BECOMING BY MICHELLE OBAMA

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BOOK DESCRIPTION

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former first lady of the United States

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As first lady of the United States of America - the first African American to serve in that role - she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the US and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites listeners into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations - and whose story inspires us to do the same.

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Release date 

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

MY REVIEW

A window into her life so far, Michelle Obama gives us endearing, insightful, honest memories. From growing up in a working class household in Chicago, to leaving the White House residence, her story is unique and thought provoking. If you admire and respect the Obamas, you will like this book.

CALIBANS WAR BY JAMES COREY

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BOOK DESCRIPTION

The second novel in James S. A. Corey's SF New York Times best-selling Expanse series. Now a major television series!

We are not alone.

On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.

In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun....

Caliban's War is a breakneck science fiction adventure following the critically acclaimed Leviathan Wakes.

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Release date 

AUGUST 15, 2017

MY REVIEW

The second installment is just as good as the first, if not better. We get a few more viewpoints in addition to Holden. Prax, a botanist whose search for his daughter is the driver for the plot. Bobby, a Martian marine and Avasarala, a major UN figure. Avasarala is an amazing character, a foul-mouthed, no nonsense figure who basically runs the UN, after watching the show I totally get why she was included from the start. The stakes are raised in this one, we see some great action sequences, and though I thought it was a little slow at the start, the last half of the book flew by. Holden goes through his own character arc, starting off a little jaded, more like Miller. I also really love the crew on the Rocinante, I think it would be cool to get a POV on some of those. The end was suitably spectacular and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Just a quick note. I watched the show before reading the books and from what I remember I really don't like what they've done with Amos. He's one of my favorite characters in the books and I remember not really liking him in the show. Perhaps I just took up his character wrong in the show but if so it's a real shame. Yeah he's dangerous and you never quite know what he's going to do, but he is loyal to the crew, he's a good guy.

Buying Time

My review 
I really enjoyed it! I agree with other comments that it started out a little slow. But I'm glad I pressed on. It's not a love story between a man and a woman, but a journey of a woman learning to love and accept herself... warts and all. I laughed, I cried, I squirmed and anxiously read to see what happened next. It's funny because I didn't realize it was a series and as I was reading the book with the different characters I was thinking there could be a book about each of these people. One thing I had a difficult time with were the grammatical and spelling errors! This is why I deducted a star, even considered a two star deduction. Those types of mistakes make it appear sloppy and not cared for. Paula Kay, you need a better proof-reader and if you didn't have one, care enough about your work to hire one. This book deserved better in this aspect.

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Release date 
February 14th, 2015

Book Description 
Arianna Sinclair had led a privileged life, growing up in an elite neighborhood in Marin County, California. Having only known private schools, fancy country clubs and all things luxurious, Arianna had been prepared for everything in life—except hardship.

At twenty-two, Arianna’s world is rocked by tragedy, and all she wants to do is escape it by taking the trip of a lifetime. All she wants to do is pretend that everything is “normal”, even though her whole world has crashed in around her.

She’s made the decisions about the direction she wants her life to go, until a surprise encounter with someone from her past challenges everything she believes—and everything that she thinks she needs in order to move on. 

A meeting  with a stranger, an unexpected journey and a shock that goes to the core of who she is—or who she thinks she is—will demand a reaction. A reaction that will have Arianna laying down the foundation for the rest of her life.

The letter

My review 
This book kept me interested and the premise was intriguing. There were some good plot twists and turns, and the author had clearly done her research about certain elements. However, the writing style was difficult at times--very much telling rather than showing. The reader was always told how the characters felt, and some of the characters, such as Chrissie's father and aunt, felt like one-dimensional evil characters. I would have preferred a bit more depth and nuance in the characterisation and storytelling.

Release date 
March 19th, 2015 

Book Description

The #1 EBook Bestseller. Every so often a love story comes along to remind us that sometimes, in our darkest hour, hope shines a candle to light our way. Discover THE LETTER by Kathryn Hughes, the Number One bestseller that has captured thousands of hearts worldwide. Perfect for fans of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. 'A wonderful, uplifting story' Lesley Pearse

And if you love THE LETTER, you will adore Kathryn's second novel THE SECRET... 

Tina Craig longs to escape her violent husband. She works all the hours God sends to save up enough money to leave him, also volunteering in a charity shop to avoid her unhappy home. Whilst going through the pockets of a second-hand suit, she comes across an old letter, the envelope firmly sealed and unfranked. Tina opens the letter and reads it - a decision that will alter the course of her life for ever...

Billy Stirling knows he has been a fool, but hopes he can put things right. On 4th September 1939 he sits down to write the letter he hopes will change his future. It does - in more ways than he can ever imagine...

The Letter tells the story of two women, born decades apart, whose paths are destined to cross and how one woman's devastation leads to the other's salvation.

Strictly No Elephants

My review 

This is a really nice book. Easy to read to toddlers and it holds their interest. There is an opportunity to talk about the sadness of being excluded and the happiness of including everyone. A nice lesson for children. Cute pictures.

Release date, October, 2015 

Book Description 

When the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual animals in this sweet and adorable picture book.

Today is Pet Club day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.

Imaginative and lyrical, this sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a pet.

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The breaking light

My review 

Perhaps I didn’t read between the lines of the book’s description. I was caught by the Science Fiction designation and the editor’s mention of one of the main characters being a wealthy socialite. It appears I should have paid more attention to the book’s description, although I only had “two teens” buried in the last paragraph to give any hint that this book is more of a YA than anything else.

The book barely fits in the science fiction genre. The author has created a world in the future, one that started as a mining planet and eventually degenerated in a class structure, where the upper class lives in the higher levels (and exposed to the life-sustaining rays of the sun) while other live in the Levels or in the original mines (the Undercity). Other than hovercars and phase guns, the rest of the book is pure YA.

The romance that blossoms appears forced, enveloping Arden and Dade in a matter of minutes (undoubtedly spurred by the knife tussle that goes on between the pair). After a few chance meetings between them that probably totaled all of 30 minutes or less, Arden professes her love for Dade. The two of them, of course, belong to totally different worlds, she being a denizen of the Undercity and he the wealthy socialite who lives with the upper class. Because of the short periods of time together, it is difficult to feel any sort of tension (let alone any worry about the characters’ Romeo and Juliet relationship), and thus (for me) the story flattened a bit.

The science is iffy. The phase guns can kill, and vaporize inanimate objects well enough. Other times the damage done to humans is more like a bullet hole. The mines were originally covered by a thick glass (so sun could reach the miners? It was never fully explained) which now functions as an opaque walkway for the residents of the Levels. It all becomes unbelievable that a city (and a planet of cities) would be erected in this manner.

As far as the writing, the author does have talent. Sentence structure, description, and most of the action progresses in a logical manner. Apart from the instant undying love, the characters have some depth to them and their motivations are understandable. Ms. Hansen has also written a book that made it all the way from beginning to end without any offensive language or explicit sex scenes.

As a YA novel, there are probably thousands of readers who will enjoy this story. As I said, it is well written and although it is Book One in a series, there are enough strings tied together at the end that it does not qualify to be labeled a cliffhanger. For science fiction fans expecting something different, this book may be a letdown. As far as grading it star-wise, I felt to be fair I had to examine it a second time under the light of the YA genre (as written by the author in her Acknowledgment section when she thanked her children with “It’s so much easier to write YA fiction with you in my corner”). So strict sci-fi fans, be warned. YA fans, you will probably like this book…as a YA book, five stars.
Release date  April 1,2017

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In a stratified society where contact with the sun is a luxury reserved for the elite, those kept prisoner in the darkness will do anything to find the light. Arden—beautiful, street-smart, and cynical—is one of the citizens of the lowest Level, known as Undercity, of an off-world colony. A blackout band traps Arden in her district, but as sister to the leader of the most powerful gang in Undercity, she has access to Above.

There she meets Dade, one of the few lucky enough to be born into the sun-kissed families who reside in the Towers soaring above the rest of the city. But life isn’t perfect in the sky. Dade, desperate to escape his upcoming arranged marriage, has a secret of his own, and he’s willing to risk everything for it.

An unlikely romance develops between the two teens—but their love faces opposition from above and below. When her gang pressures Arden to help break the grip of the elite and end Dade’s interference with their drug trade, she is forced to make a deadly choice between love and family loyalty. But will the brewing class war destroy the world around them first?

The last paradise

My review 

Entertaining and educational. Filled with insight into human capacities.

Jack Beilis, finding himself in the midst of The Great Depression, hears about "The Last Paradise" in the Soviet Union. It turns out to be a farce, and he's forced to make a new life in that desperate society.

This book is another excellent release by Antonio Garrido, an award-winning historical novelist. This novel was released in his native Spanish (as "El último paraíso") in 2015, and the English version has been anticipated by readers of his previous novel.

Garrido doesn't disappoint. Although it contains many interesting historical details, giving us a real glimpse into the past, it's never slow. It's a thriller, complete with plot twists. The novel maintains realism throughout, and maintains your attention.

Wonderful character development and we enjoy watching the protagonist evolve despite betrayals. It's well-written and arouses many emotions, as the book contains so many important themes central to humanity. It's about friendship, survival, love, and much more.

The author includes a glossary, bibliography, and note about the development of the novel. I find that particularly interesting and will only mention a couple points here: Garrido informs us about the actual historical figures who inspired many of the novel's characters. He consulted with numerous historical experts to make this an accurate account.

I give it 4.7 stars.

Release date April 1,2017

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Book description 

Jack Beilis once lived the American dream: custom suits, new cars, and the best clubs. But by 1931, he has sunk so low he cannot feed himself or his ailing father. Now he barely has time to wipe the blood from his hands before he finds himself on a ship from New York to Moscow, running from a crime he never intended.

Desperate for an escape route, Jack wants to believe stories of a worker’s paradise in the Soviet Union. Maybe the distance between Ellis Island and Red Square will let him leave poverty—and his pursuers—far behind. Jack accepts an opportunity at the Gorky Ford Factory and embarks on a new life.

What he finds, though, is a surveillance society, empty store shelves, and a dangerous network of black markets. There seems to be no way out, until Jack meets Dr. Natasha Lobanova. Could this Russian beauty be his deliverance? When Natasha’s own dark history surfaces, Jack’s fate is threatened. With betrayals and secrets everywhere, Jack struggles to trust anyone or anything…even his own heart.

Here on earth

My review 

I have never read anything by Alice Hoffman before, so I am very pleased that Here on Earth ended up being such a good introduction. The writing was extremely well done, and the storyline was surprisingly page-turning.

Here on Earth tells the story of March Murray and her 19-year-absence from her hometown in Massachusetts. After living in California with her husband, Richard, and 15-year-old daughter, Gwen, March is called home for the funeral of Judith Dale, the woman who took care of her as a child. Accompanied by Gwen, March is thrust back into her old life -- her friends and her old house. But something worse haunts her heart -- March's childhood sweetheart, Hollis, is still in town and is just as much a magnet to her as he was before. Before she knows what hits her, March and Hollis rekindle their romance -- but this time things are very, very different.
I was very surprised at the direction this story took, but I loved the twists! I started out with my feelings for certain characters pretty much set, then all these secrets start coming out of the woodwork and my emotions do a 180. I believe that when an author can evoke such reactions out of a reader, that is the hallmark of a talented writer. Here on Earth also had a fantastic supporting cast that carried the story well. Alice Hoffman surpassed my expectations, and I'll be sure to read another of her novels soon.

Release date, July 1,1999

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Book Description 

The bestselling author of The Dovekeepers tells her most seductive and mesmerizing tale yet--the story of March Murray, who returns to her small Massachusetts hometown after nineteen years, encountering her childhood sweetheart...and discovering the heartbreaking and complex truth about their reckless and romantic love.

All the breaking Waves

My review 
I have read her other books and enjoyed them. This one was another " feel good" book to read. The ending, although predictable, has a nice twist to it. That being said, what ever happen to not using profanity around children. I was appalled that right at the climax of the ending she drop the F-bomb!!! So unnecessary. She used some profanity through out the book, not a lot, so why use it at all. It so limits the audience of readers. Sorry my pet peeve with books. I just feel that using profanity is a sign of lazy writing. Yes it may be considered "real" life, maybe. I don't use it and neither do my children and there friends. Just not necessary. "Harry Potter"

Release date   December 6,2016
Book Description 
From the bestselling author of Everything We Keep comes a gripping tale of long-buried secrets, the strength of forgiveness, and the healing power of returning home for good. After a harrowing accident tore her family apart, Molly Brennan fled from the man she loved and the tragic mistake she made. Twelve years later, Molly has created a new life for herself and her eight-year-old daughter, Cassie. The art history professor crafts jewelry as unique and weathered as the surf-tumbled sea glass she collects, while raising her daughter in a safe and loving environment—something Molly never had. But when Cassie is plagued by horrific visions and debilitating nightmares, Molly is forced to return to the one place she swore she’d never move back to—home to Pacific Grove. A riveting exploration of love, secrets, and motherhood, All the Breaking Waves is the poignant story of a woman who discovers she must confront her past, let go of her guilt, and summon everything in her power to save her daughter.

The last girl

My review
Fast paced easy read. Finished this book in a few days. It's uncomplicated but has a great plot with enough twists to keep me engaged.
Release date  March 1,2016

Book Description 
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Joe Hart. A mysterious worldwide epidemic reduces the birthrate of female infants from 50 percent to less than 1 percent. Medical science and governments around the world scramble in an effort to solve the problem, but twenty-five years later there is no cure, and an entire generation grows up with a population of fewer than a thousand women. Zoey and some of the surviving young women are housed in a scientific research compound dedicated to determining the cause. For two decades, she’s been isolated from her family, treated as a test subject, and locked away—told only that the virus has wiped out the rest of the world’s population. Captivity is the only life Zoey has ever known, and escaping her heavily armed captors is no easy task, but she’s determined to leave before she is subjected to the next round of tests…a program that no other woman has ever returned from. Even if she’s successful, Zoey has no idea what she’ll encounter in the strange new world beyond the facility’s walls. Winning her freedom will take brutality she never imagined she possessed, as well as all her strength and cunning—but Zoey is ready for war.

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From sand and Ash

My review 

If you've read any of Amy Harmon's books, you have a fair idea of what you are in for but even then she still surprises in the best way possible. This book is the book equivalent of the movie Gone With The Wind-yes its that epic. The love story is beautiful and gut wrenching set in the back drop of World War II. Amy's descriptions put you squarely in every scene. I experienced every single emotion during the reading of this book and yes, there were tears. Angelo and Eva will capture your heart and cling to your soul. I found myself reading this book and needing absolute quiet. I didn't want the world intruding because this book commanded my full attention. For all you fact checkers, this book will warm the cockles of your heart with its unerring accuracy and with its depiction of actual people and events during that time. I can tell Amy poured her heart and soul into the telling of this love story and how lucky are we as readers that she took us on this journey.

Release date,   December 1,2016

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Book Description 

Italy, 1943—Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II.

As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood.

Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church.

But Eva can’t quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all.

Wrong Number, Right Guy

My review 

Wrong Number, Right Guy has all the elements that I love about Elle’s books. Funny heroines who are fearless, willing to have a laugh at themselves and incredibly brave when it comes to admitting (or accidentally blurting) out how they feel. A great hero who is tough and alpha, however also kind and completely in love with the heroine. A fun plot, hilarious moments (I was cracking up every time Dev tried to surprise attack May) and a story which left me smiling. This was incredibly enjoyable and really made me think of her previous book, Rebel, which I also loved. A must read for fans of a fun, quirky, hot read and for all fans of Elle.

Release date 

1st July, 2015 

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Book Description 

When a mysterious text message summons May Wexler to a biker bar in downtown New Orleans, she knows something is very wrong. Her sister has sent out an SOS, but when May gets there, she’s nowhere to be found and May is the one in trouble—she’s wearing pink espadrilles, she’s got a Chihuahua in her purse, and she’s in the middle of a shootout.

After tall, muscular Ozzie comes to her rescue, May has no choice but to follow him to safety. At the headquarters of his private security firm, the Bourbon Street Boys, she finds a refuge for the night—and the offer of a job. But it’s not long before a gun-toting stalker isn’t the only complication in May’s life: the more time she spends with Ozzie, the less she can deny that they’ve got some serious chemistry. A wrong number got her into this mess…Will it also get her the right guy?

Life of Pi

My review 

Novels about animals run the risk of over-anthromorphizing the creatures, which can make the book sappy or manipulative (emotionally speaking). Yann Martel's "Life of Pi" manages to craft a story built largely around a 16-year-old boy and a Bengal tiger. Not a fluffy, Tigger-like companion, but a real-life 500 pound, hungry tiger. You're stuck with it on a 23 foot long raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. What do you do?

Martel packs quite a bit into the book: Are zoos awful places? How do you tame tigers? How do you catch fish in the middle of the ocean? Do animals get seasick? Can you be a practicing Christian, Hindu, and Muslim at the same time?
Not only that, Martel writes with a true wit. In describing how the main character's dad ended up going from being a hotelkeeper to a zookeeper, Martel writes: "In many ways, running a zoo is a hotelkeeper's worst nightmare. Consider: the guests never leave their rooms; they expect not only lodging but full board. . . . One has to wait until they saunter to their balconies, so to speak, before one can clean their rooms, and then one has to wait until they tire of the view and return to their rooms before one can clean their balconies; and there is much cleaning to do, for the guests are as unhygienic as alcoholics."
The book sparkles with observations like that, making it very difficult to put down. Once I got into it about a third of the way, I keep reading until I finished it. And that was while I was on vacation in Las Vegas!

Release date   may 1,2003

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Book Description 

The beloved and bestselling novel and winner of the Booker Prize, Life of Pi.

New York Times Bestseller * Los Angeles Times Bestseller * Washington Post Bestseller * San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller * Chicago Tribune Bestseller

"A story to make you believe in the soul-sustaining power of fiction."—Los Angeles Times Book Review

After the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan—and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years.

Universally acclaimed upon publication, Life of Pi is a modern classic.

The secret Wife

My review 

I loved it from start to finish!! Great mix of relationship issues,danger,compassion and romance. Had a great message that no matter the person or situation our Lord can work things to our good if we are willing to turn all things over to Him and do away with our pride and willfulness.

Release date, November, 2016 

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Book Description 

Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.

1914

Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance – and their lives – in danger . . .

2016

Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather’s remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee London. There, on the shores of Lake Akanabee, she discovers the spectacular jewelled pendant that will lead her to a long-buried family secret . . .

Haunting, moving and beautifully written, The Secret Wife effortlessly crosses centuries, as past merges with present in an unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience.

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.

The Halo Effect

My review 

This book is a perfect weekend read - I finished this book in 2 days, it drew me right in and wouldn't let go. I found the characters to be so well developed, truly interesting - very relatable, very human. It's the kind of book in which you find yourself missing the characters for days after you've finished reading. The story line is captivating, with more than a few twists and turns. Very emotional, without being overly sentimental. I'm telling everyone I know about this engaging story. Simply loved it, highly recommend.

Release date 1st April, 2016 

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Book Description 

In this tour de force, a father, shaken by tragedy, tries to avenge his daughter’s murder—and restore his family’s shattered life.

It was supposed to be a typical October evening for renowned portrait artist Will Light. Over dinner of lamb tagine, his wife, Sophie, would share news about chorus rehearsals for the upcoming holiday concert, and their teenage daughter, Lucy, would chatter about French club and field hockey. Only Lucy never came home. Her body was found, days later, in the woods.

The Eastern Seaboard town of Port Fortune used to be Will’s comfort. Now, there’s no safe harbor for him. Not even when Father Gervase asks Will to paint portraits of saints for the new cathedral. Using the townspeople as models, Will sees in each face only a mask of the darkness of evil. And he just might be painting his daughter’s killer.

As Will navigates his rage and heartbreak, Sophie tries to move on; Father Gervase becomes an unexpected ally; and Rain, Lucy’s best friend, shrouds herself in a near-silent fugue. Their paths collide in a series of inextricably linked, dark, dangerous moments that could lead to their undoing…or to their redemption.

Giraffes Can't Dance

My review 

Cute book about dancing - not an easy topic to find for toddlers who love dancing. Good read-aloud level for 2 year old, nice pictures, easy to follow story and a great John Travolta/Saturday Night Fever pose by Gerald at the end. Includes peer group of animals who laugh at the giraffe for not being able to dance, which is a social concept that I had reservations about exposing to our 2 year old but may be okay for an older preschooler. So, I read it with reservations at first, but it seems to be okay for him. However, he's not enjoying the book as much as I am and hasn't been interested in hearing it much beyond the first couple of times
Release date 1st March, 2012

Book Description 
The bestselling Giraffes Can't Dance is now a board book! Giraffes Can't Dance is a touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance. With crooked knees and thin legs, it's harder for a giraffe than you would think. Gerald is finally able to dance to his own tune when he gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend. With light-footed rhymes and high-stepping illustrations, this tale is gentle inspiration for every child with dreams of greatness.

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Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook

My review 

This is a great book. I wish it had been available when I was young. Instead, I learned some lessons the hard way – I learned enough that I understand the wisdom Tony has provided in Unshakable. Thus, I can avoid other mistakes and chart a better financial path.

I am having my teenagers read this book. I know in my heart and mind that if they will follow Tony’s advice they will be financially unshakable as they enter middle age. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll get that part of parenting right… ? At least I’ll know that I led those horses to good water.

The last chapter is awesome. Thank you Tony!

Release date  28th February, 2017 

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Book Description  After interviewing fifty of the world’s greatest financial minds and penning the #1 New York Times bestseller Money: Master the Game, Tony Robbins returns with a step-by-step playbook, taking you on a journey to transform your financial life and accelerate your path to financial freedom. No matter your salary, your stage of life, or when you started, this book will provide the tools to help you achieve your financial goals more rapidly than you ever thought possible.

Robbins, who has coached more than fifty million people from 100 countries, is the world’s #1 life and business strategist. In this book, he teams up with Peter Mallouk, the only man in history to be ranked the #1 financial advisor in the US for three consecutive years by Barron’s. Together they reveal how to become unshakeable—someone who can not only maintain true peace of mind in a world of immense uncertainty, economic volatility, and unprecedented change, but who can profit from the fear that immobilizes so many. 

In these pages, through plain English and inspiring stories, you’ll discover…

-How to put together a simple, actionable plan that will deliver true financial freedom.

-Strategies from the world’s top investors on how to protect yourself and your family and maximize profit from the inevitable crashes and corrections to come.

-How a few simple steps can add a decade or more of additional retirement income by discovering what your 401(k) provider doesn’t want you to know.

-The core four principles that most of the world’s greatest financial minds utilize so that you can maximize upside and minimize downside.

-The fastest way to put money back in your pocket: uncover the hidden fees and half truths of Wall Street—how the biggest firms keep you overpaying for underperformance.

-Master the mindset of true wealth and experience the fulfillment you deserve today.

A Criminal's Defense

My review 

Details. The devil is in the details. And this author's knowledge of the criminal justice system makes the story sizzle. I shouldn't enjoy the lead character as much as I do. But flaws make every one of the novel's characters compelling. There are no unrealistic good guys; there are no irredeemable bad guys. Even the murder victim is flawed. You are caught up from the very first in a mystery you have to pick at constantly. Who is lying? Who is hiding unwelcome truths? What exactly is going on? I wanted to know who done it! And even when I was sure I did know, I only had part of the story. The author gives you plenty of clues. He makes sure you know there is more going on in this murder trial than meets the eye. Still, the ending is as unexpected as it can possibly be. In fact, it left me breathless. I'm going to search for another novel by this author immediately. And that is high praise from a reader with a low tolerance for mediocre writing.

Release date 1st April, 2017 

Losing the trial of his life could mean losing everything.

When a young reporter is found dead and a prominent Philadelphia businessman is accused of her murder, Mick McFarland finds himself involved in the case of his life. The defendant, David Hanson, was Mick’s close friend in law school, and the victim, a TV news reporter, had reached out to Mick for legal help only hours before her death.

Mick’s played both sides of Philadelphia’s courtrooms. As a top-shelf defense attorney and former prosecutor, he knows all the tricks of the trade. And he’ll need every one of them to win.

But as the trial progresses, he’s disturbed by developments that confirm his deepest fears. This trial, one that already hits too close to home, may jeopardize his firm, his family—everything. Now Mick’s only way out is to mastermind the most brilliant defense he’s ever spun, one that will cross every legal and moral boundary.

The things we wish were true

My review 

The story is told through multiple POV chapters of characters living in a close-knit suburban town - some of whom have never left and others who have had to return after years of being away. The chapters are short, slowly building up the story from various perspectives, and effectively ease the reader into the underlying mystery of the town and leave you wanting to keep reading the book to find out exactly what is going on. The characters are 3-dimensional, and their chapters noticeably differ in tone and writing style. I have been disappointed with some of the Kindle First books I've selected in the past because the writing was too bland and predictable, and good writing is very important to me. This book was well-written, pleasant, and a nice quick read.

Release date September 1,2016

From the outside, Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, might look like the perfect all-American neighborhood. But behind the white picket fences lies a web of secrets that reach from house to house.

Up and down the streets, neighbors quietly bear the weight of their own pasts—until an accident at the community pool upsets the delicate equilibrium. And when tragic circumstances compel a woman to return to Sycamore Glen after years of self-imposed banishment, the tangle of the neighbors’ intertwined lives begins to unravel.

During the course of a sweltering summer, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the neighbors learn that it’s impossible to really know those closest to us. But is it impossible to love and forgive them?

The girl on the train

My review 

An amazing twisting and turning plot that leaves the reader guessing....and holding one's breath....until the conclusion. We have all imagined what goes on behind doors we pass on our daily commute.....never realizing the dangers that may lurk behind those doors. Author Paula Hawkins brilliantly weaves her story and characters to a heart-stopping climax. A truly great read and highly recommended.

Release date July 12,2016

Intersecting, overlapping, not-quite-what-they-seem lives. Jealousies and betrayals and wounded hearts. A haunting unease that clutches and won’t let go. All this and more helps propel Paula Hawkins’s addictive debut into a new stratum of the psychological thriller genre. At times, I couldn’t help but think: Hitchcockian. From the opening line, the reader knows what they’re in for: “She’s buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks…” But Hawkins teases out the mystery with a veteran’s finesse. The “girl on the train” is Rachel, who commutes into London and back each day, rolling past the backyard of a happy-looking couple she names Jess and Jason. Then one day Rachel sees “Jess” kissing another man. The day after that, Jess goes missing. The story is told from three character’s not-to-be-trusted perspectives: Rachel, who mourns the loss of her former life with the help of canned gin and tonics; Megan (aka Jess); and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife, who happens to be Jess/Megan’s neighbor. Rachel’s voyeuristic yearning for the seemingly idyllic life of Jess and Jason lures her closer and closer to the investigation into Jess/Megan’s disappearance, and closer to a deeper understanding of who she really is. And who she isn’t. This is a book to be devoured. -Neal Thompson