The Book of Atrus by Rand Miller and Robyn Miller

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars

Atrus is a young boy growing up in a desolate desert with his grandmother Anna. Abandoned by his father, Atrus is taught and raised by Anna alone since his mother died giving birth to him. She instills character traits such as integrity, and skills such as observation in him. Anna, who is artistic and vibrant, albeit somewhat melancholic and weary, tells him stories of the great civilization of D'ni -- a powerful and industrious race of people that fell into ruin many years ago. In particular, she tells him of how one woman, Ti'ana, an outsider, made a poor decision that ultimately led to the destruction of D'ni. Atrus is fascinated by the stories, and he grows into a strong and intelligent young man with a passion for learning and building. One day he discovers a tunnel in the inactive volcano. He follows it for a while before returning home. Anna warns him not to go back. But soon, Atrus's father, Gehn, returns and insists on taking Atrus with him into the tunnel. Anna protests, but Gehn promises to let Atrus visit again someday. It is a long and difficult journey underground, but Atrus is astounded to see the ruins of D'ni. He studies the art of writing and observes how his father deals with the writing and the maintaining of his Ages. As Atrus grows, he forms his own opinions and beliefs that differ much from Gehn's. When things escalate, Atrus must stand up to his father.

The way this book is written gives me a peaceful feeling. The descriptions are beautiful, and Anna and Atrus are such kind and gentle people. Gehn, of course, is so chaotic and mad. I love where this story falls in the series because readers may or may not know about how Ages are written and what that really means. In fact, it seems logical at first glance to assume that Gehn is actually writing worlds into existence. His assertion that he is a god of some sort is actually somewhat logical. But the discoveries of Atrus and his discomfort with Gehn's treatment of the natives of the Ages is very important. The books in this series deal with ethical issues very well.

It was delightful to see Riven since I have completed that game. I actually didn't know much about Catherine, so it was nice to learn about her!

I think this book is a wonderful read for any lover of Sci-Fi/Fantasy. People who have played the Myst games will find it particularly enjoyable though! 

Buy on Amazon here. 

The Book of Ti'ana by Rand Miller

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

This review does contain some spoilers!

In this installment in the series, we learn more about Atrus's grandmother, Anna. She is a fully human woman who lives on the harsh surface of Earth until one day after her father's death she discovers a tunnel leading to the D'ni civilization. After integrating as best she can into their society (essentially held captive by them) she begins to form stronger connections. In the midst of political upheaval, she makes a decision that has dire consequences.

Each book in this series has such a different flavor. I really have enjoyed that immensely. Anna is a very lovable character. She is strong and intelligent. The same can be said of Aitrus. Although the tunneling and discussions of rock formations get a little boring at times, I can see how it would be integral in their society. He and Anna connected instantly on that, and it did end up giving me a better appreciation for geology.
The writing of Ages was explained a little more in this book, which was nice. I appreciate that it was made clear that Ages are not "created" when a book is written but that a link is established. The whole writing of Ages is wonderfully fascinating, exploring the concepts of parallel universes and travel in the space-time continuum.
One major highlight of this book is the friendship of Aitrus and Veovis. It seems fairly clear from the beginning that Veovis is not really too upstanding. It's little behaviors here and there that raise red flags. But Aitrus is a friend to him regardless, giving him his loyalty and support when he can but also voting against him when he must. The decay of that friendship was not unexpected, but it was sad. Veovis was an interesting character in general. He was treated unjustly because of A'Gaeris, and so his spiral into vengeance and madness was reasonably expected. The D'ni have strong moral objections to the death penalty (and Anna even more so, it seems), but this whole story really challenges that idea. It would certainly have been better for Veovis to have died. It actually seems somewhat inhumane now that I think of it to imprison/totally isolate criminals. This is a really wonderful ethical question (this author really excels at this!).

It was sad to see the downfall of D'ni, and the way it happened was stomach-turning. Another really sad thing was the deterioration of the relationship between Anna and her son, Gehn. It broke her heart to follow D'ni custom to send him away at the age of four, and he never forgave her for that. That was such a terrible tragedy that, among other things, really messed him up (clearly!)

One thing I wish was explained a little more was the state of Earth. We learn about how hard Atrus and Anna's life was in the first book, but there isn't a real explanation of what is going on. I get the impression that they are somewhere in Africa since they are in a desert, but we don't know that for sure. Nor do we know WHEN they are. It could be in the past, present, or distant future really. That "leave it up to the reader's imagination" thing can be frustrating sometimes!

This is a delightful fantasy series I think most people would like. It has beautiful descriptions, good character development, fantastic creativity, and ethical and moral discussions.
Reading this series will definitely help players of the Myst games understand and appreciate Atrus, Catherine, and the D'ni culture more. Highly recommended!

Buy this book on Amazon HERE.

The Book of D'ni by Rand Miller

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

This review does contain some spoilers!

Atrus and Catherine, along with some of their students from another Age, return to D'ni in an effort to assess the damage and find any remaining books that are intact. Their goal is to search through the Ages one by one and find any remaining D'ni survivors, tell them about the state of D'ni, and ask for their help in rebuilding. After some difficulty, they manage to find several thousand survivors and then begin the task of rebuilding, despite how daunting it is. As they are in the process of restoring a Guild house, they come across a buried chamber. They break down seals and find an entire library they didn't know existed. They find one particular book that is clearly of extreme significance, and after testing with the maintainer suits, decide to go through. They find to their surprise a stunningly beautiful Age - Terahnee - in which the people speak a form of D'ni. The society seems absolutely perfect. No crime, no sickness. Atrus asks the king to allow his people to settle there, as he feels rebuilding D'ni is basically futile at this point when this Age is here for them. The king agrees, but then a series of events cause all hell to break loose. They discover how this Age is so "perfect" and then a devastating plague spreads throughout the land. Will the D'ni still be able to settle in Terahnee? Should they settle there?

I enjoyed this book because I felt it was action packed and engrossing throughout. During their search of the Ages, I didn't want to put the book down until they found survivors. I was aching for them to find people. The search was really dangerous also, which made for some good reading. Then it was thrilling when they discovered the hidden chamber beneath the Guild house. The discovery of Terahnee was jaw-dropping. And there was a certain sick tension in my gut as it became clearer and clearer that this society was definitely not as perfect as it seemed. The last bit was tragic and violent. Overall, a good balance in my opinion!

One of the only things about this book that bothers me a little bit is the lack of emotion...or the lack of anxiety about certain things. There are a lot of truly devastating things that happen in this book. People die, an entire civilization is nearly wiped out, and Atrus is genuinely responsible for all of it. He is wise enough to realize that although he did none of it intentionally, he still has to bear that burden. Yet to me he doesn't really seem to have an appropriate amount of guilt or something. Maybe he does and this just doesn't come across well in the book. It's not that I expect him to crumple onto the ground weeping, but he (and actually all of the other characters now that I think about it) have this sort of odd stoicism. Maybe it's because their lives have always been hard and tragic. Their lives and environments have been really harsh and difficult.
One thing this book did well was address certain ethical issues. Slavery, of course, and classism are dealt with in a really interesting way. They, in fact, had ethical discussions and dilemmas even when D'ni was flourishing about how the classes were separated. The lower classes in D'ni were not abused as they were in Terahnee, but many of them were unsatisfied. Aitrus and Veovis talked about it a few times and sort of came to the conclusion that it was the way of the world, whereas Anna was more bothered by it. This book doesn't preach about the morality of the Ages, it simply lets the reader come to his or her own conclusion. Atrus is certainly not the most wise or pristine of all heroes. He is so relatable though. Yes, he was swayed by the utopian beauty of Terahnee. Yes, he ignored advice from D'ni elders. But all throughout the book, I kept thinking that when he was presented with hard choices, he just made the choices and then took ownership of them. He never blamed anyone else for his choices. He was kind and fair. I find him fascinating.

I believe this book happens right after the game Riven and before Exile, since at the beginning of that game they have just had Yeesha. I happen to be playing Exile right now, so it was the perfect time to read the series. I am excited to continue on with the game. I think having read the books will make gameplay a little richer. :-)
I think these books could be enjoyed by nearly anyone. But players of the Myst games will find them particularly interesting and enlightening of course. They do have a tendency to be a little slow, but really I think we probably all need a little bit of that in our fast-paced world. Slow down and enjoy the details and the great care that the author put into this series.

Purchase this book on Amazon HERE.

The Onyx Hourglass by Kristy Nicolle

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars




Hades and Xion travel the world in an attempt to find the book of the dead to resurrect Sephy. Luce agrees to help them attempt a resurrection, though Thane and others warn them that what they are attempting is dangerous. Pandora and Anubis hatch up a plan to use Luce to resurrect Ra, and Luce is drawn deeper and deeper into the darkness.




I always enjoy reading Kristy Nicolle's books, and this one was wonderful just like the rest. This world is easy to get sucked into. One of the things I like about these books is the way the POV is done. Sephy is the "main character," but Luce, Xion, and Pandora might as well be considered main characters as well. I am not a huge fan Sephy even still, but I often find myself thinking about things she has done and said, and I realize that the "imperfect/disliked" character is often the one you learn the most from. I like relating to the main character, but it's a nice change of pace to not relate to her. One of the things that upsets me the most about her is how she is handling her relationship with Xion--it seems very unfair to him. I can see, though, the conflict that Sephy has about it. I am hoping that they can get their happily ever after (though from what Hades has said, that seems unlikely.)




SPOILERS:

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I found it very sad when Hades was killed, and I think he is my favorite character! I love the sass and the wit so much! I am interested to find out what, if anything, he can do from the Higher Plains to help Sephy and the others. I'm hoping we get to see more of what happens in that realm in the next book -- and maybe even see Zeus himself, the big loser.

I was less sad about Thane's "death" because I was getting so frustrated with her while reading this book. I realize that we see inside Luce's mind, and thus we judge her on her motivations, but honestly, Thane really disappointed me with the way she handled Luce's issues.

I am also interested to see how afterlife will be run now that the Mortarian sun has gone out. Can it even exist for long without Hades? Does Sephy have to take over? I think it's possible Pandora has bitten off more than she can chew. And Anubis just needs to die already.

There were some very well-written scenes in this book that elicited some great emotions. I was practically crying when Luce had to sacrifice a goat. I also really felt Luce's pain when she found Thane dead on the chair.

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END SPOILERS




I'm definitely heavily invested in the story now and will be snapping up the last of this trilogy as soon as it is available.

Dead Beat (Dresden Files #7) by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

In this seventh installment of the Dresden Files series, the White Council is still at war with the Red Court vampires. Thomas, Harry's brother, is living with Harry in his dinky apartment after his sister disowned him. Mavra comes to Harry with a demand: Bring her the Word of Kemmler or she will hurt Murphy. As Harry begins to look for the Word of Kemmler and the book about the famous Erlking of the Fae, Die Lied de Erlking, he uncovers something that's going to go down on Samhain and meets several people who are Kemmler's followers... the same Kemmler who happened to own his very own friend Bob the skull. Harry is still dealing with the aftermath of burning the living daylights out of his hand, and he is having dreams of Lasciel, the demon whose coin he picked up and then buried. The shade of her is enough to impart a significant influence over him, and she is quite convincing as she tells him of her desire to help him survive all he has to deal with. He has a difficult time standing firm and resisting her.
Can Harry somehow find the Word of Kemmler, stop Kemmler's disciples, and get it to Mavra in time without the White Court finding out and summarily executing him?

A common theme in these books is Harry constantly taking a beating and being near death's door. This book was no different, but I'm really enjoying the Lasciel aspect. She is manipulative, of course, but also SO incredibly believable, and we are watching as Harry is slipping more and more into her grasp despite that he knows objectively that NO good can come from letting her have more power over him. This book almost makes the reader fall in love with her at the same time! She seems so sincere and gentle! I don't blame Harry one bit for his feelings toward her. He is becoming more and more conflicted. It will be interesting to see where that storyline goes.
One thing I really enjoy about these books is the thorough explanation/exploration of the supernatural aspects. The Erlking in particular is a well-known figure in Faerie lore, and it was interesting to see how he was dealt with in this book. Necromancy in general is explained in a fascinating way - such that it sort of makes sense. Really, Jim Butcher always does a good job of presenting supernatural things in a really logical way -- as in, they are just believable enough. I appreciate that, and it makes the books enjoyable to read. Harry's sarcasm is, as always, fun and entertaining, but is it just me or is he getting darker? Less fun? It's inevitable, but I kind of miss his casual playfulness and positivity. He is losing a little more of that in every book. 

I am definitely looking forward to continuing on with the series. 

Buy this book on Amazon here. 

Noah's Lament by Jim Ody

Noah is a young man in love. But he's ripped away from his beloved when it is revealed that his father and his girlfriend's mother are having an affair. He and his mother move across the world from England to Escape, Colorado, where he is forced to start a new life. He realizes that he has to make good choices about which groups of kids he spends time with. After finding a few friends, things start to get worse and worse. He is trying the long-distance relationship thing. Relationships are tested, and friends are not always who they claim to be. This coming of age book will keep you at the edge of your seat and then leave you gaping at the end. This is one of those books that will be memorable.


I am a fan of Jim Ody's books because they always carry you along on eddies of emotions, surprising you, shocking you, and taking you somewhere you might never have anticipated.

This book began in a sort of sweet if sad place. Young Noah has just had to leave his girlfriend and move thousands of miles away. It moves into what you might describe as a typical teen high-school drama. Then it gets a little horrifying! The emotions in this book are so raw, and Ody just has that way of making you feel the things the main character is feeling. This book is an experience.

It's certainly not for the faint of heart. It explores many dark themes, so if you are one who is picky about disturbing, harsh, course, or "immoral" content, you will want to steer clear.

After I read this, I had to put on a happy TV show in order to go to sleep!







This book is published by Crazy Ink and is #28 in the Escape to Reality series!




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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I got this book on Audible because I saw the movie and loved it so much- the movie was beautifully done and very enjoyable to watch. I am totally blown away at how much more I like the book. It's radically different from the movie. (As in, NONE of the quests are the same at all. There is no race, so "Shining" scene, and there are additional quests that make the book so much more incredible). The book is MUCH more in-depth about all aspects of the contest and the Oasis, and it is all wildly interesting. I shouldn't have been surprised at that. I want to LIVE in this book! It's one I will definitely be listening to or reading again soon. Wil Wheaton is a wonderful narrator, and I think his narration made the experience that much better.



Despite that I disagreed with some of the religious/political/social commentary thrown in here and there, this book was one of the most enjoyable I have read this year. I was not alive in the 80s, so I don't have the same nostalgia for the period as Halladay or other (older) readers of this book. However, I came away wanting to watch many of the movies and play the games mentioned in the book.

The passion and commitment displayed in this book often made me feel like a slacker. The main character devoted so much time to immersing himself in all things Halladay and all things 80s. At certain points, it was a tad unrealistic -- he somehow was the expert of all these video games and knew the lines of all these movies by heart. For example, there is one part where he has to play a perfect game of Pac Man, and that is one I actually have played before. I could never even get past level 4, so it kind of blows my mind to hear the main character talking about getting through hundreds of levels. This contest became the actual every waking minute obsession of the Gunters. Once you get past how sad that is, it's a really interesting storyline.

The discussion of Easter eggs in videogames is really fascinating - like how there were extra points to be won at the end of Pac Man and how you could get 40 extra lives in Tempest by dying at a certain point.

The technology is, of course, one of the main highlights of this book. Despite how drastically it changed humanity, I really do think people would jump at the chance to have VR this amazing. The unlimited possibilities make this a dream. I feel like VR like this will be available someday but not anytime soon (probably not in my lifetime). The technology was explained in much greater detail in the book than in the movie, and it made me appreciate it more.

Many scenes in the book in such a way that it elicits great emotions. I knew the outcome, but I was on the edge of my seat during many scenes, my heart pounding. Especially when the first key was obtained -- it was SO exciting!



Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes exciting adventures regardless of whether or not they know much about video games or the 80s. Knowing about some of the 80s pop culture will certainly make this book more enjoyable, but it can be enjoyed by almost anyone!

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Death Masks Jim Butcher

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

Harry is hired by a priest from Italy to find a very special artifact that has been stolen. The thief plans to sell it to a wealthy person in Chicago. Harry soon learns that the artifact is none other than the Shroud of Turin and he strongly suspects that the wealthy businessman is John Marcone. Harry meets two other sword-wielding men of God like Michael who help him track down the shroud. They learn of a plan to unleash a deadly curse and have to work to stop that from happening. In the meantime, Harry is challenged to a dual by a vampire named Ortega. The vampires want Dresden's blood for what he did to the Red Court vampire Bianca. Ortega promises that Chicago will be made neutral ground in the vampire/White Council war if Harry wins.
To top it all off, Susan, Harry's half-vampire ex girlfriend has returned (albeit temporarily) and they reconnect.

There were a lot of things happening in this book as usual, although the plot was a little more doomsday than some of the books have been. The villains who would unleash a deadly plague (slightly more cartoonish/comic book-esque than the regular Dresden Files villains) are controlled by demons, and the possession happens by picking up a coin. Harry picks up one such coin at the beginning of the book, and they spend a little time trying to get him to open himself up to it. Harry has no interest of course, but the lure is there, and he has to figure out how to handle the coin. The vampire dual is over fairly quickly in the book, and we get to see Thomas of the White Court appear in all his sass and allure as Ortega's second. We meet an important character, Kinkaid, who is acting as a bodyguard to the mediator of the dual. My absolute favorite part of this whole book concerns Marcone. It is very clear the Harry DESPISES Marcone, and of course the crime boss is not particularly on the up and up. However, he is SMART and you can tell that he isn't cruel and spiteful. He is very powerful because he has made calculating decisions. He doesn't kill without reason. I find his character extremely fascinating, and we learn more about him at the end of this book -- it makes his character make a lot more sense!

This was a solid installment in the Dresden File series. I enjoyed it!

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Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

In the midst of the war between the vampires and the White Council, Harry is asked to do a favor for Thomas, a shifty sort-of-ally from the White Court of vampires. Thomas wants Harry to help his friend Arturo Genosa stay safe from a Malocchio curse (a type of entropy curse). It seems to be targeting the women in Arturo's life. So Harry is hired on in Genosa's adult film studio as a production assistant. On the first day, two people nearly die, and Harry meets some of the major players and starts to piece things together. Throughout this story, he meets other members of Thomas's family. Meanwhile, he is also on a mission to hunt down a Black Court Vampire named Mavra and exterminate some of her scourge in a preemptive strike. He hires Kinkaid and also enlists the help of his mentor, Ebenezer. Karrin Murphy rounds out the group.

As with the other books in the Dresden Files series, Harry runs around getting himself nearly killed at almost every turn. His wit is charming (and he seems a little happier in this book compared to the last couple). He struggles to pay his bills, and he learns a few very important and surprising things about his mother. I have honestly loved every single book in this series, but this one has been my favorite so far. The characters are well developed, and I am digging the relationships between Harry and Karrin and Harry and Thomas in particular. Every book is a delightful experience.

I was trying to pace myself/savor the series, but I had to start book seven right away. I love this series!

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Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter

Genre: Nutrition and Wellness
Rating 4.5/5

How many times have we heard over the years that eggs are bad for us because they raise our cholesterol? How many people do you know who are on Statins? What about saturated fats? Aren't they artery-clogging nightmares? This book debunks some myths about fats and carbohydrates and has one major message: Your brain thrives on fats! While the focus is in on wheat and gluten, the book also talks about the effect of the American high-carb diet on the body and brain.

I began looking into the Paleo lifestyle after I had my first child, and it helped me lose weight. I read The Paleo Approach by Sarah Ballantyne and learned a lot about how grains can cause inflammation. Grain Brain explains in greater detail how that happens and also posits that many people may have gluten sensitivity even if they don't have full-blown celiac disease. There is inflammation going in the brain that cannot be felt when we consume gluten (there are no pain receptors in the brain!) Grain affects not only the gut but also the brain in many ways. The correlations between grain consumption and Alzheimer's and other brain disorders is fairly shocking. I was impressed by the success stories he shared about patients with a wide variety of issues who regained their health by cutting gluten. It's not just about weight loss -- that seems to be just a nice perk. Cutting gluten seems to really help lots of people with ADHD, depression, autism, diabetes, and more. In the case of diabetes, Perlmutter believes it is in fact a brain disorder rather than anything else.

One of the main reasons he gives for cutting grains is that, because of selective breeding and GMOs (although he never says the word "GMO"), the amount of gluten in our grains has increased dramatically over the past century or so. We are consuming WAY more gluten than people hundreds or thousands of years ago. Our food, very simply, is different in many ways. He gives good explanations for why he believes we would be better off without grains (and, in fact, most carbs) and better off consuming more fat.

I recently read Spark by John Ratey, which is about how exercise affects the brain, so there was a little overlap. Grain Brain has a chapter about exercise and the brain. Even though exercise doesn't deal directly with gluten, it does have a lot to do with brain health in general, so I was glad this section was included.

Although he is a doctor, he doesn't recommend all kinds of medications. This is very much a holistic, nutrition-and-lifestyle-based book. He does, however, recommend certain supplements. Americans tend to be deficient in Vitamin D, for example. He recommends other things like turmeric since we don't get as much of that in our food as people from other countries. He gives great explanations for the supplements, and they are in no way "required" in the plan, just recommended for better overall health.

At the end of the book, Dr. Perlmutter outlines a four-week plan for cutting gluten and implementing an exercise regimen (or if you already exercise, increasing your exercise regimen). There are also recipes included in the print version. He provides examples for substitutions as well.

There was only one major thing I disliked about this book. One is the "hype" aspect of it. The author kept saying things like: "I'll prove it to you." "This will change your life." "You can solve your problems by following this plan." Although I do believe in the concepts and philosophy of this book, I feel like the book and the research should speak for themselves. I know a lot of people bristle at the thought of cutting "an entire food group," but his explanations are so thorough and convincing, that I hope people will give this book a chance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about changing their health and skeptical of the USDA high-carb recommendations. Those following the Atkins diet, a keto diet, or the Paleo diet will gain a deeper understanding of the concepts of their diet.

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The Homegrown Preschooler by Kathy H. Lee and Leslie Richards

Genre: Child Development
Rating: 5/5
I stumbled across the Facebook page for "The Homegrown Preschooler" and thought it looked like a great book. I discovered that they have a year-long curriculum called "A Year of Playing Skillfully." I checked out "The Homegrown Preschooler" to examine the philosophy before investing in the curriculum, and I am so glad I did! Not only will I be buying myself a copy of "The Homegrown Preschooler," I will be getting the full curriculum plus the summer curriculum.
This educational philosophy reminds me of John Holt's books -- his main message is that little children are simply little people. (Seems stupidly obvious, but somehow as parents we tend to focus on what our children CAN'T do.) They want to be involved in everyday aspects of life. While playing, making messes, and even acting out they are learning how to live in this big, wide world. The authors of this book provide tons of examples of ways to include children in everyday activities (for example: allow them to help scoop coffee grounds for your morning coffee or give them their very own spray bottle and rag to help clean around the house). They also explain areas where your children need to develop every day: fine motor, gross motor, language, social skills, etc. There are TONS and TONS of activities listed in the book along with explanations of the areas they will help develop in a preschooler. There are also recipes for play materials and food and instructions on how to build things like a plexiglass easel and a sensory table.

I would recommend this book to ANYONE with a preschooler or anyone who has a baby (who will someday be a preschooler!) Even if you do not intend to homeschool, these ideas can help you understand how to prepare your child for school and life. AWESOME book!

The Great Passage by Shion Miura

Genre: Japanese Literary Fiction/Humor
Rating: 4.5/5

The Dictionary Editorial Department of Gembu Publishing is working on a brand new dictionary, a project that will end up taking them fifteen years to complete. At the beginning of the book, the heads of the project, Professor Matsumoto and Araki, are looking for a young person to take over the project since they will only be working part time as supervisors. One of the employees of the department, Nishioka, suggests a young man named Majime, a true oddball who works in sales but seems like he might have a knack for dictionary editorial work. Majime is soon hired, and they all get busy working on the dictionary, getting sidetracked by other projects as the company seems not to value the new dictionary as much as the people working in the department. Nishioka soon leaves to work in another department, and a young woman comes to work in his place. Over the course of fifteen years, relationships are forged, and the commitment and devotion of the people working in the department is poured out into the pages of The Great Passage.

This book is quite unlike anything I have ever read. It has been translated from Japanese (very beautifully I might add -- I actually couldn't tell.) The Japanese culture is strikingly different than the American culture in a lot of ways. For example: the character Nishioka is presented as a goofball who isn't serious about much, but he seems like the most "normal" character in the whole book. The other characters are intensely serious people who work on the dictionary with such a passion that it almost makes me feel like a slacker--no, it does make me feel like a slacker. I won't lie and say that this book made me fascinated by the dictionary-making process. I can admit that it is important work, but they seem so obsessive about it, it is hard to understand why they love it so much. I am so used looking up words online that I forget there are actually physical dictionaries anymore. That being said, I became drawn in by their extreme passion. I think anyone would be lucky to discover something to be this passionate about, and that is what makes this book beautiful. The characters are all a little strange, but they are fascinating to read about.

The main drawback to this book is that it is a little dull. As in, it's not conventionally "exciting." The pace is slow, and there isn't anything really mind-blowingly amazing that happens. (There is also some very odd social commentary that seems out of place.) This book is simply a snapshot of a group of people who come together and do what they love. It's not about the technicalities of making a dictionary. And while there are some minor discussions about how words can mean all sorts of different things, that's not this book's aim either. This book resonates with me because of the total devotion, love, passion, and commitment these people have for what they do. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light read and loves books and words. This book is calm and peaceful, poignant, and charming in its own way.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovitch

Genre: Mystery/Humorous
Rating: 5/5

I remember seeing the movie "One For the Money" come out a few years ago and then seeing that it was based off a rather popular book series. At the time I was a busy college student, so I never looked into it. For the last few years, I have seen the books at thrift stores and library sales. I was finally convinced to give the series a try after three separate people told me the series was "so funny/hilarious." Truly humorous books are difficult to find, it seems. I rarely laugh at anything. Maybe I'm just reading the wrong books. This series seems so odd at first glance. A young skip-tracing woman in the ghetto of New Jersey? It seemed at first like it might be a bit trashy or something. I went ahead and started out with the audiobook version. I am glad I gave this series a chance! It was delightfully wonderful! I may try to read the second one to see if the books come across the same without the wonderful narration by C.J. Critt.

First of all, this book was just FUN! It is one of the most  entertaining books I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I will admit that I didn't belly laugh as often as I wished, but the situations were truly amusing and entertaining. The main character, like Harry Dresden in the Dresden Files series, is a hot mess--totally broke, witty and sarcastic, unfiltered, kind of hotheaded at times, and really fun to follow along. She tries her hand at skip tracing out of desperation, attracted by the possibility of earning $10,000. It's such an absurd idea, since she is going after a man accused of murder, but she's a native of the area, so I suppose she is used to the culture and the danger, etc. The situations she finds herself in are pretty funny, and the narration makes the story bright and lighthearted even though there is a lot of violence and sleaze in the book. There's a ton of language and talk of sex (though there are no actual sex scenes). I have no idea why I love this book so much. The writing makes it fun, and the narration made it irresistible!
I love the Joe Morelli character, and I also love Ranger. Heck, I loved all the characters! I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series! :-)

The Librarian by Christy Sloat

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5

Emmeline Bailey is a nineteen-year-old college student living in California with big plans to move to England and teach. She's never been one for commitment in relationships--wanting nothing to tie her down. When her grandmother falls seriously ill, Emme must return to her hometown in Maine. Her grandmother dies, leaving a library to Emme...and a secret. Emmeline is part of a line of women who can travel in books as a preserver of history. She does so accidentally one day and meets a handsome man named Jack. She quickly develops a strong attachment to him and wonders if she could leave everything behind to stay with him...

This book was heavily advertised on my Facebook feed for a while, and I finally gave in and bought it because it sounded totally amazing (I LOVE time travel in general) and the cover is phenomenally beautiful. The concept is sort of mind-blowing and has endless possibilities. Who wouldn't want to travel inside books or travel through time? However, the execution of the story was ultimately poor.
First of all, the main character is shallow. While she has "big dreams" to move to another country, her behavior is irritating and childish. She was constantly talking about how, before the events of this book, she only wanted to make out and hook up with guys. She and her friends casually go drinking at a bar with fake IDs, not batting an eye. She had only one close friendship and was willing to throw that away after one fight. She would fly off the handle about things emotionally and then become alarmed when others did the same. She fell in love instantly with the man in the book and then took things way too far, causing lots of trouble and heartache. And this plot relies heavily on her not being told anything about the book/time travel process, which does create conflict, but it's a super lazy way of doing so. The ending was also patched up quickly and unrealistically.
I also found the book predictable, especially the part about JR Builders.
The other reason this book was difficult for me to get through was the writing--mainly the misuse of tenses. I don't think this author or her editor (if there was one) knows anything about the past perfect tense, which made the book quite confusing in many areas.

There are a few areas that gave this book a glimmer of hope. The overall concept, of course, is totally fascinating. Some of the explanations and discussions about the actual process were interesting. The love story, while at first irritating and unbelievable, did sort of start to grow on me after a while. I did feel sad for her when things fell apart and for what she had to do to fix it at the end.

Overall, this book held promise, but I ultimately wouldn't recommend it.

Spark by John J Ratney

Genre: Cognitive Psychology/Physical Fitness
Rating: 4.5/5
Audio Version review

I have exercised intermittently throughout my life, but I have had a lot of difficulty in recent years sticking to anything because I have attended college and had several children. When I found myself at my heaviest ever last year, I decided to get serious about weight loss. I chose this book to listen to because I was hoping it would inspire me to exercise, and not only for the weight loss potential. It was an excellent choice! The book's focus is, in fact, not on weight loss at all. This book focuses on the myriad of ways cardio exercise helps the brain and therefore the whole body. This book has definitely succeeded in helping inspire me to remain active. Even a little bit of exercise has tremendous effects on the brain and body.

The book starts out talking in-depth about a case study of a school in Illinois - Naperville. They instituted a new exercise program and managed to get some surprising results. Only three percent of their student body is overweight, AND they were at one point number one in the entire world on the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). They even had students wanting to work out before taking important exams like the SATs. The book goes on to discuss exercise's effect on certain conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, addiction, aging, and hormonal changes. This was all fascinating information, of course. It was particularly interesting to me how these conditions are connected though levels of certain hormones and proteins in the brain (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, BDNF, and others.) There were some shocking things too -- like how brain damage caused by drinking, the negative effects of depression, and general brain shrinkage can be fixed by cardiovascular exercise (like, at a certain point it levels out to where you might not be able to tell there was damage at all. It's apparently a myth that you can't grow new brain cells.) I was honestly blown away by how many ways the brain is able to compensate and fix itself with just a little exercise.

This author comes at this from an evolutionary standpoint. That is, he explains the way the brain works in terms of how we "evolved" to hunt and gather, and how our fight-or-flight responses, stress responses, and "state of emergency" comes into play in a modern society. This helps the information make more sense. Even if you believe humans were created rather than evolved, this STILL makes sense. Our bodies were designed to work in a certain way, and moving is an essential part of that!

Yes, this book does come across as repetitive. For me, however, that was a good thing. There are a lot of jargon (scientific) terms used, but I was actually reasonably familiar with all of them. It took a few times hearing them for it to really sink in what they were/what they meant in the context of this book. And since I was listening to the audio version, it was helpful for him to keep repeating and emphasizing what each of the hormones of proteins does in the body and the brain. I know I will remember them better because of the way this book was written. So (unlike a lot of other reviewers) I actually thought the repetitive nature of this book was helpful.

Purchase here!

On Writing by Stephen King

Genre: Nonfiction - Reference: Writing Skills
Rating: 5/5

I'll admit I have never actually read a novel by Stephen King, but I constantly (like, almost every day it seems) hear someone mention his name, see a meme with him or one of his stories or characters, or see people talking about one of his books or a movie made from it. He is ubiquitous in the book world. I started collecting his books to read when I have time, but I thought this one would be a good one to start with. I'm not actually a writer, and I don't believe I have the talent to become one (and I really don't have a desire to write either). However, I am a freelance editor, so I have been attempting to "get into the head of the writer" as it were. At this point in my life, I have a real need to understand literature from every perspective to be a better editor. I chose this as one of the first since it is also a memoir and I wanted to learn more about Stephen King.
I am glad I read this, and I really have almost nothing negative to say about it other than the fact that I wish he would have labelled the chapter sections a little better for easier reference. I have had to dog-ear, highlight, and put little sticky notes on the pages of interest to come back to later.

His advice on writing (which starts about halfway into the actual book) is, as promised, concise and to the point. LOVE that. He covers most aspects writers are interested in: how to create good characters, what to do about plotting, how to approach theme, etc. He also talks a lot about his more global views on writing. For example, he suggests setting aside a certain amount of time each day and having a word goal; doing the first draft quickly and then setting it aside for a few weeks before tackling the revisions; putting together a team of friends to give you advice and opinions on the story after the second draft is completed, etc. I found all of that fascinating from an objective standpoint, since of course I will likely not be doing that. But it is truly interesting to see how his mind works.

One thing in particular I was surprised to read was that he believes plotting makes for an artificial book. Again, my mind is not that of a writer, but I always imagine writers making all these detailed plans and outlines about their book to make sure that they can stay on track. I cannot IMAGINE sitting down to write and just letting the characters go where they want to go. This is foreign to me! I actually did a quick poll on my editing Facebook page and discovered that the majority of my writing followers are in fact "pantsters," which is to say that they do not plot. Anyway, this was a learning experience for me in many ways. All of what he had to say was valuable to me because I am at the point where I need to soak up as much of this as possible. It was all relevant.
The sections on his personal life I found entertaining and interesting. At first, I thought I might be a little bored and was eager to get to the "meat" of the book, but I found myself wanting to read more and more about his life and experiences as a young writer. He is, of course, a talented writer and knows how to draw you in, even in a non-fiction book! The section about getting hit by a car was also interesting.

I appreciate the fact that he included a section of self edits at the end. It will be helpful to look over and study because edits from an author are definitely different from edits from an editor.
I am also looking forward to making my way through his list of books he has read recently (at least, the books he read in and around 1999). There were quite a few unfamiliar authors as well as quite a few that I recognized. If those books are worthy of his time, they are worthy of mine, so I look forward to reading them.

I would recommend this book to anyone in the writing world, not just authors. I think it can help editors and teachers too. And honestly, if people who aren't in the writing world want to read it, I am sure they would find the information interesting as well.

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Genre: "Christian" Personal Growth/Self Help
Rating: 3/5 stars

*The following review is quite long and will likely ruffle feathers. This is my brutally honest opinion about this book. I mostly liked this book but would only recommend with caution for my Christian friends or my stay-at-home mom friends.

This book is fascinatingly frustrating. I started out loving it and understanding why it is a bestseller. As the book went on, I became more and more irritated and then frankly upset. The good chapters are interspersed with the frustrating chapters.

There were a couple of concepts early on that stuck out to me and seemed helpful:
(1) We should keep the promises we make to ourselves. This chapter really spoke to me because it is a concept that has literally never occurred to me (and I am what most people would consider a "go-getter." If I want/need something, I usually make it happen. But I began to realize while listening to this chapter that lately I truly haven't been prioritizing the promises and commitments that I make to myself, big or small. When you constantly break even small promises to yourself, it trains you that this is acceptable behavior and it damages your ability to commit and follow through on anything! At first it seems selfish that you would prioritize what you need. However, what it really does is help you be wiser about the kinds of commitments you are making.
(2) It's a lie that you are only worth something if you are producing. I'm not an extreme workaholic like the author explains that she is, although if I had a job outside the home, I can certainly see myself having this issue. This chapter hit hard because I definitely feel like I always have to be doing something. If I am sitting down, I can't just BE.

Later on, I also truly enjoyed the chapter on weight and the chapter on alcohol. Lately, there has been a lot of uproar about people who say that being obese isn't healthy. (They are pretty much crucified on social media as "attacking women.") While the attitude to accept yourself no matter what might be okay for our mental health, it's not healthy for us physically. The author makes it a point to emphasize that our weight and appearance aren't the things that matter most: how we take of our bodies is what matters most. I appreciate this immensely, and it somehow seems to be a little bit of a unique message in our society. We have one camp saying there's no problem being 600 pounds, while the other condemns women who don't meet their standard of beauty. Hollis's message on weight and taking care of yourself is solid (although I personally don't agree when she says that it's a "very simple" matter of calories in vs. calories out. It's absolutely more complicated in many cases. Metabolism and the human body are necessarily complicated. But that's a minor quibble in an otherwise great chapter.
What she says about alcohol is also insightful. We sometimes don't even realize how much we are relying on it until it is too late. Drinking is SO societally acceptable, and we don't realize we are using alcohol as a crutch, and then it starts to do more and more damage. This chapter is a good one.

While there is much wonderful insight to be gleaned from this book, there are some things that I wholeheartedly disagree with and did not care for about this book. When I got to the chapter "Loving Him is Enough for Me," I thought it was going to be a great chapter for all those women who allow themselves to be mistreated because they just can't let go of that one toxic relationship, that one person they love so much they can't even stand it. Then she told a story about a person who treated her terribly and about how she stood up to him... and then took him back (that person was her husband). Now, it's great that she and her husband are happy together. That's wonderful. But she undermined her entire point (the chapter wasn't about mercy or forgiveness, either of which would have been a totally fine theme.) So this chapter was really just confusing and irritating. The chapter on sex was needlessly awkward and not at all helpful to me personally, although I am sure it could be helpful to others.

As I continued on in this book, it became clear to me that she is using MANY of her chapters to justify her choice to be not only a working mom but be a working mom who is largely absent from the home. She brings up "her media company with millions of followers" in nearly every chapter and talks about "following her dreams" almost as much. She even says at one point that she knows her children will understand and essentially forgive her absence when they are older because they will know that she was setting an example to "follow her dreams." No. Just no.
Children know that you are absent because your job is more important. When they get older, they will know that you were absent because your job was more important. That's how it works.
In the chapter about "making yourself smaller," she goes on and on about how she spent years struggling with "mom guilt" about not being there like other moms. And she essentially equates "being small" with "limiting yourself" and staying home and taking care of kids. She pretty much mocks the working moms that say that being a mother is their main job (she says they are so much MORE than just a mother, like it's somehow BAD to believe that motherhood is your main calling?) AND (this made me almost want to stop reading) she throws out the line "men never get asked if they are guilty for not being home" and talks about the "patriarchy." Gag. Then she said something about how the world will tell her sons that their possibilities are endless, but it will tell her daughter something different. Again, NO. That's false, and I'm honestly pretty ticked off that I got most of the way into the book without realizing that she was going to be throwing out the feminist agenda.

There are some really great chapters, some very insightful and profound words of wisdom in this book (For example, I was almost clapping when she said that writing was a divine gift from God. Onw thing she didn't say but that I believe is that it is a divine pursuit because it is an actual aspect of God's character. We love creating because HE is the ultimate creator!) but they are almost overwhelmed by a clear message of justification for being mostly absent from the home and pursuing her own goals with abandon. She is very confident and says she has made peace with her decisions in her life, but it's a little too much whining and lamenting followed by justification for me to believe that. ***Please don't misunderstand me, I don't think that working moms are doing ANYTHING wrong by being working moms. But this author in particular makes it very clear that her career (her "dream") is THE most important thing. It comes across like the kids are an accessory. That, I do disagree with. There is a difference between being confident and empowered and being selfish. The Bible verses and biblical concepts that are at first thrown out seemingly randomly become very trite as the book goes on because she is using them (again) to justify how she wants to live her life. And the "judge not" messages that are thrown in at every opportunity are shallow, especially when you understand that MOST people use that message to make themselves feel better about how they are living their life.
Women DO need to understand concepts like "You are not measured by your productivity" or "Don't let people push you around." So some of what she has to say is spot on and uplifting. However, women don't need to be fed the feminist LIE that they are somehow victims that have to overcome a patriarchal society, and that being at "home in the kitchen" makes you LESS. Women DON'T need to be told that staying at home makes them less worthwhile than someone who is "pursuing their dream."  Selfishness is not godly.

It is my opinion that sometimes being "liberated" isn't the best thing. Sometimes we need to be grounded. Sometimes we don't need to have our heads in the clouds. Sometimes we can't have it all. Sacrifices have to be made. No one should have to live life full of guilt, but we can't delude ourselves into thinking that if we are pursuing our own personal "dream" all day every day, that's not going to have consequences. I think that's where this book misses the mark. Women (people in general) should be happy, fulfilled, and confident in themselves, and I am happy to have heard the concepts of this book, BUT we have to be realistic and realize that humility and selflessness do not make us less!

Overall, I think this book has the potential to help a lot of women (and, based on reviews, it HAS helped a lot of people.) So many of the concepts are incredibly powerful and positive. The author clearly has a passion for empowering women, and she is confident, intelligent, and has a reasonably good head on her shoulders. Just because I intensely disagree with her on several key things doesn't make this a bad book. However, women should approach this book with caution.

The Secret Trials by Tara Benham

Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4/5 stars

Fanya has returned from her trials in Chernobyl and continues training for what she believes is a minor leadership position of some sort. Radek, Lukas, and her other friends are still around, acclimating to their new jobs, but they seem to have more freedom than she does, and she is still getting the impression that important things are being kept from her. When she is told that her leadership position is MUCH more prestigious than she ever expected, she is shocked and confused. As she uses her new power to investigate the cloning that is going on in the community, she discovers many unsettling things.

I was eager to read this second installment since the last book did leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger. We are sort of thrust into action in this book. Fanya is currently extremely interested (obsessed even) with the fact that the government has been making clones and almost no one knows about it. She suspects that her friend Dobra is one, and spends a lot of time researching as much as she can about the cloning. Dobra happens to work in the cloning lab, so Fanya is soon able to gain access to most of the information she wants. The events of the past, as with most dystopian novels, are very disturbing (think eugenics that occur in sort of a soft/gentle way and are organized to make them gradual and almost unnoticeable.)
When Fanya is finally given her place in the government, she is overwhelmed. I found the events in her new living quarters really interesting in a "Princess Diaries" way. She is not eager to be "served" or treated as any sort of royalty, but it is still kind of fun to see her get her own house with a huge closet, food delivered to her, and people to do her hair and set out clothes. The shopping trip in town is kind of a refreshing change of pace from the serious events of the book.
One of the things that's really irritating to me, though, is how she has been "thrust" into this position. I get really tired of plots that rely on the main characters being kept in the dark. They are always angsty about not knowing anything, and that's completely understandable. It's unrealistic in most of these situations for someone to be told SO little. For example, there are several times in the book where she is all of a sudden asked to give a speech, and she manages to do so fairly well but begins with phrases like: "Please excuse me, I was literally told that I would be speaking five minutes ago." This comes across as really unprofessional, so I am at a loss as to why a government would keep her in the dark for her WHOLE life about almost everything and then all of a sudden be like: "Okay, you're in charge now. Have fun." I guess this is supposed to be the intriguing/compelling part of the story? It just doesn't make any sense to me. I am hoping it will be explained in the last book. It seems like something you would do to someone you WANTED to fail or someone you wanted to pin something major on. And I am also at a loss as to why they would choose a clear nonconformist to rule a heavily regulated society that is based on eugenics. That seems like a recipe for disaster on their part anyway.
I did buy my copy from Amazon, but I am wondering if I got an unedited copy somehow. It was riddled with comma splices, many other errors, and weird typos. I think this book could be terrific with some work.
This series really is very fascinating though! I read this book in essentially a day (that's rare for me.) It is pretty compelling, and I do want answers to a lot of the questions Fanya has! I want to know who she will choose to marry (I hope it's Radek!) and I do hope she can somehow set her society on a less odious/unpleasant path. She has certainly stirred things up, and I am eager to see how the story resolves. I haven't seen any indication of a publication date for the last book, but I hope it's soon!

Purchase HERE

Cryptofauna by Patrick Canning

Genre: Humorous Sci-Fi
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Jim is a young man working at St. Militrude's, an insane asylum/nursing home. After thinking "too hard" about life, he decides to end it all with some pills washed down with a can of root beer (because a resident had recently thrown all the cans of Coca Cola off the roof). He is interrupted by Oz, who is one of the residents of St. Mili's and also an "Operator" in a global game called Cryptofauna, and taken deep down into the basement. Jim is given a bag of turmeric and a dog and is then thrown into this game. Having been given very minimal instructions, Jim must survive and work toward completing three tasks, all while gathering a group of people to help him (his "Combo"). But he has a Rival to contend with, a nasty and not-so-intelligent man named Boyd. Jim must figure out how to make it through the game and stop Boyd's evil shenanigans in the process.

It is a rare thing indeed for a book to make me laugh as much as this one did. I found myself smiling, chuckling, and outright belly laughing on many occasions, and I have to say that this book was a supreme delight to read. It's quite bizarre -- think of a mix between Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and possibly Doctor Who (except that there is no time travel, and all the events take place on Earth).
The author has brilliantly written this book to allow readers to vividly visualize the wonderfully bizarre and crazy events. We sometimes are in the thick of things with Jim and company, and sometimes we get fascinating history lessons about some of the main characters. Each section has the same witty and hilarious style and pace that makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens next.
There are so many fascinating things about this book. Everything is bright and mentally engaging. One of my favorite parts was the underground Abbey in Boston, which boasted a labyrinth of libraries and other mentally stimulating rooms. Who wouldn't want to spend months soaking up as much knowledge as they could? (Even if you had to be surrounded by leprous monks who didn't sleep and who only ate carrots and drank dandelion wine?)
The cast of characters was  truly fun. Each had a unique personality, and I felt like I came to love them as family just as Jim did.
Although the details and exact purpose of the game Cryptofauna may still be vague in Jim's mind and my mind, this book is a true treat to read, certainly one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. I would recommend this book to anyone who is not easily offended and who loves quirky and bizarre but very interesting situations. *While it thrilled me to my core to read this book, there are some disturbing things and adult situations (think orgies, random cruel murders, and excessive drug use) so I wouldn't recommend the book for anyone who is too young for that kind of content.

I would eagerly read another book written by Patrick Canning, and I am likely going to purchase a paperback of this book for my library (I think this is one I will want to read again and again). I would also LOVE to see this made into a movie.

The Obsidian Shard by Kristy Nicolle

Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

This review contains spoilers from previous books but not this book :-)

Sephy Sinclair has been through a lot. First, she finds out that she is the daughter of none other than the ruler of the underworld -- Hades. She is nearly killed by the Demon Lords and Pandora, who are scheming to take over Mortaria. Then she is actually killed by a measly human using Sephy's own opal blade. She struggles to adapt to the world (and Mortaria without her father, who gets killed by Pandora) when she is painfully resurrected by Luce. She must deal with the darkness that has been brought out in Luce and work to help restore her to the way she was before. Amidst all this, she is falling in love and does not want to admit it.

In this last installment, Sephy struggles against the realization that she must do something about the impending apocalypse. With the Hades and the Mortarian sun gone, the balance between worlds is precarious, and Pandora continues to scheme and plot. When Sephy is attacked in her own home, she realizes that, no matter how much she wants to be just a "normal girl," she is needed desperately by the world to restore order...

I'll admit I fiercely disliked Sephy in the first book. She was selfish and not really that nice of a person. She has gone through incredible character growth throughout this series though. She never asked to inherit Hades's powers. She never asked to bear the responsibility of defeating Pandora, but she handles herself with much more grace in this book. She is less whiny.
The relationship between her and Xion is heartbreaking throughout the entire series, as first she finds herself attracted to him but pushes him away, saying she will never love him. He constantly brings out the best in her, and he is patient and loyal throughout. This book tore my heart open with Xion's ultimate fate, but what is a book if it doesn't elicit strong emotions?
I also love Luce's transformation through the series. She starts out as a very pleasant, friendly person who struggles from time to time with the darkness inside. When she succumbs, it is easy to understand why. We understand her motivation, but Thane does not, and her departure is incredibly selfish. I hate Thane for what she did, though it is also understandable.
Hades is probably one of my absolute favorite characters, and I missed seeing more from him in this book. I could honestly read an entire book from his POV. :-) I find the Higher Plains fascinating, and I loved how we did get to experience a bit of his presence near the end.
Jules is, of course, dependable and reliable as ever. I always enjoy reading anything about him. Sephy is surrounded by such an amazing, loving, caring group of people. I was honestly very happy with the ending to this book, and ending a series satisfactorily is a challenge for any author!
The events of this book are frankly mind-blowing. Sephy and the rest are like old friends, and each page was honestly thrilling.
I found Pandora to be sort of a puzzling villain. She came in a sort of black horse, and no one really took her seriously. But then she managed to pull off some pretty incredible and terrible things thanks to the box and the fickle loyalty of the Demon Lords. I found her to be a weaker villain in this book -- falling for stuff she shouldn't, trusting the Demon Lords too much (until it was too late), and not considering Sephy a serious threat. Her fate was also sort of confusing to me. I have trouble keeping track of where people can go and what powers they have. The last scene with her was pretty funny though :-)
I thought the section about them staying in a hotel and going to McDonald's was hilarious, and a much needed breath of fresh air after all of the intense action they have to go through.

I agree with the other reviewers that this is Kristy Nicolle's best work yet. I have the Tidal Kiss Trilogy sitting on my shelf and hope to crack that open soon. I am also looking forward to her next trilogy.

The Power of a Positive Mom

Genre: Christian Inspirational/Devotional
Rating: 5/5 stars 

I've had this book on my shelf a while, and I finally made the time to read it. I am very glad I did. I have already made plans to include this on my TBR list every year (along with books like "How to Win Friends and Influence People") and that is a rare thing, indeed. I almost never re-read anything. I feel that this book has a lot of helpful information for mothers of all ages, and the values of the author, Karol Ladd, align almost 100% with my own. This book is incredibly dense with inspirational words and practical ideas. I found myself dogearing pages to go back to (again, I never do that!) I love how each chapter has a scripture reading, prayer, and call to action. I have been journaling and working through the Bible in a year, and I was happy to include some of the activities in my journal. For example, she suggested making a list of all the positive qualities you see in your children (talents, character traits, etc.) and I found that to be very uplifting. I have not really sat and thought about the uniqueness of my children, and I want to start parenting them more toward their "bent" and demeanor as this author talks about. Some of the chapters were a little challenging to read, as I found myself making note of lots of things I could be doing better. The chapter on discipline I found very helpful, as she described what biblical discipline should look like (in very general terms.) Some of the "hands-off" "positive reinforcement"-only advice is very obviously not sustainable, and I needed to read this chapter as a reminder that discipline does, indeed, need to "hurt" in order to be effective BUT it also needs to come from a place of love, NEVER anger. That is what God does for us. There were, of course, a few chapters that I didn't relate to well. While I did enjoy the challenge of maintaining friendships (which I plan to do) I feel like much of these "relationship" chapters were written for very social people. When she suggested finding an older, mature Christian woman who is NOT a family member to meet with, I found myself getting a little overwhelmed. How am I supposed to have the time or emotional/mental energy for that? It causes enough anxiety just thinking about maintaining one or two strong friendships. It is something I will work on though. I know no man is an island.

Overall, I would recommend this book to ANY Christian mother with children in college and below. She is consistent in pointing back to scripture to justify all of her points. There is an awesome mixture of anecdotes and very practical advice. I ordered "The Power of a Positive Wife" and was thrilled to see that she had written that as well. Five stars!