Monday, September 19, 2011

Night Night Blessings

Night Night Blessings is a cute children’s book written by Amy Parker and illustrated by Marijan Ramljak. The book looks at all of the things God has given children for them to be happy about. Pets, toys, family, food, and starts are all mentioned in the book as things to thank God for.

I thought this book was really cute, and I look forward to sharing it with a friend who is soon to be a new mother. The hard cover and hard pages is perfect for a young child, as sometimes I am afraid to give books with paper pages to children since they tend to be harder on books.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Monday, September 12, 2011

Thunder Dog

With the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I was eager to read “Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, & the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero” by Michael Hingson and Suzy Flory. The book tells the account of Michael Hingson, who was on the 78th floor when the World Trade Center was attacked. The book looks at the reasons behind Michael’s blindness, along with being raised with a seeing family.

As an animal lover, I found myself particularly interested in this book. I liked seeing how the dog, Roselle, was committed to saving the life of Michael Hingson, and I liked learning about Michael’s story and his determination to navigate over 1,000 stairs to escape the burning building. I read this book in the span of a few days, and I found myself unable to put the book down. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to sharing it with family members to enjoy.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Monday, July 4, 2011

The Quotable Rogue

The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin In Her Own Words was edited by Matt Lewis, and the book is just what the title states: quotes and topics discussed by Sarah Palin. The book looks at quotes by Sarah Palin from interviews, newspaper, and other places. The topics were varied and included Abortion, Living in Alaska, Barak Obama, Civil Rights, Gun Control, Health Care, John McCain, the Media, the GOP, Running for Office, the Tea Party, Tina Fey, and Washington.

I liked reading this book and getting the opportunity to review some of the topics which are of interest in America today. I enjoyed this book because I liked the format that I could look at a particular issue and see what her thoughts were on the topic. Although this might not be a book someone would want to read in one sitting, it is an interesting read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me

Since most things related to topics like the CIA interest me, I was extremely excited to have the chance to read Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me written by Ian Cron. Ian talks about his childhood, and how growing up with an alcoholic, often absent, father affected his life. Throughout the book, Ian told different stories which focused on his childhood, teenage years, and finding his wife.

I liked the honesty Ian wrote with. He didn’t seem to sugarcoat some of the things he did in his life, such as the troubles he had with alcohol, drug use, and overall rebellion in his life. I also liked how he was able to break free from his past mistakes, and he ended up being a caring father. The book had humor throughout the book, and I was able to read this book in the span of a few days. I would recommend this book to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Nick of Time

I was excited to read Nick of Time: A Bug Man Novel, by Tim Downs, and I liked the overall idea of the book, but I have some complaints about the main character, Nick Polchak. Throughout the book, Nick is attempting to solve a mysterious murder before his wedding, which is only a few days away. What follows is a mystery that Nick becomes so wrapped up in, he nearly forgets about him wedding. There were some twists and turns that led to the final conclusion, and I can honestly say I did not forsee what would be the conclusion to the book.

Although I liked the idea behind the book, I did not like the character of Nick AT ALL! He seemed to be very condescending and rude to others. It’s one thing to become completely absorbed with solving a mystery, but it’s an entirely different matter to be rude to those in positions of authority. In addition to Nick’s attitude, his fiancĂ©e seemed to have the same problems with authority. Neither of these characters had social skills, and I didn’t find myself rooting for them as I read the book. I recognize that this difficulty with authority might be what others find interesting in the book, but it didn’t make me more interested in the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World

As soon as I heard the title, The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and American Kingdom, I knew I would love the book written by Susan Veness and I was not disappointed.

The book is broken up into four sections which focus on the separate parks in Walt Disney World. Within each section, it is broken into smaller sections within the park. Rather than tips for a good trip, the book focuses on small, unknown facts and hidden sights that guests may never have noticed. As I read through the book, I learned things I had never noticed before during my 10 + trips to Walt Disney World in Florida.

This book was interesting to me, since I have enjoyed trips to Disney World in the past. Some of the things I found most interesting were that the water in the Lagoon at Epcot is made of water from other countries and the fact that buildings were all made to be under 200 feet high so no beacons would be required for planes. I think this book would make a great gift for a first-time visitor to Disney World or someone who doesn’t think they will enjoy their trip because they have “seen it all before.” I know I really enjoyed reading it, and I will be looking at Walt Disney World more closely the next time I visit.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Unsinkable

I remember hearing of Abby Sunderland, a 16 year-old who was attempting to become the youngest individual to sail a solo trip around the world in 2010, as I am sure did many individuals who watched the news during that time. At the time of hearing about her solo-trip and her boat being de-masted in the Indian Ocean, I, like many others, looked at this as a media stunt orchestrated by her father as a way for their family to gain notoriety. I think the book changed my mind a little on the matter, but, as other reviewers have stated, I don't know if her family allowing her to make this trip at such a young age was the wisest thing to do.

The book was an extremely easy read, and I enjoyed the overall theme of perseverance in the book. I think it will show younger people that hard work is still rewarding, and it will give them motivation to go after their dreams and pursue their goals in life. Also, it gives young people a real role model to look up to...someone who is famous for more than just being famous.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, through the BookSneeze review bloggers program for the purpose of completing this review. BookSneeze does not require positive reviews; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.