Nothing More, Nothing Less: Review

Nothing More, Nothing Less

Author: Ashley Dukart
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
Pages: 212

Summary:


 When Brandon finds that his mother committed suicide, he blames himself for her decision. His guilt drives his young life into a downward spiral of drugs, drug dealing, and violent repercussions when his "business partners" don't get what they want. Haunted by the past memories he often relives. His Brothers, who don't always seem to understand him and what he's going through, desperately try to help, but as life becomes further entangled, will Brandon find the escape he so desperately needs before it's too late? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Brandon's father left and his mother committed suicide. He blames himself for what happened and rather than live with the pain, anger, and guilt he turns to drugs and alcohol. His brothers try to help him but Brandon just dives deeper into this way of life. Brandon realizes that this life he's living is not only hurting himself but the people who matter most in his life. But will he be able to stop and get out before it's too late?

This is a very emotional read about drug addiction and how it affects everyone involved. It shows how having a drug addiction can ruin your life and the lives of everyone you love. Drugs and alcohol don't fix your problems they only mask them temporarily and cause even more problems down the road. If you have ever been an addict or loved an addict then you will probably really be able to relate to the pain and suffering it causes in this book. Even if you've never dealt with drug addiction in any way in your life, you will still probably be touched by this story. Check this one out if it sounds like something you would be interested in.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Ben Banana Saves the Day: Review

Ben Banana Saves the Day
Author: Dustin Ross
Publisher: Dustin Ross
Pages: 19

Summary:

Ben Banana of Bananaville is the local superhero who takes out the bad guys and keep the town safe. Take a peek inside his exciting life full of banana burgers, banana splits and banana sunglasses. Is there anything that’s not made out of bananas?! Ride along with Ben for a super fun time as he hops into his Bananamobile to fight some crime! (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Ben Banana is Bananaville's superhero. He drives a Bananamobile and keeps the town safe from the bad guys. In this town people eat banana splits, banana burgers, and banana cream pie for any meal of the day. Bananas are everywhere, they even wear banana sunglasses! At night the bad guys come out and Ben Banana, in his banana shoes, takes them down with his banana hammer.

This was a pretty cute little book. I honestly don't think I've typed the word banana so many times in my life. I think that kids are going to enjoy this creative book. My son loves bananas and when you add a superhero in the mix, well what more could you want! The illustrations were bright and colorful, great for keeping a child's attention. The only complaint I really have is that at times the rhyming seemed forced, rather than flowing.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Henrietta the Dragon Slayer: Review

Henrietta the Dragon Slayer
Author: Beth Barany
Publisher: Firewolf Books
Series: The Five Kingdoms #1
Pages: 236

Summary:

**Grand Prize Winner of the 2012 California Book Fiction Challenge

Henrietta, the legendary Dragon Slayer of the Kingdom of Bleuve, can't stomach the thought of one more kill. Yet, in order to save her dying mentor, she must go on one last quest. But will misfit companions, seasickness, and an ego maniacal king derail the quest for the healing stone? And will she be able to cut past her conscience and kill the dragon?

My Thoughts:

Henrietta thought she was done killing and doesn't want to kill again whether it's human or dragon. She finds out that her mentor, Master Chen, is dying and she goes on one last quest to save him. She must get a healing stone from a dragon which means she must kill. But can she do it? A knight, witch, and a jester accompany the dragon slayer on her dangerous quest to save her mentor.

I really liked Henrietta. She's a smart, strong, independent young woman. And she can also hold her own in a fight. Just the type of woman I like to read about. The other main characters were a lot of fun too. They made the book more interesting and humorous. They were all different and had their own personalities which was great! There's nothing I dislike more than when you the only way you can tell the characters apart is when the author adds "so-in-so said." I like when they have their own distinct voice and they did in this book.

I wasn't sure what I would think of this book because I'm not a HUGE "fantasy" fan but I really enjoyed this one and I'm going to be waiting for the next book in the series. I HAVE to find out what happens to Master Chen!

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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What's in Your 24?: Review

What's in Your 24?
Author: Dana Simone Stovall
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Pages: 78

Summary:

What's in Your 24? is a book for women who want to create a "new normal" in their lives. 24 is the guide to living happier, getting fit from the inside out, taking control of your destiny, and living life without excuses. 24 will empower you, make you laugh, teach you how to love yourself more, how to prioritize your thoughts, how to be more selfish with your time, and how to quiet the chatter around you. 24 intentionally consists of 60 pages and three chapters that will change your life forever. It contains 24 Time Efficiency Tips that Simone promises will help you maximize your day more effectively and help you exercise at least three times a day with little effort. 24 is a concise and radical lifestyle guide that shouldn't take you more than 60 minutes to read it, more than 60 seconds to make the decision to change your life, and no more than 24 hours to begin making that transformation. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

This book is supposed to help you manage your time better. It shows you how to prioritize your to-do list, have more time for yourself, and how to fit in exercise everyday. This book is a really fast read. It honestly won't take you more than an hour to finish. One thing that it really reminded me to do is to say "no" sometimes. I always do everything for everyone whenever they ask and I rarely ever say no. I have so many things going on at once with very little help that I often feel overwhelmed and burnt out. I need to take time for myself too and ask for help or let other people pitch in. There are a lot of suggestions in this book that you can apply to your life right away that will make your days more productive. It was also a very clever idea that the book is so short. If you don't have enough time in your life as it is how will you have time to read a big, thick, time management book.

Oh and the cover of this book explains my life perfectly! ;p

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Andrew's Claim To Fame: Review

Andrew's Claim to Fame
Author: Idan Hadari
Publisher: Idan Hadari
Pages: 28

Summary:

Are your children affected by TV and the internet?

Would they like to be famous as soon as possible?

Are they impatient about life in general (I want this and right now!)?

Are they unaware of their gifts?

Are they dreamers, but don’t have enough faith?

I have the solution for both you and your children, portrayed in a touching and great bedtime story.

Just like in my second book (Noah’s Petting Zoo), I will teach your children:

* How to be patient
* How to be self-motivated
* How to help one's fellow man
* How to help the animals (cats and dogs)
* How to believe in yourself and to dream
* Good deeds bring about good results in return

The story is with a simple rhyming text for children ages 3-8. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Andrew's dream is to be famous. He wants to be on TV and in the news! Andrew's mother tries to tell him that it's not that fun, he'll never be left alone and that he's too young to be in a hurry. Andrew thinks that because he can't dance or play guitar that he doesn't stand a chance. He'll never become famous. He wishes on a shooting star and maybe his dream will come true.

This was a very cute little story. Kids do have very large dreams and sometimes we know that they may seem unrealistic but it's great for kids to dream and dream big. Who knows, maybe what they dream of as a child will come true if they believe in themselves and remain patient. My daughter really liked this one and the rhyming was wonderful. Check this one out for your little dreamers.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Background Noise: Review

 


Background Noise
Author: Peter DeMarco
Publisher: Pangea Books
Pages: 126

Summary:

Troubled young suburbanite Henry Walker is on a one-man mission to clean up his town, protect his property, and chase after fantasies of a better life ahead. From an alienated adolescent to a frustrated young adult, Henry encounters one disappointment after another. While suffering the loss of close family members and friends, desperately seeking companionship in the form of unconventional friendships, and becoming a victim of extreme bullying and violence, Henry ultimately becomes an outcast in the only town he knows. As Henry immerses himself in his past, memories become guilt, guilt becomes regret, and regret becomes obsession—until violence seems to be the only logical response.

Written as a collection of interwoven short stories, told in sparse, piercing prose, this haunting novel examines Henry Walker’s transformation from the misfit and the victim— to vengeful retaliator. But does the justice he metes out make him a popular hero or an enemy of the people? In razor-sharp prose reminiscent of Haruki Murakami, Peter DeMarco startles the mind while touching the heart. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

This book is a compilation of short stories from the main character Henry's life. Henry is a strange child and grows up to be a just as strange man. His parent's are both dead and he still lived in their home. He kind of just wanders through life alone and is sort of an outcast in his tow.

In the beginning of the book Henry is a child and I was a little uncomfortable with all of the writing about masturbation and sex. It felt like I was reading something I shouldn't be. Henry was a very unusual person. I don't think this book was for me but a lot of people are saying good things about it so I'm kind of stumped. Maybe I missed something but I felt like the chapters were jumping all over the place. I didn't really take anything from this book and I also feel that I could have known more about Henry even though the book was all about him. This is one that I can either take it or leave it.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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If You Were Me and Lived in South Korea: Review

If You Were Me and Lived in South Korea
Author: Carole P. Roman
Publisher: CreateSpace
Series: An Introduction to Learning About Other Cultures #3






















Summary:

Carole P. Roman takes you on a journey this time to Asia, landing in South Korea. Once again, children can learn how life is like for young people on the other side of the globe. From food to famous landmarks, they will learn that's it's easy to find something in common with people in different countries.

My Thoughts:

These books teach your children what it would be like if they lived in another country. We've read about Mexico and France and now we're learning about South Korea. They will learn what continent they would live on, what the capital city is, and what their name might be. They also learn about currency, what you would call your parents, places you would visit, and more.

My kiddos and I are really enjoying this series. It's so much fun to learn about and imagine life in other countries and cultures. My daughter thinks South Korean names are funny because they are so different from the names we are used to hearing. I think these books are a great tool to introduce your children to other cultures. This one would be great to go along with anything they may be learning about South Korea. We are hoping there will be more books in this series so we can learn about other cultures!

* I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Naked Determination: Review

Naked Determination
Author: Gisela Hausmann
Publisher: Educ-Easy Books
Pages: 212

Summary:

Have you ever dreamed of living out adventures?
In foreign countries, with lovers, even at the work place?
Discover this author's 41 most exciting adventures and find tricks and inspiration to do the same.

Inspired by adventure books, 'Seven Years in Tibet', 'The Travels of Marco Polo', and 'Dr. Zhivago', Gisela has big goals and aspirations. Leaving that picturesque, little town in Austria behind, working in the movie industry and hoping to win an Oscar was just the beginning. Having met Heinrich Harrer as a teenager she wants to see Lhasa, where he lived during these "Seven Years in Tibet", never minding altitude sickness and freezing temperatures. From beating up her home town's bully to getting caught and released by the KGB in Russia she lives through surprising adventures. 

However, no streak of anything lasts forever. When suddenly Gisela finds herself a widowed mother of two young children, living far from family and home, she has to learn to overcome a feeling she has never known: fear. Now, adventures take place behind desks in offices, with the Great Recession threatening everything she has worked for.

How will Gisela get out of this situation?

"Naked Determination" is an inspiring adventure book, with 41 hilarious, true stories.

 

My Thoughts:

 

This book is filled with true stories from the author's very interesting life. Each story has a lesson the author learned from that part of her life. She is a very strong and determined woman who followed her dreams. She has done so much during her life and it really inspires you to do more in your life and to follow your dreams. I know a lot of times you have a dream in life and you just keep saying "someday" but you never actually do anything to pursue that dream. But life is short so go for it, don't be scared, and believe in yourself!

 

That's what this book reminds us to do. It's very different from the books I normally read but if you are looking for some inspiration through a collection of true stories then you should check this one out.

 

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

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UPDATE!

Hey everyone! I just got married yesterday and we are heading down to the bike rally in Sturgis today. I'm sorry I haven't been posting as much but it's been very hectic! I will be back next week and everything should be back to normal. So I haven't gone anywhere and I promise to be posting reviews for you very soon! Love you all! :) I hope you are having a great summer!