nevertheless fills a gap in political literature. Phillips offers unconventional political thoughts printed nowhere else.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Rantings of an Uneducated Reactionary by Oscar J. Phillips is an interesting read. It brings up a lot of strong issues that can bring heated arguments towards one’s way, if spoken. However, I found that what the writer mentioned was true. It’s scary to know any writer writing about politics and government stuff to mention things one already agrees or disagrees to. When it comes to these topics, I want to say I know what they are…but when discussing it to an opposer it’s hard to really discuss something I only know pieces about…that’s where this book comes in handy. I found myself intrigued and educated. Plenty of topics to keep readers turning the pages and rereading it. The Rantings of an Uneducated Reactionary is am excellent choice for learning, discovering, and exploring topics like socialism, race, liberalism an many others. Readers may find themselves familiar with such terminology but really how much do readers really, and I mean honestly know about them? Oscar J. Phillips created the best handy book for readers everywhere to take with them knowledge and an education over some issues. I enjoyed reading this book, and I recommend it to all.

Review: Oliver and Jumpy (46-48)

Oliver and Jumpy - the Cat Series, Stories 46-48, Book 16: Bedtime stories for children in illustrated picture book with short stories for early readers. (Oliver and Jumpy, the cat series) by [Stejskal, Werner]

Synopsis:

Story 46: Saving Fairyland – The queen of fairyland asks Oliver to help them against the magician.

Story 47: Cat King – Oliver becomes a king for a short while, and even gets married.

Story 48: Gnomes – Oliver’s oak tree receives surprise visitors.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Oliver and Jumpy volumes 46-48 by Werner Stejskal is brilliant. Once again the bright colors and beautiful illustrations lured me further into the adventure ahead. I found myself excited to where and what Oliver (the cat) and his friend Jumpy (the kangaroo) were up to next. This time, readers are brought to another quest to save others, enjoy being royalty, and head back to Oliver’s treehouse. Oliver is a cat that all will love. He’s brave, smart, and a good cat. Jumpy the Kangaroo is also just as brave, smart, and good. They not only make great friends but good heroes. Children everywhere will love these characters. The tales are entertaining, educational, and fascinating to read. Each adventure is thrilling and will leave children in suspense as the stories unfold. Never a dull moment with this amazing duo. Overall, I highly recommend this book to all.

Review: Light

Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age by [Watson, Bruce]

Synopsis:

Light begins at Stonehenge, where crowds cheer a solstice sunrise. After sampling myths explaining First Light, the story moves on to early philosophers’ queries, then through the centuries, from Buddhist temples to Biblical scripture, when light was the soul of the divine.
Battling darkness and despair, Gothic architects crafted radiant cathedrals while Dante dreamed a “heaven of pure light.” Later, following Leonardo’s advice, Renaissance artists learned to capture light on canvas. During the Scientific Revolution, Galileo gathered light in his telescope, Descartes measured the rainbow, and Newton used prisms to solidify the science of optics. But even after Newton, light was an enigma. Particle or wave? Did it flow through an invisible “ether”? Through the age of Edison and into the age of lasers, Light reveals how light sparked new wonders–relativity, quantum electrodynamics, fiber optics, and more.

Although lasers now perform everyday miracles, light retains its eternal allure. “For the rest of my life,” Einstein said, “I will reflect on what light is.” Light explores and celebrates such curiosity.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Light by Bruce Watson is a phenomenal read. This book covers everything about Light. Light has always gotten the best of our curiosity. Light can be many things and taken in many different ways. I was amazed at all of the topics covered about light in this title. From science to history perspectives on light…readers will not only be informed, educated, but also entertained. Fans of history will immediately love this book as much I have reading it. Then there’s the fact that humans have yet to know all there is about light. Measuring it, to capturing it, and then to creating our own light. Many well-known names of scientists and others are mentioned throughout the book. Instantly upon having opened Light, I have gone on a journey of rediscovering and understanding it in more than one way. Bruce Watson has wonderfully crafted an exciting and refreshing detailed book on light. Overall, I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it to all.

Review: The Holocaust (History & Memory)

The Holocaust: History and Memory by [Black, Jeremy M.]

Synopsis:

Brilliant and wrenching, The Holocaust: History and Memory tells the story of the brutal mass slaughter of Jews during World War II and how that genocide has been remembered and misremembered ever since. Taking issue with generations of scholars who separate the Holocaust from Germany’s military ambitions, historian Jeremy M. Black demonstrates persuasively that Germany’s war on the Allies was entwined with Hitler’s war on Jews. As more and more territory came under Hitler’s control, the extermination of Jews became a major war aim, particularly in the east, where many died and whole Jewish communities were exterminated in mass shootings carried out by the German army and collaborators long before the extermination camps were built. Rommel’s attack on Egypt was a stepping stone to a larger goal—the annihilation of 400,000 Jews living in Palestine. After Pearl Harbor, Hitler saw America’s initial focus on war with Germany rather than Japan as evidence of influential Jewish interests in American policy, thus justifying and escalating his war with Jewry through the Final Solution. And the German public knew. In chilling detail, Black unveils compelling evidence that many everyday Germans must have been aware of the genocide around them. In the final chapter, he incisively explains the various ways that the Holocaust has been remembered, downplayed, and even dismissed as it slips from horrific experience into collective consciousness and memory. Essential, concise, and highly readable, The Holocaust: History and Memory bears witness to those forever silenced and ensures that we will never forget their horrifying fate.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Holocaust: History & Memory by Jeremy Black is one that I will forever behold. This book contains so much history and memories during one of the most horrifying moments in history. Jeremy Black has brilliantly put together a great study of the Holocaust for readers everywhere to revisit and learn. His writing is direct, concise, and very detalied. I am never giving up this book. There is so much to read. The information contained in this reading material is stunning. I was surprised it wasn’t thicker with all that was inside of it. The journey back in time and across nations and other countries was remarkable. The Holocaust always brings up the dreaded nightmares and terrors that noone wants to remember. All the innocent lives that were taken in mass killings is something that all should never forget. We need to be reminded of the hows and why and to learn that we shouldn’t ever allow something like that to occur ever again. The Holocaust: History & Memory is a strong and superb book. I highly recommend this read to all. Jeremy Black’s work is one to take seriously and read.Educational, informative, and a remembrance of such nightmares…

Review: Simply Faulkner

Simply Faulkner by [Weinstein, Philip]

Synopsis:

Nobel Laureate and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner William Faulkner (1897–1962) was one of America’s greatest and most celebrated writers, whose work reflects and, at the same time, questions the South’s most deeply held values. His novel The Sound and the Fury is frequently cited as one of the best books of all time, and all of his works powerfully explore complex societal and family issues that continue to be relevant in our own day. Yet, because of his decidedly difficult, stream-of-consciousness style, Faulkner’s books remain sadly unknown to many readers.

In Simply Faulkner, author Philip Weinstein not only helps us understand these challenging works, but also explains why Faulkner had to write them as he did, in an effort to capture the sheer abundance and unruliness of life. Further, in his exploration of the author’s own colorful life—including decades of working for a film industry he despised—Weinstein reveals a fascinating connection between Faulkner’s troubled personal biography and his groundbreaking fiction.

The goal of Simply Faulkner is not to simplify the author, but, rather, to create a framework that allows us to comprehend him in his own idiosyncratic way. It strives to show us the real Faulkner—warts and complications and all—and to demonstrate why his brilliant masterpieces still speak to us in a deeply meaningful way.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Simply Faulkner by Philip Weinstein is an exploration into Faulkner and his life as he grew up in the South. Faulkner took what was happening around him and his feelings on these matters and portrayed into his poetry and fiction. The time periods of when Faulkner was born and where he grew up deeply shows readers why Faulkner wrote the way he did. This was book was a great way to dive into the famous writer’s life, background, and history. The writing was super easy to understand and follow along. Faulker instantly became more than just a mastery legend writer. Here, he became a man growing through and witnessing life as we know it to be. His frustrations at the lie around him clearly popped up within all of his writings where he could share them with the world. Simply Faulkner is a brilliant nonfiction book. Both education and entertaining. I was immediately fascinated with Faulkner, his writings, and his background. Philip Weinstein has woven a journey that readers will take part in time after time. Truly an unforgettable portrait of a well-known writer and poet captured in this book. Overall, I highly recommend this read to readers everywhere.

Review: Intensive Therapy

Intensive Therapy by [Deitz, Jeffrey]

Synopsis:

Intensive Therapy provides an intimate picture of a multifaceted relationship, written in a similar vein to modern classics such as The Prince of Tides and Ordinary People. Cerebral but grounded in the real world, Intensive Therapy will appeal to readers who enjoy close character study and the pleasure of a heady, cultured read.

Intensive Therapy follows the relationship of Dr. Jonas Speller and Victoria Schine-Bloch, an analyst and his patient, over twenty years in their interconnected lives. The story moves back and forth in time, alternating between the early 1980s. Then back to when both are becoming adults and professionals, and the last months of 2004, as each struggles to address ongoing family crises.

As a young woman, Victoria’s toxic relationship with her parents threatened her college education and her life, and Jonas helped her find the independence and strength to start anew. In return, her candor and insight helped the budding doctor see the flaws in his training and develop a new, better path. As mature adults with successful careers, Victoria reappears to ask for Jonas’s help with her troubled teenage daughter. When tragedy nearly takes the lives of both her children, Jonas must act quickly to save the woman who made him the man he has become.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Intensive Therapy by Jeffrey Deitz is stunning. It has opened up my eyes to a whole new topic such as psychotherapy. This was an area completely foreign to me and was interesting to read about in a fictional sense. The relationship between the doctor and client blurred over the normal lines of professionalism. Something deeper and crazier happened between the doctor and client. Here, inside this novel, readers will get a taste of what happens when two people allow themselves to get more involved than normal. A doctor leans more away from his current practice and more towards a new direction. However, that doesn’t occur until his most recent client, Victoria comes to him. She brings about changes in life that affect his work and changes him as an individual. Victoria has several issues and worries. But that’s what Jonas is for…to help her solve those issues and make her life a lot easier to handle. I have found this tale beautifully written with humor. The characters’ journeys have started out rough but soon have smoothed out in the end. The dynamics of life keep not only the characters puzzled but the readers as well. Interesting, suspenseful, and addictive to read. Intensive Therapy by Jeffrey Deitz is indeed a must read for all. I highly recommend it.

Review: The Game Master

The Game Master by [Copsey, Ian D.]

Synopsis:

Tired of arguing over which of them was the best gamer, Josh, and Alex stumbled upon a
new video game shop, run by an enigmatic Japanese shopkeeper. He was to be
their Game Master in this virtual reality video game that had no game controls.
Little did they know it was a game that would change their lives, of their
friends… and enemies… forever.

“Oh! This game is no ordinary game,” The Game Master explained, “It reads your thoughts,
seeks out your weaknesses to provide you with challenges.”

“It can read our minds?” puzzled the boys. As they progressed through the
game’s levels they discovered more about those around them. Then, mysteriously,
the Game of Life began to spread its influence beyond Josh and Alex’s lives and
to their friends.

From switching roles with each other, campfire frolics and ghostly stories from
their teachers, the Game Master’s zany antics as he hosted a T.V. game show,
“Hiro’s Happy Heroes.”

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Game Master by Ian Copsey is an adventure that readers won’t ever forget. The story is about gaming. Two boys who are looking for a game that will test their every skill. However, with everything there are always consequences and this book focuses highly on the consequences of the choices each of the two boys made. Little do they know they each choice affects their real lives and the people they care about…

The Game Master is brilliantly well-told. A highly engaging read that all YA lovers will enjoy. Virtual reality games have just taken on a whole new level. The game the two boys take on brings them awareness and lesson on real life issues. The game of life sort of challenges both boys to become better individuals. I truly enjoyed watching the two friends compete against one another and then to mature at the ending. It was a great journey as well as character transformation. They started out as selfish and self-centred to developing a friendly and honest relationship. Readers will love this story. It was fast-paced, entertaining, and suspenseful. Ian Copsey is indeed a talented writer who brings forth an educational yet thrilling read. Overall, I highly recommend The Game Master to all.

Review: Gods, Empire, & Shifting Trade Routes

Synopsis:

In approximately 200 pages, this book seems to describe what 200,000 pages could not come close to adequately holding: the history of the world. Featured in this brief ride through the human condition: why over 40% of the world speaks in tongues descended from an obscure tribe called the Indo-Europeans, how political violence escalated in a three-part ancient republic, the African king whose massive wealth caused inflation when he traveled abroad, the probability that you are personally related to Genghis Khan, how the coming of Islam influenced Java’s shadow theater, how Sub-Saharan Africans were visiting Europe long before Europeans “discovered” Sub-Saharan Africa, the six foot eight giant who collected midgets while also making Russia a great power, Britain’s wars with China over their right to sell illegal drugs, the CIA intervention in order to secure a monopoly for a fruit company, Soviet jokes, and the African World War. Also mentioned is all the stuff you know already: the origins of the major world religions, Ancient Greece and Rome, Charlemagne, the French Revolution, World War One and World War Two, including the part of WWII between China and Japan that had a death toll estimated around 20 million.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Gods, Empire, and Shifting Trade Routes by Matthew Crowe is the book to read. It’s a small nonfiction book that contains history from the beginning to this very time period that we’re in now…Excellent way of condensing all of history into a brief easy to read style. I love the fact that readers can learn more and watch how the four major parts that created the world the way it is, evolve. These four areas are known as religion, politics, economics, and last but not least culture. All of these specific areas are the domination for wat made humans do what they did and still do today. It helped build the social institutions we know. Like our governments. Every part of the world there is some kind of government in existence. Another brilliant part of this book is that it answers the who, what, when and where questions. I love history and this is brilliant. I found words that pop up in my studies since I was in middle school to now in college. The writer, Matthew Crowe, goes on to explains these common terms that are essential to readers’ knowledge of the world and history. Third reason, I am enamoured with this nonfiction piece is that it takes readers deep into the world’s culture and environments. Can you imagine how some of the most magnificent architecture were built and why? Matthew Crowe had a goal in mind and he succeeded in doing just that. I was blown away by all the topics he managed to cover in this brief edition. I hope he creates another edition exploring other parts that were not highlighted within this one so as to cover all parts. Overall, as a history lover, this was one of the best condensed editions of history,that I have run across. Highly recommend Gods, Empire, and Shifting Trade Routes to all.

Review: Beyond the Gray Leaf

Synopsis:

Walt Whitman, John Burroughs, and J.P. Irvine represent a handful of the thousands of government clerks who worked in Washington, D.C., after the Civil War. But Irvine, a small-town poet from the Illinois prairies, was the one selected to address President Ulysses S. Grant and a crowd of 10,000 on Memorial Day 1873. Those words were lost, along with the legacy of the man. Until now.

Dustin Renwick tracked down that piece and more for his book, which explores Irvine’s life from his pioneer upbringing in western Illinois to his years in the nation’s capital. The poet excelled in his depictions of the Civil War, and the Chicago Tribune called some of Irvine’s nature poems “nearly pure gold.”

Beyond the Gray Leaf weaves biography and historical context with the rediscovered poems of this forgotten literary figure from 19th-century America.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Beyond the Gray Leaf by Dustin Renwick is a fascinating book. One that contains a collection of poems that readers everywhere can loose themselves within and enjoy. This book represents a poet’s life story and the poems he wrote. A wonderful way of bringing poetry to readers worldwide. Dustin Renwick knew exactly how to put together an educational yet entertaining read. It was like stepping back in time. Each word took me into the story and poetry presented to me. Each poem was beautifully written. I love poetry and this was by the best book I have seen featuring a poet. Overall, I highly recommend Beyond the Gray Leaf to all readers.

Review: Seashell Meditations for Children

Synopsis:

A Seashell Meditation for Children combines the entire 10 story collection into one. Now, you get 10 fun and interactive stories that introduced meditation for beginners in the form of a short story rhymes using a seashell as an interactive tool for focus and fun all in one book. Reading the story to the child will guide them through a creative journey as the story takes them to exciting places to use their imaginations and explore. With each story, there is a QR code available to scan with your smart device for background meditation music and sounds while reading the book to the child. There are so many benefits of meditation. It helps to relax kids, teach mindfulness meditation and can create a practice that lasts a lifetime.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Seashell Meditations for Children by Patricia May is a collection of ten short stories. Each story is different, yet each one involves a seashell. The stories are imaginative, creative, and fun. Children everywhere will enjoy following along whether they are read to or they read it themselves. The illustrations are pretty and fit in well with each short tale. Beautiful colors on every page. Relaxing, educational, and well-done. Patricia May has created a book that both parents and children will love to read and explore together. I love how descriptive the stories are. I felt like I could hear and see everything described. Peaceful and highly engaging. Seashell Meditations for Children is a must read for all. I highly recommend it.

Review: Under the Sea (Coloring Book for Children)

Synopsis:

A Seashell Meditation for Children, Under the Sea, is a unique coloring activity book that contains a short meditation story rhyme using a seashell as a tool for focus and concentration. With a simple and easy meditation technique, even the youngest children can engage and have fun. The book encourages the child to use their imagination while listening to the story as it is being read. The child then can color the pages that corresponds with the meditation story as well as create their own images in spaces provided. Mindfulness meditation techniques help to relax kids, creates many benefits of meditation, and encourages the child to engage and participate. Very interactive and fun for all.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Under the Sea is an excellent coloring book for children everywhere. Inside are pages filled with engaging rhymes, thinking activities, and hands-on skilled activities. Each page has a different request. Hours of coloring…relaxing images. Numbers, rhymes, and questions. Color, count, listen, read, and put your drawing skills to test. I love it. Imaginative…great for children of all ages. Amazing illustrations to fill in with color. Children will be busy filling this creative, inspiring and meditating coloring book. Perfect children’s coloring book for any situation that kids can take with them anywhere. Also, I loved the variety of sea wildlife that’s on every page. Overall, Under the Sea is the perfect coloring book for children. I highly recommend it to all.

Review: Blind Thrust

Synopsis:

Horrific earthquakes are devastating the Front Range between Denver and Colorado Springs in an area long believed to be seismically quiescent. They are being generated by ruptures along cryptic, mysterious, deeply buried thrust faults (blind thrusts) that, unlike many faults, do not break the surface during large-scale seismic events. Somehow the cause of the unusual earthquakes must be unraveled and the cataclysms stopped before they result in more carnage and devastation. But are they the result of natural tectonic adjustments, hydro-fracking, conventional subsurface sequestering, or clandestine operations?

Environmental Geologist Joe Higheagle is on a mission to find out the answer. But he soon finds himself in a deadly duel of wits against powerful forces. With his team of techie sleuths, Higheagle goes toe to toe against his adversaries while grappling to collect, analyze, and leverage the scientific data needed to prove his case. But at every turn he is thwarted by his shadowy enemy and, with the cataclysms worsening, he may not have enough on his side to solve the mystery and save Colorado from more devastation.

Can he solve the enigma of the earthquakes and gather enough evidence to stop those responsible? Will the tremors continue to wreak death and mayhem across the Front Range? Or will Higheagle and his outgunned team be defeated and ultimately crushed by their adversaries? If the earthquakes are not stopped, thousands more will perish and more towns and homes will be destroyed, leaving countless injured and homeless as well as untold financial damage across the Front Range. But can the resourceful Higheagle and his team stop those responsible? In the end, all they can do is try.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Once again, Samuel Marquis has presented a masterpiece to readers worldwide. His latest novel, Blind Thrust, is another earth shattering thriller. What I love best about this new bestselling writer’s work, is how he incorporates his knowledge of geology into his writing. An interesting fact for readers that haven’t read any book by Samuel Marquis is that Blind Thrust was also the name of a manuscript. One that was stolen from the main character, Nick Lassiter in The Slush Pile Brigade. I love the style of writing found in each of the thrillers. The characters are believable and the scenes are action packed. Fast-paced and well-written. Readers of all ages can find Blind Thrust highly engaging, intriguing, and educational.

Danger, suspense, and a journey like no other…all inside Blind Thrust. Humans versus mother nature. Adventure, science, and a crime that will keep readers hooked. From the beginning to the end, I found myself lured. A plot that pulls readers into the path of life and death. A place in Colorado is experiencing some mother nature disasters that can turn deadly…but what’s added to the danger ahead is that humans are making worse. One man of science and his friends are hoping to stop that group of humans before all is too late. Survival of the people who live nearby the area, of destruction, are all on the line. Can Joe Higheagle come to the rescue in time or will it be too late? Overall, I loved Samuel Marquis’s novel, and I highly recommend it to all.

Review: Only in Naples

Synopsis:

Full of lighthearted humor, sumptuous food, the wisdom of an Italian mother-in-law, and all the atmosphere of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, this warm and witty memoir follows American-born Katherine Wilson on her adventures abroad. Thanks to a surprising romance—and a spirited woman who teaches her to laugh, to seize joy, and to love—a three-month rite of passage in Naples turns into a permanent embrace of this boisterous city on the Mediterranean.

When I saw the sea at Gaeta, I knew that Naples was near and I was coming home.

“There is a chaotic, vibrant energy about Naples that forces you to let go and give in,” writes Katherine, who arrives in the city to intern at the United States Consulate. One evening, she meets handsome, studious Salvatore and finds herself immediately enveloped by his elegant mother, Raffaella, and the rest of the Avallone family. From that moment, Katherine’s education begins: Never eat the crust of a pizza first, always stand up and fight for yourself and your loved ones, and consider mealtimes sacred—food must be prepared fresh and consumed in compagnia.

Immersed in Neapolitan culture, traditions, and cuisine, slowly and unexpectedly falling for Salvatore, and longing for Raffaella’s company and guidance, Katherine discovers how to prepare meals that sing, from hearty, thick ragù to comforting rigatoni alla Genovese to pasta al forno, a casserole chock-full of bacon, béchamel, and no fewer than four kinds of cheeses. The secret to succulent, tender octopus? Beat it with a hammer. While Katherine is used to large American kitchens with islands and barstools, she understands the beauty of small, tight Italian ones, where it’s easy to offer a taste from a wooden spoon.

Through courtship, culture clashes, Sunday services, marriage, and motherhood (in Naples, a pregnancy craving must always be satisfied!), Katherine comes to appreciate carnale, the quintessentially Neapolitan sense of comfort and confidence in one’s own skin. Raffaella and her famiglia are also experts at sdrammatizzare, knowing how to suck the tragedy from something and spit it out with a great big smile. Part travel tale, part love letter, Only in Naples is a sumptuous story that is a feast for the senses. Goethe said, “See Naples and die.” But Katherine Wilson saw Naples and started to live.

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Only in Naples by Katherine Wilson is a surprising memoir that took me on a fabulous journey to Naples, Italy. There I followed a young woman who has just graduated and decided to intern in a foreign country like her parents did. This read was full of adventure and unexpected moments. Like when crumbs from the main character’s piazza fell, into her lap and the next moment a young woman sitting next to her reaches down by her crotch area…was like omg….what?! Then there was the car ride with the wind howling loud and she mentions marriage to a Neopolitan man like this: marriage…us? The answer was fine. Okay fine. Crazy, exciting, and definitely a memorable ride as readers like myself follow the American woman’s experiences living in Italy. The cultural, food, and language kept me turning the pages. Little by little I was learning words here and there in the Italian language. Not only was Only in Naples an entertaining read but also an educational one too. I loved reading this title that was brilliantly written by Katherine Wilson. Overall, I highly recommend this to readers everywhere.

Review: Reckless Traveler

Synopsis:

Reckless Traveler: an autobiographical novel of adventuring in South America, sure to delight anyone with a passport.

Perú and beyond: Through the alchemy of travel, youthful folly may bring disaster or wisdom . . . and more.

The instructional travel guide for aspiring backpackers: learn how to bribe police, avoid malaria, and find employment abroad — and what to do (and not to do) when armed mercenaries detain your charter bus.

Awaken your inner explorer with Walter Rhein’s Reckless Traveler, expat tales from a decade of discovery.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein is definitely a must read. For those who want to travel far and experience another country…well, here’s the chance. Inside this brilliant well-written autobiography, Walter Rhein takes readers, into the world full of action, danger, and suspense. I didn’t know quite what to expect…well maybe things like trouble speaking a foreign language and surviving the hardships that pop up when one travels so far from home. This nonfiction book was highly entertaining. Every page took on a different turn in Walter Rhein’s journey as he lives and travels within South America. The culture and language wrapped inside are amazing. Disasters seem to happen a lot but one can definitely learn lessons as they move through this title. Funny, well-done, and intriguing. Overall, I would highly recommend this adventure to readers everywhere.

Review: Unusal Love Story

Synopsis:

Lonely, widowed, and desperately poor, seventy-three-year-old Miriam is used to living a life of isolation. But when she comes across a lost traveler one stormy night, she knows she must do the right thing, so she invites the stranger into her modest home for a bite of food until the weather passes.

The man, Raja, is tall, handsome, and respectful—with a manner unlike anyone from the small village where Miriam lives. But even greater surprises await when the two arrive back at her residence and Raja reveals a seemingly impossible past—and claims he has known and loved Miriam almost her entire life.

Set against the exotic backdrop of Central Asia in the 1940s, Unusual Love Story is a mythical tale featuring thought-provoking wisdom on love, spirituality, and what it truly means to be human. In a unique take on romantic storytelling, this sweeping novel introduces readers to a magical new world where immortal creatures can shift between man and beast—and compassion and kindness break the barriers that so often separate us as human beings.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Unusual Love Story by A. Amos is definitely an interesting and intriguing read for all. From the beginning of its tale, I was immersed deeply into a woman’s harsh lifestyle and the why’s of how she is living like she has. I remember studying about Central Asia, how low caste people are treated among their own. It’s heartbreaking…the woman and her family were just trying to be good humans and yet people cruelty caused the death of her family and others. Tragedy strikes hard in situations like that. I can only imagine the fictional character’s pain as those evil moments are replayed in her mind. My heart and sympathy went out to her immediately. Another character that sparks interest is the male stranger, Raja. It’s soon revealed that he’s not just a human but also, a king Cobra. At first, this frightens Miriam but soon fear subsides. Here, I find fantasy and sorcery brought into the plot. The writing goes back and forth between the past and present moments. Raja goes on to say that life gives us harsh tests in our lifetime to prove how strong we are in our belief of the higher power. I believed this fictional character was indeed right. A woman once 74 years-old turned back into her 18-year-old self. Making love to Raja, the king cobra all night long…when she wakes, they both head out of her hut and travel. For those who don’t like snakes…beware, this novel, is full of them. Raja, after all, is a king cobra.

Readers like myself not only get a tutorial about snakes and power but also on love and humanity. Unusual Love Story is indeed just that. There is so much for Miriam to learn and so much that Raja shares with her that it’s hard not to be fascinated by everything. The story is mostly Miriam asking Raja questions and he answers them in a philosophical way. Readers are told about others around the world. It’s like traveling without ever leaving one’s home. This is the most unusual love story that I have ever read. It combines a few genres into one making for an enchanting story. Inside this beautiful romance, readers will be awed by this writer’s talent. Instantly, I was mesmerized by the plot and characters. The scenes unfolded before me like they were, of my own memories. The story will captivate and keep readers hooked. Unusual Love Story dips readers into a different culture that is both educational and richly entertaining. Overall, I highly recommend this stunning tale to readers worldwide.

Review: Caesar and Cato (The Road to Empire)

Synopsis:

This is a story, a true story which I always think are the best of stories. A Story of Ancient Rome. An Adventure Story, perhaps?

It is a story of two protagonists, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Cato. They represented two opposing philosophies, both dedicated to the same end, the recovery of the health of the Roman Republic which was in their day unwell. Both men were fighters, Caesar on the battlefield where he was arguably the greatest tactician ever and certainly of his times, and plucked many a victory from the jaws of defeat. Cato fought in the Senate. There he opposed Caesar and everything he stood for. This is their story.

The book takes the form of alternating chapters written by each of the two protagonists, the Chapter Headings, indicating, who is writing and the main subject matter of the chapter.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Caesar and Cato: Road to Empire by Brain Igoe is well-written. The book’s chapters are well-developed in a way that readers can easily dive right into this history moment and be taken back in time. A time that brings us to two important men in Ancient Rome. There’s the famous Caesar the man of many battles that everyone knows like the back of their hand and then there’s Marcus Cato who brings up the other side of the perspective. Two educated men who fight for what they believe in…

I love anything that deals with real life people and events. Brian Igoe’s brilliant writing has taken me back to Rome where a government very much like what we have today existed…it was the basis to other governments around the world. Ancient Rome was a vast empire reaching far and wider than readers can imagine. I was swallowed up whole from page one until the last page. The viewpoints from each man was another thing that hit home with me when reading this brilliant informative of Caesar and Cato as well as the empire the served to help succeed. Each man has his own way of being successful and brings a different approach, to life, and the causes they fight for…and as it happens each man believes in the opposite thing which brings me to the reality of the here and now. It’s funny how history comes alive not just in the words that pop off the pages but in how they have shaped the world we live in now…we can see bits and pieces of how it all fits like a puzzle. As a reader of all genres, I was immensely taken in with this nonfictional piece. It’s educational, entertaining, and informative. Unlike many of its kind, that is dull and boring…Caesar and Cato: Road to Empire is exciting. An easy read for anyone who loves history, important figures, and wants to learn more about what it was really like back in Ancient Rome for these two men and their people. Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers worldwide.

Review: Behave

Synopsis:

“The mother begins to destroy the child the moment it’s born,” wrote the founder of behaviorist psychology, John B. Watson, whose 1928 parenting guide was revered as the child-rearing bible. For their dangerous and “mawkish” impulses to kiss and hug their child, “most mothers should be indicted for psychological murder.”

Behave is the story of Rosalie Rayner, Watson’s ambitious young wife and the mother of two of his children.

In 1920, when she graduated from Vassar College, Rayner was ready to make her mark on the world. Intelligent, beautiful, and unflappable, she won a coveted research position at Johns Hopkins assisting the charismatic celebrity psychologist John B. Watson. Together, Watson and Rayner conducted controversial experiments on hundreds of babies to prove behaviorist principles. They also embarked on a scandalous affair that cost them both their jobs—and recast the sparkling young Rosalie Rayner, scientist, and thinker, as Mrs. John Watson, wife and conflicted, maligned mother, just another “woman behind a great man.”

With Behave, Andromeda Romano-Lax offers a provocative fictional biography of Rosalie Rayner Watson, a woman whose work influenced generations of Americans, and whose legacy has been lost in the shadow of her husband’s. In turns moving and horrifying, Behave is a richly nuanced and disturbing novel about science, progress, love, marriage, motherhood, and what all those things cost a passionate, promising young woman.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Behave by Andromeda Romano-Lax is definitely a must read for all women. This fictional biography piece is a fascinating historical tale that will drag readers down one promising young woman’s life as one life moment spins her whole life downward…

Andromeda Romano-Lax’s stunning novel portrays a woman’s ambition, work, and motherhood. Behave explores the psychological, emotional, and ethical ways of a smart, attractive, and independent woman. A well-known scientist soon falls into motherhood by accident…and now she’s living, behind a man as nothing more than a shadow. As a student studying sociology, communications, and education this novel….was beyond amazing. It informs, educates, and shows readers…what life was like for women like Rosalie Rayner. Readers will be spellbound by this magnificent story. A most compelling and well-written novel. Overall, I highly recommend Behave to readers everywhere.

Urban Book Reviews

We review books in every genre by both bestselling and indie authors.

Tag Archives: Educational

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Review: Under the Sea (Coloring Book for Children)

Review: Only in Naples

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