The Elephant Tree by R. D. Ronald
Book starts out with a team of Scott and Neil supplying drugs to the local folks at the clubs they frequent.
They make quite a profit but Scott wants a quieter life so he agrees to try a different venture to gain big money quick.
Scott's brother Jack has warned him to stay away from the guys he's been hanging out with...
Angela-once dated Jack years ago has now found Scott and their lifes mesh with one another.
Things don't go according to plan on the venture but some things do over time.
Love the detailed descriptions of the places and events of the holiday, seasonal weather and even new words for me.
Just one really gory part with a hammer but this would make an awesome movie-similar to ones I've seen on TV and enjoyed. Kind of like gangsters doing what they do.
Lots of action, adventure, drugs, love and especially love the cave and everything it stands for.
Jeff and Scott do have the plans to make it all work but there are wrinkles along the way-Angela is taken...
Like what elephant tree stands for them all in the end.
Just a handful of characters that intertwine as the story goes on. Easy to keep track of them all.
Found there is an extra story within this one: past lives of their parents, letters come to surface that play a big part in the end.
Found English way of spelling words kinda throws me off a bit. Was a cool book to hear from the drug dealers side of the story and how things run for them.
Would like to read more from this author.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Disillusioned (Stan Turner, #9) by William Manchee
This mystery book we find Stan involved in not only being a campaign manager but helping the FBI.
What I liked about this book was catching up with others I've met by reading the other books in the series, although they can be read as standalones.
This one starts out with Stan in his younger days, still at college. Like how he gets the help he needs from professors.
Like the action, locations, mysteries and how they are solved and how he puts his life in danger to get the facts.
Campaign was a new theme for me as I know there is corruption in most politicians and how they use that to get their candidate to run as the state representative after having Democrats in the office for many years.
Having the drug cartels involved just brought the whole book up a notch for me.
Can't wait to read more of Stan and his escapades.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
The Speed of Life: An Illustrated Novel by James Victor Jordan
Wasn't sure what to expect after reading the synopsis of this book but thought I'd give it a try.
Very detailed descriptions of events that tie the crime with all the other stories in the book. At times they just appear to be a story but as the book goes along you realize they are all tied together.
So much information is divulged, like a piece of a puzzle as the whole thing is complete once you reach the last page.
Found it exciting at times, lots of action but other times sad and depressing because of the brutualness of an attack. Understand why it happened as the investigators try to solve the crimes.
Like colorful illustrations throughout the book.
Wasn't one of my favorite reads but has a lot of interesting educational stories about the area.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Riding Out the Wreckage book by Hilary Walker
Have read other works by this author and loved the series.
An added plus is when Robert teaches they how to take care of their dog and why...
Like how the author brings you up to date on how others got to where they are now, physcially and why without going into a lot of details from previous books.
Makes you feel not so lost. Like how others call on Father Michael for help-some are dying and he won't condone the methods they want to use to shorten the time...
Love how he uses Skype to talk to a local man overseas fighting the war and hopes he won't get PTSD again. The local horses helped cure him and many ohters over the years.
Memory boxes on outside wall of resident apartments, just like one at my mother in laws place, so touching!
With the car accident there are changes for many: deaths and births to complete the circle. Love how this one turns out.
Other works by the author and about the author are highlighted at the end. Can;t wait for the next one.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Riding Out the Turbulence by Hilary Walker
Like this book because it talks about Timothy in his younger years and why things are the way today.
He heads back to the farm around Thanksgiving and his horse that he left behind to go earn money dies while he's there.
His mother is on his case about going to church with her and his father. As he is leaving he meets a priest at the airport and on the plane that he feels his mother had something to do with and it gets him to thinking...
Like how this book turns out really sneaky she is.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Riding Out the Devil by Hilary Walker
Like this book so much because it's the start of the series that I've read the last three of already.
Like putting the missing pieces together and wondered why things were the way they were in future books.
Jack is running the horse farm and is notified of his mothers death and funeral that he is able to attend and he comes clean to his father about the past...
Love how he reaches out to a boy that has UC like himself and he educates them on how it can become better with right diet, exercise and sleep.
He has trial and error periods to find out what causes flareups-especailly as everybody is different with the disease.
Love hearing of the very specific details of how to deal with the horses once he starts training the boy how to deal with the horse.
Introduction to Father Michael to the farm as he used to ride prior to entering the monastery.
mysterious yearly calls that still upset Jack.
Love bible quotes that are tossed out-there should be more, in appropriate places during conversations. Some leave me with a smile as they are almost like a wives tale but they work.
Father Michael asks him for more help after Joe leaves because he did such a good job with him. Jack in his mind is telling his mother to get off his case...
Love how he is able to talk to the Father and can confide in him and is welcomed back to the church and how he now has closure from his past mistakes.
About the author and other works are highlighted at the end. Lots of medical advice about UC.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Daddy Dragon Saves the Day: Picture Rhyming book for kids age 3-6 years old, Short and funny bedtime story for preschoolers by Marie Blair
Very colorful childrens book about dragons and magic places far away.
Rhyming also is a plus. Problem I have with the layout is the words are tiny for me and no way to enlarge them on my tablet. Some words are also hidden behind color spots on the pages making them invisible to me.
Great story about dragons and their names and the place of Quace where they live. Habits of them playing and waking are known.
Children are all laughing and bouncing on daddy dragon and he's shooting out flames and saying it's just not so bad.
Daddy has to do all the meals because mother went to a meeting-the children are really acting up as they splat food over him...
Reminds me very much of when the kids from a Dr. Seuss book opened to door to allow others in. The house used to be clean and orderly and it doesn't resemble that at all now, kids are happy and laughing and playing though-not even dressed for the day.
I can just see this in my mind as the author has done a great job of detailed descriptions of the scene. I recall when my kids were youngsters the house didn't get very clean most days either...
An event outside is about to disrupt them and will Daddy who's cleaning still be able to save them?
Love the pages at the end where you try to find the differences-great activity for children to do.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Silver City by Li Rui
This book has many stories inside one follows the family from t
he early 1900's and all the men and all the women and their
wives and their concubines and their children the other half of
the story is about the Silver Mines in China I found something
very interesting how the fathers would actually beat their children
young adult men with lashes of a whip some women would
actually destroy their beauty so they would not be forced into
doing something they did not want to do the Army tactics at one
point to try to take over the silver mine was really strange because
the guy was set up so that he ended up giving up everything and
then the other man got all the money back and all the other
credentials that went with it the guy did not see it coming .
So Much Death I can't understand why so many men committed
suicide and I also can't understand why the fathers allowed their
sons to be put in prison to end up dying there by execution that
is just so sad to hear about all this just because of greed
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Words by Ginny L. Yttrup
Story I feel is about two in one. One is following Kaylee who is a child and being raised by a man. There is a lot of abuse and I love how this story meets the other story: Sierra.
She's a woman who has lost a child and bonds with the girl and fears for her life when she finds she is not where she should be. They converse with each other but not by words.
Love how her actions are able to save Kaylee and they bond further and are so relaxed with one another.
Love how her mother is there for her and how she doubts she can continue with progress she has made with Kaylee.
Super love the words Kaylee finds, the ones running through her head to avoid what is really going on with her and how it makes the days go by. She just wants her mother to come back to her.
Like hearing of the plans of Kaylee's mother but she gets sidetracked....such struggles in her life.
Glad to hear Katheryn's side to the story-hadn't expected it would be included.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Yoga Wizdom: Warrior Tales Inspriring You on and off your mat by Stephanie Spence
Love this book for many reasons: the beautiful pages of color photos, just simple things and at times the hard ones.
Table of Contents has topics like Embracing Your wake up call, getting on the road, reading your life road map and staying real among others. Love that this is the journey of the author through rehab and beyond.
This is not a book that shows you the physical movements at all, more the mental ones.
There are many stories throughout the book from others telling you about their path and how yoga is an important part of their lives.
Stories are from all over, wish there was a map with a pushpin showing them all. I'm sure it'd be covering the whole world.
Ending chapter is a listing of acknowlegements and contributors and things about themselves.
Love how you can read any of the stories included and just limit yourself to one thing you love about what you read and how you can incorporate that into your own life.
It's hard to just find only one thing. What a TREASURE of a book!
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
The Writers' Compound: The Story of Four American Authors in Key West by Jack L. Roberts
ISBN: 9780692184851
Starts with praise from other writers, a map of the compound showing other points of interest, Table of contents, Foreword, Prologue, acknowledgments Introduction and then the story.
There are also old black and white photographs n the book that are captioned.
Each of the writers has their own chapter that encompasses the same information as the others.
Love learning about authors and how their minds work.
Enjoyed this story because it also involves the spouses input, the location and lots of historic facts.
Also includes information about the men and how they met their wives, marriages and how they got along with others in the winter months, some stayed longer, some didn't come often.
Enjoyed hearing about their writings and the books they wrote that made them famous and how they lived up to the day they died.
A small community where all of them shared some common spaces, pool, walking the grounds, etc in the Key West area. Love that the roads were mentioned so you can really trace the paths taken.
Would enjoy reading more from this author because the work he put into the research and making it a fun read. Very descriptive and detailed.
Appendix: Key West Authors stating where they lived in the area and some have what genre they wrote.
Appendix where authors are chonologically shown from birth to death
Appendix of KW Literary Landmarks, interview notes and dates the quotes were obtained, and each chapters notes are included. Bibliography is included at the end.
About the author is included as well.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Jenna's Christmas Wish by Debra Parmley
Book starts out with Jenna who heads to TN for a book signing by authors.
Love hearing about this as I can't even imagine what it entails as I've never attended one either.
Love how everything is planned well in advance with speakers and the book signing, refuge where you learn about wolves.
The cover model man is also there with his mother, who's a lead author that other women are falling over themselves to get his attention.
She doubts she'd be good enough for Nicolo but agrees to exercise with him and his mother but they didn't show up at the gym at the hotel...
She makes a list of all the attentive things he's done...with the ice storm she stays another night rather than driving through icy roads.
Her friend Chyma back home cuts him down and her about her weight and Jenna wonders why she puts up with it from her girl friend.
She's spent some time with him and he wants to date her-even though he lives far away... Like that she gets to see where he lives and learns of his life and those in it. She may have second thoughts after the woman makes an appearance.
He invites her to Atlantic City, NJ as she's never been....and he wants her to spend Christmas with him and his mother....he will pay for the tickets even.
Love charity work he does for children and time he spends with them.
About the author and other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Twelve Stitches of Christmas by Debra Parmley
Love this author's works and especially the holiday ones. They are short reads but they pack a punch of a story.
This one is about Carolennea and how she's been brought up and not allowed to speak-she's had a spell cast on her and doesn't show much of herself when in public.
It's Christmas and Ardin arrives in town, needing mending done and he notices her from the counter and she'll be the one doing the work. He finds her alone at times and asks her questions but she can just shake her head yes or no.
He figures out what the problem is and know has to solve the mystery of the spell. He finally just gives in, he just wants her-he remembers her from the past and doesn't care if she can't talk....
Love Christmas day and how more things are revealed, beautiful story!
About the author and other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Have read the whole series and can't to find out what happens next with Hannah and the sleuths who help her solve murders in the MN town where she runs the Cookie Jar.
Starts with listing of other works by the author, she writes in different genres.
Hannah makes an announcement about her husband Ross and why he's not been around. wow what a shock!
Love hearing of all the characters in town that help her get over her loss and get on with daily life events.
Her life is the one in danger in this book. Love how the cops and friends are all over it by spending the night at her house even to make sure she's safe.
They know he's back in town and threatening her by all the phone calls and demanding of money...Doesn't happen til the end when she walks in on it all, in her condo...
Others are there to protect her as she gathers the clues from things the prior several weeks before that are all now adding up...
Converstion charts at the end. Lots of recipes among the story. What a cliff hanger at the end LOL.
Other thriller works are summarized at the end along with an excerpt.
I received this review book from The Kensington Books via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#ChocolateCreamPieMurder #NetGalley
A Valentine to Cherish by Josie Riviera
This story starts with Scarlett=love this name for this book because of all the red tones.
She's changing after her bethothed leaves to head back to his families home to take over for his ailing father. She is going to change, be more quiet, loss weight and lot of other things.
Love that she's a mentor for a young girl and they are able to spend time together because of Scarlett's job at the animal store. Love how the author finds all these cool jobs for the characters in this town.
They listen to a song played by a man in the park and go to the bookstore where they plan to purchase Valentine party tickets. After talking to the author and writer of the songs he will buy them the tickets and they talk a bit, getting to know one another.
She doesn't want to get her hopes up to only be let down because he moves on with his singing tour. Joseph is the man who wants her heart and the way she is-he doesn't want her to change a thing.
They get to spend quality time together and they discuss their past lives. Love how religion plays a big part in this book and she uses religion to help her get over her fears of not being good enough and uses it when she also wants food she knows she shouldn't be eating.
You wonder if they will ever really get together as he plans on traveling and she just wants to stay in Cherish....
Heart shaped meatloaf recipe included. Note from the author and about the author are inlcuded at the end.
Excerpt from a Christmas to Cherish is also included. Other works by the author are highlighted at the end. Can't wait to read more from this author-so very descriptive and detailed-you can picture the scenes as if you are there.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Yellow Rose of Christmas by Amelia St. James
Cute holiday story about a widowed mother of two kids that has hard times still after years of losing her spouse.
She finally notices who it is that has been leaving gifts for the children all these years, Eric Stevens. She allows him into her house to tend to his wounds and they talk.
Later after spending the night at a dinner auction where he's the guest of honor she learns so much more about him.
There is a major connection to her spouse that she finally learns about at the holiday when her mother in law comes to share dinner with them.
It all comes out in the open and he thought the adults didn't want him anymore as he's in the foster system but he had it all wrong.
She also has a lot of things wrong in her mind and asks her spouses police friend to track him down. Love how the whole first responders show up to lend a hand.
They just need to talk to one another...
First time reading this author-a bit on the short side but will check out her other books.
Sandy Kisses by the Sea by Traci Hall
Starts with TOC then highlights other works by the author in the series of the Sea.
Begins with Lucia and she's sitting at her boyfriends family bar in FL. He and his family cherished her as they celebrated her birthday.
She loved the way he was brought up with relatives all around so different than her own.
He even proposes to her and she turns him down, in front of his whole family...
They find themselves talking and listening to her speak about her past.
Book also includes an excerpt from another book in the series and highlights all the works in the series at the end. Also includes about the author section.
Very short cute, real life story.
Home workout for beginners, 6 week fitness program by James Atkinson
Intro about what regular exercise and a balanced diet can lead to a heathly lifestyle.
Bonus offer by signing up for the authors' recipes. Has a list of things you will need-nothing that cost a lot of money. Shows photos of things mentioned.
Essential elements and a health check to make sure you're ready.
Has section on what foods and not to skip meals and drink lots of water among other suggestions.
Examples of good motiviational postit's are included.
Explains more about the different types of training in the book and why you should use them and how.
Love clor photos of exercises and words used to explain how they are done-so important to do them right.
Love that you can do alternative exercises if you can't do the ones mentioned in the book and the author explains why.
Other resources available to help with fitness and exercise motivation as this is only for beginners to get started with.
Like ending parts where exercises are shown in color photos along with how to do them.
Motivational challenges are also discussed.
Other works by the author are highlighted at the end along with 'about the author'.
Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet Cookbook by Taylor Parker
Table of contents where recipes are broken up into main meals of the day.
Lots of introduction material about the essentials of the diet plan, what to consume and what to avoid, health benefits of this diet, keto diet and what it stands for, what to consume and what to avoid.
Each recipe starts with a title, servings, prep and cook time and list of ingredients. Directions are given and also some nutritional information: c ( i assume calories), P (I think this means protein) fat-NOT broekn up into good or bad fats.
I would be substituting broth for low sodium. Would also be using fresh vs. canned diced tomatoes.
There are NO pictures and the nutritonal information is very confusing.
The Smart Diet Plan: Permanent Weight Loss without Dieting or Starving by Liz Vidal
Book starts out with a table of contents where plan is disucssed then recipe for 3 meain meals. Other chapter cover other items of the diet plan.
Intro talks about consuming less calories per day and eating fresh whole foods. Gives you examples of what to eat from different food groups.
Instead of recipes for meals it gives you suggestions of what foods you can eat. Talks of healthy snacks and addressing cravings.
There is so much to this diet plan it's going to take some time to change your habits to make sure you're doing it right. There is SO much reading involved.
Some recipes do include a title, servings, hint of what can be substituted and list of ingredients. Details are included-there are NO pictures, there is NO nutritonal information.
Very few color small photos are included with some recipes.
Other resources are linked at the end.
Kitchen Dads The Basics: Have Fun with Friends and Family Cooking Real Food [Print Replica] Kindle Edition
Book starts out with a TOC where important things are in chapters and also includes recipes by food category.
Intro about how to sue the book starts off the book, then chapter on setting up your ktichen which will include equipment and utensils to name a few things.
Sketched diagrams along the way. Like how all the equipment is broken up into sectins and it goes over all the different materials they are made of and which would suit your needs.
Basic things you need for pantry and fridge are included.
Love the chart on fresh produce and when it's ripe season occurs so you can always get it fresh.
Basic things: how to hold a knife, read a recipe, terms used and what they mean and so much more.
All kinds of charts, meat termperatures, measurement equivalents, etc.
Each recipe includes a sketched diagram, a title, summary of the dish and servings.
Ingredients are listed and how to prepare them.
There is NO nutritional information nor color photos.
Very basic easy recipes, good resource book.
About the author and a free gift are included at the end. Recipe index also.
Dash Diet Cookbook: 250 Slow Cooker Recipes to Improve Your Health by Marta Getty
Starts with table of contents where recipes are broken up by meal categories.
Free ebook gift is offered. Introduction about the dash diet and how it's accomplished to help lower your high blood pressure and intake of sodium.
Recipes start with a title, prep and cook time and servings.
List of ingedients and directions. There are NO pictures.
Nutritonal information includes calories, fat-NOT broken up into good or bad, fiber, carbs and protein. No mention of sodium or what calorie diet they are basing this on.
Don't care for the fact they are using canned products instead of fresh vegetables instead.
Various choices of meals with endless options of what to put in the dish.
I also feel you should not be using stevia, use real fruit or a vegetable for sugar flavor.
Some recipes have up to 20 ingredients-make sure you have them all before you start...
30 Delicious Sweet Potato Recipes – Tasty and Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes (The Ultimate Sweet Potato Cookbook Including Recipes For Sweet Potato Soup, ... Salad, Sweet Potato Souffle and More 1) by Pamela Kazmierczak
Starts with a table of contents where recipes are broken up into salads, soups, sides, main dishes, desserts and treats Short into, offer of a free cookbook at authors site.
Each recipe starts with a title, short summary of the dish, list of ingredients which you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sodium, low sugar, low fat products and fresh vs canned.
Directions are given along with serving suggestions.
There are NO pictures. There is NO nutritional information.
The Complete Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Beginners: 101 Mouth-Watering Weight Loss Recipes For Your Daily Healthy Meal Plan by JOANNA COOPER
Book starts with a lot of introductory material about the Mediterranean Diet, effect and how it will improve your life.
Recipe chapters are broken up into meal categories.
Color photos throughout the introdctuion. Measurement charts are included.
Each recipe includes a title, cook time and servings along with list of ingredients and you should be able to substitute for your healthier dietary needs: low sugar, low fat, low sodium products along with fresh vs. canned items.
There are NO nutritional information available. There are Pictures of each recipe.
Love how some of the recipes are for one serving, there are others with 4 servings or more.
Lemon olive oil cake would be my choice, but in muffins tins. Like what this book offers in just the recipes. All the other information is basic to the diet plan.
A KEEPER for me because of the soup recipes-using all fresh vegetables.
Vegetarian Cookbook: Delicious Meatless Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Recipes from Bulgaria: Family-Friendly Vegetarian Meals (Healthy Vegetarian Recipes on a Budget Book 1)
Book starts with a table of contents where recipes are broken up into food categories.
Intro talks about vegetariean recipes from Bulgaria which is what the recipes in this book are about.
Each recipe starts with the title servings and list of ingredinets. Servings suggation included along with directions.
There is NO nutritional information but for the most part the ingredients are fresh.
There are NO pictures. Free 10 bonus jam and jelly recipes are included at the end.
Soups and Stews Recipes Cookbook: More Than 50 Homemade Recipes For Every Day And Season by Emily Brown
What I like about this book is we just returned from a wicked cold trip to Detroit MI this past week and had been served vegetable soup from fresh ingredients so looking forward to finding something as good in this book. There were SO many to choose from!
Starts with a table of contents where recipes are broken up into categories: creamy, seafood, red, vegetables, meat broth, and stew varieties.
Short intro about eating healthy with soups and how to set things up right so it doesn't take hours to make.
Each category explains a bit about itself, the history and how to obtain healthy benefits and secrets along the way are included.
First off the layout is so different than I have ever seen: the picture icons showing servings, prep and cook time and volume/servings.
Each recipe not only starts with the above but a title and list of ingredients using fresh ingredients in American measurements with British measurements in parenthesis. Most of the ingredients also use low fat, low sodium and low sugar products.
Nutritional info included: calories, total fat, sat fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, calcium and potassium. (some recipes have other nutrients listed)
Directions are given in how to prepare and serving tips are included.
There are NO individual recipe pictures. There are very few pictures-one per chapter.
Love all the international countries choices of recipes that are included.
Some recipes call for canned items, I would be using fresh and also low sodium variety of broth.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
A KEEPER! Has something for everyone.
1 comment:
Another awesome month!! Happy March!
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