Category: Reviews


Review: Jaguar Sun


Jaguar Sun
Jaguar Sun by Martha Bourke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maybe I should have read this near 12-21-2012, then the end of the world and or Mayan calendar would have added a bit more excitement. Maybe I have read too many teen girl becomes shifter becomes goddess. I just couldn’t get into this.

I liked it okay. But the main character, Maya, diet coke addict, was not independent enough. In fact, I thought she was rather a crier and a fainter. A wimp. You would think that her gifts would make her a little bit stronger. You would think that her cool twin BFFs and her handsome, smart boyfriend would be enough to bring her into a confidence and even a bit of spunkiness.

I had hopes with the plot, being about a coming world-peace. I loved the bits about centering and meditation. Those are great lessons for teens to read about with all the stresses they all go through. But somehow, the instructions got lost and didn’t go deep enough, and were always cut short by something else. How in the world could she have reached any proficiency?

I would have liked to see the relationship between Maya and Matt grow, instead of a distance between them and then suddenly mates. Kind of missing something in the middle there. I would have liked to get to know the other shifter friends. And more about the one that had a crush on Maya.

Even still I have the next book and am hoping the author gained her chops and thereby a tighter story.

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Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit that I picked up the hardback copy from the library after watching the series on Netflix. The tree version hurt my eyes to read so I went ahead and bought my own Kindle version. I’m glad I did. This book was worth every penny! I could listen to text-to-speech while I read. It might have been even better to have the audio-version with human voice but this was just fine.

The beginning was very satisfying as it mirrored the Netflix version. The book proceeded from there a little less raw. It did feel like Ms. Kerman was putting a good spin on her experience in prison. The Netflix version puts in a lot more drama. Which is the real version? I don’t know but I feel like it may fall somewhere in between. I think the Netflix may take other stories about prison life and show other things that may go on.

Piper Kerman’s writing kept me engaged and wanting to know what was happening next. I was impressed with her zen attitude and reserve while describing some of the horrid things that go on in prison life. Even though I am twice her age I could identify with feelings she eloquently expressed.

Everyone should read this book. Men and women alike, all ages and races. We can all appreciate the message and maybe help create a better world.

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Review: Decades


Decades
Decades by Anne de Gandt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was too poetic and not enough action for me to stay interested. Sorry. It was only a sample that I got from Smashwords. I don’t think I will be buying the book. For friends who are more inclined to read poetry this might be right up your alley.

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Review: Thin Places


Thin Places
Thin Places by Diane Owens Prettyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting. I was drawn into the story right from the beginning. At first I was disappointed that the main character isn’t a female, rather is a male inmate. He is an interesting character, though, flawed but with sparks of goodness fighting to get out. Somehow I liked him enough to keep reading.

Then I met the strong female, Chloe. Wow, she’s impressive! Boat captain extraordinaire!

I loved feeling like I was there in Washington enjoying time out on the ocean.

The story kept me engaged and wondering how all the bits and pieces would fit together. Even when I had figured out the ending, I didn’t know how the author was going to get there. I enjoyed the ride.

If you’re looking for a nice adventure, I recommend Thin Places.

Full disclosure: I was given this book for honest review.

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Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book started out so funny that I couldn’t read it as my quiet-down-to-sleep-book. But that didn’t last long. I can’t remember why I felt bored but I did. Finally the book started moving and the humor was back. Of course, the ending was bittersweet.

For someone raised in church, a Christian who read the whole Bible, I found this book very well done, very well, researched, and though it is based on serious issues, Christopher Moore was able to lighten it up and insert one possibility in the life of Christ. Hey, he could’ve had a friend. That friend could’ve been named Levi or Biff. We don’t really know about the years from infancy to 30, do we? Sure there is the occasional story. But there is a huge gap.

At one time I read The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden, but not the whole book. I do remember a part where Jesus went to the riverside to make bird of clay and then blew life into the creatures and they would fly away. So the bit about the lizard in Lamb cracked me up.

Because of the boring parts I nearly rated this book four stars. But I know I will remember this book for quite a while with fondness. So five stars it is. I believe that Moore did the impossible. He took sacred writings and lightened them up and yet never got too far from the actual messages of love and redemption.

Registered my paperback copy with BookCrossing.com BCID: 927-12455390

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Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar: How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar and Coconut Oil To Lose Weight, Prevent Allergies, And Boost Your Immune System
Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar: How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar and Coconut Oil To Lose Weight, Prevent Allergies, And Boost Your Immune System by Brian Night
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If this were my first book on coconut oil and apple cider vinegar, I might have given the book four stars. The thing is, I found nothing new here. All the information is there along with a few recipes for food and topical applications. It did remind me to make sure to use these two gifts of nature. If you haven’t read about C. O. or A. C. V. this is a good start.

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Coconut Oil: How To Implement Coconut Oil In Your Diet For Weight Loss, Detox And Better Health (Coconut Oil Handbook
Coconut Oil: How To Implement Coconut Oil In Your Diet For Weight Loss, Detox And Better Health (Coconut Oil Handbook by Daniel Adam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is mainly about the benefits of coconut oil. There are a few recipes including a way to use the oil in a cleanse diet. I doubt with my diabetes and fibromyalgia that I will do that fast, but I do feel encouraged to use the oil more often. I do already use it to cook my tofu and pour on GMO-free popcorn and, if I remember, I rub it into my skin or hair. I try to use only coconut oil an not other oils or spreads.

This is a quick read. I recommend it to anyone who is curious about coconut oil

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Diabetes Diet Made Easy For Vegans: Proper Diabetes Management Using Vegan Recipes: Diabetes Diet Meal Plans, Recipes And Easy Lifestyle Guide by Dana Tebow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading about the author’s own medical needs I knew I had to read this book. It is mostly a cookbook, but the first part talks about how to adjust a vegan diet for those of us that are vegan and gluten-free. There were a couple times the author alludes to meat, wheat, fish and dairy, but that is only for those that might need to adjust to the more carnivore diets.

I didn’t try any of the recipes, but looking them over they look absolutely delicious! I would have loved even more recipes. Also, have you looked into the benefits of coconut oil? Anyway, keeping this available when I feel ready to cook! 🙂

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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, ten stars for Malala! Ten stars for her health, her stamina, her courage, and her brilliance!

But truth be known this was a difficult book to read. I think it needed better editing. I kept getting lost in the timeline. For example, the way I read it, Malala was fourteen when she was shot. I knew that wasn’t the case. Also, the first part of the book was so choppy that I almost gave up reading the book. I only continued because I wanted to learn about this fascinating teen.

History has never been my favorite subject. It wasn’t until a brilliant teacher in college did I begin paying attention. Let’s face it, history is about men and their wars. Women are rarely the stars. So when a book about a female who is making history, gets bogged down in the wars, I started losing interest. When the war affects Malala and her family, then I felt involved again. Then I was glad for the bit of a history lesson that was set up in the book. Wish there had been a smoother way to move from personal story to the region’s history.

I hope, hope, hope that Malala writes more books. I hope she finds friends. I hope her mother can get on with her own education and can stand and give a few speeches of her own. I hope the family becomes more feminist so that mother can have her own life. I wish the family all the goodness life can give.

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Of Wings and Wolves
Of Wings and Wolves by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I hope there is more to this series as I love the relationship between Summer and the Angel Nash. Summer’s twin, Abram, doesn’t feature in this story as much. I assume we will learn more of his abilities later. Even so this story starts with Aunt Gwen taking care of Rylie’s babies in a new land. I would have loved to get more into Gwen’s story. I know she isn’t a young adult or new adult. And she’s a lesbian. Why is she a toss-away character? Please write her a book!

Okay, notice I did give this five stars. My personal complaints do not stop the story from being exciting from beginning to end. Summer is quite a character with spunk inherited from her mother and aunt. She doesn’t hold back from telling it like it is no matter what. Her life has been fairly idyllic until an angel comes into her life. She won’t let him get away with anything. I love her! She is a healthy person for young adults to emulate.

Ms Reine knows how to keep her readers engaged. Just about the time you might feel you could take a breath and look around the world she’s built, there is a new danger to fight through. This one is different than Rylie’s world so the problems are different. I just kept wondering how they would get through it all.

I highly recommend the series Seasons of the Moon and its extension the Cain Chronicles.

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