I wouldn't have met Piti if it hadn't been for a chichigua. To translate chichigua as a kite does not do justice to these beautiful creations of...
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I LOVED this book. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next and yet the closer I got to the end the less I wanted it to end.
Sam is just a normal kid. Not really outstanding at anything. He's a preacher's son and stays out of trouble. But then he starts hanging with the wrong crowd and starts to get into trouble. I didn't feel bad for Sam, as I think what he was going through was fairly normal - the feelings of wanting to fit in and being awed by a lifestyle that he wasn't used to. I think he knew what he was doing was wrong and yet he did it anyway. But he absolutely got more than he bargained for. And once he befriends Jennifer he appeared to be way in over his head. Even though Jennifer is portrayed as being "crazy" I kind of liked her. She had mental problems, but what was going on to her was as real as it could be. It was Jennifer I felt sorry for. She just kept getting blown off because she was a bit weird and the way she was interpreting what was going on to her seemed too odd to be true so no one believed her.
I loved the story. I was drawn into the story immediately. Jennifer's abnormal way of describing what was going on was a neat idea. Jennifer was telling us what was going to happen, but it took a bit to "unscramble" what she was saying. Plus the story just goes, there's a few slow parts but for the most part this one keeps moving right to the end. It wasn't the kind of fast paced story that drains you, but it does move pretty quickly.
I would say that even though this is a YA book that it would be enjoyable for anyone to read. The writing was good and I didn't feel like it was being dumbed-down to meet the younger audience. It was just a good story.
The message in this book was awesome. I think that most kids (and adults) today could benefit from reading Minnie's inspiring journey through Buval. The book deals with self-esteem, self-worth, pride, and even bullying. It's very relevant to what most kids are dealing with on a regular basis.
I LOVED Minnie. She started out unsure of herself and afraid to stand up for herself. She is living in a home without love. Her parents seem to be in a loveless relationship, which has lead to Minnie feeling unloved. Minnie's only positive outlet seems to be her neighbor Issac. Although there are some "shady" dealings with the disappearance of Issac's wife and her parents discourage her from spending time with him. Minnie is bullied at school - which ultimately leads to her journey to Buval. Through her journey she finds herself and realizes that her perception of herself is wrong and that she is a worthy person and has gifts that she can share with others if she just believes in herself.
Buval is an enchanting place. The animals in Buval are very similar to animals that we are familiar with, but there are slight differences. The descriptions of these animals was great. I really liked that they were animals that we would be familiar with but yet were still different enough to make the story exciting. Not that the story needed the added excitement, but it did add to it. The story itself was very exciting. As Minnie is sent on a quest through Buval she finds herself in many predicaments. Each one a unique situation that requires Minnie to believe in herself and her abilities to get through. The journey centers on a poem that acts as a riddle to help Minnie continue on her journey. I liked the poem idea, it was different and it was fun to try and work the riddles out as the story progressed. My only criticism is that the book took me a while to read. I'm hard headed and won't put a book down until I finish it, but for someone with a little less patience it might be a bit overwhelming. But the end of the journey and the end of the story are well worth the wait.
While I enjoyed the book as an adult I think that for a pre-teen/teen dealing with self-esteem issues it would be very beneficial for them to read. The theme of self-worth is strewn throughout the book and I think is presented in a way that can help a child see themselves and their own self-worth through Minnie's story.
I normally wouldn't read two books from the same series back to back, as I tend to need a change of "scenery" after I finish a book. I usually just want to immerse myself in a new set of characters and different surroundings. So I was worried that when I read this by the time I got to the second book it would be hard for me to read. But these characters are so touching that I didn't want to give them up - even after the second book! I could have just kept reading about Alex and Hilltop.
I LOVED the characters - and there are a lot of them. But what I really think helped me connect to the mass of characters in these two books is that the main character Rev. Alex Armstrong is just getting to know his new community. So as he's learning about all of these people we're learning about them also. There's no "learning curve" because as he finds something out so do we. And the characters are just endearing. Some of them I just wanted to hug and others I wanted to give a big kick in the butt. But they're all connected and without even one of the characters the community would be missing so much!
I've never lived in a small community like the one in Hilltop, where everyone really does know everyone's business. Where I live are a lot of nosy neighbors who think they know what's going on, but really have no clue. So to see how a community like this worked was kind of neat to me. Because not only does everyone know your business, but they're a family and if one of the family is in need everyone does what they can to help out. I really do mean everyone. And usually the help has something to do with food. Food was a major theme through the book. So much so that there are recipes throughout. And with one exception I want to try all of them! I've read books with recipes in them, but usually they are at the end of the book. This book, as the recipe is mentioned in the story there's a copy of it right there on the page for you.
These two book were so easy for me to escape into. I could see the people and the places in the book so vividly. Baer really does an excellent job of writing. I have to say her character development was amazing. To be able to connect with so many characters - and believe me through the two books there are a ton of them - can only be attributed to an amazing author. There were a few times when I felt that the story was being rushed, and wasn't being allowed to fully play out. But for the most part the reading is smooth and easy going. It was a pretty quick read (for being two books in one) but the pace of the books - much like Hilltop - was pretty leisurely and laid back. This book would be a perfect one for sitting outside on a warm day and just getting away from it all for a while. I really liked these two and can't wait to read more!
This was a good book. It had it all: love, romance, excitement, and fear. But I just didn't "click" with it. I liked the characters well enough, and the plot was pretty interesting. However there was just something in this one that I couldn't connect with.
Hanna was a brave fierce woman who takes every chance she can get to get her husband back. She's a midwife who uses "unorthodox" (and she's Jewish, so excuse the pun) actions to help babies and mothers who are struggling during childbirth. But she's got her mind set on saving her husband from captivity so against her Rabbi's suggestion, and against the law she goes to deliver a baby that will earn her enough money to save her husband. She was a very strong woman and knows what she wants.
There's some twists and turns in the story that are unexpected, but for me the story seemed predictable, and the pace was slow. Even the tense scenes seemed to move slowly.
Overall it was ok. Rich does a good job at describing the scenes and explaining the character's emotions. But I just didn't connect with the story. It was readable and even enjoyable, but I just can't say that I loved it.
Before I start my review for this one let me warn you that the language and situations in this book were very “adult” and could be offensive to some. I enjoyed the book, but that kind of stuff doesn’t bother me, so please use your judgment before reading this one. While my review is “family friendly” please make sure you understand that the book is not.
My favorite thing about this book was how real the dialog was. I’ve found with urban fiction that there seems to be a disconnect with how people really talk and how it comes through in the book. I’m not sure if the publishers request the changes or what, but somehow dialog seems to get lost in urban fiction. This one was spot on and really added to the book. Even Damien’s thoughts were real and not “cleaned up.” It helped the story flow much better.
This book was exciting to me. It wasn’t a “romance” novel but it was still as titillating to me. There is quite a bit of sex, and even though it doesn’t get as detailed as a romance novel would it was still pretty exciting. But what was most intriguing to me was seeing what kind of problems Damien gets himself into and whether or not he was going to be able to talk himself out of it. I’ve known quite a few people like Damien and I am always interested in how they think they’re going to be able to get themselves out of their situations. For every situation Damien got himself into I could think of at least one person I know who’s been in the same situation. And most of the times things worked out the same way in real life as they did in the book.
The only thing that I didn’t care for in the book is that it jumped time quite a bit. And even though it was a bit distracting at first I got used to it and it didn’t really detract from the story at all. I would imagine that the time that was skipped over wouldn’t have “fit” into the book anyway. And when there is a jump there is a brief explanation like ��" We’d been together for 6 months by then... So I didn’t feel like I missed anything that would have added to the story. But life isn’t exciting all the time and accounting for all the “boring” times would have made this book excruciating to read.
This was a really good book, I couldn’t put it down. It reads so fast. And like I said it was pretty exciting. I LOVED the twist at the end. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I figured things were going to keep on going the way they had been, then all the sudden BANG and I was stunned. Book two is supposed to be coming out soon and I really want to know how Damien’s life goes after that surprise!
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Jennmarie68 has commented on (207) products.
Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan
Jennmarie68, May 24, 2012
I LOVED this book. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next and yet the closer I got to the end the less I wanted it to end.Sam is just a normal kid. Not really outstanding at anything. He's a preacher's son and stays out of trouble. But then he starts hanging with the wrong crowd and starts to get into trouble. I didn't feel bad for Sam, as I think what he was going through was fairly normal - the feelings of wanting to fit in and being awed by a lifestyle that he wasn't used to. I think he knew what he was doing was wrong and yet he did it anyway. But he absolutely got more than he bargained for. And once he befriends Jennifer he appeared to be way in over his head. Even though Jennifer is portrayed as being "crazy" I kind of liked her. She had mental problems, but what was going on to her was as real as it could be. It was Jennifer I felt sorry for. She just kept getting blown off because she was a bit weird and the way she was interpreting what was going on to her seemed too odd to be true so no one believed her.
I loved the story. I was drawn into the story immediately. Jennifer's abnormal way of describing what was going on was a neat idea. Jennifer was telling us what was going to happen, but it took a bit to "unscramble" what she was saying. Plus the story just goes, there's a few slow parts but for the most part this one keeps moving right to the end. It wasn't the kind of fast paced story that drains you, but it does move pretty quickly.
I would say that even though this is a YA book that it would be enjoyable for anyone to read. The writing was good and I didn't feel like it was being dumbed-down to meet the younger audience. It was just a good story.
Unlocking the Poet's Realm by Matt Wiebusch
Jennmarie68, May 24, 2012
The message in this book was awesome. I think that most kids (and adults) today could benefit from reading Minnie's inspiring journey through Buval. The book deals with self-esteem, self-worth, pride, and even bullying. It's very relevant to what most kids are dealing with on a regular basis.I LOVED Minnie. She started out unsure of herself and afraid to stand up for herself. She is living in a home without love. Her parents seem to be in a loveless relationship, which has lead to Minnie feeling unloved. Minnie's only positive outlet seems to be her neighbor Issac. Although there are some "shady" dealings with the disappearance of Issac's wife and her parents discourage her from spending time with him. Minnie is bullied at school - which ultimately leads to her journey to Buval. Through her journey she finds herself and realizes that her perception of herself is wrong and that she is a worthy person and has gifts that she can share with others if she just believes in herself.
Buval is an enchanting place. The animals in Buval are very similar to animals that we are familiar with, but there are slight differences. The descriptions of these animals was great. I really liked that they were animals that we would be familiar with but yet were still different enough to make the story exciting. Not that the story needed the added excitement, but it did add to it. The story itself was very exciting. As Minnie is sent on a quest through Buval she finds herself in many predicaments. Each one a unique situation that requires Minnie to believe in herself and her abilities to get through. The journey centers on a poem that acts as a riddle to help Minnie continue on her journey. I liked the poem idea, it was different and it was fun to try and work the riddles out as the story progressed. My only criticism is that the book took me a while to read. I'm hard headed and won't put a book down until I finish it, but for someone with a little less patience it might be a bit overwhelming. But the end of the journey and the end of the story are well worth the wait.
While I enjoyed the book as an adult I think that for a pre-teen/teen dealing with self-esteem issues it would be very beneficial for them to read. The theme of self-worth is strewn throughout the book and I think is presented in a way that can help a child see themselves and their own self-worth through Minnie's story.
Forever Hilltop Two-In-One: Featuring an Unlikely Blessing and Surprising Grace (Forever Hilltop) by Judy Baer
Jennmarie68, May 9, 2012
I normally wouldn't read two books from the same series back to back, as I tend to need a change of "scenery" after I finish a book. I usually just want to immerse myself in a new set of characters and different surroundings. So I was worried that when I read this by the time I got to the second book it would be hard for me to read. But these characters are so touching that I didn't want to give them up - even after the second book! I could have just kept reading about Alex and Hilltop.I LOVED the characters - and there are a lot of them. But what I really think helped me connect to the mass of characters in these two books is that the main character Rev. Alex Armstrong is just getting to know his new community. So as he's learning about all of these people we're learning about them also. There's no "learning curve" because as he finds something out so do we. And the characters are just endearing. Some of them I just wanted to hug and others I wanted to give a big kick in the butt. But they're all connected and without even one of the characters the community would be missing so much!
I've never lived in a small community like the one in Hilltop, where everyone really does know everyone's business. Where I live are a lot of nosy neighbors who think they know what's going on, but really have no clue. So to see how a community like this worked was kind of neat to me. Because not only does everyone know your business, but they're a family and if one of the family is in need everyone does what they can to help out. I really do mean everyone. And usually the help has something to do with food. Food was a major theme through the book. So much so that there are recipes throughout. And with one exception I want to try all of them! I've read books with recipes in them, but usually they are at the end of the book. This book, as the recipe is mentioned in the story there's a copy of it right there on the page for you.
These two book were so easy for me to escape into. I could see the people and the places in the book so vividly. Baer really does an excellent job of writing. I have to say her character development was amazing. To be able to connect with so many characters - and believe me through the two books there are a ton of them - can only be attributed to an amazing author. There were a few times when I felt that the story was being rushed, and wasn't being allowed to fully play out. But for the most part the reading is smooth and easy going. It was a pretty quick read (for being two books in one) but the pace of the books - much like Hilltop - was pretty leisurely and laid back. This book would be a perfect one for sitting outside on a warm day and just getting away from it all for a while. I really liked these two and can't wait to read more!
The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
Jennmarie68, May 9, 2012
This was a good book. It had it all: love, romance, excitement, and fear. But I just didn't "click" with it. I liked the characters well enough, and the plot was pretty interesting. However there was just something in this one that I couldn't connect with.Hanna was a brave fierce woman who takes every chance she can get to get her husband back. She's a midwife who uses "unorthodox" (and she's Jewish, so excuse the pun) actions to help babies and mothers who are struggling during childbirth. But she's got her mind set on saving her husband from captivity so against her Rabbi's suggestion, and against the law she goes to deliver a baby that will earn her enough money to save her husband. She was a very strong woman and knows what she wants.
There's some twists and turns in the story that are unexpected, but for me the story seemed predictable, and the pace was slow. Even the tense scenes seemed to move slowly.
Overall it was ok. Rich does a good job at describing the scenes and explaining the character's emotions. But I just didn't connect with the story. It was readable and even enjoyable, but I just can't say that I loved it.
A Cheater's Promise: New Edition by Maurice Derrick Geter
Jennmarie68, May 9, 2012
Before I start my review for this one let me warn you that the language and situations in this book were very “adult” and could be offensive to some. I enjoyed the book, but that kind of stuff doesn’t bother me, so please use your judgment before reading this one. While my review is “family friendly” please make sure you understand that the book is not.My favorite thing about this book was how real the dialog was. I’ve found with urban fiction that there seems to be a disconnect with how people really talk and how it comes through in the book. I’m not sure if the publishers request the changes or what, but somehow dialog seems to get lost in urban fiction. This one was spot on and really added to the book. Even Damien’s thoughts were real and not “cleaned up.” It helped the story flow much better.
This book was exciting to me. It wasn’t a “romance” novel but it was still as titillating to me. There is quite a bit of sex, and even though it doesn’t get as detailed as a romance novel would it was still pretty exciting. But what was most intriguing to me was seeing what kind of problems Damien gets himself into and whether or not he was going to be able to talk himself out of it. I’ve known quite a few people like Damien and I am always interested in how they think they’re going to be able to get themselves out of their situations. For every situation Damien got himself into I could think of at least one person I know who’s been in the same situation. And most of the times things worked out the same way in real life as they did in the book.
The only thing that I didn’t care for in the book is that it jumped time quite a bit. And even though it was a bit distracting at first I got used to it and it didn’t really detract from the story at all. I would imagine that the time that was skipped over wouldn’t have “fit” into the book anyway. And when there is a jump there is a brief explanation like ��" We’d been together for 6 months by then... So I didn’t feel like I missed anything that would have added to the story. But life isn’t exciting all the time and accounting for all the “boring” times would have made this book excruciating to read.
This was a really good book, I couldn’t put it down. It reads so fast. And like I said it was pretty exciting. I LOVED the twist at the end. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I figured things were going to keep on going the way they had been, then all the sudden BANG and I was stunned. Book two is supposed to be coming out soon and I really want to know how Damien’s life goes after that surprise!
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