tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41270299648800388702024-03-13T07:33:11.781-07:00Book TardisBook reviews and all things to do with books!kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-71804482242440947652017-05-21T15:26:00.001-07:002017-05-21T15:26:54.668-07:00The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wZYosxDnYTM/WSIRMuubc5I/AAAAAAAADGw/OLbUuiAAPlkOAYNkwpDIRLUJdW2sgNaAACLcB/s1600/ReadersOfBroken-655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wZYosxDnYTM/WSIRMuubc5I/AAAAAAAADGw/OLbUuiAAPlkOAYNkwpDIRLUJdW2sgNaAACLcB/s400/ReadersOfBroken-655.jpg" width="269" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I enjoyed this book about books and reading. I grew up with several pen pals, so the fact that Sara & Amy become acquainted and for a friendship having been pen pals was awesome. The big draw to this book, for me, was the fact it is set here in Iowa. I have not lived in as small a town as Broken Wheel. From my friends who have, I am not 100% positive that actual small town folk would have been as welcoming to a total stranger from another country as the fine people of Broken Wheel were...but will allow it as a necessary literary device to forward the narrative. I can understand why this book was a popular book club pick. I'm glad I read it and will recommend it!<br>
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<b> From the Publisher...</b><br>
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Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy's funeral guests just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel are happy to look after their bewildered visitor—there's not much else to do in a dying small town that's almost beyond repair.<br>
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You certainly wouldn't open a bookstore. And definitely not with the tourist in charge. You'd need a vacant storefront (Main Street is full of them), books (Amy's house is full of them), and...customers.<br>
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The bookstore might be a little quirky. Then again, so is Sara. But Broken Wheel's own story might be more eccentric and surprising than she thought.<br>
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A heartwarming reminder of why we are booklovers, this is a sweet, smart story about how books find us, change us, and connect us.<br>
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<b> About the Author...</b><br>
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KATARINA BIVALD grew up working part-time in a bookshop. Today she lives in Älta, Sweden, with her sister and as many bookshelves as she can squeeze in. She has still not decided whether she prefers books or people.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-25467873635759403372017-04-27T11:02:00.000-07:002017-04-27T11:02:46.155-07:00What I Read In AprilI've been all about reading and getting a few knitting projects completed for birthday deadlines during April. Here's what got read:<br>
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Loved this book! It has AB's signature "quirkiness" (including the fact that ALL the photography was shot with a phone!) and a TON of recipes I will actually be cooking! (Bourbon Bread Pudding anyone? --Yes please!) It was a great way to celebrate seeing his stage show (where I purchased my signed copy!) and a fun, fun read!<br>
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I really liked this book as the whole concept of taking time to be mindful of ingredients and putting together lunch in your work environment appeals to me. Reading the intro was one "aha" moment after another as lightbulbs kept going on at great ideas and suggestions. The recipes are sorted into seasons (availability of produce) and broken down into classifications of diets ( ie. raw, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, and omnivore) with info suggesting adaptations for other dietary needs. In a word this book is amazing!<br>
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Being a regular meditator attempting to get more mindfulness into the moments of life that are NOT on the cushion, this book is a wonderful tome! I have done a little reading on mindful eating and movement, but "seeing" is SUCH an obvious moment of mindfulness that I was overlooking it (just like the morel mushrooms in the woods!) I found the exercise prompts helpful and can imagine getting something new from each exercise every time I use it. I love the photographs and the drawings/sketches. Paired with the quotes or each taken alone, there is much to ponder and explore! I will be recommending this to my friends!<br>
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This novel is a character driven mosaic of life in a community in the aftermath of the disappeearance (and presumed abducton/kidnapping) of 5 year old Daisy Gonzalez. Each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character, building on the relationships (however tenuous) between them (neighbors, employers, former classmates, hairdresser/clients, church group members, etc.). As such, if you are expecting a straight narrative thread or linear unfoding of a "who dunnit," you will be disappointed. There are times you may wonder how what you're reading has anything to do with the story of the disappearance of Daisy. Forge ahead! You are being let in on the nitty gritty details of the lives of certain elements of Colliersville, Indiana.<br>
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For me, everything came together in the final chapter. I think this is because I have personal experience of visitations in avian form from recently departed love ones. Therefore, I LOVED the way Kennedy wrapped up the story!!<br>
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Thanks to the publisher for the ARC I received in exchange for this fair and honest review.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-20539177049800524942017-03-16T09:43:00.003-07:002017-03-16T09:44:17.018-07:00The Original Ginny Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56CKOdMR4gQ/WMq5zQVHxsI/AAAAAAAADDI/EUtLDXFN9y05677r1W-aZlZ2i5jDNR-awCLcB/s1600/Ginny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-56CKOdMR4gQ/WMq5zQVHxsI/AAAAAAAADDI/EUtLDXFN9y05677r1W-aZlZ2i5jDNR-awCLcB/s400/Ginny.jpg" width="263" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I am Ginny Moon's biggest fan!<br>
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If you too find yourself longing for something, someone to root FOR these days, Ginny Moon is the one you are looking for! Benjamin Ludwig's debut novel, <i>The Original Ginny Moon</i>, is Ginny's captivating story of resilience and growth from the perspective of an autistic teenager finding her place in the world as she orders it.<br>
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From the beginning I was captivated by this girl who obviously had more to her story than her abilities let on to others. We, the readers, are allowed inside Ginny's way of ordering her world and life and we quickly realize that her Forever parents, counselors, and teachers are not fully comprehending the equation. I was frustrated on her behalf, scared for her, and hoping and wishing she could somehow find a way to let others see the world through her eyes.<br>
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I'm not going to give away plot details. You can read the publisher's plot summary below. I can tell you that Ludwig has drawn a stunning character in Ginny Moon! Her insights into the characters who share her world and story allow readers to get a clear picture of the people and circumstances which have shaped Ginny. I found myself experiencing so many emotional reactions to the people in Ginny's life! The writing is so well done I still find it amazing that this is a debut novel!<br>
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I want to thank Ludwig for allowing me the experience of seeing through a new set of lenses in the hours I spent with Ginny Moon. She is a character who will remain a part of consciousness for a long time to come! I will be encouraging everyone I know to pick up a copy of this book! Thanks to the publisher as well for the ARE I received for free in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Meet Ginny Moon. She’s mostly your average teenager—she plays flute in the high school band, has weekly basketball practice, and reads Robert Frost poems in English class.<br>
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But Ginny is autistic. And so what’s important to her might seem a bit…different: starting every day with exactly nine grapes for breakfast, Michael Jackson, her baby doll, and crafting a secret plan of escape.<br>
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After being traumatically taken from her abusive birth mother and moved around to different homes, Ginny has finally found her "forever home"—a safe place with parents who will love and nurture her. This is exactly what all foster kids are hoping for, right?<br>
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But Ginny has other plans. She’ll steal and lie and exploit the good intentions of those who love her—anything it takes to get back what’s missing in her life. She’ll even try to get herself kidnapped.<br>
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Told in an extraordinary and wholly original voice, Ginny Moon is at once quirky, charming, heartbreaking, and poignant. It’s a story about being an outsider trying to find a place to belong and about making sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up. Taking you into the mind of a curious and deeply human character, Benjamin Ludwig’s novel affirms that fiction has the power to change the way we see the world.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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A life-long teacher of English and writing, Benjamin Ludwig lives in New Hampshire with his family. He holds an MAT in English Education and an MFA in Writing. Shortly after he and his wife married they became foster parents and adopted a teenager with autism. <i>The Original Ginny Moon</i> is his first novel, which was inspired in part by his conversations with other parents at Special Olympics basketball practices. His website is available at www.benjaminludwig.com.
kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-18916407575561666462017-02-20T13:24:00.000-08:002017-02-20T13:28:08.028-08:00The Slanted Door: Modern Vietnamese Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ei2yNA4v7ss/WKtYCxbugJI/AAAAAAAADCI/djtH5flAUS0-vaX8bc63vN_H8ENxlPUUwCLcB/s1600/slanted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ei2yNA4v7ss/WKtYCxbugJI/AAAAAAAADCI/djtH5flAUS0-vaX8bc63vN_H8ENxlPUUwCLcB/s400/slanted.jpg" width="298" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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Being a lover and reader of cookbooks, I have many more tomes than can fit in my small kitchen cupboard. The solution, for me, has been to try out e-cookbooks! I recently picked up Phan's latest offering, <i>The Slanted Door</i>, when it was a part of the publisher's specially priced offering that passed through my email one day. If you love cookbooks and enjoy adventuresome eating/cooking, you will want to pick up a copy as well!<br>
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I love that <i>The Slanted Door</i> offers readers a bit of history of the restaurant after which the cookbook is named. As you read, you get a sense of San Francisco and the food scene therein. A travel guide within a cookbook is a "win win" to me! Phan also includes other stories and anecdotes about what it takes to run a food business, what the food he presents means to him, and glimpses into family life and history that connect readers and would-be at-home chefs to the dishes presented. This is what makes me devour a cookbook!<br>
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I like that dishes from all parts of the menu are included in the cookbook. If you are intimidated to try a full-blown entre (and you really shouldn't be with Phan's step-by-step instructions and careful coaching in each recipe), you can always start with an appetizer! Abundant explanations and gorgeous photographs accompany each recipe and provide encouragement. What a delight!<br>
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In this modern era with global connections, it's hard to imagine that anyone would find the ingredients in Phan's dishes to be too exotic. I live in the middle of America, in the "fly-over" zone where grocery stores have limited shelf space. However, I feel confident that I could procure most of the ingredients to make any dish in the book readily and locally.<br>
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Having this book on my e-reader is great because I can set it on the kitchen counter and follow along with the recipe as I cook, thus saving paper. (Do note it helps to increase the length of time before your screen times out <b>before</b> you start cooking if you don't want to have to swipe the screen with messy fingers!) While it will take a bit of getting used to (also, set it out of splatter range!), it makes me feel even more technologically savvy as well. I will certainly be indulging in more e-cookbooks in the future!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>The long-awaited cookbook featuring 100 recipes from James Beard award-winning chef Charles Phan’s beloved San Francisco Vietnamese restaurant, The Slanted Door.</b><br>
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Award-winning chef and restaurateur Charles Phan opened The Slanted Door in San Francisco in 1995, inspired by the food of his native Vietnam. Since then, The Slanted Door has grown into a world-class dining destination, and its accessible, modern take on classic Vietnamese dishes is beloved by diners, chefs, and critics alike. <i>The Slanted Door</i> is a love letter to the restaurant, its people, and its food. Featuring stories in addition to its most iconic recipes, <i>The Slanted Door</i> both celebrates a culinary institution and allows home cooks to recreate its excellence.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Charles Phan is the award-winning Executive Chef and Owner of San Francisco's The Slanted Door and 6 other restaurants. He is considered to be the inventor of modern Vietnamese cuisine in the United States.<br>
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Born in Da Lat, Vietnam in 1962, Charles and his family - parents and five siblings - relocated to Guam just before the fall of Saigon. They spent two years on Guam before settling in San Francisco in 1977.<br>
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Always having had a passion for food, Charles opened his first restaurant, The Slanted Door, on Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District in 1995. It was an immediate popular and critical success. The restaurant played a significant role in the revitalization of this vibrant area.<br>
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In 2004, the nationally acclaimed, The Slanted Door, became one of the principal tenants of San Francisco's historic Ferry Building and was instrumental in developing this landmark into one of the country's premier food destinations.<br>
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That year, he also won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef of California and in 2011 was inducted into the foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.<br>
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Since then, Phan has opened six successful restaurants, all located in San Francisco, a city with a famously vibrant food scene. His enduring vision to showcase farm-fresh, locally sourced ingredients and prepare everything from scratch has kept The Slanted Door Group of restaurants on the forefront of San Francisco's dining scene.<br>
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Charles' first book, VIETNAMESE HOME COOKING, hopes to inspire readers to make interesting, fast, flavorful and healthy Vietnamese dishes in their home kitchens. The book won an IACP award in 2012.<br>
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His second cookbook, THE SLANTED DOOR, offers one hundred recipes of modern Vietnamese food, cocktail and dessert. The book comes at the right time to celebrate James Beard Award's Outstanding Restaurant in May 2014 and its 20th anniversary in November. kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-8273424953986856882017-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:002017-02-16T12:17:45.667-08:00Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIPkazjg2o0/WKYBxecN31I/AAAAAAAADBo/1fROLudDzaAz7OdP-RxlRPuhkNTKrxb7wCLcB/s1600/Extreme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIPkazjg2o0/WKYBxecN31I/AAAAAAAADBo/1fROLudDzaAz7OdP-RxlRPuhkNTKrxb7wCLcB/s400/Extreme.jpg" width="265" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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This is the most important and profound book I have read in a long, long time!<br>
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I was a parish minister for 13+ years and in that time I sat with countless families at the bedside of their dying loved ones. Most often that vigil took place in a hospital setting, whether the ICU or the hospice suite. Sometimes I was called to the nursing home and, on a few rare occasions, to a home. Dr. Zitter's insight and wisdom on a topic that most Americans spend their lives and energy avoiding at all cost provides us with clear insights and a care-filled journey through the inevitable. For a time I served on the local hospice board and tried to make sure that local and area clergy were kept "in the loop" on end-of-life care options that might provide better spiritual continuity for their members. Dr. Zitter's book should be required reading not only for all entering the medical field and palliative care teams, but for all seminarians, social workers and all who care about making sure that the way we leave this life matches the values with which we lived life. Any and all book clubs willing to breach the subject of death and dying will find a wealth of topics to discuss. I will be spreading the word about this wonderful, helpful book to anyone and everyone who will listen!<br>
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My deepest thanks to Dr. Zitter for taking on this important subject and for this sage book!! My thanks to the publisher for providing me the free review copy in exchange for this fair and honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>An ICU and Palliative Care specialist featured in the Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary <i>Extremis</i> offers a framework for a better way to exit life that will change our medical culture at the deepest level.</b><br>
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In medical school, no one teaches you how to let a patient die.<br>
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Jessica Zitter became a doctor because she wanted to be a hero. She elected to specialize in critical care—to become an ICU physician—and imagined herself swooping in to rescue patients from the brink of death. But then during her first code she found herself cracking the ribs of a patient so old and frail it was unimaginable he would ever come back to life. She began to question her choice.<br>
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<i>Extreme Measures</i> charts Zitter’s journey from wanting to be one kind of hero to becoming another—a doctor who prioritizes the patient’s values and preferences in an environment where the default choice is the extreme use of technology. In our current medical culture, the old and the ill are put on what she terms the End-of-Life Conveyor belt. They are intubated, catheterized, and even shelved away in care facilities to suffer their final days alone, confused, and often in pain. In her work Zitter has learned what patients fear more than death itself: the prospect of dying badly. She builds bridges between patients and caregivers, formulates plans to allay patients’ pain and anxiety, and enlists the support of loved ones so that life can end well, even beautifully.<br>
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Filled with rich patient stories that make a compelling medical narrative, <i>Extreme Measures</i> enlarges the national conversation as it thoughtfully and compassionately examines an experience that defines being human.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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After two decades of caring for critically ill patients, Jessica Nutik Zitter, MD, MPH is a strong advocate for a new approach to caring for the dying. She practices the unusual combination of ICU and palliative care medicine at Highland Hospital, the county hospital in Oakland, California. Having herself participated in the default and indiscriminate use of technology with the dying and witnessed the resultant suffering, Dr. Zitter has come to view this situation as a public health crisis. She is committed to reorienting our care of the dying to a more collaborative process whereby the patient, rather than her organ or disease, is the primary focus of care.<br>
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Dr. Zitter’s first book, <i>Extreme Measures, Finding A Better Path to the End of Life</i>, (Avery, an imprint of Penguin-Random House, Spring 2017), offers an insider’s view of intensive care in America and its impact on how we die. Her essays and articles have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, the Huffington Post, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and other publications. In 2005 she co-founded Vital Decisions, a telephone counseling service for patients with life-limiting illnesses.<br>
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Her work is featured in the Tribeca award-winning documentary, “Extremis,” which has been shortlisted for an Oscar, and is available on Netflix. This vérité film follows Jessica, her team and several patients and their families in the intensive care unit at Highland Hospital.<br>
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Dr. Zitter attended Stanford University and Case Western Reserve University Medical School and earned her Master of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Her medical training includes an Internal Medicine residency at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and a fellowship in Pulmonary/Critical Care at the University of California, San Francisco.
kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-86183483257222399212017-02-16T11:42:00.001-08:002017-02-16T11:42:16.827-08:00Shadows On the Lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBMZNESUYBg/WIz8bpz2QpI/AAAAAAAADA4/rPN-zwgyHY4O9HKphNNdeAWZoHwtWj_tACLcB/s1600/20170128_141633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBMZNESUYBg/WIz8bpz2QpI/AAAAAAAADA4/rPN-zwgyHY4O9HKphNNdeAWZoHwtWj_tACLcB/s400/20170128_141633.jpg" width="273" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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Inspector Stefania Valenti is called to the mountain pass above Lake Como when the road crew constructing a new road to the Swiss border unearths human remains in the process. What ensues is a matter of political and historical intrigue involving one of the area's most well-known families and villas. The skeleton offers up clues that point to murder, but Inspector Valenti must discover the motives and what the now elderly family members may know about the circumstances surrounding the WWII era death.<br>
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I am a fan of mysteries and the fact that this one included some historical intrigue pulled me in from the start. I also enjoyed the chance to travel to Italy in my mind as I read the book. Although the villa and exact details of the town have been fictionalized, I did hop on the internet and do a little exploring of the mountains that form the border between Italy and Switzerland as a way of getting into the setting.<br>
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I found Inspector Valenti an entirely believable character along with those around her. To some extent the characters fall into the expected roles of any detective/mystery novel: the no-nonsense, "get it done" chief; the eagle-eyed inspector who doesn't miss a detail and has the uncanny ability to link details together (sometimes with the help of equally capable peers), and the underling officers who help out with some of the leg work. Add to this a blooming romantic connection, an ex-husband, and Valenti's school-aged daughter and that rounds out the main cadre of characters.<br>
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Although set in the present day, I enjoyed the connection back to World War II days: smuggling Jews across borders, worries over fascism and communism, etc. This made Valenti's quest for justice for the victim a cause I think anyone would want to see through to the conclusion.<br>
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The book was a quick, enjoyable read which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a mystery or detective novel. If it is a new genre to you, this is a good place to start! My thanks to the publisher for the ARC I received for free in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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A new atmospheric Italian mystery novel set in Lake Como, introducing the clever and captivating Inspector Stefania Valenti.<br>
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During the construction of a new road to the Swiss border in the mountains above Lake Como, the remains of a young man are unearthed on the powerful Cappelletti family’s property. On the case is Stefania Valenti, forty-five, divorced with a young daughter, and a brilliant, determined police inspector.<br>
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Her investigation takes her back to World War II and deep into the history of the region, a place that during the war attracted smugglers, deserters, secret agents, and fleeing Jews. Steeped in the beautiful atmosphere of Northern Italy, Valenti’s investigation brings to light a family’s secret, a tragic romance, and reveals a fascinating piece of Italian history.<br>
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kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-53416412257035381172017-01-23T12:20:00.000-08:002017-01-23T12:20:25.733-08:00Butcher, Baker: The True Account of an Alaskan Serial Killer <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2m40vrb2es4/WIZk5ueKleI/AAAAAAAADAc/yX8NZhJytK8Bwe0GIBrFV9mGYdDJBeyGgCLcB/s1600/butcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2m40vrb2es4/WIZk5ueKleI/AAAAAAAADAc/yX8NZhJytK8Bwe0GIBrFV9mGYdDJBeyGgCLcB/s400/butcher.jpg" width="263" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I picked up this book because, although Hansen went on his serial killing spree in Alaska, he is from my home state and I felt a need to find out if it was something in his early up-bringing in the Hawkeye State that set him on the path to such atrocity. The writing is clear and straight forward, taken from official records, interviews, etc. The book is especially good if you appreciate accurate timelines and sequences in your true crime.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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The horrific true story of serial kidnapper, rapist, and killer Robert Hansen’s reign of terror in Anchorage, Alaska.<br>
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As oil boom money poured into Anchorage, the city quickly became a prime destination for the seedier elements of society: prostitutes, pimps, con men, and criminals of all breeds looking to cash in. However, something even worse lurked in their midst.<br>
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To all who knew him, Robert Hansen was a typical hardworking businessman, husband, and father. But hidden beneath the veneer of mild respectability was a monster whose depraved appetites could not be sated. From 1971 to 1983, Hansen was a human predator, stalking women on the edges of Anchorage society—women whose disappearances would cause scant outcry, but whose gruesome fates would shock the nation. After his arrest, Hansen confessed to seventeen brutal murders, though authorities suspect there were more than thirty victims.<br>
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Alaska State Trooper Walter Gilmour and writer Leland E. Hale tell the story of Hansen’s twisted depredations—from the dark urges that drove his madness to the women who died at his hand and finally to the authorities who captured and convicted the killer who came to be known as the “Butcher Baker.”<br>
<br>kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-67406657428938882392017-01-08T14:58:00.000-08:002017-01-08T14:58:20.633-08:00The History of Wolves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ay1pE9bbSCw/WHK5NhbhLmI/AAAAAAAAC_8/3JSitVXvbhMjUrA3MdS84lgvlfxRRYstACLcB/s1600/Screenshot_20170108-161130.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ay1pE9bbSCw/WHK5NhbhLmI/AAAAAAAAC_8/3JSitVXvbhMjUrA3MdS84lgvlfxRRYstACLcB/s400/Screenshot_20170108-161130.png" width="250" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I stumbled upon Emily Fridlund's debut novel quite by accident, but once I began reading, I felt I had locked eyes with a wolf in the wild: fully entranced, it sent shivers of excitement, terror, and disbelief up and down my spine in an instant.<br>
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The plot synopsis from GoodReads says, "Linda has an idiosyncratic home life: her parents live in abandoned commune cabins in northern Minnesota and are hanging on to the last vestiges of a faded counter-culture world. The kids at school call her 'Freak', or 'Commie'. She is an outsider in all things. Her understanding of the world comes from her observations at school, where her teacher is accused of possessing child pornography, and from watching the seemingly ordinary life of a family she babysits for. Yet while the accusation against the teacher is perhaps more innocent than it seemed at first, the ordinary family turns out to be more complicated. As Linda insinuates her way into the family's orbit, she realises they are hiding something. If she tells the truth, she will lose the normal family life she is beginning to enjoy with them; but if she doesn't, their son may die.<br>
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Superbly-paced and beautifully written, HISTORY OF WOLVES is an extraordinary debut novel about guilt, innocence, negligence, well-meaning belief and the death of a child."<br>
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I felt such worry for Linda in that given her own less-than-conventional upbringing, she was not equipped to care for 4 year old Paul Gardener in a way that would allow her to understand that something was amiss. I wanted at several points to shout out, "That's not normal! You should tell someone!" But alas, no one had done that for her, so how was she to know?<br>
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There were also times when I wanted to gaurd Linda herself, to reach out and grab her by the arm and say, "Come on, we've got to get out of here. This isn't going to turn out well!" It really made me feel I was witnessing a tragedy and powerless to stop it.<br>
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Throughout the book, Linda relies on her obsevational skills and instincts. That would be great fodder for book club discussion! In fact, there is much about Linda's own ruminations regarding her life and experiences that would fuel great discussion! (For example, the differences between thoughts and actions, parenting styles, and if there is social boundary between religious beliefs and a community's need to protect its most vulnerable members just to name a few.) It would be great to hear the differing views between readers, each coming to the book with their own background assumptions and experiences.<br>
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Once I started, I found it very hard to put this book down. I gave <i>History of Wolves</i> by Emily Fridlund 4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads.<br>
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<b>From the Author's Website . . .</b><br>
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One of the most daring literary debuts of the season, <i>History of Wolves</i> is a profound and propulsive novel from an urgent, new voice in American fiction.<br>
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Teenage Linda lives with her parents in the austere woods of northern Minnesota, where their nearly abandoned commune stands as a last vestige of a lost counter-culture world. Isolated at home and an outsider at school, Linda is drawn to the enigmatic, attractive Lily and new history teacher Mr. Grierson. When Mr. Grierson is faced with child pornography charges, his arrest deeply affects Linda as she wrestles with her own fledgling desires and craving to belong.<br>
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And then the young Gardner family moves in across the lake and Linda finds herself welcomed into their home as a babysitter for their little boy, Paul. But with this new sense of belonging come expectations and secrets she doesn’t understand. Over the course of a summer, Linda makes a set of choices that reverberate throughout her life. As she struggles to find a way out of the sequestered world into which she was born, Linda confronts the life-and-death consequences of the things people do—and fail to do—for the people they love.<br>
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Winner of the McGinnis-Ritchie award for its first chapter, and A BEA Buzz Book and An ABA Indies Introduce Selection, Emily Fridlund’s agonizing and gorgeously written <i>History of Wolves</i> introduces a new writer of enormous range and talent.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Emily Fridlund grew up in Minnesota and currently resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Her fiction has appeared in a variety of journals, including <i>Boston Review, Zyzzyva, FiveChapters, New Orleans Review, Sou'wester, New Delta Review, Chariton Review, Portland Review,</i> and <i>Painted Bride Quarterly</i>. Fridlund's collection of stories, Catapult, won the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and will be published by Sarabande in 2017. kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-62839779904688527852016-10-24T17:48:00.000-07:002016-10-24T17:48:20.016-07:00Nourishing Meals Delivers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8QxwbMwyKYU/WA6m8TjKZXI/AAAAAAAAC8U/jKxNkoRSMpIu3TG3hF6IYwiOCPuCA3D2wCLcB/s1600/9780451495921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8QxwbMwyKYU/WA6m8TjKZXI/AAAAAAAAC8U/jKxNkoRSMpIu3TG3hF6IYwiOCPuCA3D2wCLcB/s400/9780451495921.jpg" width="320" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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This book is a godsend to folks who have dietary concerns which affect their health. Many people are looking for options which include dairy-free, gluten-free or soy-free dishes to provide optimal nutrition for their families. <br>
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This book is FULL of helpful tips, background information, and research. The best part is that it doesn't simply offer readers a small handful of recipes. We are talking about 484 pages filled with 365 easy-to-follow, delicious recipes you can start using on day one! And good news . . . you can find most of the ingredients at your local grocery store without having to find any specialty shops or mail-order sources. (Although on the off-chance you live on a secluded island accessible only by sea plane, online shopping sources are also included among the inclusive appendix at the back of the book.)<br>
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My thanks to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.org">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review.
<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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It can be daunting to live a whole foods lifestyle in today’s busy world—even more so to prepare plant-rich, allergen-free meals that’ll get the whole family around the table. Popular blogger Ali Segersten and functional medicine expert Tom Malttere are a team devoted to teaching their children—and readers—the importance of living a whole foods lifestyle. Nourishing Meals makes it easy and fun with dishes that burst with flavor, such as their Cherry Pecan Salad, Butternut Squash and Pinto Bean Enchiladas, Chipotle-Lime Roasted Chicken, and Banana Coconut Cream Pie.<br>
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Every recipe in the book is free of the most common allergens: gluten, soy, eggs, and dairy, as well as refined sugar. And these dishes are designed to appeal to everyone, including vegan, vegetarian, seafood, and meat-eaters. In addition to wonderful food, Ali and Tom offer easy, doable steps to help you change your family’s health, tips for making the transition easier, and ways to get the kids excited about wholesome foods. They map out the best foods and recipes for every stage of having a family, from pre-conception and pregnancy through each year of a child’s life. And they explain in accessible terms what makes their recipes so effective for achieving optimal health. Originally self-published with an avid following, this edition will feature more than 30 new recipes, and many of the original recipes have been updated. This new edition will also include 100 beautiful all-new food photos featured in two inserts.<br>
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With an easy, tasty recipe for every day of the year, it’s never been simpler to adopt a healthy, whole foods lifestyle!<br>
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kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-61622557900732818492016-10-10T12:18:00.000-07:002016-10-10T12:18:01.742-07:00Natural Color Is Amazing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwAHJbPPoj0/V_vZLomcz-I/AAAAAAAAC7Y/CuWYI7TzNVUuqVQSu1EwNyWyV01FqoRWQCLcB/s1600/color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwAHJbPPoj0/V_vZLomcz-I/AAAAAAAAC7Y/CuWYI7TzNVUuqVQSu1EwNyWyV01FqoRWQCLcB/s400/color.jpg" width="302" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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As someone who loves working with fiber via spinning and knitting, I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of Sasha Duerr's <i>Natural Color.</i> What an invaluable resource for anyone who loves natural products, color, and care of the environment!<br>
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Duerr provides readers with a great introduction to the world of natural dying. The book is structured around the seasons, which makes sense since the plants used to make the dye come into their prime at different times throughout the growing season. I find it interesting also that natural dye colors will vary depending on the specific soil and climate so that different regions and areas will have different color pallets.<br>
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I learned several things from reading this book. I really had very little sense of just how many natural plant sources provide such an array of color! I did not realize that one could, in several cases, alter the color outcome of the dye pot by adding different ingredients into the pot. I found it amazing that there are several sources of natural color that don't need anything added to the dye pot to make them colorfast. Nature is amazing!<br>
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Along with the various plants to gather seasonally, Duerr offers readers preparation instructions for getting your fabrics and fibers ready to be dyed. In each seasonal section of the book, there are a handful of "recipes"--hands on projects with instructions for dying anything from place mats and napkins to curtains, shirts and even a hat! Duerr provides tips within the recipes and in the introduction to each section's natural dye materials as to which will work the best for dying plant based fibers (cotton, linen, etc.) versus animal fibers (wool, alpaca, silk, etc.).<br>
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As someone who plans to keep this book and reference it often for upcoming fun with natural dying of yarns for truly unique projects, the one thing I recognize I am going to need by way of additional reading material to make the best use of <i>Natural Color</i>, is a field guide to plants in my area. Duerr's book does not offer a lot of help in identifying the specific plants by sight if you want to go out and gather some materials. It is important to have said guide so that you can avoid any "look alike" plants which may be poisonous. (For instance, where I live there is a plant which resembles Queen Anne's Lace which can leave blisters where it comes into contact with skin.)<br>
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If you are interested in natural dying and the colors produced by nature's pallet, you will definitely want to get a copy of <i>Natural Color.</i> My thanks to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.org">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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A beautiful book of seasonal projects for using the brilliant spectrum of colors derived from plants to naturally dye your clothing and home textiles.<br>
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Organized by season, <i>Natural Color</i> is a beautifully photographed guide to the full range of plant dyes available, drawn from commonly found fruits, flowers, trees, and herbs, with accompanying projects. Using sustainable methods and artisanal techniques, designer, artist, and professor Sasha Duerr details achievable ways to apply these limitless color possibilties to your home and wardrobe. Whether you are new to dyeing or more practiced, Duerr’s clear and simple ingredients lists, step-by-step instructions, and detailed breakouts on techniques such as shibori, dip-dye, and block printing will ensure beautiful results. With recipes to dye everything from dresses and sweaters to rugs and napkins, <i>Natural Color</i> will inspire fashion enthusiasts, home decorators, textile lovers, and everyone else who wants to bring more color into their life.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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SASHA DUERR is an artist, designer, and advocate for the slow fashion movement who works with organic dyes, alternative fibers, and the creative reuse of materials. She is a professor at the California College of the Arts with a joint appointment in textiles and fine arts. Her work has been shown in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad. In 2007 Duerr founded the Permacouture Institute with the Trust for Conservation Innovation to encourage the exploration of fashion and textiles from the ground up. Her extensive work with plant-based dyes and ecological principles through local land-based sources and community has been featured in the New York Times, American Craft Magazine, Selvedge, and the Huffington Post. She is the author of The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes.
kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-13383280416086036052016-10-06T11:15:00.001-07:002016-10-06T11:15:36.056-07:00The Curious Charms Of Arthur Pepper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tz2bzmfKPDQ/V_aQlmGpY5I/AAAAAAAAC7A/7uzI4u7jmj0CmeuvbKkn1lp2ZjXq1NiTQCLcB/s1600/charms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tz2bzmfKPDQ/V_aQlmGpY5I/AAAAAAAAC7A/7uzI4u7jmj0CmeuvbKkn1lp2ZjXq1NiTQCLcB/s400/charms.jpg" width="265" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I loved this charming, intimate story of life in the wake of the loss of a spouse and coming to terms with memories of your loved one versus new-found facts of the life lived before you. Wonderful!<br>
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You can find a bit more details about the plot of this delightful tome below in the "From the Publisher" section. I found it to be a fresh and surprising tale which was surprisingly easy to identify with. You live with an intimate partner for all of your adult life, but may never know fully who that person was before they met you. You may have inklings, snapshots, and traces...but not having been a part of that time/place, you will always have only the perspective of an outsider looking in.<br>
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The writing is so well done, I had complete visions of each character drawn in detail in my mind's eye. How I chuckled when Arthur was dodging his neighbor's knock on the door! And the sight of him stuffed into the back of the neighbor kid's car zooming along on a trip he's not sure he really wanted to be on! These genuinely funny moments are matched by more serious, contemplative, even poignant moments of reflection, grief, and personal growth which are all a part of Arthur's journey in the book. It is truly excellent!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same grey slacks and mustard tank top, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.<br>
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But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the story behind each of the charms – and the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met. It’s a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Phaedra qualified firstly as a stained glass artist before gaining her professional Marketing qualifications. She has worked as a waitress, stained glass designer, film festival organiser and communications manager.<br>
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She enjoyed her first real writing success when she entered and won several short story competitions, and she now writes full time.<br>
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Phaedra lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son, where she enjoys walking, eating chocolate, and arts and crafts. Her idea for The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper emerged as she showed her own childhood charm bracelet to her young son and told him the stories behind each of the charms.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-58537586839211115622016-09-26T11:13:00.000-07:002016-09-26T11:13:09.286-07:00Women In Science Is Awesome!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jTrJrRiaco4/V-lf4ujNKSI/AAAAAAAAC6M/BnggzvDgdhInpZAUOIayjOt4e0HZk1KCwCLcB/s1600/women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jTrJrRiaco4/V-lf4ujNKSI/AAAAAAAAC6M/BnggzvDgdhInpZAUOIayjOt4e0HZk1KCwCLcB/s400/women.jpg" width="335" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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This book is awesome! For all those who are working to get girls into STEM, this is a valuable aid. <i>Women In Science</i> contains concise yet thorough introductions to 50 women who made a difference in a variety of scientific fields gathered together in one, fun and funky book.<br>
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Younger readers will be amazed at the rich and diverse history of women who have been at the forefront in various scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematics fields. Heck, this 50 year old reader was astounded to learn of some of these ladies! This will undoubtedly push these readers to dive in deeper either to specific types of science that will pique their curiosity or to learn more about the lives and times of these fascinating pioneers.<br>
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For older readers, this book is an invaluable reference tool which provides quick and concise overviews of the woman and her accomplishments....a perfect jumping off point sure to instigate further research.<br>
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Let me add that I love the layouts, the font, and really EVERYTHING about this book!! It should be a part of every elementary and middle school library and every teacher's classroom collection. If you have a daughter, granddaughter, niece or other girl in your life, please get her a copy of this book! If you are raising boys to celebrate the girls and women in their lives, get them a copy of this book!<br>
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My thanks to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.com">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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A charmingly illustrated and educational book, <i>Women in Science</i> highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. <i>Women in Science</i> celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Rachel Ignotofsky is an illustrator and author based in beautiful Kansas City, MO. She grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art's graphic design program in 2011. Now Rachel works for herself and spends all day and night drawing, writing and learning as much as she can. Her work is inspired by history and science. She believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. Rachel hopes to use her work to spread her message about education, gender equality and scientific literacy.<br>
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Rachel is always available to answer questions or comments. email her at: rachelignotofskydesign@gmail.comkshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-23220915859999626192016-09-08T18:30:00.001-07:002016-09-08T18:30:56.814-07:00Two-fer: Super Heroes & Strange Bedfellows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRaqYCjBleY/V9IFHB-2MbI/AAAAAAAACrs/cCBHt8wru1ACCG4eX81goQCaoVZW8CsbgCLcB/s1600/063029fd5adca888c3df468b1667e935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRaqYCjBleY/V9IFHB-2MbI/AAAAAAAACrs/cCBHt8wru1ACCG4eX81goQCaoVZW8CsbgCLcB/s400/063029fd5adca888c3df468b1667e935.jpg" width="275" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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Wouldn'the it be great to have a super power? What would you pick? Superhuman strength? Invisibility? X-ray vision?<br>
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Now just imagine your whole family has super powers! And they fight crimes! And you somehow get the lamest super power EVER! <br>
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Kids will easily slip into the fantasy of the story and will, undoubtedly, identify with Peter in his dilemma of feeling awkward and inadequate. I think they will also soak up the positive message this book offers! <br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Everyone in Peter Powers' family has super awesome superpowers. His dad controls fire with his mind, and his mom can fly. His big brother makes copies of himself, and his little sister is super-strong. And his baby brother even turns invisible! But all Peter can do is--this is really embarrassing--make ice cubes with his fingertips.<br>
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When Captain Tornado comes to town and begins robbing banks, will Peter Powers and his totally lame abilities step up to save the day--or will he get cold feet? Join Peter Powers and his fantastic family for their first action-packed and fun-filled adventure to find out!<br>
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<b>Peter Powers and His Not-So-Super Powers</b> is the first in a new chapter book series of exciting stories about a young boy who has the worst superpower ever. Each story is full of humor, action, and fun, but the charm can be found in the heartfelt message about the power of family, friends, and having confidence.<br>
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<b>About the Authors . . .</b><br>
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KENT CLARK is a superhero by day, and a writer by night. When he's not getting cats out of trees or saving the world from monstrous alien supervillains, he's reading a book. He also has a terrible weakness-he can't say no to tacos, comic books, or video games.<br>
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BRANDON T. SNIDER writes books about Transformers, Minions and even Batman! When he's not writing superhero stories, he's either on TV or eating as much cheese as possible in order to unlock cheese-related superpowers-which is not working.<br>
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DAVE BARDIN is an illustrator by day and, well, night too. When he's not drawing in his Stronghold of Seclusion he patrols the streets, protecting the innocent and vanquishing evil. Strangely, the source of his powers is also his one weakness-MASHED POTATOES!<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_uhVjiPxYo/V9IHF5ZUWiI/AAAAAAAACr4/3byEg2p9fwEwPVPKpunVBSkXviE-PdBpACLcB/s1600/9781626722385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_uhVjiPxYo/V9IHF5ZUWiI/AAAAAAAACr4/3byEg2p9fwEwPVPKpunVBSkXviE-PdBpACLcB/s400/9781626722385.jpg" width="267" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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This book was hard to put down! <br>
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Unfortunately, instances of child abductions make big news and most everyone is familiar with at least one case....and for many people and communities, the familiarity hits much too close to home. Too often the news stories end in tragedy (the discovery of a body) or leave everyone in heartbreaking limbo. But what happens when the child is found, whether in days, weeks, or years? <br>
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Mathieu takes readers on the journey of recovery from such trauma through the eyes of Ethan, who was kidnapped at age 11, four years ago,--and Caroline, who's brother Dylan, was taken several days ago by the same man. The questions, the experiences, the conversations, and the visceral reactions triggered by PTSD are heartbreakingly real and so well written!<br>
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Written for a YA audience, I believe the book appeals to a wider audience as I found it quite compelling! <br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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A tragic kidnapping leads to an unlikely friendship in this novel about finding light in the midst of darkness from the author of The Truth About Alice.<br>
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When eleven-year-old Dylan Anderson is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of fifteen-year-old Ethan Jorgensen, who had gone on a bike ride four years earlier and had never been seen again. Dylan's older sister, Caroline, can't help but wonder what happened to her brother, who has nonverbal autism and is not adjusting well to life back home. There's only one person who knows the truth: Ethan. But Ethan isn't sure how he can help Caroline when he is fighting traumatic memories of his own captivity. Both Caroline and Ethan need a friend, however, and their best option just might be each other.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . . </b><br>
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Hi! I’m young adult author Jennifer Mathieu (pronounced Muh-two, but if you speak French you can pronounce it better than that. Sadly, I don’t speak French.) I’m a writer and English teacher who lives in Texas with my family. A native of the East Coast and a former journalist, I enjoy writing contemporary young adult fiction that treats teenagers like real people. I love to eat and hate to cook.<br>
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My thanks to the publishers for the complimentary copies I received in exchange for honest reviews.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-30938078650724100572016-08-19T15:30:00.000-07:002016-08-19T15:30:36.601-07:00Mixing Up Drinks & Danger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-_SyNuQSuw/V7d8sEXHtHI/AAAAAAAACrE/CzIJSPrei4sNXVwml2c5bM6SkbNmJmyDgCLcB/s1600/9781594747595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-_SyNuQSuw/V7d8sEXHtHI/AAAAAAAACrE/CzIJSPrei4sNXVwml2c5bM6SkbNmJmyDgCLcB/s400/9781594747595.jpg" width="262" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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It seems appropriate that Quirk books publishes this novel with a plot like nothing else with which I am familiar with. Imagine: the real guardians of your neighborhood are the local bartenders who use their special talents of mixology to keep the supernatural beasts and demons at bay, thus protecting humanity and those particularly vulnerable folks who imbibe, make merry or drown their sorrows.<br>
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The idea was so novel, it drew me right in. Paul Krueger's book, <i>Last Call At the Nightshade Lounge,</i> has been deemed "a novel for new adults"--which is to say it is intended to bridge the gap between YA readers and "adult" readers. Think millennials I guess.<br>
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You can read the plot synopsis form the publisher below. As a work of paranormal fantasy, I enjoyed Kruger's lot as something new and fresh. The bar scene is not, and never really has been, a part of my life, so I had to rely on the pop culture images of neighborhood pubs and local watering holes one gathers from television and movies to imagine many of the settings in the book. <br>
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I tried to figure out how I would feel about the characters if I were the 20-something age of Bailey, Zane, and their fellow barkeeps. From the perspective of a 50 year old, they seem like the worst cliches attributed to their generation: at best, not ambitious, at worst, lazy; unsure of what to do with their education yet having some sense of entitlement; unable to leave behind their college or even high school days and meet the adult expectations of society (so looking a bit spoiled).<br>
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I really enjoyed the bartender notes and drink recipes interspersed throughout. It was fun information and added to the sense that different liquors provide different magical properties. The inclusion of this material added depth to the plot that this magical know-how could perhaps be the ancient knowledge of a secret fellowship passed down through the centuries.<br>
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My thanks to the publisher for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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In this sharp and funny urban fantasy novel, booze is magic, demons are real, and millennial Bailey Chen joins a band of monster-fighting Chicago bartenders instead of finding a “real” post-college job.<br>
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Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.<br>
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But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out that evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can be hunted only with the help of magically mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and rum lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?<br>
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This sharp and funny urban fantasy is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and grown-up readers of Harry Potter. Includes 14 recipes from a book of ancient cocktail lore.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Paul Krueger is, down to the very bottom of his black little heart, a city rat. Raised in and around Chicago, he got his learning on in New York before scuttling off to Los Angeles, where he lives now.<br>
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His short fiction has appeared in the anthologies SWORD & LASER and NOIR RIOT. His debut novel, LAST CALL AT THE NIGHTSHADE LOUNGE, is due out in June of 2016 from Quirk Books. It’s about a secret society of bartenders who fight demons with alcohol-magic, and yes, it’s very much autobiographical.*<br>
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His non-writing hobbies include cooking, playing ukulele, Pathfinder, and boring strangers with long, involved stories about his cat. He’s also a musician, singing lead for the Adventure Time-themed punk band Lemonbadd.<br>
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If found, Paul should be returned to Ms. Jennie Goloboy of Red Sofa Literary, who is very patient with him.<br>
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*for a very loose/nonexistent value of “autobiographical”kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-58858608194574656282016-08-14T11:27:00.001-07:002016-08-14T11:31:19.926-07:00Tales From the Scaremaster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkJiEFvnbA/V7CQ44H-imI/AAAAAAAACqs/74xleAKUKrcCtSK7P5DhO7VoSE0e5k0TwCLcB/s1600/14711891610101404001897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMkJiEFvnbA/V7CQ44H-imI/AAAAAAAACqs/74xleAKUKrcCtSK7P5DhO7VoSE0e5k0TwCLcB/s400/14711891610101404001897.jpg" width="225" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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If your middle grade reader likes a mystery or books with a frightful edge, they are going to enjoy the latest from B. A. Frade (great pen name, no?). <i>Werewolf Weekend </i> introduces readers to Emma and Sam, twelve year old besties. Sam is about to have the best weekend ever with her parents away and her 16 year old cousin, Cassie, in charge. Emma, on the other hand, is about to have the worst weekend ever, staying with her elderly neighbor while her mom is away for work.<br>
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When a mysterious librarian gives Emma a new journal, however, things magically fall into place for a weekend like none other! <br>
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<i>Werewolf Weekend</i> is a quick read. Middle grade readers will likely find the characters easy to relate to. The plot moves right along, keeping interest levels high. I felt there was good resolution to the various story lines too. The epilogue was, I assume, standard protocol for the series and a great teaser. I will be happy to recommend this book to the younger readers I know! <br>
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My thanks to the publisher for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review. <br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Twelve-year-old Emma is excited to spend a weekend away at best friend Samantha's house for an epic sleepover with Sam and her out-of-town cousins. But things take a turn for the spooky when Emma's peculiar new book, Tales from the Scaremaster, shows it has a mind of its own-and weaves a story starring Emma and some cousins hiding a very creepy secret!<br>
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When the story from the book starts coming to life, and with only hours before the full moon rises, it's up to Emma to figure out the secrets of the Scaremaster. Can she solve this wolfish mystery, find a way to outwit the Scaremaster, and stop a werewolf in its tracks...or will she end up as wolf bait?<br>
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Frightfully funny tales come to life in this thrilling new series, perfect for fans of Goosebumps.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Growing up on the edge of a graveyard, in a house rumored to be haunted, B.A. Frade seemed destined to write spooky stories. B.A. spent years investigating haunted attics, mysterious creatures, and things that go "boo" in the night to become an authority on all things creepy and scary. B.A. lives and writes in a location we promised to keep a secret (in case any ghouls come asking with mischief in mind).<br>
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New York Times bestselling author Stacia Deutsch has written more than a hundred children's books. In addition to her award-winning chapter book series Blast to the Past, Stacia ghostwrites stories in many popular series and has written junior movie novels for blockbusters such as Batman and Ghostbusters. She has an MFA from Western State Colorado University, where she currently teaches fiction writing. Stacia promises that no werewolves or books were harmed (or caused harm) in the writing of this book.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-8866499923072304112016-08-13T12:46:00.001-07:002016-08-13T12:46:20.224-07:00Solve the Mystery Alongside The Nocturnals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsSbfJnAs48/V69z5YYiFyI/AAAAAAAACqY/r7QnfUtz76YI42aoe2RHoMtXhB7dlWY6gCLcB/s1600/20160813_142352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsSbfJnAs48/V69z5YYiFyI/AAAAAAAACqY/r7QnfUtz76YI42aoe2RHoMtXhB7dlWY6gCLcB/s400/20160813_142352.jpg" width="225" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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A fox, a sugar glider, and a pangolin are "The Brigade"--a group of friends pledged to stick together through thick and thin in order to protect and defend the animals of the valley in which they live. Younger readers will be enthralled by the story of friendship, bravery, and determination when the gang is called into action at the sign and mention of a great beast who's movements shake the earth and spread ash on everything. Older readers will be challenged to make inferences and piece the puzzle together as the three friends sniff out and unearth clues about the true identity of the mysterious beast terrifying the animals all around them.<br>
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I enjoyed this book immensely. I found myself coming up with all sorts of discussion questions and I think this book would make a great resource for reading groups or classroom use. Dawn, the fox, shows many examples of restraint which are worthy of further examination. Polyphema's so-called visions and proclamations (and Dawn's skepticism of them) could lead to some interesting discussion. The book asks readers to consider what makes them afraid, why someone might descriminate, the nature of loyalty and friendship, why it is important to get all the facts before jumping to conclusions, etc.<br>
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My thanks to the publisher, Fabled Films, for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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When a violent jolt fractures the earth, the Nocturnal Brigade sets out to investigate its source. Along their journey, Dawn, Bismark, and Tobin meet an unfamiliar reptile—a tuatara—who reveals that a giant beast caused the destruction and will soon strike again. The tuatara, with her special insights, is the only one who can help them stop this fearsome predator… but can she be trusted? With help from an owl, the jerboas and a few kiwis, a trap is set since surrender is not an option against this relentless beast.<br>
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<b>Lexile Level 580L — Fountas & Pinnell Level T</b><br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Tracey Hecht is a writer and entrepreneur who has written, directed and produced for film. When she isn’t writing she can be found hiking, reading or spending time with her family. Tracey currently splits her time between New York City and Oquossoc, Maine with her husband, four children and three pets—none of which are a sugar glider.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-2818214910625784852016-08-11T20:18:00.001-07:002016-08-11T20:18:19.536-07:00Mammoth Fun In the Stone Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BaDukaZMVgI/V60-koVxrKI/AAAAAAAACqI/g8dqbRdVy8oZKVxronWJFY8AzxBbGWOygCLcB/s1600/9780385388351.jpg.172x250_q85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BaDukaZMVgI/V60-koVxrKI/AAAAAAAACqI/g8dqbRdVy8oZKVxronWJFY8AzxBbGWOygCLcB/s400/9780385388351.jpg.172x250_q85.jpg" width="302" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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This book is a fun read which will engage both girls (they are going to love Lucy's plucky determination and brilliant ideas) and boys (who will get a chuckle from the gross bodily functions that make most elementary lads chortle). It is bound to engage the natural curiosity of elementary learners. The graphic novel has modern day anthropologists interspersed throughout offering readers the latest up-to-date theories based on the latest finds and research. Every kid who enjoys thinking about what life was like in another time or place will find this thought-provoking. Parents beware: if your elementary reader gets their hands on this, you are going to be asked to take them to a museum for further learning!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>For fans of the New York Times bestselling Jedi Academy books comes a hilarious new graphic novel series about two young cave kids living 40,000 years ago.</b><br>
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The laugh-out-loud adventure features Lucy and her goofball brother Andy, as the duo take on a wandering baby sibling, bossy teens, cave paintings, and a mammoth hunt. But what will happen when they encounter a group of humans?<br>
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Humorous and entertaining, Jeffrey Brown’s signature comical touch enlivens the scientific and historical content, including a special paleontologist section that helps to dispel common Neanderthal myths.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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Jeffrey Brown is the author/illustrator of the bestselling Jedi Academy series and Chronicle’s Darth Vader series. He resides in Chicago with his wife and two sons. You can visit him at jeffreybrowncomics.com.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-16565335227062218262016-08-05T20:03:00.001-07:002016-08-05T20:03:12.896-07:00Vinegar Girl Breathes New Life Into Shakespearian Classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-je6rXKEHujI/V6VOd8P6ZzI/AAAAAAAACpw/mjL9B4SOwKMfvUb9t09hH79uUbfADaQ7ACLcB/s1600/9780804141260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-je6rXKEHujI/V6VOd8P6ZzI/AAAAAAAACpw/mjL9B4SOwKMfvUb9t09hH79uUbfADaQ7ACLcB/s400/9780804141260.jpg" width="249" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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One of the reasons I love reading Anne Tyler is her penchant for strong character development and character driven narrative. <i>Vinegar Girl </i> does not disappoint! <br>
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<i>Vinegar Girl </i> is Tyler take on Shakespeare’s <i>The Taming of the Shrew </i>. This is one of my favorite Shakespearian plays since learning in the 6th grade my grandmother had once won a jingle contest for her entry for the movie <i>Kiss Me Kate </i>. (We were an odd family that spent Saturday nights watching black and white films on PBS.) Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, I appreciated the feminist slant and strong female protagonist. Tyler maintains this in Kate Battista, eldest daughter of Dr. Louis Battista, research fellow for Johns Hopkins. I will let you read below the story synopsis provided by the publisher if you happen to be unfamiliar with this classic work. <br>
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Just 237 pages long, the novel is compact and a delightful afternoon read. I enjoy reading a modernization of Shakespeare’s works as it is always interesting to see what settings authors will choose to place the characters into as well as how the writer might tweak the character/s to fit. If you aren’t familiar with the original play, you may not even recognize this is a make-over. (I mean that as a compliment, not a criticism!) I loved the dramatic climax in the final chapter where Kate speaks her mind to the guests present at her wedding feast. She makes such growth throughout the book, I almost stood up to cheer when the classic moment arose.<br>
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Fans of Tyler will, I believe, enjoy this latest offering. If you’ve never read Anne Tyler, this is a fun way to discover her writing and style. Your book club will enjoy this too, (especially if you have chance to read the original or see one of the films based on it) there is quite a bit of fodder for discussion! <br>
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My thanks to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.com">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review. <br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Pulitzer Prize winner and American master Anne Tyler brings us an inspired, witty and irresistible contemporary take on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. <br>
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Kate Battista feels stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she’s always in trouble at work – her pre-school charges adore her, but their parents don’t always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner.<br>
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Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There’s only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr, all would be lost.<br>
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When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he’s relying – as usual – on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he’s really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men’s touchingly ludicrous campaign to bring her around?<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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ANNE TYLER was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941 and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is her twentieth novel; her eleventh, Breathing Lessons, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-91339866135349008162016-08-04T11:49:00.001-07:002016-08-04T11:49:02.054-07:00Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y0_86IbNgVY/V6OIEKkR3iI/AAAAAAAACpc/tcPEOA7LMTg45XWTkYRC8rH5loliO_rfQCLcB/s1600/HP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y0_86IbNgVY/V6OIEKkR3iI/AAAAAAAACpc/tcPEOA7LMTg45XWTkYRC8rH5loliO_rfQCLcB/s400/HP.jpg" width="265" height="400" /></a></div><br>
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I had to.<br>
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While I didn't get in line at midnight to get my hands on a copy of the eight Harry Potter book, I did pick one up the first day it was out. I have read (and own) a copy of all the other books and simply couldn't pass up adding this one to my collection.<br>
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The first thing readers need to understand is that this is not another Harry Potter novel. It is a rehearsal script for the play which opened in London on Harry's birthday, July 31 (the traditional launch day for all things Potter.) As an English major who enjoys Shakespeare and Ibsen (among other playwrights), I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to read a script. But this format may be a challenge for some readers, especially those not used to reading dialogue with a few stage instructions interspersed.<br>
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After reading it I went on-line to check out what others were saying about it. If you are the type of Harry Potter fan who disliked the Epilogue of the final book, I suspect you are going to be among those readers who object to this story. Many suggest that it reads like a piece of fan fiction. I can totally understand this. Although J. K. Rowling is listed among the collaborators on the piece, it is clearly heavily influenced by other writers and does not measure up to the same caliber of writing as her novels.<br>
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As a reader who was satisfied with the Epilogue I must say that, although I was sad to say good-bye to characters, it felt like a good ending to the story. In that spirit, <i>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child</i> was a disappointment. I didn't need to be exposed to the foibles and shortcomings of Harry and the gang as 40-year-old parents. It lead me to wonder about the fact that for me, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco still functioned as the main characters while perhaps for younger readers/watchers it might be their offspring--Albus and Scorpius--who serve as the main protagonists. That idea makes the whole thing seem muddled and unclear to me.<br>
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I found it to be a quick read, so I don't feel bad about the time I spent reading it. If the play is ever made into a film, I am sure that I will see it. I would be curious to know how some of the staging is pulled off and will, no doubt, read reviews of the play. I wonder if this production will become something used in theater classes? With Harry Potter being such a world-wide phenomenon, I can see this play being a production that could serve that purpose well. In the meantime, I can't wait to see <i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</i>!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>"The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later."</b><br>
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Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.<br>
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It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.<br>
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While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."<br>
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kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-82131341102672454092016-08-02T17:42:00.001-07:002016-08-02T17:55:55.830-07:00Sherlock Sam's Skills Save the Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VByW5WoELbs/V6E4AjRxEzI/AAAAAAAACpM/UiwTWiO9l0gO3Yk3R0ScQ59zgPtqcZ2yQCLcB/s1600/9781449477899_frontcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VByW5WoELbs/V6E4AjRxEzI/AAAAAAAACpM/UiwTWiO9l0gO3Yk3R0ScQ59zgPtqcZ2yQCLcB/s640/9781449477899_frontcover.jpg" width="415" height="640" /></a></div><br>
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Plucky determination, astute observation and deduction skills, courage under pressure, and a robot side-kick named Watson combine to make Sherlock Sam (Sam Tan Cher Lock) a fun hero for elementary readers in search of a mystery to solve. <br>
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In <i> Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong </i>, Sam's Auntie Kim Liang discovers that her cookbook filled with family recipes from several generations has gone missing. Sam and his friend Jimmy, along with Sam's sister Wendy and the robot Sam has built and affectionately named Watson, are happy to take the case and find Auntie'so priceless treasure. <br>
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This book is great fun! Aimed at readers in the 7 to 12 year old range, kids will enjoy looking for clues throughout the pages. I enjoyed the fact that readers will also be introduced to elements of a culture that may be different from their own. I love it when books help to expand a reader's perspective and raising their tolerance for diversity! It is great to have a book to recommend to elementary boys with a hero they can aspire to be like. <br>
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My thanks to the publisher for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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An exciting new update of the classic Sherlock Holmes detective stories in which Sherlock is a 10-year-old kid living in Singapore and Watson is his trusty robot companion!<br>
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Introducing the Sherlock Sam series by A.J. Low—a fresh, cross-cultural twist on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, tailored for middle-grade readers. Set in iconic Singapore locations, the series follows the mystery-solving exploits of smart, observant, food-loving 10-year-old Samuel Tan Cher Lock (a.k.a. Sherlock Sam), Watson, his reluctant robot sidekick, and the rest of the Supper Club (a “Scooby Doo gang,” of sorts) as they prove that mysteries are best solved through teamwork.<br>
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In <i>Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong</i>, Auntie Kim Lian’s precious Peranakan cookbook disappears, and Sherlock Sam cannot eat her delicious ayam buah keluak anymore! Will Sherlock Sam be able to use his super detective powers to find this lost treasure?<br>
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<b>About the Authors . . .</b><br>
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A.J. Low is a multicultural husband-and-wife writing team. Adan Jimenez was born in California to Mexican immigrant parents, then became an immigrant himself when he moved from New York City to Singapore. Felicia Low-Jimenez is a native of Singapore who has worked with books most of her adult life, as a bookseller, book buyer, book marketer, and now, with the Sherlock Sam series, book writer!kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-45817336936326870602016-06-02T18:33:00.000-07:002016-06-02T18:33:39.844-07:00Enter the Paradox: The More of Less
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Did you love Marie Kondo’s book, <i>The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up</i>? Do you have a certain fascination with the tiny house movement? Are you seeking to simplify your life and surroundings? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to get your hands on a copy of Joshua Becker’s little tome, <i>The More of Less.</i><br>
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I can’t rave enough about this book! Our youngest child just graduated from university and will be moving in a few weeks to the neighboring state to start his career. As true empty-nesters, we will be reclaiming spaces in our house that have been dedicated to kids, and repurposing them. This is most definitely our time to declutter, down-size the “stuff” and take stock of what is actually necessary.<br>
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Becker sums up the goal of his book by saying, “This book is about living with less so that you can get more out of your days. It’s been about having a smaller material lifestyle so that you can experience a bigger life, full of passion and purpose. Own less to live more. That’s paradoxical.” (p. 212) Who wouldn’t want to get on board with that?<br>
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Full of practical tips and stories of real people, <i>The More of Less</i>is not only inspiring but will help you make the plan and take the steps to getting out from under the stuff that prevents you from getting the most out of your days. Much thanks goes out to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.com">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>Don’t Settle for More</b><br>
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Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter, and we tire of cleaning and managing and organizing.<br>
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While excess consumption leads to bigger houses, faster cars, fancier technology, and cluttered homes, it never brings happiness. Rather, it results in a desire for more. It redirects our greatest passions to things that can never fulfill. And it distracts us from the very life we wish we were living.<br>
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Live a better life with less.<br>
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In The More of Less, Joshua Becker, helps you….<br>
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• recognize the life-giving benefits of owning less<br>
• realize how all the stuff you own is keeping you from pursuing your dreams<br>
• craft a personal, practical approach to decluttering your home and life<br>
• experience the joys of generosity<br>
• learn why the best part of minimalism isn’t a clean house, it’s a full life<br>
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The beauty of minimalism isn’t in what it takes away. It’s in what it gives.<br>
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<b>Make Room in Your Life for What You Really Want</b><br>
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“Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff.” After a casual conversation with his neighbor on Memorial Day 2008, Joshua Becker realized he needed a change. He was spending far too much time organizing possessions, cleaning up messes, and looking for more to buy.<br>
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So Joshua and his wife decided to remove the nonessential possessions from their home and life. Eventually, they sold, donated, or discarded over 60 percent of what they owned. In exchange, they found a life of more freedom, more contentment, more generosity, and more opportunity to pursue the things that mattered most.<br>
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The More of Less delivers an empowering plan for living more by owning less. With practical suggestions and encouragement to personalize your own minimalist style, Joshua Becker shows you why minimizing possessions is the best way to maximize life.<br>
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Are you ready for less cleaning, less anxiety, and less stress in your life? Simplicity isn’t as complicated as you think.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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JOSHUA BECKER is the founder and editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website that inspires millions around the world to own fewer possessions and find greater fulfillment in life. As one of the leading voices in the modern simplicity movement, Joshua speaks both nationwide and internationally. He has contributed to articles in Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Christianity Today. He is a frequent guest on HuffPost Live and has appeared on numerous television programs, including the CBS Evening News. He and his young family live in Peoria, Arizona.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-3199938277060287602016-04-28T18:18:00.000-07:002016-04-28T18:18:16.436-07:00Let Your Mind Help You Lose Weight!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yaSQDi8CI_o/VyKzg_feF3I/AAAAAAAACm8/uXQ37GIRk-8Ag9Moymz7TNSw9s5g_NnHACLcB/s1600/31iseRAFJEL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yaSQDi8CI_o/VyKzg_feF3I/AAAAAAAACm8/uXQ37GIRk-8Ag9Moymz7TNSw9s5g_NnHACLcB/s400/31iseRAFJEL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" /></a></div><br>
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This book is life-changing!<br>
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I started a meditation practice two years ago which has had a huge, positive impact on my life. <i>Meditate Your Weight: A 21-Day Retreat To Optimize Your Metabolism and Feel Great</i> is THE tool I have been looking for to tie my meditation practice to my goal of losing weight for an important family event later this year.<br>
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Author Tiffany Cruikshank breaks the book into 3 parts. Part One includes a quick introduction to mindfulness meditation, including the science behind meditation, its affect on the brain and other body systems, and the “how-to” mechanics of sitting. I found it a helpful review and suspect that folks who are new to meditation may go through the opening materials slower than I did. <br>
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Part Two is made up of the 21 days of specific practice. Each day includes a reading which sets the stage for the daily topic and provides inspiration; instructions for the 3 to 7 minutes of sitting meditation; a couple of thought provoking questions to journal about immediately following the meditation time; a daily mantra to focus on throughout your day; and final suggestions for thoughts and feelings to be aware of as your day unfolds. In the week I have been doing, I find the process works well! I really like the combination of reading, setting it aside to meditate, and writing. I find my mind floating back to the ideas and themes several times through my day. I appreciate the encouragement to take a look at what happens during my meditation too! <br>
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In Part Three of the book, Cruikshank includes a “tool kit” which offers reader ways to meditate during movement/exercise, yoga poses that promote weight loss, and thoughts on mindful eating. (If you haven’t heard of mindful eating and are working on weight loss goals, you must do some reading on it. It is shocking how mindlessly most of us eat!!)<br>
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I intend to keep this book and go through the program more than once. I believe it will be a tool for positive change in my life. If you have struggled with losing weight, I would encourage you to get a copy of this book! Thank you to <a href="http://bloggingforbooks.com">Blogging For Books</a> for the free copy I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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<b>THE MIND MAKEOVER THAT MAKES OVER YOUR METABOLISM</b><br>
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Hundreds of medical studies have shown the spectacular health benefits of meditation. Now Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine, puts that scientific research to good, practical use by incorporating easy-to-use, targeted meditations into a unique weight-loss program. This 21-day plan optimizes health as well as body image by tapping the hidden strength of the mind. We learn a whole new way to lose weight; and it takes just a few relaxing and energizing minutes a day.<br>
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Learn:
• How to get started: advice for new meditators (no weird positions or chants required)<br>
• 3, 5, 7, and 10 minute meditations that bust cravings, break self-defeating habits, stress-proof the body, and reboot the brain<br>
• What to eat—and the top 5 foods to consider avoiding<br>
• How to continue your success after your 21-day retreat<br>
• Bonus: 10 stress-relieving, cardio-revving yoga exercises to complement the plan<br>
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Each day of the plan in Meditate Your Weight helps you explore and release what's weighing you down physically, emotionally, and mentally—the mental blocks, thoughts, habits, and behaviors that stand in your way—to make it easier to think more clearly, make better choices, and maximize metabolism. As you lighten up on the inside, you’ll lighten up on the outside.<br>
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<b>Less stress=less belly fat. More calm + more balance = a healthier you.</b><br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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<b>Tiffany Cruikshank, Lac, MAOM</b>, an internationally acclaimed yoga teacher, author, meditation, health and wellness expert, has a pre-med bachelor’s degree in Medicinal Plant Biology and Nutrition and a master’s degree in acupuncture an Oriental medicine with a specialization in sports medicine and orthopedics. She is the founder of Yoga Medicine and has treated more than 25,000 patients from around the world using yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, meditation and holistic health. Tiffany has been featured in Yoga Journal, Self, Marie Claire, Prevention, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and Redbook and on Fox News among many others.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-83637874497856576852016-04-19T12:39:00.000-07:002016-04-19T12:39:31.725-07:00Fowl Language<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETP5TvkmIrM/VxaGs8tOtMI/AAAAAAAACmk/tdWGngyszsE4ebG60nhEEXao3l0R1JuLwCLcB/s1600/Fowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETP5TvkmIrM/VxaGs8tOtMI/AAAAAAAACmk/tdWGngyszsE4ebG60nhEEXao3l0R1JuLwCLcB/s400/Fowl.jpg" /></a></div><br>
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If you are a parent, or about to become a parent, or want to know what may be going through your own parents' heads, this is the book for you!<br>
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It was a hoot sitting on the deck with my husband who picked up the book first. He laughed out loud several times! And just as when we watch the ABC program, The Middle, he exclaimed several times, "This is too true!"<br>
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<i>Fowl Language</i> is so easy to relate to! Neither of us was familiar with the online cartoon world of Fowl Language, but I can assure you, the situations are real, as are the reactions! If you want a quick, fun read about the trials and tribulations--and the humorous parts too!--of parenting, you must read this book!<br>
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My thanks to the publisher from whom I received a free copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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The popular parenting webcomic featured on HuffPost, Buzzfeed, and Upworthy is now a book! The perfect gift for baby showers and for those already in the throes of parenting,<i> Fowl Language: Welcome to Parenting</i> is here to let you know that you're not alone. Parenting is hard and often gross. Laughing about it helps. If you liked <i>Toddlers Are A**holes</i>, you'll love <i>Fowl Language</i>!<br>
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Parenting can be a magical journey full of bliss and wonder . . . if you're on the right meds. For the rest of us, it's another thing altogether. <i>Fowl Language Comics</i> takes an unvarnished look at the tedium and aggravation of parenting, while never forgetting that the reason we put up with those little jerks is that we love them so damn much. By poking fun at the daily struggles parents face, these cartoons help all of us feel less alone in our continual struggle to stay sane.<br>
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Brian Gordon, creator of <i>Fowl Language Comics</i>, has two small children of his own and knows well the trials and tribulations that go along with raising them. With more than eighteen years of experience in humorous illustration, writing, and cartooning, Brian's visual point of view is memorable, authentic, and instantly recognizable. From Brian: "They say 'write what you know.' Well, I don’t know much, but I do know what it’s like to be the father of two brilliant, beautiful, bat-shit-crazy kids."<br>
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Launched in July 2013, the relatable humor of <i>Fowl Language</i> broke out on HuffPost Parents, Pop Sugar Moms, Bored Panda, Awkward Family Photos, and countless other humor and parenting blogs. Thanks to more than 200,000 fans on social media, including Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram, it continues to grow in popularity at a rapid pace.<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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"A million years ago, Brian Gordon spent his time staying out late, hitting the clubs and eating at fancy restaurants.<br>
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And then suddenly ... CHILDREN. While he loved being a dad more than anything else, he also noticed that at times, parenting can be a total crap-fest.<br>
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In the summer of 2013, Brian began drawing Fowl Language as a fun (and often profane) way to vent his frustrations. After getting laid off from his job as a greeting card artist, he decided to pursue the comic full-time. His work quickly became an Internet viral sensation, and is shared regularly by millions of people all over the world."kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-54748633102343586082016-04-13T09:14:00.000-07:002016-04-13T09:14:58.145-07:00Hang On, It's A Doozie!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gPr4-yZbP34/Vw5rgifcTpI/AAAAAAAACmE/Iv4yww7wHwQrs4f6KReg3DOLjgTNZOFvACLcB/s1600/MYBESTFRIENDSEXORCISMREV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gPr4-yZbP34/Vw5rgifcTpI/AAAAAAAACmE/Iv4yww7wHwQrs4f6KReg3DOLjgTNZOFvACLcB/s400/MYBESTFRIENDSEXORCISMREV.jpg" /></a></div><br>
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If I had been a "troubled" teen rather than a nerdy band geek back in high school, I might think <i>My Best Friend's Exorcism</i> was an actual flashback. Hendrix sets this novel firmly in the 1980's, and although I graduated a few years before Abby & Gretchen, all the cultural references from music to television and movies hit me full-on. What a ride!<br>
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I admit it. I really enjoyed this book! The characters were well developed and so easy to empathize with. Hendrix fully captures the angst of female teens and the strange dance that is friendships among them. He clearly evokes that teenage sense that no adults are listening or capable of understanding or sympathizing with what is going on in their lives.<br>
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And lets be frank: what is going on in Abby and Gretchen's lives is quite a lot more than normal teen issues! I've read a couple reviews that were disappointed by the lack of details on the demon possession. That, I think, is the point. Sometimes being possessed is a matter of small changes that end up, down the road, in very dark places. Beguiling. Starting to change the people around them in small ways. Cajoling. It's not all turning green, head spinning around 360 degrees and spewing pea soup like Linda Blair. I appreciated how only Gretchen's BEST friend could see the small things that were adding up to something BIG.<br>
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If you like YA paranormal stories or YA horror, you are going to enjoy <i>My Best Friend's Exorcism.</i> My thanks to the publisher, Quirk Books, for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act . . . different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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<b>Grady Hendrix</b> is a writer and journalist and one of the founders of the New York Asian Film Festival. A former film critic for the New York Sun, Grady has written for Slate, the Village Voice, Time Out New York, Playboy, and Variety.<br>
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Also by Grady Hendrix: <i>Horrorstor</i><br>
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Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Columbus, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring wardrobes, shattered Brooka glassware, and vandalized Liripip sofa beds—clearly, someone or something is up to no good. To unravel the mystery, five young employees volunteer for a long dusk-till-dawn shift—and they encounter horrors that defy imagination. Along the way, author Grady Hendrix infuses sly social commentary on the nature of work in the new twenty-firstcentury economy.
kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4127029964880038870.post-9062138132550622542016-04-07T11:45:00.000-07:002016-04-07T11:45:52.059-07:00I Missed This Floor At MOA!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x1UoyX1KNwE/Vwajvo2chuI/AAAAAAAAClw/8HYrRjVE1UkWnQwcffIvFvg65KyG_anVg/s1600/mall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x1UoyX1KNwE/Vwajvo2chuI/AAAAAAAAClw/8HYrRjVE1UkWnQwcffIvFvg65KyG_anVg/s400/mall.jpg" /></a></div><br>
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I loved, Loved, LOVED this book! It's kinda paranormal given that all the main characters are dead and currently residing on a special floor of the Mall of America. (Next time I'm there, I'm going to have to put my ghost sensing radar on high alert! Ha!) I love the idea of taking a look at the place and happenings where dead people go to get acclimated to death, process the life they just left, take care of unfinished business, and then "move on" to whatever comes next.<br>
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I enjoyed the characters SO much! I think it is fun and refreshing to read something intended for a YA audience and this book certainly was both fun and refreshing. (Even though everyone is dead. Go figure.) In addition to Sarah and her fellow recent arrivals, I really found it fun and a great addition that Sheehan included Alice, one of the mall walkers who has been there for decades and wakes up to join the newbies. Alice lends a certain historical depth to the story which I appreciated.<br>
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I enjoyed the inclusion of Harry too. Although he was "killed," his death by euthanasia was different than the experience of outright murder experienced by all the others. This lent a different note to the story as well and gave Harry's unfinished business a different note than his comrades. I would like to ask Sheehan if in this book's universe only those who sustained traumatic death situations come to this location after death? Or if there might also have been people who simply died from illness or age? I guess it just made me curious.<br>
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I have to say, I love the idea that in the after life you can eat whatever you want and it has no effect on weight or health! The mall food court setting is perfect for that!<br>
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If you've been to the MoA, then you know that you can find anything and everything there. So it would seem there is no better place to hang out while "processing" things following life. I giggled numerous times at the interaction between the main characters and the living mall visitors. I have been to the amusement park and have been on the rides. I've sat in Lego land while my kids played with the Legos. I've eaten there. Seen shows there. Walked countless laps around every floor. I've seen the mall walkers. The struggling, tired parents. The teens out socializing. The people on dates. Even a Klingon or two. If you have ever been there, you will get an extra kick out of the snippets of humor Sheehan includes that are part of the story simply thanks to the setting.<br>
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I hope you will grab a copy of this fun, refreshing book and enjoy it as much as I did! Thank you to Sheehan and Delacorte Press for the ARC I received in exchange for this honest review.<br>
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<b>From the Publisher . . .</b><br>
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When Sarah wakes up dead at the Mall of America, she learns that not only was she murdered, her killer is still on the loose. I WOKE UP DEAD AT THE MALL is a terrifically fun & voicey YA novel that tackles some of life’s – and the afterlife’s – biggest questions.<br>
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When you’re sixteen, you have your whole life ahead of you. Unless you’re Sarah. Not to give anything away, but . . . she’s dead. Murdered, in fact. Sarah’s murder is shocking because she couldn’t be any more average. No enemies. No risky behavior. She’s just the girl on the sidelines.<br>
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It looks like her afterlife, on the other hand, will be pretty exciting. Sarah has woken up dead at the Mall of America—where the universe sends teens who are murdered—and with the help of her death coach, she must learn to move on or she could meet a fate totally worse than death: becoming a mall walker.<br>
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As she tries to finish her unfinished business alongside her fellow dead teens, Sarah falls hard for a cute boy named Nick. And she discovers an uncanny ability to haunt the living. While she has no idea who killed her, or why, someone she loves is in grave danger. Sarah can’t lose focus or she’ll be doomed to relive her final moments again and again forever. But can she live with herself if she doesn’t make her death matter?<br>
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<b>About the Author . . .</b><br>
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The first thing to know about Judy is that she is the tenth of twelve children. Upon learning this fun fact, many people need or want to know certain statistics about her family of origin, so here goes: The age range of the children is twenty-one years from oldest to youngest. There are eight boys and four girls. There is one set of twins. There is one mother and one father. The family house had seven bedrooms, but only one bathroom. Today, Judy has one child, and is actively considering the installation of a second bathroom in her home.<br>
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Judy started life wanting to be a writer, but found herself distracted by the fun and drama of local theater. She studied acting and made a brief, but valiant effort to be an actress. She was one of the original cast member/creators of the long-running hit, TONY N’ TINA’S WEDDING. This adventure led to a handful of commercials, a few other projects and the revelation that she was simply not meant to be an actress. Full stop.<br>
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Playwright was the next logical role for Judy, who was lucky enough to serve as the playwright-in-residence at New York’s prestigious Looking Glass Theatre, which produced her plays every season. Productions have included WHAT TO DO ABOUT NOTHING, A CAROLE CHRISTMAS and APHRODITE’S DUNGEON, among many others. She collaborated with Kenneth Nowell to create a series of musicals for children: I WAS A 9-YEAR OLD BLUES DIVA, I HATE SPINACH, as well as the work-in-progress, I’M SO INCREDIBLY BORED.<br>
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Meanwhile, Judy managed to reach beyond Manhattan to infiltrate the heartland with her play, ALICE IN IRELAND. It has been produced all over the United States, winning the Reva Shiner Full-Length Play Contest, and the Siena College International Playwrights’ Competition. The play was also chosen by the Kalamazoo Gazette as the #1 Critics’ Pick for 1999. Her play, BRIGHT GIRLS, STUPID LIVES, was a critical and popular success in Portland, OR where it was nominated for a Drammy Award. Judy wrote the popular MURDER AT WATERLOO for historic Waterloo Village. The initial run proved so successful, the play has returned for three subsequent productions.In September, 2000, Judy traveled to China and adopted a baby girl. Along with motherhood, came sleep deprivation and a drastic reduction in Judy’s ability to attend rehearsals in the city or anywhere else. By all common sense, the overwhelming task of raising a child should have brought an end to Judy’s ability to write anything at all. But if you’ve been reading closely, you’ll see that common sense hasn’t applied very well so far. Judy found herself writing more than ever—she just had to wait until the baby was asleep.kshotzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13548970287017653227noreply@blogger.com0