Review LJ Charleston's "The Mommy Mafia | The Urban Dictionary of Mothers" is a hilarious look at the wide range of mom stereotypes. The book is organized so that each chapter profiles a different mom stereotype, from over-achiever mom to nanny mom to olympic mom.
Charleston writes with a humorous, witty voice that vividly paints each stereotype. As someone who grew up homeschooling, I loved the "home school mom" chapter. I laughed out loud many times.
Regardless if you're a mom, if you want a hilarious look at mom stereotypes, you'll enjoy this book.
Review "Still Falling" (book 1 in the Solstice series), by Martin Wilsey, is a sci-fi novel that follows the exploits of a maintenance engineer in deep space. Stationed on Ventura, a giant deep space survey ship with a crew of 2,000, the protagonist, Barcus, is among those ambushed in an attack during a scheduled planet survey.
Barcus survives the attack, but the others do not. He flees to the planet's surface, where he finds out the murders, and the murders-to-come, are part of a grand conspiracy. I enjoyed following Barcus as he struggled to find a way to stop the senseless murders. The sci-fi aspects of the story, from the descriptions of the technology to the planets, were done well and added to the story. The plot is paced perfectly with lots of suspense and mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast-paced sci-fi novel with lots of action and suspense.
Review I've read a fair amount of of
books about building and monetizing websites, only to get to the end
where they recommend you join a pyramid scheme of some sort.
Fortunately, this is not the case with "My Secret List of Sites that
Pay" by E. McNew and J. Goldenberg. The book outlines the basics of monetizing a site and getting it
views (using a web-form, email marketing, etc). What I like about the
book is that it talks about programs I've heard of AdSense, Amazon
referral etc. I know I can trust these companies without having to take
the author's word for it. Recommended if you're looking for a way to
monetize a site and want to read what someone did to succeed after
trying numerous options.
Review E. McNew's "Long Blue Line" chronicles the journey of one young woman as she navigates a planned teenage pregnancy. The author, Elizabeth, after being inspired by the media, decides she wanted to become a mother. Unprepared for the responsibility of being a parent, the pregnancy triggers a downward spiral involving conflict, drug abuse, and other struggles. This is a poignant story that'll tug on your heartstrings from start to finish. Be warned, this isn't a feel-good story. The writing is no-holds barred. It's a story that many can relate to.
Fortunately, the darkness in the story was a learning experience for the author, and you can see plenty of potential for teaching moments throughout the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a powerful story.
Review Timothy Bond's "The Watcher's Keep," book 1 in the Triadine series, is an epic fantasy that follows twins (a brother and sister) that are thrown into a conflict of epic proportions. The two main characters, Peter and Alex, two young kids with a thirst for adventure and knowledge leave their sheltered lives behind and go on a mission to recover pieces of the Triadine to unite everyone against the growing threat of the Dark Wizard.
One of the highlights of this book for me is the world-building. Bond creates a rich world with extensive back stories for all the different factions involved. I was reminded a bit of the LOTR series as I read. I also loved the cast of characters, my favorite being the witty, strong-willed Lynntania, although Peter is close behind. If you're looking for a new epic fantasy with a fascinating world and engaging plot, look no further than "The Watcher's Keep." More Information Buy the book on Amazon
Review "Poka City Blues," by A.L Gibson, is a book about an African-American woman's experience growing up in Alabama during a tumultuous time. The protagonist, Sedelia , grows up in a poor family whose primary income is from picking cotton. Written as though the narrator is sitting across from you and sharing her powerful stories, the book really draws you into the era, the pain, the joy, the many memories.
From stories of intimidation by the KKK to stories of rape to stories of time with family, "Poka City Blues" gives the reader a full-spectrum look at one person's life during a troubling time. If you want to read an emotional story about a powerful woman who endured many trials, then "Poka City Blues" is a must-read. More Information Buy the book on Amazon
Review W. Len's "House of Secrets" is a historical fiction novella about the protagonist's time in Bletchley Park, the location of the English codebreakers attempting to crack the Nazi code known as Enigma. The protagonist, Robin, just wants the war to be over so studies can resume, but ends up tied up in the codebreaking effort.
"House of Secrets" is written in the style of a diary, which lets the reader see the experience of joining the codebreaking effort through the eyes of a newcomer. The famous Alan Turing is also in the book, and it was fascinating to see Len's portrayal of him. Len does a great job of breaking up the seriousness of the novella with moments of humor. If you like WW2 historical fiction, you'll enjoy this book.
Review Doug Burris' “Dark Beach” is a romantic-suspense that’ll keep you engaged from start to finish. Although you could read this one as a stand-alone, I’d recommend you read book 1 in the Coastal Carolina romantic mystery series first to get the full experience. In the first book in the series, “Young Love Lost,” we meet David Jennings and Mary Roberts on the beautiful beaches of North Carolina. They’re rocked by a tragedy at the end of the book, and book 2 picks up shortly after this.
David and Mary are trying to reconcile their past with the present when David comes upon a body on the beach. The body is the first sign of a series of murders that plagues the area. Although the locals are quick to point to the Wiccans as a scapegoat, David and Mary are wondering who the real culprit is. Doug Burris writes a novel that is every bit as engaging as book 1. With descriptive writing and interesting characters, Burris draws you into a romantic suspense filled with mystery and intrigue. I am usually pretty good at predicting endings, but this one caught me off guard. Recommended if you like stories with both romance and mystery. More Information Buy the book on Amazon
Review Sherry Soule's "Beautifully Broken," book 1 in the Spellbound series, is a YA paranormal romance about a teenage witch's battle with the dark side of the paranormal. The book opens with the protagonist,sixteen-year-old Shiloh Tudell, face-to-face with a demon-like creature in her room. Immediately, I was intrigued.
Soule provides just enough information so the scene makes sense, but she leaves enough out so you want to keep reading. Turns out, Shiloh is a witch with psychic powers. As the plot moves forward, Shiloh realizes there is a supernatural force with nefarious intentions in the mysterious town of Fallen Oak. Soule does an excellent job of juggling the various aspects of the story, from Shiloh's magick to her romance with town hottie Trent Donovan. Definitely a good buy if you're looking for a fresh YA novel with a paranormal element.
Review Sadia Barrameda's “Piroz the ISIS Slayer” is the story of one brave teenager's fight against ISIS. The main character, Ren, is a determined, kickass young lady who seeks to avenge the family members who died at the hands of ISIS. Unfortunately, ISIS is growing stronger and has stolen Ebola samples and plans to use them as weaponry. Partnering with Colonel Mark Thomas, Ren battles ISIS in a variety of locations in this story filled with action and adventure.
My favorite thing about the book is the main character. The author writes a character that is fun to read about, and her determination is completely inspiring. I also liked the many action scenes throughout the book. The plot is fast-paced and it only took me a few nights of reading to get through the book. Recommended if you want a fun, action-packed book about a real-world threat (ISIS). More Information Buy the book on Amazon
