Book Review: The Untold Story of Carol BIngley by Jane Hartley

 

  

The Untold Story of Carol BIngley by Jane Hartley

This story starts out  with Carol and she works at the local Marietta pharmacy. where her spouse Frank is the pharmacist.  The story goes back to when Carol was only 16 and in high school, smart, so smart she's graduating and will be attending college. She has her whole life planned out. She starts to date Bill and she is just so in love with him. She's not sure why Beverly is always hanging around him... She is so naive and things take a turn for the worse, for her.

Ss the story goes on we learn about her life at a different college and what she has to endure. She never wants to return home but does as she's not sure what to do any longer. She was trained as an accountant and the local store needs her, yesterday. She decides to take the job and she knows her past is catching up with her, she has to tell others so they can understand.

Love how it ends, she is so brave and caring. Love what the family can do for her and how she treasures that.

Very heartbroken for her past, it could've been so much better.  Hope the story will continue on with Easter meal with the whole family.

Love all the details, now things fit into place.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

 

Children's books reviewed: Nov 30

 

Do Play with your Food by Yonit Werber

Offer of free creative kit. Rhyming colorful children's educational book about food and eating healthy.

Love that each page has not only colorful pictures but rhyming  phrases to go along with the story.

Love how kids can make animal shapes from the food they are given.

such creativity.

Love caterpillar the best because my favorite fruit is green apples, granny smith, nice and tart.

About the author is inlcuded at the end.  Really enjoyed this book. Her other works are also listed. Have read many of the authors works, great reads!

 
    
 Facts about the R eticulated Giraffe by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

Children's books reviewed: Nov 29

 

 

Facts about the Horseshoe Bat by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Sand Cat by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the cat.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Halloween Crab by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the crab.    VERY colorful.

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Ginger cat by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the cat.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Sandhill crane by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Children's books reviewed: Nov 28

 

 

Facts about the Lacewing Butterfly by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  Very colorful.

Never heard or seen these.

 

 

Facts about the Trapdoor spider by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the spider.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Hairy Frogfish by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Andean bear by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the bear.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Electric Eels by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the fish.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Blue Iguana by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

Book Review: Redemption of a Murderer by Louise stowe-Johns

  

 Redemption of a Murderer by Louise stowe-Johns

This is the story of Judy from a very young age. She grows up where she is in charge of her siblings as the adults are working.

Story follows her life as she met Alvin when she was in her young teens and just wants to be loved. She does everything he says and gets beaten up and abused time and again, but she likes that he stays with her.

This is a very traumatic read for me, hate when young kids are abused and this book gives you all the gruesome times. She is soon taking the fall for him ending up in jail. She goes overboard and is put away for life. While in there she has access to a chaplain who help sher and others on death row by doing fun creative things. 

There are so many transcripts of the court scenes and so much fact checking included as well as letters and other resources that are quoted.

Like how she is able to grow to understand what happened to her life and with help she can get her old self back

Received this review copy from AIA Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

 

Book Review: Tipsy in Love by Anne Greene

   

 

Tipsy in Love by Anne Greene 

This story starts out with Charm and she's with her best girlfriend as they discuss Harry and the exciting night Charm has had. Charm thought he'd be proposing but she was wrong. She decides because it's Leap Year she can do the proposing to him.  He's a plastic surgeon teaching in Scotland for several months. She hops on an airplane and heads that way. The storm of the century hit as the plane lands. Everything is cut off via trains or planes. She is able to find transport closer to where he's staying but things don't go according to plan nor smoothly.

Love how the neighbors take her in after losing her luggage as she shows up drenched and muddy and just an overnight bag.

Love hearing of the locale and the things that make the country stand out.

Love how she talks to God to help her through the tough times and how Rick talks to God also to help him see through to the light of things going on.

Rick is the owner of the diner that she’s stranded at, him giving up his room there for her. Love the camaraderie with the four diners. 

She's knows when she’s been beat, bad and heads back home to the states. She realizes how the real gentleman is. Love the legends and history of Scotland.

Never saw this book ending as it did, wonderful story!

 

Nov 28 The Convenient Cosentino Wife by Jane Porter

 
 

 

 The Convenient Cosentino Wife by Jane Porter

This story starts out with Rocco and he's just buried his brother who was to wed his wife. A life gone too soon. He tends to family business. Claire leaves and she informs Rocco of the birth of her son, the rightful heir. He visits her later and find the boy a treasure. Claire is leery of his visit and wants to know what he intends.....  Love how they connect for the love of her son. Love sightseeing adventures and places they are able to visit. Things work out with them til he informs her of why he shunned her from the beginning..  They go their separate ways til she can't stand it any longer.. You wonder if they will ever come to an agreement.

Great read, love the different countries and excursions throughout.

Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Nov 21 Book Spotlight: 18: Jewish Stories Translated From 18 Languages by Nora Gold

 

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 This anthology, the first of this kind in twenty-five years, collects eighteen astounding works of Jewish fiction.

This is the first anthology of translated multilingual Jewish fiction in 25 years: a collection of 18 splendid stories, each translated into English from a different language: Albanian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Ladino, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Yiddish. These compelling, humorous, and moving stories, written by eminent authors that include Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Isaac Babel, and Lili Berger, reflect both the diversities and the commonalities within Jewish culture, and will make you laugh, cry, and think. This beautiful book is easily accessible and enjoyable not only for Jewish readers, but for story-lovers of all backgrounds.

Authors (in the order they appear in the book) include: Elie Wiesel, Varda Fiszbein, S. Y. Agnon, Gábor T. Szántó, Jasminka Domaš, Augusto Segre, Lili Berger, Peter Sichrovsky, Maciej Płaza, Entela Kasi, Norman Manea, Luize Valente, Eliya Karmona, Birte Kont, Michel Fais, Irena Dousková, Mario Levi, and Isaac Babel.

ABOUT THE EDITOR:

http://www.noragold.com

Academic and Professional Work

Dr. Nora Gold received her BSW from McGill University and her MSW and PhD (Social Work, 1990) from University of Toronto. From 1990-2000 she was a tenured professor of social work at McMaster University, and left full-time academia in order to have more time for fiction writing. For the next eighteen years she was affiliated (first as an Associate Scholar and then for six years as its Writer-in-Residence) with OISE/University of Toronto’s Centre for Women’s Studies in Education. This centre closed in 2018, but Gold continues to coordinate the highly regarded reading series that she established there, the Wonderful Women Writers Series, now housed at the Toronto Public Library (Deer Park Branch).

Academic Honours and Research Awards

Gold is the recipient of seven funded research grants, two of them international Canada-Israel collaborations, and two of them from the prestigious Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Two of her studies (both funded by SSHRC) were a nation-wide study of Canadian Jewish women’s experiences of antisemitism and sexism and a longitudinal study of Canadian Jewish girls’ experiences of antisemitism and sexism. The latter was made into a short documentary film, Jewish Girl Power, which can be viewed here.

2003-2007
Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Grant for “Growing up Jewish, Female and Canadian: A Longitudinal Study of Girls Aged 10-18”

1998-2000 
Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies Research Grant, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, for “Cross-Cultural Differences in Decision-Making in Child Welfare Regarding the Removal of a Child from the Home: A Canada-Israel Comparison” (Nora Gold with Rami Benbenishty and Rujla Osmo)

1997-1998
Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies Research Grant, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, for “Social Policies and Social Attitudes Regarding Chronically Ill and Disabled People in Canada and in Israel: A Comparative Study” (Nora Gold and Gail Auslander)

1995-1999
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada Grant for “Developing a Disease Specific Quality of Life Instrument for Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease” (Nora Gold with Jan Irvine, Principal Investigator, Sylviane Forget, and Robert Issenman)

1995
Received an award (with other authors) from the Jewish Women’s Caucus of the Association for Women in Psychology for her chapter in K. Weiner & A. Moon (Ed.) (1995), “Jewish Women Speak Out: Expanding the Boundaries of Psychology”. Seattle: Canopy Press.

1994-2000 
Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Grant for “A National Study of Canadian Jewish Women and their Experiences of Sexism and Antisemitism”

1994-95 
McMaster Research Centre for the Promotion of Women’s Health (SSHRC and Health and Welfare Canada) Grant for “The Work-Related Stress of Female Workers in Three Children’s Aid Societies”

1993-1996 
Hospital for Sick Children Foundation Grant for “Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers: A Study of Interactions and Outcomes in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease”. (Nora Gold with Susan Watt, Robert Issenman, and Jacqueline Roberts)

1993
Arts Research Board Grant, McMaster University for “A Study of Psychosocial Effects on Families and Patients of Pediatric Crohn’s Disease”. (Associated with a multi-site research project, entitled: “Randomized Control Trial of Elemental Diet vs. Prednisone in the Induction and Treatment of Pediatric Crohn’s Disease”) (Nora Gold with Susan Watt)

1992 & 1993 
Nominated by McMaster Students Union for a Teaching Award

1992-1998 
Arts Research Board Conference Travel Grants – 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998

1986-1989 
National Health & Welfare PhD Fellowship

1985-1986 
University of Toronto Open PhD Fellowship

1982
Winner of the Ray Godfrey Essay Competition, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto

1973-1975 

University Scholarships for Academic Achievement, McGill University

MY REVIEW:

MY REVIEW:

18: Jewish Stories Translated From 18 Languages by Nora Gold

In this book the editor is able to get many stories from the Jewish community never translated into English.

Start of the book tells you where the stories came from and by who.  During the stories there are footnotes about particular items of interest.

The things I like best are that the Jewish were for the most part able to escape during the war and head to other countries to survive. Their struggles and obstacles and hwo they overcome them is important to me.

Some stories are very tragic, some are a windfall. Love hearing of the traditions and customs that they hope to pass down to the next generations.  There are glimpses of proverbs and other prayers.  Ends with dedication page.

References are also included at the end of the book. Section also about the author and all they stood for.

Received this review copy from the editor and this is my honest opinion.

 

Children's books reviewed: Nov 25

  

Facts about the Red Bellied Woodpecker by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.   Very colorful.

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Blister Beetle by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Pancake Tortoise by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Wolf Spider by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Wood Turtle by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

 

Facts about the Appaloosa by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the horse.  

Have heard of and seen these.

Facts about the Orange Tip Butterfly by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.   Very bright colors.

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Carpenter Ant by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Have heard and seen these.

 

Facts about the Chamois by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Sociable Weaver  by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the bird.  

Never heard or seen these.

Childress books reviewed: Nov 20

Facts about the Gopher by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.R

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Have heard and seen these.

 

Facts about the Huntsman Spider  by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the spider.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Flying Squirrel  by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Book Review: Nimbus, the rain cloud by Sandra Barnes

  

 

Nimbus, the rain cloud by Sandra Barnes

Children's colorful story about the rain cloud.

Book starts with endorsements and reviews and dedication page.

Family hugs 

 

 

Book Review: Choose Me, Cowboy by Barbara Ankrum

  

 

Choose Me, Cowboy by Barbara Ankrum

Story starts out with Candy and she's made an agreement with others, NO dating for a month. She's a laid off kindergaren teacher.

Story also follows Finn who's living in a house that another rodeo rider gave him, him and his two twin kids. They go to school during the day and because of his work he has others to watch them.

They have a past together and she has a proposition for him....

She loves redoing the house to bring it out of the 80's.

Like conflicts and hwo they are resolved, never saw it coming.

Adult situations.

 

Children's books reviewed: Nov 16

  

 

Facts about the Mandrill by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the monkey.  

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Panamanian Golden Frog  by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the frog.   Very bright colors

Never heard or seen these.

Facts about the Titmouse by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the bird.  

have heard but never seen these.

 

Facts about the Monk Seal by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the seal.  

Never heard or seen these.

 

Facts about the Gopher by Lisa Strattin

Colorful children's educational fun book.  This book starts out  with free ebook  offer when you subscribe to authors website. also information about box set of books and list of what they include.

Image credits are given then table of contents where chapters are listed.

Chapters include:  their life cycles, habitat, what they eat, etc. Each chapter also includes a full size photo showing different things about the animal.  

Heard of and seen these.