It's Here!

Our curriculum arrived and the kids were so excited.  It was fun seeing them get so interested in their new books.  They are SO anxious to started at school again.  Princess Snifflefritz has been asking why we never "do school" anymore.  She can NOT understand why we took a break for the summer.  It never occurred to her that other kids take a summer break or that we moved this summer,  she likes doing homeschool and misses it.  That's sweet to me and reminds me that I am doing the right thing for them.

Some of our new books.

Princess Snifflefritz making popsicle stick rainbows for mommy.

Book Review: IMAGINARY THINGS by Andrea Lochen

Title: Imaginary Things
Editor: Andrea Lochen
Publication: April 15, 2015
Publisher: Astor + Blue Editions

I was really excited to get the chance to read Imaginary Things by Andrea Lochen.  I have to admit, I was totally caught up in this story.  I took the book to the laundry mat with me and by the time I was done my laundry, I was also done my book!!!  I just couldn't put it down.

Imaginary Things is unlike any story I have ever read. When I picked it up, I expected a simple, magical story about a little boy and his make-believe friends. But, I found it to be so very much more than that. Anna is a young mother who is trying to do the right things for herself and her son, all while trying to protect her young child from the evil in their lives. But sometimes it's not so easy to differentiate between good and evil.  As Anna tries to understand what David's imaginary friends want and what they are trying to tell her, she has to work through what her own childhood imaginary friend meant to her. And who were the good guys in her youth? Who were the bad ones?

I truly loved this novel, it was filled with imagination.  I kept turning pages just to find out more bout the little boy who can see and talk to his imaginary friends, (big extinct lizards) and his mother who also can believe in his imagination. I also loved the themes of the book; motherhood, returning home and how at times it is so important to be fearless and how they were dealt with in such a realistic and profound way.

The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and you can check it out on Astor + Blue’s site. Add it to your TO READ list on Goodreads! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it!  Also pick up her other book ‘The Repeat Year‘ and add it to your reading list too! 

You may find out more about the author, Andrea Lochen at her website HERE!

The Colossus By Ranjini Iyer

ISBN (paperback):  978-1-938231-85-8
ISBN (Ebook):  978-1-938231-86-5
CATEGORY: Mystery / Thriller / Occult
EBOOK LIST PRICE: $4.99

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I recently got the chance to read The Colossus by Ranjini Iyer.  This enthralling book brings together history, suspense and a heroine I could relate to. It was spell-binding, with the right amount of romance so that I just didn't want to put down. It was an incredibly well-researched novel with an impressive level of detail and real science behind the plot. I found it to be riveting, fast paced and wonderfully written. I enjoyed the development of Max, the central character, and how she kept adapting to changes in the story line. The different locales and story lines were nicely woven together, keeping me thoroughly involved.  I highly recommend this wonderfully thrilling book!

In The Colussus, Maxine Rosen, a demure, clumsy Chicago caterer, gets more than she bargains for when she discovers her father’s coded research document linked to health pills unearthed from the ancient Indus Valley civilization. The pills, she learns, carry frightening secrets about the true nature of her father’s death; a truth that may be more than she can bear. Enlisting the help of handsome professor Julian McIntosh, Max boomerangs across the continents to unlock the mystery of her father’s research, struggling to keep one step ahead of a powerful German pharmaceutical company who will stop at nothing to keep the disturbing document under wraps. A perfect blend of humor, romance, and suspense, Ranjini Iyer’s debut novel throws audiences into this all-too-plausible mystery, hurling thrills and twists that will keeps readers guessing until the chilling finale.

Ranjini Iyer was born in Germany and grew up in India. She trained as an engineer purely because she hero worshipped her PhD holding dad. She then got herself an MBA in the U.S and stayed on.  Even as she pursued careers as a business owner, small business consultant, film producer and non profit managing director, there always remained an urge to write that had been there since childhood. Following the birth of her children, she focused more and more on writing. Eventually, some of it became passably good.  The Colossus is her first published novel.

Ranjini Iyer was born in Germany and grew up in India. She trained as an engineer purely because she hero worshipped her PhD holding dad. She then got herself an MBA in the U.S and stayed on.

Even as she pursued careers as a business owner, small business consultant, film producer and non profit managing director, there always remained an urge to write that had been there since childhood. 

Following the birth of her children, she focused more and more on writing. Eventually, some of it became passably good. 
- See more at: http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.ca/2015/04/showcase-colossus-by-ranjini-iyer.html#sthash.AsuykkC7.dpuf

Ranjini Iyer was born in Germany and grew up in India. She trained as an engineer purely because she hero worshipped her PhD holding dad. She then got herself an MBA in the U.S and stayed on.

Even as she pursued careers as a business owner, small business consultant, film producer and non profit managing director, there always remained an urge to write that had been there since childhood. 

Following the birth of her children, she focused more and more on writing. Eventually, some of it became passably good. 
- See more at: http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.ca/2015/04/showcase-colossus-by-ranjini-iyer.html#sthash.AsuykkC7.dpuf

The Perils of Pauline by Collette Yvonne

• Amazon: http://amzn.to/1zbZrnS
• Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1DGMuXv
• Kobo: http://bit.ly/1tqQBDq
• Astor + Blue: http://bit.ly/1Ki2LE0

I was recently lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read and review The Perils of Pauline by Collette Yvonne. Collette Yvonne has written more than 150 articles publishing in Ontario's Dailies. Her short story, Snapshots for Henry, was made into a short film directed by Teresa Hannigan and received a 2007 Genie nomination for Best Live Action Short Drama. More of Yvonne's short stories, including From the Cottage Porch and Wild Words 2010 appear in published anthologies. She graduated from Toronto's York University.

The Perils of Pauline follows Pauline Parril who is a survival expert, ex-army veteran.  As the story starts, she is happily married, raising three children, with a promising career. But things change when she gets a termination letter, husband Donald grows distant and she returns to school to meet a handsome and exciting poetry professor.  Pauline survived a long deployment halfway around the world, but can she survive the front lines of her fraying household?

This book was heartbreaking and hysterical!  If you are looking for a fun book, then read this! Pauline is a character that so many of us will relate to. As wives and mothers, we have all been stretched to thin, but keeping a sense of humor is paramount.  If we can find laughter and happiness in everyday small things we will be better mothers.  I really just enjoyed every word of this book. I laughed so hard at times that I think Prince Charming thought I was losing it a little. One of the funniest scenes is when both Pauline and her 16-year-old daughter are in the doctor’s office. This book helps us keep a positive and funny outlook on things. Highly recommended!

I even took it to the laundromat with me!

Momma Don't You Worry by Louie Lawent

 I recently was given the opportunity to review this cute e-book called "Momma Don't Your Worry" by Louie Lawent. 

The book tells the story of an almost six year old boy who believes he is too grown up to have to hold his momma's hand when they go out together.  He is certain that he can handle crossing the street and wandering the shopping malls all on his own. But all of that is tested when he walks away a few steps too far from his mom one day.

As the mom of a five year old and a six  year old who love to take off at the first opportunity, I really enjoyed using this book as a learning tool.  I read it with my girls and discussed what to do should they get lost and what lessons the little boy learned.  It was short enough to keep their attention and they really enjoyed the warm and friendly illustrations.

This books is short enough that I am going to print it off and give it to my girls to read on their own, since they enjoyed it so much.

Whip Smart: Lola Montez Starts a Revolution by Kit Brennan

Release date: November 7, 2014
Publisher: Astor + Blue Editions LLC
Genre: Historical, Romance
Paperback: 362 pages (ARC)
Rating: 4.5

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I was recently given the chance to read Whip Smart: Lola Montez Starts a Revolution by Kit Brennan.  The wild and sexy Whip Smart series is based on the audaciously cosmopolitan, uniquely influential and true-life historical figure, Lola Montez—the actress-turned-political diabla of Victorian times. In her most flamboyant adventure yet, Lola Montez gallops to Bavaria and on an outrageous dare, seduces King Ludwig I. The aging royal cannot resist her fascinating moves as a Spanish dancer, nor the exciting wardrobe malfunction which ensues. As their scandalous love affair gains momentum, all of Europe seethes with an explosive unrest not seen since the French Revolution. During the opening months of 1848, Lola finds herself the target of a terrifying witch hunt, and it will take her considerable wiles to not only save herself but foment a revolution that can change the known world. Written in Brennan's signature fun, sexy style, Lola Montez Starts a Revolution sequentially continues Lola's adventures from France (in book two—Lola Montez and the Poisoned Nom de Plume) and Lola's origin story from England to Spain (in book one—Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniards). And coming soon, book four—Lola Montez Seduces America—follows our heroine to New York, Nicaragua, and California.

The book starts in mid-gallop as Lola rushes to a meeting with perhaps her greatest adversary - her Irish mammy. From there she travels to Bavaria and becomes the mistress of King Ludwig, as the country unites in protest against her. I loved this heroine even as I found myself hoping she would cut her losses and just get out of town: Lola is witty, courageous, determined, and really quite vulnerable, and the mix of Spanish and Irish slang that peppers her speech is strangely addictive. If the historical Lola were only half as bravura as Ms. Brennan describes she was truly remarkable. And while she is truly quick and full of life, the novel also manages to be very informative about this time period. I really enjoyed Brennan's writing style and would definitely recommend this book to all of my fellow historical fiction lovers!

Kit Brennan is the author of Whip Smart: The Lola Montez Series — adventure novels based on the real-life story of Lola Montez, a top-notch, notorious bad girl of the Victorian world. Kit’s keen interest in history (especially Victorian) drew her to Lola, one of the most widely-traveled women of her time: Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniards (book one) is set in England and Spain, Lola Montez and the Poisoned Nom de Plume (book two) in France, the upcoming Lola Montez Starts a Revolution (book three) in Germany and Switzerland and Lola Montez Seduces America (book four) in New York, Nicaragua and California.

Brennan is an award-winning playwright, and teaches writing and storytelling at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. She divides her time between that vibrant city and the quiet lake wilderness of Ontario, alongside her husband, Andrew.

The Borzoi Killings by Paul Batista

SBN (paperback):         978-1-938231-99-5
ISBN (Ebook)                978-1-941286-00-5
Paperback: 435 pages
CATEGORY:                 Suspense / Thriller / Legal Thriller
PAPERBACK LIST PRICE:     $14.95
EBOOK LIST PRICE:     $5.99

Recently, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read and review the thriller The Borzoi Killings  by Paul Batista.  Having thoroughly enjoyed reading and reviewing  Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista, I was excited to get then chance to read this novel as well.  And it didn't disappoint because Paul Batista did it again! This is another well-written murder mystery thriller with so much intrigue and detailed character development. This was a truly great read with surprising twists coming when you least expect them. 

This superb thriller is set in one of the most exclusive places in the world -- East Hampton, New York -- and in Manhattan. It begins with the murder of the 10th richest man in the world and his two Borzoi dogs; and then shifts to the arrest and trial of a handsome and illegal Mexican immigrant represented by one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the United States, the complex, sensitive and powerful Raquel Rematti. The book is filled with fascinating characters, including the wife of the murdered man and her lover who is a former US Senator, a secretive drug lord, and shady detectives, some honorable men and women, and with trial scenes that are riveting. And I just loved the unexpected ending.  I can usually guess what is going to happen in a novel and this one took me completely by surprise!  I LOVE that!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend adding it to your library!  Or maybe as a Christmas present for the people in your life who like a good thriller!  I look forward to reading more of what Paul Batista has to offer (I would love a sequel)!

About the Author
Paul Batista, novelist and television personality, is one of the most widely known trial lawyers in the country. As a trial attorney, he specializes in federal criminal litigation. As a media figure, he is known for his regular appearances as guest legal commentator on a variety of television shows including, Court TV, CNN, HLN and WNBC. He’s also appeared in the HBO movie, You Don't Know Jack, starring Al Pacino. These contacts will be used in promotion.

A prolific writer, Batista authored the leading treatise on the primary federal anti-racketeering statute, Civil RICO Practice Manual, which is now in its third edition (Wiley & Sons, 1987; Wolters Kluwer, 2008). He has written articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The National Law Journal.

Batista's debut novel, Death's Witness, was awarded a Silver Medal by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Batista is a graduate of Bowdoin College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and Cornell Law School. He’s proud to have served in the United States Army.
Paul Batista lives in New York City and Sag Harbor, New York.

**The Borzoi Killings ~ FREE SAMPLE CHAPTER**

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Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler

As I mentioned last week, I thoroughly enjoy Allen Wyler's novels!  I have had the opportunity to read a few now and they never fail to enthrall.  For that reason, I was really excited to get the chance to read, Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler.

This fast-paced medical thriller is full of excitement and danger! This run for your life before getting "Locked Up Abroad" thriller took me on a ride and wouldn't let go until the last page. I just couldn't put the book down. I had to know what would happen next. How was Jon going to clear his name and come out alive? Yeah, it had me in the clinch.

Allen Wyler is a neurosurgeon, so the usage of medical terminology is credible and yet this is written in a way that I could easily understand while still keeping me engaged and on the edge of my seat.

In the book, Jon has devoted ten years of his life to finding a cure for Alzheimer's as his grandmother died with Alzheimer's. After receiving the grant, then having it taken away due to circumstances he could not have anticipated or controlled, he refused to give up and his persistence almost cost him his life.

I was completely caught up in Jon's resourceful attempts to escape Seoul. I read in bed at night, and Jon's scary race from Korea back to US without being caught and killed by the man trailing him kept me turning pages long after I should have put the book down so I could go to bed.

I loved this compelling, well-written book.   If you are a fan of this kind of thriller, then you should definitely pick up a copy of Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler.

I also wanted to let my readers know that Amazon has a promotion going on for a couple of weeks into November where Dead End Deal is going for $.99 on the e-format. Actually, Dead Wrong, Deadly Errors, and Dead Ringer, other Wyler e-books are going for $.99 too.

About Allen Wyler

Allen Wyler is a renowned neurosurgeon who earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity. He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute.

In 2002, he left active practice to become Medical Director for a startup med-tech company (that went public in 2006) and he now chairs the Institutional Review Board of a major medical center in the Pacific Northwest.

Leveraging a love for thrillers since the early 70s, Wyler devoted himself to fiction writing in earnest, eventually serving as Vice President of the International Thriller Writers organization for several years. After publishing his first two medical thrillers Deadly Errors (2005) and Dead Head (2007), he officially retired from medicine to devote himself to writing full time.  He and his wife, Lily, divide their time between Seattle and the San Juan Islands.
 

Amazon : http://amzn.to/ZgcaIm
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1vTW83S
Astor + Blue: http://bit.ly/1tG0zKX
Connect with the Author:  Website  
Title:  Dead End Deal

Deadly Odds by Allen Wyler

I was really excited to get the opportunity to read Deadly Odds by Allen Wyler.  At this point, I have had the opportunity to read a couple of novels by this author and I consistently enthralled by each one of them!  This particular thriller was a real a page-turner!  I found myself thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading it and wondering how it could all turn out well for Arnold Gold, twenty-three-year-old Seattle-based odds-maker and local computer genius.

This is a tale of espionage, killers, computer  hacking, the dark and murky underworld of the web, and a ticking clock with a terrorist threat so huge, the population of Vegas could be wiped out. We are caught up in this incredible journey wondering who can Arnold trust, will he survive this in one piece and will he be able to stop the terrorists in time?  I was also caught up in his story and enjoyed reading about his transformation and how empowered he became in taking control of his own fate.  This is the ultimate thrill ride for both techno-thriller and classic suspense fan.

I can't stress enough how much recommend Allen Wyle, Deadly Odds!  I LOVE this author (I am reading another of his novel's now) and I love this book!  His writing is well-thought out and smartly written.  And this novel is no different, it kept me engaged from the first page to the last and it was a great escape at the end of a long day!

About Allen Wyler

Allen Wyler is a renowned neurosurgeon who earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity. He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute.

In 2002, he left active practice to become Medical Director for a startup med-tech company (that went public in 2006) and he now chairs the Institutional Review Board of a major medical center in the Pacific Northwest.

Leveraging a love for thrillers since the early 70s, Wyler devoted himself to fiction writing in earnest, eventually serving as Vice President of the International Thriller Writers organization for several years. After publishing his first two medical thrillers Deadly Errors (2005) and Dead Head (2007), he officially retired from medicine to devote himself to writing full time.  He and his wife, Lily, divide their time between Seattle and the San Juan Islands.

Connect with the Author: Website

Title: Deadly Odds
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xh54PS
B&N: http://bit.ly/1sZrIy1
Astor+Blue: http://bit.ly/1uspcim

Review: New Orleans Requiem by DJ Donaldson

New Orleans Requiem by DJ Donaldson
ISBN (Paperback):  978-1-938231-38-4
ISBN (Ebook):  978-1-938231-36-0
CATEGORY:  Fiction / Mystery & Suspense
EBOOK LIST PRICE:  $5.99
PAPERBACK LIST PRICE:  $9.99
BUYING LINKS: 

• Amazon Kindle                  
• Barnes & Noble Nook 
• Amazon Paperback             
• Barnes & Noble Paperback
• Apple iBooks 
• Overdrive            
•  Kobo eBooks

As a fan of mystery novels and books, I was excited to get a chance to read New Orleans Requiem by DJ Donaldson.  Honestly, this was my first opportunity to read a one of the Andy Broussard/Kit Franklin mysteries and having done so now, I can't wait to read more of them. 

I tend read late at night, in the quiet of a house filled with sleeping children, curled up in my bed. And this cleverly written novel led to many late nights as I kept turning pages for "just one more page" staying up way later than I had intended.  The main characters, Andy Broussard and Kit Franklin began to feel like neighbors or friends instead of simply like fictional people.


In the novel, Andy Broussard is the New Orleans medical examiner who works with psychologist Kit Franklyn.  This particular case is truly bizarre!  A man is found in stabbed, one eyelid removed and four Scrabble tiles with the letters KOJE on his chest. And when a second victim is found also stabbed and missing one eyelid, but this time with only three letters on his chest, KOJ there is no doubting the pattern.  But will there be only two more victims or is he leading up to something bigger?

I LOVE the intricate plotline and the twists and turns involved.  It kept me guessing right up to the end and I love when a novel can do that.  I found that I had to carefully pay close attention as I read this book. There are clues given that were very easy to miss and other clues which have no value, but they are all played out for you to put together. I really like how this novel made me think.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
D.J. Donaldson is a retired professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology.  His entire academic career was spent at the University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, where he published dozens of papers on wound-healing and where he taught microscopic anatomy to thousands of medical and dental students.
He is also the author of seven published forensic mysteries and five medical thrillers. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife and two West Highland terriers. In the spring of most years he simply cannot stop buying new flowers and other plants for the couple’s prized backyard garden.

Book Review: Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista

Pub. Date: May 1, 2013
Publisher: Astor + Blue Editions LLC
ISBN: 9781938231261
Pages: 380
Amazon: http://amzn.to/XdbrYp
B & N: http://bit.ly/1ns9goE
Astor+Blue: http://bit.ly/1kwDo7K

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to review Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista.

In case you were as curious as I was, the term, "extraordinary rendition" refers the practice of transporting prisoners to countries for interrogation and imprisonment countries where there are no safeguards against torture and abusive treatment. The purpose of extraordinary rendition is to gather intelligence information from suspects.  The government which initially captured the suspect might then be able to maintain a position against torture while stating that anything that happens to a prisoner while in foreign custody on foreign soil is not in the control of whichever government sent that prisoner, and so its hands are “officially” clean. Extraordinary rendition thus permits the torture and other practices of detained suspects, despite the fact that torture is illegal according to international law, under any circumstances. 

Extraordinary Rendition is also the title of the latest legal/political thriller by former defense attorney and current novelist Paul Batista.

Extraordinary Rendition tells the story of Byron Carlos Johnson, son of a former Ambassador, graduate of all of the ‘proper’ schools and for a number of years a wealthy, successful corporate lawyer.  He is contacted by the Civil Liberties Union to defend a suspected terrorist. Hussein, the suspect, is a mild, intelligent Syrian who has lived and worked as an accountant for a corporation in the U. S. for several years. On a business trip to Germany, he was accused of money laundering, arrested and spirited away to several foreign countries before being brought back to the U. S. for trial. He was repeatedly beaten, ‘water boarded’, suffered constant indignities and was held without any contact from the outside world. When Byron Carlos Johnson agreed to defend Ali Hussein, he had no idea what the ramifications of that decision would be. He didn't realize he would be walking into dangerous and unfamiliar territory full of intrigue, lies, betrayal, and murder.  Moreover Johnson's law firm was not exactly enamored with the idea of one of their top lawyers representing someone suspected of being a terrorist.  His whole life is turned upside down with that one simple decision.

Overall, I found this novel to be an exciting and well written story.  This story was quite frightening in its account of the abuses of the war on terror.  If you love novels that bring you deep into the psychology and complex motivations of judges, prosecutors, witnesses and perpetrators, in a beat- by- beat courtroom thriller, then Paul Batista's second thriller is a must read.  I was actually up until all hours of the night finishing this book because I quite simply couldn't put this book down!  There are so many twists and turns in the tale and the one at the end left me thinking! I'm still wondering about it now!

Book Review: The Car Thief by Theodore Weesner

Publisher: Astor + Blue
ISBN: 978-1938231018
Pages: 310
Format: eBook
Rating: 4
Age recommendation: Teen, Young adult, Adult

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1tWxLj7 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/UkeQCO

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to review "The Car Thief" by Theodore Weesner. 

Alex Housman is a 16-year old kid who has already stolen fourteen cars. He skips school on some days, unbeknownst to his father who spends his after-work hours drowning his problems with alcohol. After being caught by the police, Alex is sent to the home for delinquent boys. Eventually released from the home, Alex shapes up his act only to fall into the rut again. The Car Thief is about hopelessness and hope, life going on in an imperfect world.

This story is different, one that isn’t easily forgotten. Looking through the lenses of Alex, the world seems grey. However, in the midst of the emptiness, we read about the characters who are kind, who care. These characters are the glimpses of hope and light that appear periodically despite the darkness.  In reading it, you could also feel Detroit and Flint, Michigan ooze from the pores of the pages. Alex’s father works at the Chevrolet car manufacturing plant and you can feel how the car culture embeds itself into the community.

This was a lovely is a coming of age story. I found "The Car Thief" to be poignant and beautiful and saddening all at the same time. I really liked the simple honesty in the telling of this story. Overall, I feel like the The Car Thief`s poignancy and honesty make it a book for all to read. It feels timeless and ageless, meant to reach a wide range of people. I think we all suffer from the pain and shame of life and can easily identify with Alex's need to reconcile and move on.

Dead Wrong by Allen Wyler

Author: Allen Wyler
Genre: Fiction
First Published: 2012
Page Count: 392
Type: Paperback
Film/ TV Adaptation: No
Rating: 2/5 Stars

Tom McCarthy, neurosurgeon, is caught in an unforseen and dangerous situation and is being accused of murder. He is running for his life and has to obtain the proof he so desperately needs. This is a thrilling and heart-pounding story of corruption that leaves you wanting more. This novel is an incredibly exciting and gripping read.  It is very well written with great characters. Since story was written by a neurosurgeon, it takes you into his world and makes it more intriguing,  A fascinating plot written from the perspective of someone who can envision the potential ways to cross the boundaries of neurosurgery has created a gripping and realistic novel!

From the moment I picked up the novel, I was caught in the grasp of it's thrilling plot.  I couldn't put it down.  I didn't even mind that there was a little bad language, it was just such a great read.  If you like medical thrillers, you will love this book!  I highly recommend it!
For more information on the book and the author visit his WEBSITE.


Amazon: http://amzn.to/UcwcS1
B&N:  http://bit.ly/1ju4NH8
Astor+Blue: http://bit.ly/1mO057p

Book Review: Deadly Errors

Deadly Errors

By Allen Wyler
ISBN-10: 0765313111
ISBN-13: 978-0765313119
Hardcover, 336 pages
July 14, 2005

I was really grateful to Astor and Blue for the opportunity to read and review the book Deadly Errors by Allen Wyler.  If  you enjoy the mystery/thriller genre of novels, I highly recommend this book! Truly!  Head on over to buy it here or here! 

In this book, Dr. Allen Wyler, has successfully wedded the computer industry and the medical profession in a tightly woven novel that keeps the reader involved from the first page.  Among medical thrillers, the most frightening plots are those in which anyone who enters the hospital could become a victim. Deadly Errors is that kind of book.

The main character, Surgeon Dr. Matthews, is struggling with a sinking marriage while trying to discover the real cause of patient's deaths. A new company has joined his hospital, offering a sophisticated software program designed to track medications for the benefit of both doctor and patient. Dr. Matthews believes a bug is in the system which causes errors but cannot locate the right contacts to address the problem. The hospital judges his skills, or lack of them, to be the cause and he is released. Wyler has the enviable talent to present medical information that is easy to understand by a non-medical audience.

The idea of a computerized quality control system gone haywire so that it randomly changes medication orders with lethal consequences is about the worst kind of scenario a prospective patient could face. It is completely frightening to think that anybody could be the next victim,  Here, if you're checked in, you could be next. It's a great hook for a story.  And the idea that one person is trying to sort out what is happening and nobody will listen was intriguing.  

With realistic detailed characters, plenty of scene description and an excellent premise, the author has created a twisting tale of greed, deception, and the low value some would place on human life. Allen Wyler is a renowned neurosurgeon who earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity. He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute. And in this novel, he shares the risks of technology and the consequences should the technology fail while providing an excellent mystery read.

This is a fast paced novel that engages the reader from the first page and carries through, well written and carefully plotted with believable dialogue and characters drawn with a fine pen.  Overall, I really found this book enthralling and it kept me guessing right to the very end.

A Life in Balance ~ A Schoolhouse Crew Review

I was really excited when I recently given the chance to read and review the book  A Life in Balance by Frank Belgau and his son, Eric Belgau, and distributed by the Learning Breakthrough Program.. As a homeschooling mom with special needs children, I am always looking for ways to better teach my children, ways to fit my teaching into their learning styles.  The Learning Breakthrough Program is an alternative treatment for those who suffer from dyslexia, ADHD and other learning disabilities.  You see, “A Life in Balance” is a wonderful read, centering upon the memoirs of Frank Belgau, the man who actually developed the Learning Breakthrough Program. This account was as told to Eric Begau, Frank’s son, who wrote the book based on all of the things his father told him.It is currently available for $16.94.

The story tells of how Frank Belgau developed his brain training program.  Frank Belgau dedicated over 30 years researching, learning through trial and error, to develop a program that has changed the lives of thousands of children who have suffered from learning disabilities, attention disorders and other problems that interfere with learning.  He spent 10 years in the Air Force before becoming a teacher. After a short spell in a normal classroom he was asked to teach students who had been labeled as educable mentally retarded students. He was inspired by many of these so called “unteachable” children, as despite their limitations, they were extremely willing to learn.  The North Shore Students were such an inspiration. Frank with these North Shore Students Frank proved that you cannot expect children to want to read if you do not offer them reading matter that is of their age and interest level.


As the mom of a daughter with Autsim and a baby boy well on his way to a diagnosis of Autism, I am always interested in learning more about natural helps for children who have a different way of learning.  And I love that this program has proved valuable to people who have  different learning abilities like ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum, Sensory Processing disorder, and many others.  The program describes the brain training method as aerobics or weight lifting for the brain. His program uses different physical activities to help the brain and the body develop and work better.  Frank in a way connected the dots over his lifetime of how the brain and the body are connected when it came to intelligence. He researched and tested different ways that he could help the brain and the body really connect better, and in turn work better.

I found this research and system fascinating. The book is easy to read.  The chapters are short and it was interesting to read. I really think both average learners and learners with special needs could benefit from his program and the book is appropriate for all parents and teachers to read.  It really reminded me of how important it is to get my kids outside and moving throughout the school day - and emphasized why that is so important! You can get this awesome book for $16.94 through the Learning Breakthrough Program.This book has definitely sparked an interest in me, I will continue to research this program.

Check out what others thought of this book by clicking on the link below.

Follow The Learning Breakthrough Program on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearningBreakthrough
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LearningBreak
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LearningBreakthrough

The Medici Boy

Astor + Blue Editions is proud to release perhaps the most passionate work of master storyteller, John L’Heureux, in The Medici Boy [ISBN:  978-1-938231-50-6 (Hard Cover); ISBN: 978-1-938231-48-3 (E-book); US $25.95; Historical / Literary Fiction; 346 Pages, April, 2014].

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1i8UhyW

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1kkIpLL

Astor+Blue:  http://bit.ly/1dIUz2I

Reader’s guide (great for book clubs):  http://astorandblue.com/bonus-stuff/

I was lucky enough to be given a chance to review the novel "The Medici Boy" by John L'Heureux.  As soon as I read the first page of "The Medici Boy" I was transported to a different time and place. I felt like I was right there in the 15th-century, in Renaissance Florence, learning so much about that time in our history.  I was with the great sculptor Donatello in his bottegas (workshops) in Florence and Padua, in awe of his immense talent and sharing his passions.  Learning life was like in that era.  The book was filled with details regarding the thriving mercantile economy, the treacherous social lives of prostitutes and homosexuals, the brutality of the bubonic plague, and, of course, the making of glorious, unparalleled works of art such as Donatello's David:

I love that we take this journey through the eyes of Luca Mattei, a devoted assistant.  Luca suffered a rough early life, until at age twenty, he becomes an apprentice/assistant to Donatello.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written novel and it prompted me to do further research on the things I learned.  I wanted to know more about the historical times that I was reading about.  

The author, John L’Heureux, is an award-winning poet, novelist, and short story writer.  He has taught at Georgetown University, Tufts, Harvard, and for over 35 years in the English Department of Stanford University where he was Lane Professor of Humanities. L’Heureux has written more than twenty books of fiction, short fiction and poetry. John L’Heureux was awarded a Guggenheim Grant to do research for The Medici Boy, his new novel. He is retired and lives in Palo Alto with his wife Joan.

Book Review - Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment

I was given the opportunity to review an adorable book, Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment by David Adler.  David Adler is also the author of the Cam Jansen mystery series and in this book he creates wonderful fun characters.  I took the opportunity to read it with Princess Belle.  She loves to read on her own and I knew she would love to read this book on her own, but I have been looking for a book to read with her and honestly, it looked like a fun book.  The doodles were a fun addition to the great story. 

As soon as we got the book Princess Belle took it and started leafing through the pages.  She couldn't wait to read it.  We sat down to read it after homeschool.  We read the first chapter together and then she wouldn't let me stop.  I ended up reading half the book in the first sitting and it was so fun, I didn't mind.  I wanted to get to the end too. LOL

The book is about Danny Cohen and his weird new friend, Calvin Waffle who is trying to collect data for his science experiments. He gets Danny to carry jelly beans everywhere.  I really enjoyed reading to find out the purpose of his experiments and I really loved the characters.  






All in all, this is a really fun book and I highly recommend it to anyone whose fancy is struck by the story. 

Great Book

I recently received a great, new book, entitled Never Tell Our Business to Strangers by Jennifer Mascia. The book is written by an amazing woman whose story is soon to be featured in Newsday, the NY Post, and People Magazine among others. It is definitely not your typical book of memoirs.

Today, Jennifer Mascia is a strong, independent young professional at the NY Times Metro Desk, but she had a very unusual childhood: She can remember a time when the FBI came to arrest her father right before Christmas. Jennifer asked her mother’s boss if this was real and her mother’s boss responded that this was not real and they were filming a movie. And though she was always told everything was fine, she constantly moved around the country with her parents, slept in strange places, met colorful people, and even changed names.

She only discovered as a young adult—through her own journalistic investigation—that the reason for their nomadic lifestyle was that her otherwise loving father was wanted by the FBI, used to be a business associate with Joey Gallo, a big time mobster before the Gotti family, was a Mafioso and a murderer, and they were in fact, “on the lam.”

I found lots of striking themes here, including:

* Loving and even forgiving parents (family) when they’re obviously flawed, (Jennifer’s father was dying of cancer when she found out his secret)
* Finding “Self” when you’re entire identity depends on flawed family (Jennifer’s parents were her whole world)
* And of course, overcoming life obstacles. (http://www.jennifermascia.com/)

This is a wonderful book and a fascinating read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very well-written.

Had to share

I have a headache again today. It sucks, and makes it hard to blog, but there it is.

I did want to share this poem that Princess Belle brought home today. Prince Charming read it and then shared it with me. It made me smile and so I thought I would share it with you. (I have to say, I have always loved Poetry. I can remember poems that I read as a child that still resonate with me today.)


My Teacher Sees Right Through Me

by Bruce Lansky
I didn’t do my homework.
My teacher asked me, “Why?”
I answered him, “It’s much too hard.”
He said, “You didn’t try.”

I told him, “My dog ate it.”
He said, “You have no dog.”
I said, “I went out running.”
He said, “You never jog.”

I told him, “I had chores to do.”
He said, “You watched TV.”
I said, “I saw the doctor.”
He said, “You were with me.”

My teacher sees right through my fibs,
which makes me very sad.
It’s hard to fool the teacher
when the teacher is your dad.

Wonderful Book–I am beautiful

Blog Book Tour

We Are More Than Beautiful

46 Real Teens Speak Out about Beauty, Happiness, Love and Life

by Woody Winfree

 

The new book, We Are More Than Beautiful for teen girls is the latest addition to the work of the I Am Beautiful Project, an initiative committed to producing creative and educational works that encourage personal growth and discovery for women and girls of all ages. Author, Woody Winfree says the project's mission is simple: to create a world in which every woman and girl can proudly proclaim, "I AM BEAUTIFUL!"

What is the I Am Beautiful Project all about? It is about changing the definition of beauty in our culture – one girl at a time, one woman at a time. Quite dramatically, the mass media has chipped away at our sense of beauty and well-being by presenting a singular, narrow and distorted image of female beauty: super-thin bodies, topped by large, perky breasts, with flawless youthful faces surrounded by shiny bouncy hair –and of course, sparkly white, perfectly straight teeth! This suggestion of beauty is not only wrong, it is a LIE. In truth, only three percent of the U.S. female population has the genetic makeup to look like this ideal. That means 97% of us are spending billions of dollars, untold hours of our lives and huge amounts of happiness in an attempt to pursue this distorted ideal.

In sum, the I Am Beautiful Project is about books and films, and workshops and seminars -- and anything else I might think to create along the way – that help guide women and girls to change their perspective about the definition of beauty. Beauty is NOT the size of our waists, or the cascade of our hair. Rather, beauty is the sum of our talents, accomplishments, intellect, contribution to our families and communities, and every other measure of living a life that deeply matters.

Where did the idea of this project come from? With the creation of my first book for women, I Am Beautiful – A Celebration of Women, the hope was to give our daughters – mine and yours and every other American girl --- a tangible work that they could hold onto. To expose them to images of women that are as real, interesting, diverse and beautiful as real women are. The success of this first book (that is now available in a gift edition), naturally led to creating a book just for girls: We Are More Than Beautiful. The seed for this work, however, was planted some years before book ideas ever came into my head. When my now 23-year-old daughter was five someone asked me if she could model for a photo-shoot for a leather goods product ad. I thought this would be a fun experience, so off we went. At the time we were living in rural Connecticut. My daughter was a frog-chasing, tree-climbing nature girl almost completely free from the mass media – billboards, magazines, TV, etc. But the second the photographer bent down to take a few test shots, my little nature-girl struck a provocative pose of hip out, lips pouting and a come-hither stance, while her dumb-struck mother looked on! Where could she possibly have learned to do this? Why did she think that this is the natural relationship that a woman has with the camera? I came to believe that her weekly journey through the gauntlet of fashion magazines on the grocery check-out aisle is where she learned this "un-truth."

Tell me about the new teen book. Who is in it? Where are they from? What stories do they tell – and how is this important to other girls who read the book? The girls in the book are ages 12 to 19, from all walks of American life, facing and exploring all types of issues with self-acceptance and self-esteem. Each girl responded to my query – "Tell me why you are beautiful." At once, every story is unique to the individual girl's experience, but universal to the experience of American girls everywhere. Each girl is presented with her picture in an artistically graphic and colorful layout over two pages. This presentation is, not only contemporary and exciting to girls raised in the most visually stimulating culture ever but, affords the reader to enter fully into each girls' "world" and experience her journey of claiming her beauty. Bottom line, experiencing other girls' stories is important because it supports, helps and guides the reader to learn how to ask and answer that question for herself. The book creates a classical "peer" environment for sharing information, even trading secrets in a safe, supportive way. It also teaches girls to learn that they have a "right" to their sense of beauty and how to formulate conversations with their own friends on the subject.

Can the book be used by mothers with their daughters? Absolutely! My hope is that mothers and daughters will read it together and use its stories as a springboard for ongoing conversations. Conversations about:

The true definition of beauty

How the culture distorts that definition – and why

Why a narrow, distorted definition is harmful

Who are the women and girls in our lives that we find most beautiful – and do they embody the cultural ideal of beauty – or a deeper, more meaningful definition?

How we can enjoy the fun and frivolity, even the consumerism, of American life without buying into notion that we must alter our natural features in order to feel beautiful, make friends, get good grades, get ahead and on and on. I encourage mothers and daughters to write their own essays together, to deeply contemplate what makes them beautiful, then write it down. Share it with one another. Put their written answer in a place where they see it every day – maybe next to their toothbrush, or on their nightstand. Read it again and again. Slowly, over time it is my promise that this simple act can have powerful results. Proof positive of this is seen in my own two daughters. Because I have been working on projects related to this subject for more than 10 years, my daughters have been raised on a nutritious and bountiful "diet" of ways to define their beauty. Like any belief or idea that one is exposed to, affirmative ideas of who they are have shaped how they see themselves. Further, 1,000 "teaching moments" over dinner conversation or watching TV or looking at magazines, have raised their awareness of how and why the media diminishes women. And, knowledge is power. Oh sure, they have "bad hair" days and times when they are knocked off their stride – just like we all do. But at their core, they have a deeper sense of self and an expansive measure of their worth to draw on. This is the gift I work to share – one girl at a time, one woman at a time.

Why do you believe that naming our beauty is so essential? When we give "voice" to anything, ascribe literal words to a thought or idea, a major shift begins to take place. It might be ever so subtle in the beginning, but in time the act evolves into a concrete declaration of fact. I also believe that we deserve to know and feel our beauty. I believe it is our right, our spiritual right. Can we reach our full potential in this one precious life we have been honored with if we are chasing an artificial ideal of our self-worth? This is the ultimate question that we must ask ourselves – and guide our young daughters looking up to us to do the same.

What else are you up to with the I Am Beautiful Project? I speak frequently to various audiences of women and girls on this subject. From colleges and universities around the country to high schools, at companies and more. These seminars and workshops are designed to dig deeper into the issues we have explored in this interview. These events are listed on my website: www.iambeautiful.com My website also recommends other books and web links on this subject, as well as tips on building better self-esteem. Please visit! Please write with any questions.