The Christmas List

Title: The Christmas List Author: Richard Paul Evans Genre:  Holiday, Fiction Length: 349 pages (hardback) Rating: 3 out of 5

James Kier is a busy real estate executive with a wife, son...and...girlfriend.  Kier and his girlfriend make plans to go away for the weekend, after he meets with his wife to review the final divorce settlement.  Kier arrives early and while waiting for his girlfriend, falls asleep.  He wakes up in the morning to discover that she never arrived.  The next thing he knows the paper has run his obituary.

Kier goes online where he sees all kinds of comments pouring in about him.  These are comments that you don't want to read about yourself.  The ones that are defending him and who he is, or really who he was, are from his wife.  The person who he served divorce papers to the day she had her first chemotherapy treatment.  The one who he just had a divorce settlement conversation with the day before.

Kier decides he wants to change his legacy.  He asks his secretary for help.  She arrives at a list of five individuals that were most impacted by his behaviors over the years.  He decides he wants to right these wrongs, thinking it won't take much time and that these individuals will be happy to see him.

I will admit I did struggle with a few items within the book.  How did Kier's son not know that he wanted to be a social worker when he was younger?  How did he not know the stories of the kind of man his father was?  Has the author been around someone with cancer before?  Why is the author making it appear that pancreatic cancer is much easier to go through than it really is?

Overall, the moral of this book is a good one.  You should always be aware of how you treat others.  Take time to consciously be the person you want to be, the one that leaves a legacy to be proud of!

Miracle Morning

Title: Miracle Morning Author:  Hal Elrod Genre:  Self Help Length: 135 pages (paperback) Rating: 2 out of 5

This book was recommended by a co-worker.  After reading through the book, I realized it is because her husband works for Cutco and this is a message that they were sharing with their teams.

The premise of this is to spend an hour a day, preferably in the morning, dedicated to yourself, to help you focus and be revitalized.  Hal refers to the tools as SAVERS:

Silence

Affirmation

Visualization

Exercise

Reading

Scribing 

While the concept of the book is good, it took him way too many pages to get the point across.  It is clear that the target audience for this book is someone who is just entering the adult world or who has never read a personal development book. 

How the Children Stopped the Wars

Title: How the Children Stopped the Wars Author: Jan Wahl Genre:  Children; Fairytale Length: 104 pages (paperback) Rating: 3 out of 5

Uillame is a shepherd who has not seen his father for many years.  He's approached by a stranger in a brown cloak.  Uillame offers the stranger his food and they begin to speak.  During the discussion the stranger shares, "War never - never - never - never seems to stop happening!"  The conversation continues and suddenly the stranger is gone.

Uillame decides that he cannot stay idle.  He begins on his crusade, gathering children with him as he goes.  They encounter monks who feed them, ship captains that want to sell them as slaves and a town of women who want to keep them as their own children.

The book was a quick read, less than a couple of hours.  It reads like a fairy tale.  However, I don't know that this is a book for young children.  I'm thinking more middle school age. 

Migrations

Title: Migrations Author: Charlotte McConaghy Genre:  Fiction / Science Fiction Length: 254 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

I received a copy of Migrations in exchange for an honest review.

Nearly all land animals are extinct.  Fishermen are chasing what is virtually the last catch.  Franny Stone is attempting to follow the Arctic Terns and what might be their final migration.

Franny has a wanderlust that she cannot quench.  She doesn't know what drives it, but feels that it has been passed down through the generations.  She has tried to stay with her husband, but the pull to leave is stronger.

Franny joins the crew of the Saghani to chase the Arctic Tern.  As they begin to follow the three little dots on of the birds Franny tagged, the crew begins to learn that Franny has several darker secrets that she isn't ready to share.

The store is told from Franny's point of view.  It alternates from the present, to the distant past and not so distant past.  It is clear when these shifts are happening so it is easier to follow.

I was pulled in by the story.  Franny's destructive nature but her hope and desire to preserve the way of life of the Arctic Terns is heartwarming.  The author brings the characters to life in a way that helps tell Franny's story and continue to have her be the center of the story. 

Everything is an Emergency

Title: Everything is an Emergency Author: Jason Adam Katzenstein Genre:  Mental Health; Graphic Novel Length: 243 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

Jason shares his day to day experience with OCD.  At times the commentary is heartbreaking.  However, the author / cartoonist does an excellent job depicting the struggles with OCD.  While individuals have varying degrees of OCD, and obsess about different items, he does a great job providing insight into how one's mind works.

Overall, this was a quick read.  I was able to enjoy this book in one sitting.  I also appreciate the author's willingness to be vulnerable and share his experiences. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future

Title: Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future Author: Mike Resnick Genre:  Science Fiction Length: 376 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

Santiago is rumored to exist in the Outer Frontier.  He is the most wanted man in the known galaxy, but very few people have ever seen him.  In fact, people aren't even sure what his real name is as Black Orpheus had taken it upon himself to put many individuals into verse, changing names as he went.  

Sebastian "Songbird" Cain has decided that he will be the bounty hunter to bring Santiago in.  When he learns that "The Angle" has come to the Outer Frontier, he knows he is in a race if he wants to receive the bounty.

Along the way, Sebastian begrudgingly teams up with individuals who convince him they can help him.  Or, in the case of Virtue, convince him that the ultimate goal is the same but the purpose is different.  Virtue wants to be the first journalist to write a story on Santiago.

The story is told from several different perspectives, as we encounter those hunting Santiago.  I honestly feel I should have seen the ending much sooner than I did, but that allowed me to enjoy the book even more.

This is the first book in a series.  I felt it was a self contained book.  As I enjoyed it, if I come across the other books I will read them.  However, I will not go out of my way to seek them out.  

Murder in the Mystery Suite

Title: Murder in the Mystery Suite Author: Ellery Adams Genre:  Mystery Length: 277 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

Jane Steward manages Storyton Hall, a resort catering to book lovers in the rolling hills of western Virginia.  Jane needs to determine a way to drive additional funds as the staff roof needs repairs, the orchard needs pruning, and a variety of other items need attention.  After gaining inspiration from a book, she decides to host a Murder and Mayhem Week at the resort.  This will include a variety of events including a ball, role- playing and fantasy crime solving.

The event starts off with great success!  Guests arrive in full character.  They are actively participating from the moment they arrive.

Guests are excited to participate in the scavenger hunt.  Unknown to Jane, her twin sons are bribed by Felix Hampden to help him win the scavenger hunt.  When he wins a valuable book, several other guests approach him.  The next thing Jane knows, Felix is found dead and her week turns into a real mystery to solve!

This cozy mystery was a quick and easy read.  I was able to dive in right away and be brought into the story.  I appreciate that it didn't have lots of romance so that I could focus on the mystery myself.

This is the first book in a series.  I am sure some of my unanswered questions will be answered in the next few books.  However, unless I come across these books, I do not plan to actively search for them. 

Triangles of Black: Once in a Thousand Years

Title: Triangles of Black: Once  in a Thousand Years Author: Ilona Ciller Genre:  Science Fiction Length: 361 pages (paperback) Rating: 3 out of 5

I received a copy of Triangles of Black: Once in a Thousand Years in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie knows what she experienced.  She shares with Troy, her brother, who believes it is all in her mind.  He sets up an appointment with a counselor because he is concerned about her.  However, once Troy has his own experience, Sophie, Tracy (Sophie's friend) and Troy try to understand what is happening.

In the meantime, Troy finally lands a job as a farmhand.  Ironically, the Ministry of Power is interested in why the farm is not using electricity and how it is generating power.  This means Troy unexpectedly finds himself in the line of fire and must give up his job.

Troy, Sophie and Tracy are beginning to uncover a long forgotten world of magic.  They are being guided by three magical beings who are also trying to protect them as their lives are in increasing amounts of danger.

The story covers a variety of elements from magic, friendship, espionage, and corporate greed to name a few.  I found a few moments where I actually was laughing out loud.

The book itself would benefit from additional editing.  There were times when I found myself having to go back a few pages as the author had jumped scenes without a distinct break.  There were also times where the flow didn't make sense as sentences weren't complete.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next in the series.

Chinese Education in Singapore

Title: Chinese Education in Singapore Author: Zhang Zhixiong Genre: Nonfiction Length: 142 pages (paperback) Rating: 3 out of 5

When this book crossed my path, I opted to grab it.  The education system in China and Singapore is not something that I would naturally dive into.

Having spent time in Dongguan for work, I had a reference point for some of the items in the book.  However, my reference point is very recent history and not the level that this book covers.

I like how the author began by sharing the cultural history.  I was fascinated by the early migration policies.  While I knew that Singapore had been a colony, I was still amazed to learn that most of the early schools were taught mainly in English.

If you are interested in this topic, then this book will be a valuable read. 

Twelve Days of Christmas

Title: Twelve Days of Christmas Author: Debbie Macomber Genre:  Holiday, Romance Length: 212 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

Julia is bubbly and friendly while her neighbor Cain keeps to himself.  They are clearly opposites in every way.  When Julia confides in her best friend that Cain stole her newspaper, she decides to conduct a "kill him with kindness" experiment which she blogs about as a finalist for a new career.

She decides to make an effort to run into Cain every day in order to be nice to him.  Little things like propping his newspaper by his door and prepaying for his coffee appear to hit his irritation point.  She begins to call him "Ebenezer" on her blog.  Her readers are initially mixed on encouraging her to continue her experiment to saying he won't change.  Slowly Cain begins to open up and Julia feels herself doing the same.

The center of this story is questioning whether or not being kind to someone can have an impact on their life and those around them.

Rather predictable?  yes.  Overly cheesy?  Absolutely!  However, it's a fun and quick holiday read.

A Charming Nightmare

Title: A Charming Nightmare Author: Marie Kammerer Franke Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 376 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Violence, Sexual Rating:  2 out of 5

Aylin wakes up, not certain what has happened.  She is a captive of an individual that is not quite human.  They are on the run, not certain what she is running from, not certain where she is.

She learns from Catch that she is from the past, roughly 40,000 years.  The Earth ended with a few years of her wedding.  A group of humans were saved, she wasn't one of them.  He was sent back to obtain an original human to help obtain a cure to a virus that is impacting the evolved humans, who are dying off fast.

She's swept into a whirlwind of activity from being a lab rat to constant fighting with Catch to causing issues for Elpis (the planet she is now on).  She's found that she's actually uncovering something much deeper than just the virus.

The story was difficult to follow.  Franke shifted from the distant past to the present to the recent past.  While she said she was inspired by Doctor Who, Bill Nye, Cosmos and a few other shows and books, all that I love, it was often difficult to follow the train of thought.

I honestly had a hard time reading this book due to all of the grammar and spelling issues.  Sentences are hard to follow as words appear to be missing.  Their/they're/there as well as your/you're are used as if they are the same.  Clearly this book needed an editor's or publisher's review.

This is the first of four books in her series.  I will not be picking up any of the others.

Who Gives A Crap

So...not a traditional review, but one that the family thought would be fun given that it is toilet "paper" and books are written on paper...

We have spent the last few years being aware of what we consume (bring into the house, not what just what we eat) and the longer term impact on the environment.  I have also instituted a guideline that when something comes into the house, something else needs to exit.  So, if a new pair of shoes comes in, an old pair needs to go out.  While our recycling garbage can volume has increased, we are down to one bag of actual garbage a week (sometimes every two weeks).

Now for our Who Gives a Crap review!

I came across this toilet paper on Pinterest.  I definitely didn't want the family towels (yes, totally gross), but I wanted to move away from the large sizes that we purchase at Costco and all of the waste that goes along with it.  I also wanted something that is kinder to the environment.  Along came Who Gives a Crap.  I love that it is made with bamboo and not trees.  I am also willing to pay a little more as they donate 50% of the profits to help build toilets.  I really like the fact that it is shipped to the house and I don't have to run out to get it and lug it home.  (OK, so maybe this one isn't the most environmentally friendly.)  It's soft and has no dyes!

If you are interested in trying it out, feel free to use our referral link to obtain $10 off your purchase (valid through March 2020).

Girls' Guide to Wine

Title: Girls' Guide to Wine Author: Susy Atkins Genre: Wine Length: 144 pages (paperback) Rating: 3 out of 5

A guide to wine, not to be taken seriously!  This fun little book is written by Susy Atkins, a wine editor.  In other words, someone who actually knows more about wine than me.

The author unapologetically dives into today's stereotypes of people who buy which types of wine.  She also shares some tips about buying wine online, by mail or at the store (clearly dating this book to its publish date of 2002).  I think my favorite part; buying your favorite bottle when no one will judge you and stay in to enjoy your evening.

The author intentionally doesn't take herself, or this topic, too seriously.  If you are looking for a true guide to wine, this isn't your book.  However, if you're looking for a quick read that will make you laugh, grab the book...and a bottle of your favorite wine...and enjoy!

Red, White and Blood

Title: Red, White and Blood Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 446 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Sexual, Violence Rating: 4 out of 5

Nathanial Cade has met his match with the Boogeyman.  While Cade has "won" every encounter, the Boogeyman continues to return with the knowledge of each battle he's had with Cade.  He always had the same pattern, but this time it appears that he is going after a specific target, President Curtis.

It is an election year and President Curtis is on the campaign trail.  A few Secret Service agents are introduced to Cade as he will be joining the grass roots tour of the middle states.  Zach also rejoins the campaign trail, which ignites questions on where he's been the last few years.  More importantly, why he fell from grace and how he's returned to it.

Bodies are piling up, many along the path of the campaign trail.  Several are also tied to the Curtis campaign in some way.  Will Cade be able to stop the Boogeyman for good this time?

A lot of time was building the backstory of Zach.  As with the first two books in the series, we also saw several flashbacks to Cade's earlier days, which helps us to understand his previous encounters with the Boogeyman.  Several characters from the first book also make a reappearance.

The author went into graphic details on how the Boogeyman killed his victims, more than I felt necessary.  However, I still couldn't put the book down.  It definitely didn't end the way I expected.  I am left with a cliffhanger.  I've scoured the author's site and there are no additional books in this series at this moment.  I"ll be keeping an eye out!

The President's Vampire

Title: The President's Vampire Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 335 pages (hardback) Sensitive Content: Violence Rating:  4 out of 5

Nathanial Cade has been bound to the President, through a blood oath, to protect the country from the Other Side as the President's vampire.  A well established group, with footholds in high political positions in the White House and other government organizations, believes the end justifies the means.  They take this to a whole new level by replacing humanity with something else that is highly contagious.  Cade has seen these creatures before over the years, but they've evolved.  Cade and Zach, his handler, must figure out who is behind it, where the creatures are coming from and keep them from spreading.

Cade and Zach are forced to work with Graves, and take orders from him, something that Cade has issues with but he is forced to do based on his oath.  This in essence means that any order that Graves gives him, he has to obey, which puts a chink in Cade's plans to stop Graves and those behind the virus.  It appears that Graves and Cade have a past history together, and Cade has a very long memory that never forgets, but can't quite place where they've met before.

The characters continue to evolve from the first book in the series, both the individual characters and their relationships with each other.  The author also weaves in pieces of historical information which helps us understand why Cade acts a certain way.

After finishing Blood Oath, I couldn't wait to pick up this book.  It was an easy read and kept me in suspense for the majority of the book.  I honestly didn't expect the last few chapters to turn out the way they did.  The only downside to this book is the truly graphic nature of some of the scenes. 

Winter Reading Challenge

As we've been thrown head first into colder weather I began searching for ideas to help keep the boys off electronics during snow days and at least part of the weekend.  It hit me: a winter reading challenge.

The boys are thrilled (not really)!  We are now discussing what the prize will be when the chart is completed.  The prize options have ranged from $5 to having control over what we do for a weekend.  We're still negotiating!

Want to join?  We'd love to hear your options for the challenge to help us as we select our books.

Rainbow Mars

Title: Rainbow Mars Author: Larry Niven Genre:  Science Fiction Length: 369 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content:  Sexual Rating:  3 out of 5

Hanville Svetz works for the Institute for Temporal Research, which is on future Earth.  He is a time traveler who collects extinct species and specimens from the past.

Svetz learns that Mars was inhabited and convinces his team to go back in time and learn more.  What appears to be minutes for Svetz and his team is months for the team in the future who is building contraptions large enough for his specimens...on Mars as well as on Earth.  As he goes bak to retrieve items, he begins to notice slight changes when he returns.

The book was a bit slow and difficult to get into.  The story suddenly ended and there were short stories at the back of the book.  I really enjoyed those stories and would have placed them at them at the beginning of the book instead. 

Joe Gould's Teeth

Title: Joe Gould's Teeth Author: Jill Lepore Genre:  Non-fiction Length: 151 pages (hardback) Sensitive Content: NA Rating: 3 out of 5

Joe Gould was a man obsessed with writing, race relations, Harvard, and Augusta Savage.  He was made famous by Joe Mitchell, a New York writer who profiled Gould, "Professor Sea Gull."

Gould is said to have recorded everyday conversations in hundreds of notebooks which were scattered across his travels.  His collection is called "The Oral History of Our Time."  Lepore asks, "Shouldn't someone check?" and begins her own journey to find evidence of his notebooks.

Joe Gould was a toothless madman.  He whipped his penis out at parties and measure it.  He destroyed property.  He would turn against friends who had supported him as soon as something wasn't going his way. 

The end of this book focuses on Savage, a black artist who was his perverse obession.  He pursued her, asking friends for assistance.  She pleaded for him to stop.  Lepore writes, "He said he was trying to save her, but really he was trying to drown her."

I picked up this book based on the title of Joe Gould's Teeth, not knowing what the subject really was but fascinated by the cover (and the fact that I have two in braces).  It was an easy read.  At the end, I was more curious about what happened to Augusta Savage than if Gould actually had notebooks still stored in the Northeast states.

Blood Oath

Title: Blood Oath Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 470 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Violence Rating:  5 out of 5

Zach Barrows is an up and coming White House staffer who has eyes on the chief of staff position.  He is caught in a compromising situation with the President's daughter in the Lincoln bedroom.  Coincidentally he is transferred out of the White House and partnered with Nathaniel Cade.

Cade is cursed.  He is also bound to the office of the President by a blood oath that is 140 years old.  Cade defends the United States against the evil that people do not want to see.

As Zach is beginning to settle into his new position as Cade's liaison to the White House, the reality of his position as well as Cade's supernatural world comes to life.  They are immediately thrown into a crime and must fly across the country to investigate.

The characters are well written.  I would act exactly as Zach did in almost every situation.  Griff, Cade's previous handler and Zach's mentor, is surprisingly lovable.  The Vice President is obnoxious.  The "evil" took a surprising turn.

This book was fast paced, intense, funny, emotional...everything you want in a great book!  I am excited that this is the first book in a series and I can't wait to see how it unfolds!

The Faerie Path

Title: The Faerie Path Author: Frewin Jones Genre:  Fantasy, Young Adult Length: 312 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content:  No Rating:  3 out of 5

Anita is a young woman from London just about to turn 16.  She has a loving family, a newish boyfriend and a best friend with whom she shares all of her secrets.

On the day before her birthday, Anita meets Evan for a birthday surprise, a boat ride.  The two are having a great time and Evan begins to share something with her.  However, the boat is hit and both end up in the hospital.  When Anita wakes, Evan is on the same floor as her, but he hasn't regained consciousness.

Anita begins to have strange dreams, one of which she grows wings and flies.  Evan ends up missing.  Anita is then fully transported into a dream world of the Faerie.  In her dream, she is the seventh daughter of the king.

Anita learns her name is Tania, the long lost daughter who has the ability to move between the Mortal World and Faerie World.  She coninues to believe she's in a coma as the story unfolds.

The story is told from Anita/Tania's point of view.  The author is building the characters and providing quite a bit of background as this is the first book in a series.  He provides intricate details regarding the dress as well as landscape when in the Faerie World.

The story is written for the young adult.  I would gauge that this is written for a younger teen as it was quite easy to determine what would be happening next.  While it is fantasy, other than moving between the Moral and Faerie Worlds, there wasn't a lot of fantasy at play.