Book Review #20

From Barnes and Noble.com

An awe-inspiring, often hilarious, and unerringly honest story of one mother's exercise in extreme parenting, revealing the rewards-and the costs-of raising her children the Chinese way.

All decent parents want to do what's best for their children. What Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother reveals is that the Chinese just have a totally different idea of how to do that. Western parents try to respect their children's individuality, encouraging them to pursue their true passions and providing a nurturing environment. The Chinese believe that the best way to protect your children is by preparing them for the future and arming them with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother chronicles Chua's iron-willed decision to raise her daughters, Sophia and Lulu, her way-the Chinese way-and the remarkable results her choice inspires.

Here are some things Amy Chua would never allow her daughters to do:

• have a playdate

• be in a school play

• complain about not being in a school play

• not be the #1 student in every subject except gym and drama

• play any instrument other than the piano or violin

• not play the piano or violin

The truth is Lulu and Sophia would never have had time for a playdate. They were too busy practicing their instruments (two to three hours a day and double sessions on the weekend) and perfecting their Mandarin.

Of course no one is perfect, including Chua herself. Witness this scene:

"According to Sophia, here are three things I actually said to her at the piano as I supervised her practicing:

1. Oh my God, you're just getting worse and worse.

2. I'm going to count to three, then I want musicality.

3. If the next time's not PERFECT, I'm going to take all your stuffed animals and burn them!"

But Chua demands as much of herself as she does of her daughters. And in her sacrifices-the exacting attention spent studying her daughters' performances, the office hours lost shuttling the girls to lessons-the depth of her love for her children becomes clear. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is an eye-opening exploration of the differences in Eastern and Western parenting- and the lessons parents and children everywhere teach one another.

My Review:

I will say that most people I have talked about this book with found it to be very offensive and could not believe that a mother would actually behave this way. I had a different take on it. I found that the mother was really just doing what she felt was in the best interest of her daughters. I think a "chinese" mother could be compared to a "competitive" mother who wants her children to be the best (not that I could relate to that at all...lol). I have to say while her tactics may have been a little harsh I do feel that in the end her daughters were better prepared to face challenges head on with the confidence that they could succeed. You should read it for yourself and let me know what you think of this book!

Book Review #19

From Barnes and Noble.com
He's the best thing that ever happened to her. He's also the worst. He's Millie's Fling.

My Review:
This was last Friday's Free NookBook. I love that you can get a free book every Friday, in addition to all the other free books that they offer. Most of the time the Friday books don't catch my eye but this one looked right up my alley. The characters felt real and I could imagine watching this book as a movie. It was funny and had some awkward romance (girl likes boy but boy doesn't like girl kind of awkward). I found this book to be very entertaining. I also really like the ending which I am hard to please when it comes to that. I definitely recommend this book!

Book Review #18

Wow I am really flying through books! It is neat to see how many I have read. I am not reading anymore then I always have but I never realized I read this much. No wonder I was always running out of books to read. lol.

This was a recommendation from a friend, she suggested this author. Thanks Bonnie!

From Barnes and Noble
Perpetual optimist Claire Harte-Mathias and her disabled husband, Jon, run a successful foundation to help people with spinal cord injuries. One night, Claire witnesses a woman leap to her death from a bridge, and the tragedy sparks murky childhood memories that leave her confused and frightened. As Claire becomes obsessed with trying to understand the power the haunting memories have over her, she's torn between blocking them from her mind entirely and trying to unearth their source. Putting both her marriage and self image on the line, she struggles to uncover the truth, only to discover that the past, present and future are connected in ways she never dreamed.

Library Journal called Brass Ring "well-written" and "suspenseful." Brass Ring was a Literary Guild and Doubleday alternate selection.

My Review:
If you like Jodi Pucoult you will like Diane Chamberlain. I downloaded this book just based on the author (it was recommended) and I thought I would give it a try. Then I saw the page count and I thought this may be a little long winded. I started reading and before the end of the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I felt so close to the characters and I wanted to see everything work out for all of them. A truly well thought out and written book. I look forward to reading more by Diane Chamberlain!

Book Review #17

From Barnes and Noble

Get a glimpse of heaven

On the way home from a conference, Don Piper's car was crushed by a semi that crossed into his lane. Medical personnel said he died instantly. While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper experienced the glories of heaven, awed by its beauty and music.

Ninety minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him, Piper miraculously returned to life on earth with only the memory of inexpressible heavenly bliss. His faith in God was severely tested as he faced an uncertain and grueling recovery. Now he shares his life-changing story with you.

90 Minutes in Heaven offers a glimpse into a very real dimension of God's reality. It encourages those recovering from serious injuries and those dealing with the loss of a loved one. The experience dramatically changed Piper's life, and it will change yours too.

My Review:

Wow! That is all I could say! How amazing it would be to get a glimpse of Heaven! This was truly an amazing story and humbling as well. To read how hard the author had it after his accident really made me greatful for how healthy I am. It really reminded me of how powerful prayer can be. A definite must read!

Book Review #16

This book will be a movie soon.

From Barnes and Noble.com
As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

My Review:
I LOVED this book! It had romance, murder, laughter, a touch of inappropriateness. It was a unique look into a life that I had never read about. I am anxious for the movie to come out. I hope you enjoy this story!

Book Review #15

From Barnes and Noble.com
A beautifully written, compulsively readable debut that deals with the aftermath of a shocking act of violence that leaves two young sisters with nothing but each other—in the tradition of White Oleander, this haunting novel is a testament to the power of family and the ties that bind us together, even as they threaten to tear us apart

Mama was “no macaroni-necklace-wearing kind of mother.” She was a lipstick and perfume-wearing mother, a flirt whose estranged husband still hungered for her. After Mama threw him out, she warned the girls to never let Daddy in the house, an admonition that tears at ten-year-old Lulu whenever she thinks about the day she opened the door for her drunken father, and watched as he killed her mother, stabbed her five-year-old sister Merry and tried to take his own life.

Effectively orphaned by their mother’s death and father’s imprisonment, Lulu and Merry, unwanted by family members and abandoned to a terrifying group home, spend their young lives carrying more than just the visible scars from the tragedy. Even as their plan to be taken in by a well-to-do foster family succeeds, they come to learn they’ll never really belong anywhere or to anyone—that all they have to hold onto is each other.

As they grow into women, Lulu holds fast to her anger, denies her father’s existence and forces Merry into a web of lies about his death that eventually ensnares her own husband and daughters. Merry, certain their safety rests on placating her needy father, dutifully visits him, seeking his approval and love at the expense of her own relationships. As they strive to carve lives of their own, thespecter of their father, unrepentant and manipulative even from behind bars, haunts them. And when they learn he’s about to be paroled, the house of cards they’ve built their lives on teeters on the brink of collapse.

My Review:
A good book that reminds us that our past is part of us but that it is our responsibility to grow and move past it. It was a good book not a great book.

Book Review #14

This was a book that I received at work for a job well done in the month of February :)

From Barnes and Noble.com
Sarah Barkley has come to Sweet Grass Valley, Montana, with a mission in mind. Ever since her heart transplant, she's wanted to secretly help the family of the woman whose heart saved her life. And with two motherless children and a sprawling ranch to care for, Kurt Ryder could sure use some support. Falling for the rugged rancher is an unexpected complication. Does Kurt want Sarah for herself—or for her connection to the past? Her heart brought her to Sweet Grass Valley, but only love—and a leap of faith—will make it her home.

My Review:
This was one of those easy, predictable stories. You know guy meets girl, girl falls for guy, they live happily ever after stories. It was a nice change from all the murder mystery type books that I have been reading and I was able to read it in two days which is great when I am trying to read at least a book a week. I am going to give this book an inbetween thumbs up and thumbs down.

Book Review #13

I have to see this series through since I started it.

From Barnes and Noble:

After fighting for centuries to be together, Ever and Damen’s future hinges on one final showdown that will leave readers gasping for breath. Don’t miss this explosive new installment of the #1 bestselling series that’s enchanted millions across the world!

Haven still blames Ever for the death of her boyfriend Roman, no matter how hard Ever’s tried to convince her it was an accident. Now she’s determined to take Ever down…and destroy Damen and Jude along the way. Her first step is to tear Ever and Damen apart—and she has just the ammunition to do it.

Hidden in one of Ever’s past lives is a terrible secret about Damen—a secret that illuminates new facts about her relationship with Jude, but that’s so dark and brutal it might be enough to drive her and Damen apart once and for all. As Ever faces her greatest fears about the guy she wants to spend eternity with, she’s thrust into a deadly clash with Haven that could destroy them all.

Now it’ll take everything she’s got—and bring out powers she never knew she had—to face down her most formidable enemy. But in order to win, she must first ask herself: is her own survival worth dooming Haven to an eternity of darkness in the Shadowland? And will learning the truth about Damen’s past hold the key to their future?

My Review: This is really one of those books that I am just trying to finish up the series. I find the writing to be a tad redundant and predictable. There is one left that will be out this summer and I am curious to see how the author will tie up the story line.

Reading is so fun!

Reading is so much more fun now that my wonderful hubby bought me a Nook. I am in reading heaven!

Book Review #12

Wow I feel like I am flying through books and I am LOVING it!
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You will probably hear this a lot from me. I picked this book because I liked the cover. I was intrigued by the "a love story". I have read a lot of murder type books and was beginning to have weird dreams about being chased by crazy psychos. Doesn't help that I am a crime show junkie as well. I picked this as the next read hoping for a love story but boy was I surprised. I should mention that I seldomly read the backs of books. That may seem strange but that is how I roll.

From Barnes and Noble

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty - they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends - so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet - a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described. As its chapters unfold, alternating between an idyllic past and an unthinkable present, "The Pact" paints an indelible portrait of families in anguish... culminating in an astonishingly suspenseful courtroom drama as Chris finds himself on trial for murder.

My Review:
Jodi Picoult is my all-time favorite author. Nineteen minutes was my absolute favorite book by her. This book was right up there with it. I could not put it down from the very first page. I don't want to say to much without giving anything away so I am going to leave it at, I really LOVED this book!