1 to 20 of 218 -
Page:
Review Date: 11/19/2008
"Some of the ideas in this book were good. I felt that some of the ideas were a little far-fetched though. I could see many of the ideas working if you had the money to put into them to get them going, some of them seemed to be high in start-up costs. But overall not bad ideas.
I think that if this book were re-written and the internet were a basis for the ideas that it would have been more intriguing to me."
I think that if this book were re-written and the internet were a basis for the ideas that it would have been more intriguing to me."
Review Date: 12/14/2008
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"I like the technique that is presented. However I am having some trouble figuring it out. I think that with a little bit of free time and minimal distractions that I will be able to figure it out.
One thing that I do like about this book is that all the patterns can be adapted to allow for DPN knitting. Which, for someone that is having trouble getting the 2 at a time on one circular thing down I think it is a good idea.
There are quite a few sock patterns in this book that I do want to try. The patterns seem to be somewhat simple, and the socks are very nice. While I may need some help learning how to use this technique I will use some of the patterns even if I have to use a different technique."
One thing that I do like about this book is that all the patterns can be adapted to allow for DPN knitting. Which, for someone that is having trouble getting the 2 at a time on one circular thing down I think it is a good idea.
There are quite a few sock patterns in this book that I do want to try. The patterns seem to be somewhat simple, and the socks are very nice. While I may need some help learning how to use this technique I will use some of the patterns even if I have to use a different technique."
Review Date: 8/23/2010
"This book was provided for review by Hachette Book Group.
Even though I didn't realize it was abridged until after I finished it, I still liked it. I would like to know what was cut out from the original version, but even without it I don't feel as if I was shorted.
The killer in this one is sick, truly sick. To go around and kill mothers and their children is just wrong. But it made for a great story. I did feel for the burglar though, once I realize why the burglaries were being done I almost felt sorry and wished the burglar had taken different actions to get what was needed. But both of these story lines going on together made the story that much more interesting. Trying to figure out two separate plots really kept me engaged (and I need to find a new adjective... Thesaurus anyone?).
The character I connected the most with was the Hello Kitty burglar. That character was so dynamic. Like I said I almost was sympathetic to what was going on. The other characters were well written, and they all played an integral part in the story, they just didn't draw me in like the burglar did.
I liked the narrator for this one. Her voice was almost soothing to listen to. I don't want to say she used different voices for the characters, as that implies an almost puppet show feeling, but she did a good job a differentiating for the listener who was talking without being able to read who was talking.
This was the first Patterson book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I'll go back and start the series from the beginning, but I will definitely grab more of his books as they come out."
Even though I didn't realize it was abridged until after I finished it, I still liked it. I would like to know what was cut out from the original version, but even without it I don't feel as if I was shorted.
The killer in this one is sick, truly sick. To go around and kill mothers and their children is just wrong. But it made for a great story. I did feel for the burglar though, once I realize why the burglaries were being done I almost felt sorry and wished the burglar had taken different actions to get what was needed. But both of these story lines going on together made the story that much more interesting. Trying to figure out two separate plots really kept me engaged (and I need to find a new adjective... Thesaurus anyone?).
The character I connected the most with was the Hello Kitty burglar. That character was so dynamic. Like I said I almost was sympathetic to what was going on. The other characters were well written, and they all played an integral part in the story, they just didn't draw me in like the burglar did.
I liked the narrator for this one. Her voice was almost soothing to listen to. I don't want to say she used different voices for the characters, as that implies an almost puppet show feeling, but she did a good job a differentiating for the listener who was talking without being able to read who was talking.
This was the first Patterson book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I'll go back and start the series from the beginning, but I will definitely grab more of his books as they come out."
Review Date: 5/16/2010
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"This story was very interesting. I liked the way Grahame-Smith took real events and tweaked them, leaving them as historical fact just adding a different side to them. I think that was the most appealing part of this story. I liked thinking of these historical facts in a new way. I could almost imagine that was the truth.
The writing was a bit humorous at times, and given what was going on in the story the slight humor was able to lighten the mood of what would have been a very dark novel. I for one liked the humor.
The characters, both fictional and real, were well developed. While there are characters that we are already familiar with Grahame-Smith was able to add a new dimension to them that lent itself very well to the story. The fictional characters were also a great addition to the story, again tweaking history to make it so interesting.
While this one was a bit gory it wasn't so gory that it made it difficult to read (or listen to). There were a few scenes that did make me cringe.
My only complaint was the narrator was a bit dry in my opinion. I've never listened to an audio book before, so I don't know if all audio books are like this, or if I just happened upon a fluke. When I'm reading a book I have a whole cast of characters in my head and they each have a different voice and attitude, and that was kind of what I was expecting, to an extent. So this criticism may just well be due to my lack of comfort with an audio book.
Other than that I really liked this one. After I read Pride and Prejudice I plan on picking up Grahame-Smith's other novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."
The writing was a bit humorous at times, and given what was going on in the story the slight humor was able to lighten the mood of what would have been a very dark novel. I for one liked the humor.
The characters, both fictional and real, were well developed. While there are characters that we are already familiar with Grahame-Smith was able to add a new dimension to them that lent itself very well to the story. The fictional characters were also a great addition to the story, again tweaking history to make it so interesting.
While this one was a bit gory it wasn't so gory that it made it difficult to read (or listen to). There were a few scenes that did make me cringe.
My only complaint was the narrator was a bit dry in my opinion. I've never listened to an audio book before, so I don't know if all audio books are like this, or if I just happened upon a fluke. When I'm reading a book I have a whole cast of characters in my head and they each have a different voice and attitude, and that was kind of what I was expecting, to an extent. So this criticism may just well be due to my lack of comfort with an audio book.
Other than that I really liked this one. After I read Pride and Prejudice I plan on picking up Grahame-Smith's other novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."
Review Date: 5/31/2012
"I've not had the chance to read the first two books in the Hanover Falls series. And while I think that it would have given me a better understanding of the emotions that were associated with some of the parts of the story I don't feel like I had missed out from not reading them. The book was well written and it gave all the major background information so that I didn't feel lost in what was going on.
I liked the main character Susan. She was a bit naive though. I'm not sure if her naivety comes from the fact that she was so busy with her own life that she didn't have a chance to see what was going on around her or if she was just a naive person. Because she did seem to have things together. 18 months after the death of her husband she's running a homeless shelter by herself. And despite the town's objections to the shelter she seems to be doing at least an ok job with it. I know if I lost my husband it seems like it would take more strength than I have to be almost solely responsible for the lives of so many people. But I also think that her ability to throw herself into the homeless shelter comes from needing something to keep herself occupied so that she's not dwelling on the loss of her husband. As in the few times that she is alone with nothing going on her mind does seem to wander to her husband.
The story had quite a bit going on. There was a budding love story, some mystery, and tons of emotions. I didn't get a good sense of who most of the other characters really were, and I would have liked to have a bit more insight into Peter and even Susan's son Davie. But overall the story was good and it kept me hooked. I finished it in one day as I was just so drawn into everything that was going on."
I liked the main character Susan. She was a bit naive though. I'm not sure if her naivety comes from the fact that she was so busy with her own life that she didn't have a chance to see what was going on around her or if she was just a naive person. Because she did seem to have things together. 18 months after the death of her husband she's running a homeless shelter by herself. And despite the town's objections to the shelter she seems to be doing at least an ok job with it. I know if I lost my husband it seems like it would take more strength than I have to be almost solely responsible for the lives of so many people. But I also think that her ability to throw herself into the homeless shelter comes from needing something to keep herself occupied so that she's not dwelling on the loss of her husband. As in the few times that she is alone with nothing going on her mind does seem to wander to her husband.
The story had quite a bit going on. There was a budding love story, some mystery, and tons of emotions. I didn't get a good sense of who most of the other characters really were, and I would have liked to have a bit more insight into Peter and even Susan's son Davie. But overall the story was good and it kept me hooked. I finished it in one day as I was just so drawn into everything that was going on."
Review Date: 4/14/2010
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"I really liked this book. The title would suggest that it is about Alexandra, and it is to an extent. But the real story involves the other characters and what they go through while trying to find Alexandra. Really the character Alexandra is just a catalyst to pull all of the other characters together. Not to say that Alexandra isn't part of the plot, because the entire book revolves around finding her, but she's not part of the main stories.
This book reminded me a bit of a Maeve Binchy novel. Even before I read the author bio, and realized that McPartlin also lives in Ireland. I guess it's a similarity in Irish authors, but luckily Maeve Binchy is one of my favorite authors so being similar to one of her books is a good thing (at least in my opinion). The writing is similar and the dialect is the same. While this story doesn't have a Binchy style happy ending it is still very similar.
There was really only one character that I connected with, and that was Leslie. I too have lost family to cancer, and like Leslie am scared every time I go to the doctor that they will find something. Even though I didn't really have a personal connection with the rest of the characters I still liked every one of them. Jane is the levelheaded one. She keeps everyone else "in line" so to speak. Elle is the one that adds drama and excitement to the story. Tom is the one we all want to feel sympathetic for. The rest of the characters help the plot along, but I didn't really feel anything for them. They were just kind of there.
The writing was very good. It was humorous, touching, and romantic. Everything in the story was believable. I didn't feel as if any of the characters were fake, and the dialog was real. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming. And while I knew how the story would end I didn't expect it to take the path it took to get there.
Overall this was a great book. I liked the characters, the plot, and the writing. It's very readable, and I think I could read this again."
This book reminded me a bit of a Maeve Binchy novel. Even before I read the author bio, and realized that McPartlin also lives in Ireland. I guess it's a similarity in Irish authors, but luckily Maeve Binchy is one of my favorite authors so being similar to one of her books is a good thing (at least in my opinion). The writing is similar and the dialect is the same. While this story doesn't have a Binchy style happy ending it is still very similar.
There was really only one character that I connected with, and that was Leslie. I too have lost family to cancer, and like Leslie am scared every time I go to the doctor that they will find something. Even though I didn't really have a personal connection with the rest of the characters I still liked every one of them. Jane is the levelheaded one. She keeps everyone else "in line" so to speak. Elle is the one that adds drama and excitement to the story. Tom is the one we all want to feel sympathetic for. The rest of the characters help the plot along, but I didn't really feel anything for them. They were just kind of there.
The writing was very good. It was humorous, touching, and romantic. Everything in the story was believable. I didn't feel as if any of the characters were fake, and the dialog was real. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming. And while I knew how the story would end I didn't expect it to take the path it took to get there.
Overall this was a great book. I liked the characters, the plot, and the writing. It's very readable, and I think I could read this again."
Review Date: 11/9/2010
"A review copy of this book was provided for review by Glass Road PR.
This was a great book! The story was so touching. It's got so much love, and yet so much pain inter-weaved into the story of Billy Allman.
Right from the beginning of the story both the love and pain show through. We first met Billy as an adult, and he really doesn't come off as being anyone special. But as the story goes back to the early part of his life it starts to get pretty interesting. There were so many times in this one that I wanted to cry for Billy. He had such a difficult life. It seemed that just as things would get good something horrid would happen to him.
I really liked to double narrative in this one. It helped move the story along when there wasn't much going on. The angel in this story was a great addition. I liked being able to see a different side of what happened and how Billy ended up where he did.
When I started this one I knew it was a work of fiction. However, as I was reading I kept thinking that this would be even more inspiring if it were true. The way some of it was written it had a feeling of a true story. So I decided to look at the author's website and found that while it is fictional it is also loosely based on the story of a real person."
This was a great book! The story was so touching. It's got so much love, and yet so much pain inter-weaved into the story of Billy Allman.
Right from the beginning of the story both the love and pain show through. We first met Billy as an adult, and he really doesn't come off as being anyone special. But as the story goes back to the early part of his life it starts to get pretty interesting. There were so many times in this one that I wanted to cry for Billy. He had such a difficult life. It seemed that just as things would get good something horrid would happen to him.
I really liked to double narrative in this one. It helped move the story along when there wasn't much going on. The angel in this story was a great addition. I liked being able to see a different side of what happened and how Billy ended up where he did.
When I started this one I knew it was a work of fiction. However, as I was reading I kept thinking that this would be even more inspiring if it were true. The way some of it was written it had a feeling of a true story. So I decided to look at the author's website and found that while it is fictional it is also loosely based on the story of a real person."
Review Date: 3/28/2012
"I did like this book, but it took me forever to read. It was almost the end of the book before I got "hooked". The writing was good enough to keep me going, and the story itself was pretty good I just couldn't get into the groove with this one.
I can't even imagine being in Ellie's position. How she managed to keep going, given everything that she's been through was a feat in itself. Then to have to deal with her kid's hair brained plan... There would be two sorry kids if that was me. At the beginning of the book I was thinking, well they're just acting out, but by the end of the book all I could think was these kids need to be flogged!
But the love story between Ellie and Tucker was enough to keep me reading. There was one point when I was kind of scared for them. I wasn't really expecting there to be a sense of fear in the story. There were so many emotions worked into it. I think the mix of emotions was what really kept me reading."
I can't even imagine being in Ellie's position. How she managed to keep going, given everything that she's been through was a feat in itself. Then to have to deal with her kid's hair brained plan... There would be two sorry kids if that was me. At the beginning of the book I was thinking, well they're just acting out, but by the end of the book all I could think was these kids need to be flogged!
But the love story between Ellie and Tucker was enough to keep me reading. There was one point when I was kind of scared for them. I wasn't really expecting there to be a sense of fear in the story. There were so many emotions worked into it. I think the mix of emotions was what really kept me reading."
Review Date: 6/26/2012
"Angel Eyes was a fascinating story. The premise that angels live among us - and also demons - wasn't anything new but the way Dittemore "twisted" it made it not just another "good vs. evil" novel. It was captivating right from the beginning. As we're brought into the story we know that something tragic has happened, but it takes a but for Brielle to let us in on what's going on. As her story unveils itself we're also introduced to Jake who keeps showing up when Brielle least expects it. As the story gets more involved things really start to heat up and it becomes a fast-paced, intriguing, action packed story. What starts as a saddened girl going home to bury her anger and her guilt turns into a powerful heroine who helps fight in a battle against the evil forces at work.
This was such a fresh perspective on angels and their roles in our lives. I loved the whole premise. Although it did take a bit for me to figure out what everyone's roles were going to be it was worth the wait. I can't say enough how much I liked this idea of Angel's and how they can be a part of our world and still be a part of the celestial world.
The writing was amazing. When Brielle looks into the celestial realm what she sees was described so well that I could picture every bit of it. And it was amazing. I could feel the power that surges through Brielle when she is looking at our world in a whole different light. And when Jake's touch warms Brielle I got goose bumps because I swore I could feel it too. Even with all the seriousness and intensity of the story there was a lighter side. There were so many great humorous references to pop culture that really made me giggle. They were interspersed throughout the whole story and really added to the book. It was lightening an otherwise very intense book.
This is the first book of a trilogy and I can not wait for the other two books. I think this is one that I will be able to read over and over again."
This was such a fresh perspective on angels and their roles in our lives. I loved the whole premise. Although it did take a bit for me to figure out what everyone's roles were going to be it was worth the wait. I can't say enough how much I liked this idea of Angel's and how they can be a part of our world and still be a part of the celestial world.
The writing was amazing. When Brielle looks into the celestial realm what she sees was described so well that I could picture every bit of it. And it was amazing. I could feel the power that surges through Brielle when she is looking at our world in a whole different light. And when Jake's touch warms Brielle I got goose bumps because I swore I could feel it too. Even with all the seriousness and intensity of the story there was a lighter side. There were so many great humorous references to pop culture that really made me giggle. They were interspersed throughout the whole story and really added to the book. It was lightening an otherwise very intense book.
This is the first book of a trilogy and I can not wait for the other two books. I think this is one that I will be able to read over and over again."
Review Date: 7/6/2010
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
"I liked this one a lot. It had so much suspense in it. The build up to find out Olivia's secret was so great. In the mean time we're introduced to quite a few characters who all seem to have some kind of secret of their own. This one really had me guessing all the way through it. Jack's memory loss makes finding out the secrets so much better.
I have to say that this one had a lot of anticipation build up. But I think the ending was well worth the anticipation. The pay off is well worth it.
The writing was great, the main characters were well developed. The secondary characters weren't as developed but they still had their own stories and they felt like they were real people. I think my favorite character was Lady Bea, even though she doesn't play a huge role she was very interesting, to say the least. Lady Kate was also a great character. She could have come off as being a brat, but I ended up really liking her. Although it did take me a while to warm to her. Then there's Olivia and Jack. There was so much suspense there. So many questions as to what happened in their lives that have led them to where they are now.
This one really did have everything; romance, suspense, thrill, anticipation, and a great climax. It seems some of the books I've read lately have been so anti-climatic that this one really sticks out too me."
I have to say that this one had a lot of anticipation build up. But I think the ending was well worth the anticipation. The pay off is well worth it.
The writing was great, the main characters were well developed. The secondary characters weren't as developed but they still had their own stories and they felt like they were real people. I think my favorite character was Lady Bea, even though she doesn't play a huge role she was very interesting, to say the least. Lady Kate was also a great character. She could have come off as being a brat, but I ended up really liking her. Although it did take me a while to warm to her. Then there's Olivia and Jack. There was so much suspense there. So many questions as to what happened in their lives that have led them to where they are now.
This one really did have everything; romance, suspense, thrill, anticipation, and a great climax. It seems some of the books I've read lately have been so anti-climatic that this one really sticks out too me."
Review Date: 4/20/2012
"I loved this book, and not just because I'm a knitter. Although that probably helped a little :-)
The knitting group that Jo starts meeting up with was awesome. I felt the camaraderie between the women, even though they were all so different. Much like the knitting group that I used to meet with every week. These women were there for each other no matter what, and were always willing to lend an ear and a hand. They added a bit of drama and quite a bit of comic relief to the story.
I also liked Jo, she was a strong women, and yet she had her weak points. I love characters like this, that are slightly "flawed". Since I know I'm no where near perfect it really helps me relate to them. What I liked most about this story is that despite everything Jo goes through she never gives up, even when she really wants to. She faces some tough situations and yet she keeps herself together for her children.
The small town that Jo moves her family to was also a good part of the story. I've never lived in a small town like this but the book describes this town exactly as I would picture a small town. The nosy neighbor, the really friendly neighbor, and the neighbors who are just good neighbors. Some of the neighbors even added a bit of comedy to the story.
This was just a very well written book and I loved it."
The knitting group that Jo starts meeting up with was awesome. I felt the camaraderie between the women, even though they were all so different. Much like the knitting group that I used to meet with every week. These women were there for each other no matter what, and were always willing to lend an ear and a hand. They added a bit of drama and quite a bit of comic relief to the story.
I also liked Jo, she was a strong women, and yet she had her weak points. I love characters like this, that are slightly "flawed". Since I know I'm no where near perfect it really helps me relate to them. What I liked most about this story is that despite everything Jo goes through she never gives up, even when she really wants to. She faces some tough situations and yet she keeps herself together for her children.
The small town that Jo moves her family to was also a good part of the story. I've never lived in a small town like this but the book describes this town exactly as I would picture a small town. The nosy neighbor, the really friendly neighbor, and the neighbors who are just good neighbors. Some of the neighbors even added a bit of comedy to the story.
This was just a very well written book and I loved it."
Review Date: 1/4/2010
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"I really connected with this story. Having just passed 10 years out of high school I find myself thinking about people I haven't seen in years and what they are doing now. So reading a story about two friends who had lost touch and have been reconnected was something that really resonated with me.
I connected with Addie, the main character. Even though she has made some changes to her life since high school, she is still pretty much the same person she was. She's shy and she lives her life without trying to cause too many ripples. Given the circumstances that surrounded her path to where she is in life at this point, I think that I would have made some of the very same decisions. I didn't like Valerie at the beginning of the story, but as the story progressed she kind of grew on me, as I've known people in similar positions and I almost felt sympathy for her. Even though the story is told from Addie's perspective Valerie is very much the catalyst that keeps the story going.
The writing was pretty good. The story jumps between the past and the present and also jumps between a few different locations. While this jumping can sometimes lead to a very disconnected story it was very well executed in this book. The flashbacks help to explain the time gaps between high school and the present. They also help build the story behind Val and Addie. The characters were very believable. The plot was a bit on the crazy side, but after I got to know Valerie I started to think that she's the kind of person that really could get herself into something like this.
This one really played with my emotions, as I really wanted to dislike Val but ended up feeling kind of sorry for her. Plus as we learn about Addie I really could let myself become her as I was reading. I even pictured her to be almost like me. The other characters were kind of two-dimensional, but because their importance to the story was limited I think they didn't need to be well-rounded.
I really liked this one."
I connected with Addie, the main character. Even though she has made some changes to her life since high school, she is still pretty much the same person she was. She's shy and she lives her life without trying to cause too many ripples. Given the circumstances that surrounded her path to where she is in life at this point, I think that I would have made some of the very same decisions. I didn't like Valerie at the beginning of the story, but as the story progressed she kind of grew on me, as I've known people in similar positions and I almost felt sympathy for her. Even though the story is told from Addie's perspective Valerie is very much the catalyst that keeps the story going.
The writing was pretty good. The story jumps between the past and the present and also jumps between a few different locations. While this jumping can sometimes lead to a very disconnected story it was very well executed in this book. The flashbacks help to explain the time gaps between high school and the present. They also help build the story behind Val and Addie. The characters were very believable. The plot was a bit on the crazy side, but after I got to know Valerie I started to think that she's the kind of person that really could get herself into something like this.
This one really played with my emotions, as I really wanted to dislike Val but ended up feeling kind of sorry for her. Plus as we learn about Addie I really could let myself become her as I was reading. I even pictured her to be almost like me. The other characters were kind of two-dimensional, but because their importance to the story was limited I think they didn't need to be well-rounded.
I really liked this one."
Review Date: 6/19/2009
"This story is not only about the friendship of a young white girl and young black girl growing up in the south in 1959, but it's about family (not just by blood) and deals with the injustice that is racism. As Penny realizes that the friendship with her best friend Timbre Ann may be ending she also has to deal with the issues of her family, which her parents had tried to always hide from her in the past. She also has to come to some harsh social realizations.
This book was so touching. I felt everything Penny was going through. While I'm not naive enough to believe that racism doesn't exist anymore, I'm glad our country has made the progress that it has. I can't even begin to imagine what living in the south as an African American must have been like when this book took place. I think that Bethany Hegedus did a great job with this story, keeping it accurate from a 12-year-old's point of view. This story is touching, heartfelt, compassionate and emotional."
This book was so touching. I felt everything Penny was going through. While I'm not naive enough to believe that racism doesn't exist anymore, I'm glad our country has made the progress that it has. I can't even begin to imagine what living in the south as an African American must have been like when this book took place. I think that Bethany Hegedus did a great job with this story, keeping it accurate from a 12-year-old's point of view. This story is touching, heartfelt, compassionate and emotional."
Review Date: 7/9/2012
"I have a very "sketchy" background with religion. So my understanding of the Bible is virtually non-existent. But I'm getting to a point in my life where I'm ready to start understanding and building a relationship with God through the Bible. I'm not going to go into any of the details about my background, but I do feel I should let you know that about a week before I received the invitation to do this book tour I had started looking for a Bible and was ready to start reading it. So this book couldn't have come into my life at a better time. My review is going to focus on this book, but I do want to mention that the schedule to read the Bible within a year given in the back has been a great guidance for me. It's put together in such a way that makes it not so overwhelming to read the Bible. I've been following it for a few weeks now and I have to say I really like the way it breaks things up. If I got nothing else out of this book, I got that.
Brian Hardin has put together the Daily Audio Bible in which he follows the schedule from the book and reads the Bible through a podcast. This book focuses on how he started the Daily Audio Bible and how his life (and others) has changed from having the Bible as part of their lives everyday.
He uses a little humor, a little emotion, and a lot of experience to explain how reading the Bible everyday can make a difference in our lives. It's not a book that just says "go read the Bible because I said so". It's more along the lines of "when you're ready to make a commitment to the Bible here's a good way to do it. And if you don't think you're ready for that commitment here's reasons why you might decide to change your mind." It wasn't pushy, it was just him telling his story and sharing his experiences with the Bible in his life.
I think my favorite parts are where he shares a message from one of the people who belong to the Daily Audio Bible community. They all give a different reason for starting to read the Bible, and yet the results are all the same, they've changed on a spiritual level. It's very inspiring to say the least.
I really liked his presentation and I am glad that I was able to read this one. It's given me a focus and direction on something I was ready to do anyway. Hardin is able to share his experience in ways that make sense to me. He has the ability to get on paper what is going on in his head without it being confusing. Being a reviewer I know how hard it can be to get the words you want to materialize, and so I respect that ability.
Overall a really good book that left me chomping at the bit to get to my Bible each time I picked it up."
Brian Hardin has put together the Daily Audio Bible in which he follows the schedule from the book and reads the Bible through a podcast. This book focuses on how he started the Daily Audio Bible and how his life (and others) has changed from having the Bible as part of their lives everyday.
He uses a little humor, a little emotion, and a lot of experience to explain how reading the Bible everyday can make a difference in our lives. It's not a book that just says "go read the Bible because I said so". It's more along the lines of "when you're ready to make a commitment to the Bible here's a good way to do it. And if you don't think you're ready for that commitment here's reasons why you might decide to change your mind." It wasn't pushy, it was just him telling his story and sharing his experiences with the Bible in his life.
I think my favorite parts are where he shares a message from one of the people who belong to the Daily Audio Bible community. They all give a different reason for starting to read the Bible, and yet the results are all the same, they've changed on a spiritual level. It's very inspiring to say the least.
I really liked his presentation and I am glad that I was able to read this one. It's given me a focus and direction on something I was ready to do anyway. Hardin is able to share his experience in ways that make sense to me. He has the ability to get on paper what is going on in his head without it being confusing. Being a reviewer I know how hard it can be to get the words you want to materialize, and so I respect that ability.
Overall a really good book that left me chomping at the bit to get to my Bible each time I picked it up."
Review Date: 12/18/2010
"Since I love animals I was again destined to fall in love with this story. And since one of my dogs just happens to be an Aussie I was even more attached to Mia's story.
Not a whole lot of information was given about Mia's background, other than she was malnourished and was living under a rusted out car. But the story doesn't really need her background info as she creates such a great story without it.
Mia could easily have been put to sleep, and even though Laurie's intentions in saving Mia might not have been honorable at first Mia soon changed her heart. I've always been a firm believer that dogs are smarter than we give them credit for and if we just "listen" to what they have to tell us that we will be amazed. Laurie and Mia's story just strengthens that belief.
Mia, who despite all her problems, was just a dog who loved her owner and was happy to be alive. Many times throughout the book it is mentioned how she is so content with her life the way it is, and that her faith that her master will do no wrong by her is enough to keep her content. Laurie, who had struggled with her faith in God learns from Mia how to truly have faith and live in the light of God.
So while this is a story about a dog it is also a story about faith and finding your path to God. It is really inspirational. I cried many many times reading this one. I think the struggles that Laurie went through are not uncommon to struggles that many of us have gone through at one point in our lives. Her connection with Mia helps her to see how her relationship with God is not unlike Mia's relationship with her.
Seeing Laurie change was inspiring, and seeing how Mia is able to persevere through her obstacles is even more inspiring to me. And while I've said it before it is worth saying again: even though I know not all abused/abandoned animals can be saved it is so refreshing to read about one with a happy ending.
A review copy of this title was provided by Blogging For Books."
Not a whole lot of information was given about Mia's background, other than she was malnourished and was living under a rusted out car. But the story doesn't really need her background info as she creates such a great story without it.
Mia could easily have been put to sleep, and even though Laurie's intentions in saving Mia might not have been honorable at first Mia soon changed her heart. I've always been a firm believer that dogs are smarter than we give them credit for and if we just "listen" to what they have to tell us that we will be amazed. Laurie and Mia's story just strengthens that belief.
Mia, who despite all her problems, was just a dog who loved her owner and was happy to be alive. Many times throughout the book it is mentioned how she is so content with her life the way it is, and that her faith that her master will do no wrong by her is enough to keep her content. Laurie, who had struggled with her faith in God learns from Mia how to truly have faith and live in the light of God.
So while this is a story about a dog it is also a story about faith and finding your path to God. It is really inspirational. I cried many many times reading this one. I think the struggles that Laurie went through are not uncommon to struggles that many of us have gone through at one point in our lives. Her connection with Mia helps her to see how her relationship with God is not unlike Mia's relationship with her.
Seeing Laurie change was inspiring, and seeing how Mia is able to persevere through her obstacles is even more inspiring to me. And while I've said it before it is worth saying again: even though I know not all abused/abandoned animals can be saved it is so refreshing to read about one with a happy ending.
A review copy of this title was provided by Blogging For Books."
Review Date: 9/8/2009
"I'm not a parent, and I've never read Tricia Goyer before, so I wasn't sure I was going to like this one. But I ended up really liking it.
The book jumps a bit, she'll make her point and then jump to a story that relates to what she's trying to say. I think it takes a very skilled writer to jump around like that, and to not loose the reader, and Tricia does it perfectly. The "jumps" are used as background and they were almost all quite humorous.
I liked her writing style, she doesn't use much description at all and somehow you can see her stories come to life. She writes in a relatable way, even if we've never been in these situations we can imagine what it would be like to be there.
In addition to being a book about parenting, it is also a book about letting God into your life and being able to make time for him and his plan for you. While just about all her stories relate to her church, her relationship with God, or her families ministry work this book was not preachy or pushy. Tricia tells about her struggles in her relationship with God, and how she deals with them.
I think this was a very well written book and I'm glad I got to read it. I really liked the humor and the way she tells a story. I already recommended this one to my little sister (who doesn't have children either) simply because it was a good book. And if you are a parent struggling with raising kids, maintaining your relationship with God, and all the other responsibilities you have I would recommend this one for you. Well, really I'd recommend this one even if none of the above apply to you. The wit and humor is enough to make this enjoyable even if her message doesn't necessarily apply to you."
The book jumps a bit, she'll make her point and then jump to a story that relates to what she's trying to say. I think it takes a very skilled writer to jump around like that, and to not loose the reader, and Tricia does it perfectly. The "jumps" are used as background and they were almost all quite humorous.
I liked her writing style, she doesn't use much description at all and somehow you can see her stories come to life. She writes in a relatable way, even if we've never been in these situations we can imagine what it would be like to be there.
In addition to being a book about parenting, it is also a book about letting God into your life and being able to make time for him and his plan for you. While just about all her stories relate to her church, her relationship with God, or her families ministry work this book was not preachy or pushy. Tricia tells about her struggles in her relationship with God, and how she deals with them.
I think this was a very well written book and I'm glad I got to read it. I really liked the humor and the way she tells a story. I already recommended this one to my little sister (who doesn't have children either) simply because it was a good book. And if you are a parent struggling with raising kids, maintaining your relationship with God, and all the other responsibilities you have I would recommend this one for you. Well, really I'd recommend this one even if none of the above apply to you. The wit and humor is enough to make this enjoyable even if her message doesn't necessarily apply to you."
Review Date: 12/14/2008
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Other than the Anne Rice Vampire chronicles I have never really gotten into supernatural fiction, and I don't think I've ever read a romance novel. So I didn't have high expectations for this book, but I was very surprised at how much I liked the book.
Mrs. Handeland really has something with this book. I was instantly captivated by the action that takes place at the beginning of the book. The main character, Jessie, was very relatable. I could see myself in her shoes and her thoughts and dialogue was something I could hear coming out of my mouth.
As the story progresses you begin to share the doubt that Jessie has and as new bits of the story come together I found myself trying to figure out who was the Wolf God.
Overall I think this was very well written and I will defiantly be getting the next book in the series. The only reason that I didn't give it a 5-star rating is that I don't see this book as being something that I would re-read. But I did like it and found myself for a few nights reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open, simply because I didn't want to put this one down."
Mrs. Handeland really has something with this book. I was instantly captivated by the action that takes place at the beginning of the book. The main character, Jessie, was very relatable. I could see myself in her shoes and her thoughts and dialogue was something I could hear coming out of my mouth.
As the story progresses you begin to share the doubt that Jessie has and as new bits of the story come together I found myself trying to figure out who was the Wolf God.
Overall I think this was very well written and I will defiantly be getting the next book in the series. The only reason that I didn't give it a 5-star rating is that I don't see this book as being something that I would re-read. But I did like it and found myself for a few nights reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open, simply because I didn't want to put this one down."
Review Date: 5/16/2009
"Boots and Pieces is a childrens book about two kids, Arlie and Ty, who are learning more about the recent disappearances of kids in their town than they wished they knew. What's worse is no one believes them. As the prom on Lake Heather gets closer it becomes evident that the disappearances are caused by something not human. In order to try and be school heros Ty and Arlie, and Mr. Boots the chihuahua, try to save prom, and all their fellow school-mates.
This book was very well written. I'm not a big fan of kids books anymore I have to say that I did like this one. It had a good plot, and the character development was better than many adult novels I've read. The story is action packed and leaves you guessing till the very end. It's part of a series so there wasn't much in the way of resolution. I probably won't be picking up the rest of these, but if you're looking for something for your children to read I'd say this is a good one to go with. I did have one issue though, towards the end of the book the word pissed is in there. For a kids book I didn't think it was appropriate, but I guess depending on the age of the kid reading it, it's not that bad of a word."
This book was very well written. I'm not a big fan of kids books anymore I have to say that I did like this one. It had a good plot, and the character development was better than many adult novels I've read. The story is action packed and leaves you guessing till the very end. It's part of a series so there wasn't much in the way of resolution. I probably won't be picking up the rest of these, but if you're looking for something for your children to read I'd say this is a good one to go with. I did have one issue though, towards the end of the book the word pissed is in there. For a kids book I didn't think it was appropriate, but I guess depending on the age of the kid reading it, it's not that bad of a word."
Review Date: 11/24/2010
"This book was beautiful. Which sounds like a weird way to describe a book, especially one with a few murders in the plot... But beautiful is such a great word for it.
The characters were all great. I loved Tommy and Diane. Cal was another great character. The story follows Tommy through his life growing up in England, moving to Hollywood, and eventually "settling down" in Montana. The whole way through I was so captivated by what he was going through. The opening scene with Tommy and his mother is so captivating that I couldn't help but care what happens to Tommy through the rest of the story.
The writing was beautiful in this story. Since it was an audiobook that I read I can imagine some of the imagery was as much from the writing as it was from the narrator's voice. But either way I could see everything that was going on. The descriptions weren't long and drawn out, but everything I saw in my head was on a large scale. I didn't just see where the action was happening, if they were in a room I saw the whole room, if they were outside I could see the whole scaling landscape around the area. I think the writing and the narration were such a perfect fit for each other that this book really was able to take on a life of it's own for me.
The story itself was great also. The story jumps around in Tommy's life. Each part of the story answers one question and then raises another. Even when the story jumps forward it somehow is able to answer the questions from the past... The story wasn't always fast-paced, but it wasn't boring either. Everything about this story just hit that perfect balance.
The narrator for this one was amazing. I don't like to see who narrates before I start and audiobook because then as I'm listening to the book all the characters take on the narrator (especially if it is someone famous). While I was listening I kept thinking to myself this voice is so familiar, and when I finished and looked to see who it was I realized why I liked the narration so much. Michael Emerson has such a great voice. I loved Lost, and even though I didn't so much like Ben I do like the guy who plays Ben. He was able to give each of the characters their own voice, without making them sound fake or "put on". I loved the narration as much as I loved the story.
A review copy of this title was provided by Hachette Book Group."
The characters were all great. I loved Tommy and Diane. Cal was another great character. The story follows Tommy through his life growing up in England, moving to Hollywood, and eventually "settling down" in Montana. The whole way through I was so captivated by what he was going through. The opening scene with Tommy and his mother is so captivating that I couldn't help but care what happens to Tommy through the rest of the story.
The writing was beautiful in this story. Since it was an audiobook that I read I can imagine some of the imagery was as much from the writing as it was from the narrator's voice. But either way I could see everything that was going on. The descriptions weren't long and drawn out, but everything I saw in my head was on a large scale. I didn't just see where the action was happening, if they were in a room I saw the whole room, if they were outside I could see the whole scaling landscape around the area. I think the writing and the narration were such a perfect fit for each other that this book really was able to take on a life of it's own for me.
The story itself was great also. The story jumps around in Tommy's life. Each part of the story answers one question and then raises another. Even when the story jumps forward it somehow is able to answer the questions from the past... The story wasn't always fast-paced, but it wasn't boring either. Everything about this story just hit that perfect balance.
The narrator for this one was amazing. I don't like to see who narrates before I start and audiobook because then as I'm listening to the book all the characters take on the narrator (especially if it is someone famous). While I was listening I kept thinking to myself this voice is so familiar, and when I finished and looked to see who it was I realized why I liked the narration so much. Michael Emerson has such a great voice. I loved Lost, and even though I didn't so much like Ben I do like the guy who plays Ben. He was able to give each of the characters their own voice, without making them sound fake or "put on". I loved the narration as much as I loved the story.
A review copy of this title was provided by Hachette Book Group."
Review Date: 4/9/2011
"This was another odd one, and I really don't know what to say about it. It was pretty good, but at times it made no sense whatsoever.
Lenore seemed to be a bit dense at times. She just didn't seem to grasp what was going on most of the time. Her boyfriend Rick was teetering on crazy! Her therapist was nuts himself. Her brother and Wang Dang Lang were the most down-to-earth people in the story. And with one being a genius and the other with the name Wang Dang Lang... how down-to-earth can they really be?
I don't know if my lack of connection with this one was because it was an audiobook or if it was because it was just a little to out there for me. I understood the basic theme to the book, but even with the "broom" sweeping the system the story was just plain odd. The characters were really not believable, and the short stories interlaced throughout were distracting. They did serve a purpose in giving insight into how Rick was thinking/feeling, but I think it could have been done much more effectively.
The narrator was ok in this one. A few of the voices he did were off as to how I had them in my head, but he wasn't monotonous to listen to and he did use voices to help differentiate who was talking.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. This is not a paid review and is a truthful and honest review."
Lenore seemed to be a bit dense at times. She just didn't seem to grasp what was going on most of the time. Her boyfriend Rick was teetering on crazy! Her therapist was nuts himself. Her brother and Wang Dang Lang were the most down-to-earth people in the story. And with one being a genius and the other with the name Wang Dang Lang... how down-to-earth can they really be?
I don't know if my lack of connection with this one was because it was an audiobook or if it was because it was just a little to out there for me. I understood the basic theme to the book, but even with the "broom" sweeping the system the story was just plain odd. The characters were really not believable, and the short stories interlaced throughout were distracting. They did serve a purpose in giving insight into how Rick was thinking/feeling, but I think it could have been done much more effectively.
The narrator was ok in this one. A few of the voices he did were off as to how I had them in my head, but he wasn't monotonous to listen to and he did use voices to help differentiate who was talking.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. This is not a paid review and is a truthful and honest review."
1 to 20 of 218 -
Page: