Marjorie

This book would be great for people going into college just as much as coming out of college. You can read this to feel better about yourself and what path you are thinking to go down. It may help quiet the negative outside voices. (Parents, relatives, friends, strangers.) Help you stick to your passion, and beliefs. If you are looking for getting a job advice this is not the book.

Her Fierce Warrior by Paige Tyler is the fourth book in the X-OPS Series. It is a paranormal suspense romance if the cover didn't give some of the genre away. Kidnapped and experimented on, Minka escapes the laboratory cage from scientist's who torture. On the run she is found by Special Forces soldier, Angelo. Can she trust Angelo, the only thing that can calm the beast inside, when she's not even sure she can control herself around him. Angelo recognizes a hybrid when he sees Minka and to help get her to safety he calls his former team leader, Landon. But Minka and the beast inside are only calm when Angelo is near so Angelo's protective instincts kick in and sticks with Minka, falling for the other each moment together.

I haven't read any other books in this series and wasn't confused when placed in this world. The world building was strong. The dialogue and characters were developed. The storyline was fun, and interesting with shady government cover ups, evil corporate dicks, as well as friends that help strengthen Minka's control.

What I like the most about this book was the growth Minka's character had through the story. She really gained a believable amount of confidence and strength.It had nice action sequences especially at the end. I like the therapy sessions featuring other shifters (I'm sure from other books) and the small glimpses into their lives.

I would recommend this book to people who like this genre. Can't wait to read more of the people and shifters in this world. Another ARC from my job and it in no way sways my review.

“Someday My Prince Will Come” is a true-life story about a girl who has the courage to purse her childhood dreams.
Jerramy Fine grew up wanting to be a princess. Born in Colorado to hippie parents that named her a boy's name, she takes the reader through her hippie, farm town childhood. She feeds chickens and never really fits in at school for her royal ways. At the age of six she picks her husband, Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips. She even writes letters to Peters in care of Buckingham Palace.
Fine grows up planning her life around going to England and fitting in among royalty. While most girls grow out of Disney fairy tales (her parents never allowed her to watch) she holds on to her dreams. She travels to London for grad-school, meets Princess Anne, and Earl Spencer. She spends a holiday in India has struggles with flat-mates, expenses of London, and dating.
Fine's insensitivity to her parents and small town did become a little tiresome half way through the book. At times she sounded a little naïve in romance and men but she kept the story flowing with her humorist voice and dramatic adventures.
Jerramy Fine's memoir is a very light and funny read. I found it refreshing to read a memoir that wasn't all doom and gloom. She is witty and entertaining. I found myself laughing out loud many times. I admire Fine for her determination and endurance setting out and staying true to her goals.

I learned quite a bit about the money side of publishing. Also, loved most of the essays ranging from motivation, diversity, and making a living. I loved most of the interviews and most of the essays left me wanting to read that author's work. A few interviews and essays fell short for me but over all a solid collection.

I loved the movie Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. When I learned the movie was based on the true accounts of Sonora Carver I had to read it. It seems the only thing the movie had right was she rode diving horses, she went blind, and she continued after. If you loved the movie I would recommend reading the book. I loved the details you learn about the horses as well.

A crash course for new travelers to Italy. Learn culture and very basic language to help travel with confidence through a foreign country.
“Italian Survival Guide: The Language and Culture You Need to Travel with Confidence in Italy” is Elizabeth Bingham, Ph.D. second published book, the first book being “German Survival Guide.” Bingham's “Italian Survival Guild” intentions are to help the reader learn the basics of travel, language, and culture in a little amount of time.


This is not a travel guide for landmarks to see or restaurants to eat at. This is a travel guide for language and culture. Bingham's book is in seven sections each one on an important topic of traveling. The topics are sorted well and in a useful order. Bingham separates the proper vocabulary in the accurate sections.
The vocabulary is bare basics and all of it essentials. Bingham doesn't riddle the book with “the dog is on the chair” examples. The terminology is what a person would use when traveling. If you are fluent in Italian, you may find this book ineffective. This book doesn't come with a CD and I don't think it needs one. Every term comes with the meaning and the phonetics so there is no question on how a word should be pronounce.
The end of every lesson, chapter, and the book is a review test to help keep what was just read in the head. Short on time Bingham says you can skip the quizzes but I feel you can't really learn and retain the words without proper time on the subject.
It doesn't look like this book would be hard to use in Italy either. On the front and back covers is a survival summary of all the vocabulary, meaning, and phonetics all neatly characterize in labeled columns. Located in the back of the book it also a small Italian-English and English-Italian dictionary.
I did skim over some of the sections when I felt they didn't apply to me and I didn't feel I really missed anything. If there is anything she had mention in an early section Bingham feels you should review she does tell the reader where to refer back.
The Italian culture was also separated into each section under the appropriate terms. Bingham has made the culture sections easy to read throughout the book and made the tips very practical. She talks about the differences that may be experienced between American and Italian culture. She teaches woman not to be shocked at hollering men, differences in coffee, and money. She gives safety tips to help the traveler stay aware of crime. Sometimes I wish she would have elaborated on certain subjects. For me the currency only made me more confused and worried about what I may face in Italy or what attire is suitable for travel since I cannot change what is in my closet. Also I didn't feel confident on the directions given on church attire.
Bingham's book set out to give confidence to a new traveler with limited time to learn language and culture of a foreign country. I think you do need at least a month's time of everyday study to be confident in a foreign language completely. I do feel see taught a different culture with understanding and ease. I do feel a little bit better traveling to Italy with some of the knowledge and words I have grasp from this book.

(Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation About Mental Health edited by Kelly Jensen is a collection of essays, poems, and art on how bestselling authors, actors, and artist have coped and thrived with mental illness. This is a very important anthology. It covers mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, trichotillomania, eating disorders, bipolar issues, PTSD, and many more.
This isn't about the science or trying to find a cure. This is more about experiences. Everyone writes about their struggle with their illness. Some of it is how their illness has affected their lives, from misdiagnosis to popular stigmas. There are discussions about defining words, the language used by others, not letting words define you as a person, and how you are not your mental illness. Also, how people found help, and how they still work with their health today. There are authors that recommend other titles, fiction or non-fiction if the reader would like to continue their education and learn more. And even some helpful meditations.
This was a tough review to write and I don't know if I have given it the proper write up it deserves. I highlighted many phrases or descriptions that clicked. Some of the most relatable works in this anthology for me were, The Train of Overthinking by Gemma Correll; this cartoon, for me, perfectly represents getting stuck in the loop of negative thoughts and Black Hole by Victoria V. E. Schwab which just made me feel less alone about getting stuck inside my head.
I wish I had something like this when I was a teen. Some books and movies put a Hollywood spin on some illness or just completely got it wrong. This anthology allows realistic representation and helps suffer feel less alone. You don't have a mental illness but maybe you know someone who has or is currently going through some stuff and all I can ask is read this. It can help you have a better understanding, a little more compassion, and start conversations.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. (Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation About Mental Health edited by Kelly Jensen will be published by Algonquin Young Readers on October 2nd, 2018.

This is a fifth book in a series but the author did a good job of not confusing the reader introducing characters from past books. I haven't read any other book in “The Others” series and I felt this could be a stand-alone story. Liked the main character, Luc, and the main female lead, Corinne. The book was a fast, easy read. What bothered me was the romance was a big focus through most of the story and the investigative tale took a back seat a lot of the time. The inquiry and search didn't seem very urgent.

3.5 stars. Enjoyable. Great book to satisfy my sweet tooth. The narrative voice was strong but the abundance of clichés left me rolling my eyes often. The dry humor was well written but sometimes it was too much. And the repetition was not helpful but felt it was there to fill word count. I think the book suffered from first in the series syndrome. Still a good, easy, fun read.

I'm thinking more of a 3.5 kind of rating. Angel, a high school drop out, addictive to pills, and lives with her drunk father, wakes up in the hospital thinking she has been in a serious accident but the medical staff tells her she was brought in from an apparent overdose. Fussy memories things only get stranger when she is released with a note and “bottled shakes”. Set up with a job she now must drive around dead bodies and assisting in autopsies. Things that use to disgust Angel out, like the site of blood, don't anymore. In fact they make her mouth water. So as Angel tries to come to terms with her undead life while still dealing with her dead beat dad and friends and an increased number of decapitated bodies keep turning up.
I liked Angel's voice. She was funny in a WTF is going on but hey still going to ride this rollercoaster sort of way. At times the corny was a bit too much, and I was a little shocked about how well she dealt with certain situation but it wasn't enough to pull me out of the story. Angel's interaction with other characters came across as authentic relationships. The author has a way of taking a gory topic and making it humorous and amusing.
The idea and concept of the book was great but somewhere the story line or pacing seemed to slow down that made the book drag. The ending was great. Made up for the sluggish parts and rapped up the mystery unfolding in the book.

Michelle Moran's historical fiction Madame Tussaud provides an interesting and informative look at the French Revolution time period. The story has a good pace. Moran's writing style is engaging. I enjoyed Marie's story. This is a talented, headstrong woman living in a difficult time. Marie straddles two worlds, the nobility and the National Assembly. I like that the focus wasn't from the royals POV.
Moran does a very good job of telling the frightening and gruesome history. The history seems very accurate, which I LOVE! So many historical fictions take to many liberties that are just distracting. I love Moran gives small summaries after the end of the story for many of the character's lives and a historical note of what was changed, left out, or added and why?

Loved the world of weather controlling instead of the vampire/werewolf/zombie overdose that seems to be attaching the book shelves. The book was well written. The flashbacks were smooth and not confusing but after the twelfth flashback I just wish the story would be told all ready. I felt it slowed down the story's progress. Liked the main character female was confident but I couldn't get connected to her. Something about her was real enough for me.