Day Two of Catch Up Reviews

Last Night I was looking for an empty sheet of paper to write notes on.  I pulled out a notebook I had not used at home or school for at least a month and a half.  I worked my way back toward a blank sheet and suddenly found some reviews I had previously written. I went to my blog to see if I had already posted them and lo and behold I had not.  My husband stood in the doorway to my office chuckling.  He thought it was funny that I had misplaced eight book reviews.  I kept thinking I was losing my mind.  I knew I had read the books but couldn't find the book reviews.  This is what happens when you have so many different notebooks for different purposes.  You know, one for each of your WIPs, one for school, one for reviews.  Then when that student who has no paper comes up and asks for some, you grab the first notebook you can get your hands on and then forget what you had done.  So today we will start off with four of the eight reviews I had written.  I know the authors will be happy.  They must have thought I had forgotten them.  I am trying to get things caught up and organized so that I can start the new year fresh.

Tithing and How to Get There - Paul Stephensen
Publisher:  Lulu.com
Pages:  66
Source:  Review copy from author in exchange for review
Genre:  Religion, Financial Planning


This was very appropriate for this time of year.  I know God allows things to happen for a reason.  We look at Christmas as a time for giving.  We give to others all the time but, how often and how much do we give to God.  In this book the author takes us on a short course of tithing.  He started off defining stewardship and giving examples.  God promises to bless us.  There are examples all throughout the Bible of God doing just this.    The author points out that tithing is a privilege and that it is a symbol of total service to the Lord.  It show our willingness to serve him wholly.  For me Chapter 6 was the most important in the entire book.  It was full of budgets, and worksheets and all the things I truly need to get myself back on track.   I have no credit cards.  My philosophy has always been if I didn't have the cash then I didn't need it.  Unfortunately this book made me look at my spending habits.  When I got paid the first thing I would do is buy books.  It didn't matter that I had 300 unread books on my shelf, I always bought more.  I would buy 2-4 books a month.  That may not seem like much but when you have nothing to start with and you are spending what you don't have it adds up.  This is a book I will definitely recommend to friends.  It is a book that Christian and Non-Christian alike can benefit from.  I am thankful the author sent me a copy for review, even if I did lose the review.

Flashes From the Other World – Julie Ann Weinstein

Publisher:  All Things That Matter Press

Pages:  160

Source:  Received a copy for review

Genre:  Short Stories

Product Description:

Magic without the hocus pocus, these stories explore the ethereal blur between reality and not, between dream and sleep, between love and 'other than' love. They present relationships with a tender wackiness. Tossed into the mix are mischievous ghosts, who give the talking plants and even the seductive and vocal grains of sand a run for their money. Quirky and offbeat, these stories will touch your heart, although they may tug at your funny bone first.

About the Author

Julie Ann Weinstein has published over ninety short stories and is a Pushcart Nominee. She is an editorial consultant and a flash fiction workshop leader in the Southern California area. Julie is also published under the name Julie Ann Shapiro. She currently lives in Encinitas, California, where she is working on future short story collections.

My Thoughts:

This is metaphorical writing at its best. The author has divided her book into three parts.  Part one is a collection of paranormal stories.  The are very short and bizarre.  Not bizarre in a bad way.  Bizarre in the sense they make you think.  They have a depth to them that makes you wonder if there is a deeper meaning, a hidden meaning.

The second part of the book is called relationships.  The first story grabbed me and made me hold on.  Maybe it is because my mom has to live with me now that I could see parallels between the relationship the daughter had with her mother and my own.  It takes great talent to write from the heart and attain such a deep meaning that will be read and interpreted differently by each reader.

The third part of the book is called Surreal.  I enjoyed “Blue Moon Carbs”.  This is a book where the reader is free and encouraged to make all kinds of connections.  As I try to lose weight this one story stood out.  It felt like I was reading the battle that goes on in my head every time I eat something that could potentially cause me to gain weight.  I loved it.  My favorite part of this book was actually in the back where the author explains what inspired her to write each of her stories.  Her explanations made me go back and re-read some of the stories as I looked at them through the eyes of what inspired her.  It put a truly different spin on it.  This is not an easy book to describe.  I will recommend it.  Just don’t pick it up for a quick read because that is the one thing it is not.

Justifiable Oregon – Pamela Wright

Publisher:  Reaction Press

Pages:  296

Source: Review copy from publisher

Genre:  Adult Thriller

Have you ever wished something bad would happen to someone evil because God and the law took too long? There are those that risk it all for the rest of us. This novel is about those few and the risks they take on our behalf, and the bystanders that unwittingly get caught in the fray. Duplicity, is the exquisite yacht manned by such men. Men intent on luring the world’s wealthiest human traffickers out of their million’s and into their final moments on earth inside Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.

My Thoughts

After reading the first few chapters  the “Dexter” series came to mind.  In case you don’t remember it, or you’ve never seen it, Dexter was a cop who worked in the police lab.  His specialty was blood.  At night he hunted down and killed those who managed to get off for some technicality, and justice was served.

Often we hear cases of criminals getting off scott free.  What if there was a force that took care of those criminals that were put back on the street?  In Justifiable Oregon that is just what happens.  There is a group of people who take those very criminals out to the Tilamook Rock Lighthouse  in Seaside Oregon.  There the criminal arrives drugged up.  As they come to they are tortured and then their bodies are cremated.  Who are these criminals?  They are members of a drug cartel, and those who traffic in humans.  Want to know more?  Read the book.  Be forewarned that this is not a book you can start and stop at will.  This is a book that demands to be read from beginning to end.

Fury – Elizabeth Miles

Publisher:  Simon Pulse

Pages:  384

Source:  Received a review copy from publisher

Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal

From Goodreads:

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

My Thoughts:

The setting of this book sets the over all tone or mood.  It is freezing cold, and snowy.  That is exactly how this story leaves you feeling, cold and empty inside.  You have Emily who is best friends with Gabby.  But what kind of friend flirts with your boyfriend?  Emily does.  She is sure that she and Zach are made for each other.  First reason to hate a character in this book.  Emily is selfish and so full of herself.  Then we have Chase who is not financially in the same league as the rest of his friends.  He tries to make up for his past by becoming something he really isn’t.  He tramples on people to get where he wants to be.  To make Emily and Chase pay for what they have done to others the three furies Ty, Meg and Ali pay a visit.  Ty is so hot that she has Chase fawning all over her.   Can you say revenge.  The job of the furies is to seek revenge for those who they feel need it against those they deserve it.  This  whole book has a creepy movie feel to it.  I could actually see it come out on the big screen.  Although the characters so so many wrong things and justify it to make you hate them they are so wonderfully developed you can’t help love them.  This is the first book in this series and it will definitely not be the last one I read.  The ending definitely leaves you hanging for more.  Definitely one to recommend to all of your friends who like creepy, paranormal, mythical type things.

Reviews from my readathon

Saturday was the first full day of Winter Break.  I told my family that I was going to be doing at least two three day readathons.  What follows are reviews for the books I have read since Saturday.  I hope you enjoy them.  This is my attempt to catch up with some of the books and reviews I've gotten so behind on.

The Orphan of Awkward Falls – Keith Graves

Publisher:  Chronicle Books

Pages:  256

Source:  I received the book from LibraryThing in exchange for a review

Genre:  MG Horror

On Amazon this book as listed for ages 8 – 12.  On the author website it states it might not be suitable for anyone under the age of 12.  I will say this.  You must know your child or students reading likes and dislikes, their ability to handle certain material.  The day after I received this book I took it to school and shared part of it with the teacher next door.  She really wanted to read it.

I was intrigued when I read the  first twosentences: “The little town of Awkward Falls was kow for two things:  its canned sauerkraut and its insane asylum.  Both had achieved notoriety for their repulsiveness.”

The asylum is home to the criminally insane, especially one known as Fetid Stenchley.  He is the worst among all of them.  He is in fact a cannibal.  It is he who killed the grandfather of our main character Thaddeus Hibble. Thaddeus lives in a Victorian mansion with only a robot butler and a pieced together, Frankenstein style, talking cat.  Things change when Josephine and her family move  to Awkward Falls and actually move in next door to Thaddeus.  Thaddeus and Josephine meet when she sees something in the fog and goes out to investigate.  She ends up snooping around the place next door and meets Thaddeus.  They become good friends.  Of course this story would not have any tension if the aforementioned cannibal had not escaped.  The problem is he is headed back to where his last crime was.  This puts Josephine, her family and new friend in jeopardy.

There are so many things that I love about this book.  It is a gross, creepy, horrifically humorous book.  Many of the scenes are possibly too frightening for younger children.  Many of my own students read more mature books and more intense horror.   For them this would be a wonderful book.  I still have some who prefer the younger books such as The Magic Tree House series.  For them this would not be an appropriate book.  This is where it is important to know your students or children.  For a book like this I usually send a note home explaining what the book is about and getting parent permission if I think there may be an issue.

The characters were wonderful, the plot moved at a great pace so that I didn’t want to put the book down.  I believe that the majority of children in middle school will love this book.  For those adult who love reading middle grade fiction this is one I recommend to you.  Get the book and find out what happens in Awkward Falls.

Playground – 50 Cent

Publisher:  Razorbill

Pages:  314

Source:  Received a copy from LibraryThing for review

Genre:  Middle Grade/Young Adult Realistic Fiction

Warning:  Although there is mild violence due to the bully issue this book contains some profanity.  Gratefully the author did not feel he needed to use the “F” word.  The language is a part of who the character is and is a part of what makes the character believable.

From Goodreads:

Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn’t have much going for him. He’s teased mercilessly about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to and wishes he still lived with his dad in the city. And now he’s stuck talking to a totally out-of-touch therapist named Liz.

Liz tries to uncover what happened that day on the playground—a day that landed one kid in the hospital and Butterball in detention. Butterball refuses to let her in on the truth, and while he evades her questions, he takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today.

This devastating yet ultimately redemptive story is told in voice-driven prose and accented with drawings and photographs, making it a natural successor to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Loosely inspired by 50 Cent’s own adolescence, and written with his fourteen-year-old son in mind, Playground is sure to captivate wide attention— and spark intense discussion.

My Thoughts:

When I was given the opportunity to possibly win a copy of this book I signed up only because I loved the premise of the book.  I honestly knew nothing about the author except I believed he was a rapper.  After getting the book and reading it I decided to look up the author.  I read several articles on him and his reasons for writing the book.  I could not say I expected him to say he was a bully at some point in his life as I knew nothing about him or his music.  I was pleased to realize that the book came about because of a conversation with his son.  That in itself put him high on my list of parents.  We need more parents willing to have conversations with their children about tough topics.   I was glad that he chose to approach this from the bully’s perspective.  It gave me a better look at some of the reasons children bully others.  As a teacher I see bullying many times a week.  Most of it is not the violent type we saw in the book where the main character Butterball bashes in the face of his ex-friend with a sock full of batteries.  The type of bullying I see at school is just as dangerous and harmful.  Physical wounds can often heal.  It is the psychological ones that take time.  Healing has to happen not only for the victim but also for the bully.  I’ve seen a couple of those students who were “thugs” do a complete turn-around.  This book gives hope to those who know they are bullies.  I think in our society we often look at the bully and write them off.  I applaud the author for his work on this issue.  I hope we see more from him regarding tough topics.  I will not only put this on my shelves at school I will make sure our guidance department knows about this book.

Rippler – Cidney Swanson

Pubisher:  Williams Press

Pages:  288

Source:  I received a copy from LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review.

Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can’t control it, and it’s getting worse. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love. Together, the two discover there are worse things than being a scientific curiosity. Someone’s been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments. The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers secrets from her past, she must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe.

My Thoughts:

Right from the first line this book grabs you and draws you in.  It has something for everyone.  It has a little bit of history, a mystery, some paranormal elements, realism.  What is there not to like about it so far?

Samantha Ruiz, (Sam) is a typical teenager.  She is on a rafting trip with her cross-country team when something strange happens to her.  She disappears.  Everyone believes she has fallen into the water.  That is everyone except teammate Will.  He helps her.  This rippling, has happened to her twice before, but she was alone and thought she had imagined it.  This time there was no denying it was not her imagination.  Will and his sister try to explain things to her about the “rippler gene”.  She begins reading an old Nazi journal that describes horrible tortures conducted on children.  She also learns that the accident that killed her mother might have actually been an attempt on her life.  Throw in a budding romance and you definitely have a teen winner.

There were enough different elements to keep the reader going non-stop.  I didn’t want to stop for anything.  I can’t wait to read the second book in this series.  I’m just sorry I had to take this long to get around to it.

Take Five! For Language Arts: 180 Bell-ringers That Build Critical Thinking Skills  – Kaye Hagler

Publisher:  Maupin House

Pages:  211

Source:  I won a copy

Genre:  Educational

Product Description from Amazon:

Kaye Hagler s unique bell-ringers for language arts help you transform the first chaotic five minutes of class into authentic opportunities to practice critical-thinking skills.

Students in grades 6-12 exercise their mental muscles as they work collaboratively, warming them up to tackle your standards-based lessons.

Whether your students are inventing secret codes, concocting potions, rewriting history, making conjunction paper chains, or thinking like newspaper editors, these diverse and creative prompts will have them looking forward to the part of the day when they re asked to Take Five for critical thinking.

The 180-plus prompts set up your teaching day from the minute that students step into your class.

Each ready-to-use prompt includes: corresponding standards, supply lists, language arts links, teacher tips, assessment options, rubrics, and digital connections that add more than 100 extension lessons.

My Thoughts:  I could not wait to get to school and try this out.  I was able to start with an prompt that went right along with the unit we were working on.  The students loved it.  I get deeper thinking answers and writing from my students.  I also loved the rubric created by the author.  I plan on starting off next year with this book.  I’ve encouraged the rest of the language arts department to look at purchasing this book.  I think this book should be in every Language Arts Classroom.  I am very pleased with it and happy to recommend it to other teachers.

About the Author:

Kaye Hagler is an educational consultant who mentors teachers throughout the Southeast. She has been an educator for more than twenty years, teaching middle school gifted education and high school English as well as working as an elementary library media specialist and college adjunct instructor. A former journalist and freelance writer, Hagler holds a bachelor's degree in education from Georgia State University, a master's degree with a concentration in English from Troy University and postgraduate endorsement in gifted education from the University of Alabama. She lives in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Airel – Aaron Patterson and Chris White

Publisher:  Stone House Ink

Pages:  425

Source:  e-book for review from publisher

Genre: YA/Adult Fantasy

Production Description:

All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd.  But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal.  Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her.  Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written.  It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything.  Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life.  But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves?  Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?

My Thoughts:

Airel is the type of character I would have loved to have as a high school friend.  The thing I loved most about her was her quirky sense of humor.  I was shy and backward in high school and someone like Airel would have helped me out of my shell.  Why do I say this?  As a teacher, I have two very close friends I work with.  Both of them are quite a bit like Airel in the humor department.  Since working with them, I have come out of my shell quite a bit.  Airel has a typical teen life along with her best friend Kim, until… Yes you knew there had to be an “until” in there.  Michael Alexander is the new boy at school.  Airel has already had one “run in” with him.  It is obvious as you read that these two will become a couple.  You would think that he would choose the most popular girl in school instead of Airel.  His reasons for choosing her becomes clear as the story progresses.

The setting to this story is unique.  The reason is that it is actually two stories in one.  The first setting is the modern day setting in Boise, Idaho with Airel.  Then we venture into 1250 B.C. Arabia and meet Kreios, a fallen angel.  Although there are two stories told here they flow together smoothly and all connections are made as needed.  The reader doesn’t get lost along the way.  The suspense is heightened because of this type of story line. 

I was surprised by how much I really, really liked this book.  I have not jumped on the whole “fallen angel” bandwagon, just as I didn’t jump on all of the vampire stories that came out after Twilight.  This is not your typical fallen angel story.  It is one that has left me breathlessly waiting for the next one in the series.  Hurry up please!!!  It is also one that I will purchase in physical form as I was sent an e-book from the publisher.  I am so glad they contacted me so that I can recommend this to my friends and my students.  I have been hearing through the blogosphere that people are in love with the cover so they can’t wait to read the book.  I actually read the description and accepted the review copy before I saw the gorgeous cover.  I am glad that it happened this way.  I was doubly blessed with finding a book that was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside.  This is a must read if you are going to read any book this coming year.  I have to say, the two “male” authors captured the essence of a teenage girl quite believably.  This is what will sell it not only to teens, but also to adults who love to read YA.  Well done!

About the Authors:

Aaron Patterson is the author of the bestselling WJA series, as well as two Digital Shorts:  19 and The Craigslist Killer.  He was home-schooled and grew up in the west.  Aaron love to read as a small child and would often be found behind a book, reading one to three a day on average.  This love drove him to want to write, but he never thought he had the talent.  His wife Karissa prodded him to try it, and with this encouragement, he wrote Sweet Dreams, the first book in the WJA series, in 2008.  Airel is his first teen series, and plans for more to come are already in the works.  He lives in Boise, Idaho with his family, Soleil, Kale and Klayton.

Chris White has an award for reading 750 books in one school year - from the 3rd grade.  So yes, he's more of a nerd than Aaron.  Chris loves history, Sherlock Holmes, and anything that's not virtual, like old motorcycles and mechanical typewriters.  he also doesn't get why we have these things called "smart phones"  when all they do is make people dumber.  Chris recently celebrated 10 years of marriage with his wife, April, and has two boys: Noah, age 8 and Jaden, age 3, who inspired the Great Jammy Adventure series; the OK-to-color-in picture books.  Chris is working on a short story called The Marsburg Diary that will further explore the prologue to Airel

Be on the lookout for the second book in the series, releasing spring of 2012:  Michael