CommonGuy.Com by Don Miller

   "Cleve is struggling to maintain respect for his life's work. He is disillusioned with politics in America; it's driven by special interest groups and self-interested politicians, every action boiling down to money in somebody's pocket. Midway through Pritchard's first term, Cleve is made aware that Pritchard and Scapeli are manipulating, deceitful, power mongers - a far cry from being patriots. Daryl and Cleve have had enough and resolve to reopen their editorial partnership using the internet. They launched Commonguy.com with Daryl taking the lead advocating patriotism, ethics, and competency in government."
   Like his other two books this book was obviously skillfully written. It was well thought out and we'll put together. It carries Intrigue throughout the entire story.
   However one thing that I've noticed is that the back cover of the book has a fairly long description of the plot. So long so that it seems to do the book an injustice by giving away too much. It's almost like a movie preview that shows all the good parts of the movie before you get to see it.
   Other than that the book was enjoyable to read. And I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in political intrigue.

The Night the Jack O'Lantern Went Out by Alexander S. Brown

   Watch out! This book may give you the creeps! Reader beware!!!
   A scary story come to life, a ghost that tells her side of the story, a Halloween seance, a witch who will steal your soul, a scarecrow that comes to life and craves blood, and other deliciously scary tales.
   Reminiscent of the scary stories series by Alvin Schwartz, this was a delightful little read. Unlike Schwartz however the author was able to change his writing style slightly from story to story. It was very refreshing for an anthology book. Most of the stories center around Halloween making this a perfect read for October. 
   I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes scary anthologies.

Black Beauty by Anne Sewell

   A fascinating look into human behavior both good and bad.
   "Through the eyes of Black Beauty, we observe the actions of human beings. The gallant horse is sold to many types of people. Some are good masters who treat Beauty with compassion and tenderness. Others are bad masters, who do not care if Beauty has enough food to eat or if he is too tired to be ridden."
   You know, this is one of my all-time favorite stories. When I was very young I had a cartoon version of this story that I watched constantly. I now own the live-action film. I know the story like the back of my had. But I'd never read the book... til now!
   Both utterly sad and depressing as well as joyous and triumphant, this book has an amazing story to tell. This is definitely one that pulls on your heart strings.
   Perfect for teens and young adult readers as well as adults. I highly recommend this classic tale to everyone who loves animals of any kind.

The Lion and the Bride by Mika Sakurano

   Oh wow! What a love triangle! 
   Yua is a high school girl in a secret relationship with her teacher. But one day her grandmother, her last surviving family member, passes away and leaves her all alone in the world. And then, her beloved Sensei, supporting her again as he always has, asks her to marry him. She’s convinced that she’s about to begin a happy newlywed life, but it turns out Sensei has a huge secret...?! Sensei's son happens to be the boy at school that Yua despises... or is he her crush? Sensei is afraid that a boy her age will steal Yua away from him. But does he suspect his own son to be the culprit?
   Dripping with drama and romance, this graphic novel really turns the heat up. Skillfully written and story boarded. Easy to follow dialogs. Beautifully drawn illustrations.
   The ending leaves you on a cliffhanger that will make you curse out loud LOL 😉

The Measurements of Decay by K. K. Edin

   "In a distant future, Tikan Solstafir lives in self-imposed exile. The star systems close to Earth have been colonized but, rather than embracing the adventure, people have chosen to withdraw into their own hallucinations. Meanwhile, in the 21st century, a disillusioned philosopher sets out on a quest to save humanity from itself and a young time-traveling girl called Sielle may hold the key to everything... especially after a mysterious enemy attacks Tikan's starship, and Tikan strikes back to end the tyranny and sever the dream-state that has enslaved humanity."
   I read this book because it sounded interesting. While it is exactly that, I also found it very difficult to read and follow. The 2 stories are told simultaneously and honestly, I think it takes away from both stories to be told in this manner. I think they should have been written separately.
   Although this book had a very entertaining premise, I have to admit that it gave me the heeby jeebies in reading the slow and VOLUNTARY decline of the human race. Seeing/reading things like this always weird me out. Perhaps that's because its just too realistic... it's genuinely scary!
   All-in-all this was an intriguing read. Definitely a good Sci-fi novel. I would certainly recommend this book to those who enjoy science fiction and dystopian genres.

Highland Velvet by Jude Deveraux

   Lady Bronwyn McArran is a Scottish Laird captured by the hated English and forced to marry one of theirs. Stephen Montgomery came to Scotland to conquer, but is he strong enough to conquer Bronwyn? As he falls hopelessly in love with this fiery Scot he tries with every fiber of his being to win her respect, and her love.
   Very well written as usual for Jude Deveraux. She is a fantastic writer that takes the reader on delightful romantic journeys through her literary works.
   This was a very fun read. Sensual and entertaining with a good handful of humor as the two pros constantly butt heads. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes a bit of romance.

Red Sky At Night by Elly MacKay

   "Long ago, here and far away, people looked for clues in nature to predict the weather. They learn from experience by watching the shapes of clouds or noticing the behavior of animals. This wisdom was passed down through sayings like the ones in this book."
   Poetic, entertaining and GORGEOUSLY illustrated, this book will definitely become a favorite for me and my children. This book is perfect for young readers. And the fact that it has old folklore mixed with Mother Goose like rhymes is perfect for readers just starting out to love books.
   I can't describe how absolutely gorgeous both the cover and the inside illustrations are. This book was very well put together and well-thought-out. Very well done. Bravo! I highly recommend this book to anyone with children!

Next Door To A Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager

   Ah, drama drama, drama... LOL Popularity always = drama!
   In this cute little tale Hadley's world is about to change all in one summer. After her best friend moves away to Texas she decides to go and stay the summer with her grandparents in the Lake Michigan town of Grand Haven. And next door is lurking none other than Simone Hendrickson a teen Idol and TV star. Hadley and Simone become friends and the drama begins! Boys lies and backstabbing are the name of the game in this entertaining novel.
   This was a great little read. This is the second novel that I've read by this author and I have to say that I really enjoy her work. She writes in a way that is very easy to follow and easy to comprehend. Her stories are riveting and her characters are adorable to say the least. Her stories almost seemed to speak from personal experience which I think is what I like the most about them. They bring me back to the days when I was the age of the characters in the novels and having the same High School drama and issues that they're going through. It is very comforting in that way knowing that others have gone through what I have.
   Very real and down-to-earth I have to say that I am looking forward to reading more from Krysten Hager and would definitely recommend her books to others ❤️👍🏻💕

Party Games: A Fear Street Novel by R. L. Stine

   HAHA! R. L. Stine is back on Fear Street ladies and gentlemen! Such a fantastic little horror novel.
   Rachel is not as athletic as her sister. Or as talented, or as smart, or even as pretty. She seems to feel like the odd man out in any given situation. So when a handsome, although strange and mysterious, boy asks her to come to his birthday party Rachel is ecstatic! The problem? The party is taking place in a haunted castle-like mansion on an island only inhabited during the summer months. A small group is attending this party... but will they make it back alive when there are no rules to these party games?
   Ok, right off the bat, I'm a Goosebumps fan. I've been reading Stine since I was young. Love his works! I read this book for a Buddy Read on Litsy and I gotta say that I'm glad I did. This was such a fun little read! Suspense, horror, gore, intrigue with a hint of puppy love... Stine does not disappoint in this relaunch of the Fear Street series. I look forward to reading the other installments.

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

   True to form, this is a classic adventure piece at it's best! This was a great read with something new happening on nearly every page.
   Axel and his eccentric uncle Professor Otto Lindenbrock discover an ancient text that happens to fall out of one of the Professor's coveted historical tombs. The text explains how to get to the center of the earth through a crater located in Iceland. The farther they descend into the earth, the farther back in time they seem to travel as they begin to see plants and even animals that lived on earth once long ago. With peril and even death lurking around every corner and down every passage, will Axel and his uncle (along with their guide) ever make it to the surface world alive again?
   However wrought with tons of scientific jargen, this book is not difficult to follow and instead proves to be quite easy for the reader to follow along. With exciting plot twists at every turn, Verne leaves you constantly wondering if our pros will EVER see daylight again. Simply a classic.

The Vampire Sextette edited by Marvin Kaye

"Six original novellas by the modern masters of vampire fiction. Awaken to Some Velvet Morning as Nancy Collins puts leather-punk vampire-cum-slayer Sonja Blue on the trail of an ancient witch who bathes in blood. Visit Tanith Lee's The Isle is Full of Noises where a woman embroiled in writing a vampire novel crosses the thin line between reality and fantasy. Tour Hollywood with Orson Welles, an undead private eye, and a teenage slayer in full Cinemascope splendor eith Kim Newman's The Other Side of Midnight....."
Anthologies are always difficult to review. Every author has a different style and every story is written in a different way. 
Out of the six novellas here I personally liked two of them. They were well written and very sexy. 
The other four were kind of... meh. One of them was more of a cops and robbers type story. 
I'm sure that somebody who enjoys reading sexy vampire stories would enjoy this book.

Mortal Fear by Robin Cook

   Dr. Jason Howard works for GHP and when his seemingly healthy patients begin to die of massive strokes and aneurysms he starts to lose his confidence and wonders what he's doing wrong in his practice. But when he starts to talk to colleagues and they confide in him that they are having the same problems with their own patients Jason begins to wonder if there isn't something on an epidemic level going on. When an eccentric colleague confides in him that he's made a major breakthrough in his research but dies before he can divulge what exactly, Jason is left to put the puzzle pieces together and find out what exactly is killing everyone. Can he find out before it's too late?
   Perfectly written and executed story. Yet another great one by Robin Cook. He is definitely the undisputed Master of the Medical Thriller!
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I will definitely be recommending it.

The Sword of Camelot by Gilbert Morris

There's trouble in Camelot! Can Josh and his six Companions of the Seven Sleepers sent by the spiritual leader Goel keep Camelot from the grip of the Dark Lord? The Seven Sleepers may need more then Reb's sword skills, they will need the power of Goel to defeat the Dark Lord and save Camelot.
What a great little epic. Perfect for younger readers. This would be a great beginner book into the world of fantasy as only King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table can do. The story is well written and well laid out. The illustrations, though black and white, are very beautiful and add finishing touches to the story and it's chapters. The cover design is beautiful and eye-catching.
I would definitely recommend this book for the younger readers and I would be interested in reading the rest of the series myself.

The English Wife by Lauren Willig

   "Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York: he's the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he's recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she's having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay's sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?"
   I may be the only one who thinks this, but I could not get through this book. I found it to be a total snooze fest. The story was very uninteresting and the author's writing style was very difficult to follow the story line. I try to finish every book I pick up but this one I just couldn't finish. I bailed 👎🏻

On Highland Time by Lexi Post

   Diana Montgomery has been sent back in time to undo what the Disruptor has done in changing time and thereby altering the future. Sent back to Scotland in the 1300s her mission as an Agent of Time Weavers, Inc. is to find the Disruptor and undo what's been done. In order to do this she needs to ensure that a Scottish Laird dies. But she has a problem... Torr MacPherson, the Lord she needs to ensure is killed. How can she possibly assist the demise of a man that makes her feel so alive? Can Diana complete her mission?
   Sensual and deliciously sexy, this novel was a pleasure to read. Very well written and the characters were very well developed.
   This novel took my breath away at times. The authors descriptive powers seem nearly overwhelming as her characters and scenes jump right out of the page. I definitely recommend this book to all who need a little Highland romance in their lives 😉

Invitation by Don Miller

   In this futuristic dystopian novel, the world is in crisis. The Sun causes cancer more readily because the ozone layer is pretty much gone. Women have stopped conceiving. And there have been numerous UFO sightings. This causes world wide panic. People are actually stealing babies and even murdering pregnant women to extract the babies from their bodies and sell them on the black market. Looting and rioting are rampant. In the midst of all this insanity, John and Megan suddenly find themselves expecting a child. They figure that Megan conceived the day before worldwide conception stopped. Their baby maybe one of the last ever born if this crisis is not solved. But can John protect Megan from the evils of this world so the baby has a chance to be born?
   A little slow to start but this book proves to be most entertaining. It was well written and planned out and easy for the reader to follow. The characters were well developed and believable. The story does not only give off a dystopian vibe but also has a feel of espionage in it. All in all this was a great story and I would definitely recommend this book.

Right Text Wrong Number by Natalie Decker

I think the editor of this book needs to work on their reviewing skills. There are tons of little typos and grammar errors in this book such as these:

The gist of the story is that Layla finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her when she discovers naked pictures of some girl on his phone. Layla attempts to text the girl but instead ends up texting the guy that she thinks is the biggest jerk in school. They continue to text each other however (under seudo names) and begin a relationship. 

Though the story is cute in essence I feel that it was a bit forced. Or perhaps unrealistic? I'm not sure which. I know that I personally think that the book is WAY too revolved around the idea of texting. Perhaps its because I'm of the 90's generation that grew up without texting and smart phones. I just feel that that's really all the book was... two people texting each other back and forth. This may be interesting to some but it just didn't blow my skirt up. 

Perhaps this is written for the younger generations to enjoy. I'm not quite sure. However I'm sure that a younger person would probably get more out of it than I did. 

After this book gets recalled and retyped without all the errors, I would recommend this book to the right person. The story is cute.

Wildfell: A Novel by London Clarke

Holy moly! This was an amazing read! I read this in less than 24 hours. I just couldn't put it down. Anne drops her life in the states and runs off to London to escape having to testify in court against an ex-lover accused of sexual assault, who also happened to be her college professor. On the plane to London Anne meets Bain. Under the assumed name of Tessa, Anne decides to stay with Bain at the old and decrepit house in which he's staying. The problem is... this house has more than just creaky walls and dusty floors lurking in it's shadows. Will Anne ever make it out of there alive once she's entered? Or will the house decide her fate?
   Excellently written. The story is well thought out and very well put together. A little slow at the start but by about 40% of the way through it picks up a sledge hammer and nails you! This book had me gripped til the end. Characters were perfectly developed and more than believable, they seemed to jump off the page (or screen in my case).
   I dare say, this has to be one of the best horror novels I've ever read and coming from a horror fanatic like myself, that's a pretty BIG compliment! I am going to have to get a paper copy of this one for my library and I would definitely recommend this book to all who enjoy a bit of creepiness in their lives.

Snow by Mikayla Elliot

   Reincarnated Lady Neva has been taken from the human world she knew and thrust into a strange world of vampires. She is the only one who can liberate her newly found brethren in a long standing war. She quickly finds that she is the enemy's main target. Can she triumph and protect her knew family while still looking after her old kin?
   Great adventure in this Anne Rice meets Underworld tale of vampiric war. Very well written. This was a very enjoyable read. The recounts of Lady Neva are written on par with the great tales of The Vampire Lestat.
   I thought it was very interesting how the vampires had made a conscious decision to not drink human blood. Very Louis de Pointe du Lac. LOL A great addition to the story was the ending. A great tie in to the Dracula mythos. Very well done.
   A great book for all vampire lovers! I highly recommend this book.

Modern Guide to Energy Clearing by Barbara Moore

   Written completely for the layman, this is a nice and fluffy beginners book on energy and energy workings. The author is careful to Define specific terms and also gives several examples of their uses. The author compares energy cleansing to good hygiene or to cultivating a garden. She goes over several techniques for clearing energy and pertains them to the five elements. This book takes you step-by-step and month to month on preparation, tools, and practice. The author uses her experience as a tarot reader to explain how to manifest change using personal energy.
   The author takes a graceful approach and explains things in a very concise and gentle manner. By the end of the book you are feeling strong and empowered. Like you can move mountains with your mind. Good read. Highly recommend!

Dating the It Guy by Krysten Lindsay Hager

Love is fickle isn't it? Especially when you're in high school. Even more especially when you're dating the guy that all the girls have crushes on. That's how it is for Emme. She's dating Brendon, a congressman's son and the hottest guy in school. With having been hurt badly from a previous relationship is it possible for her relationship with Brendon to work even though it seems they come from different worlds? Or is the relationship doomed to crash upon the rocks? Perhaps their destiny is written in the stars.
This book was more than well written. It was captivating and showed great ingenuity. The storyline was exceedingly simple which may have been one of the best things about the book. The author is creative and shows a biting wit that even the most shallow person would crack a smirk about. This book was very entertaining all the way to the end. I found myself remembering how it was to be their age. Life was crazy and I found myself relating a lot to the main character.
This was definitely a work well done. Bravo! I will be recommending this book.

Midnight Voices by John Saul

Nothing's happening. Nothing's happening. Something about bad dreams or something??? Nothing's happening. Nothing's happening... It's over. 😡
Strike ✌️ for this author.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

A great childhood favorite. Mrs. Frisby has a horrible problem... she must move her family before the farmer plows the field and destroys their home. The problem is one of her children is deathly ill and cannot be moved. So she seeks out the Rats of NIMH for help. Can the super intelligent rats of NIMH help her move her home before it is too late?
Great writing and great story. Very different from the 1990s Don Bluth film. There is no magic and Jeremy (the crow) is a much more wise and sophisticated being. However in my personal opinion I like both. This is a fabulous little story no matter how you tell it really. This is great for younger readers or for adults who wish to look back on their childhood. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone!

The Book of Ceremony by Sandra Ingerman

Shamanic practices and ceremonies that are done through the American Indian traditions. This book gives you a step-by-step in the process of shamanic journeying beginning with the question "what is a ceremony?" It takes you through having the proper mental mindset, preparing yourself physically, actually conducting the ceremony itself and some additional guidelines. Lastly the book goes over personal testimonies of people who have performed ceremonies of their own.
The author presents this book in a very loving and spiritual manner. It is beautifully written. Everything is very easy to read and follow. You do not have to be a skilled shaman to follow this book. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking to improve their ceremonial skills.

Reclaiming Life After Trauma by Daniel Mintie & Julie Staples

The book introduces you first to the stigmas and current thoughts on PTSD and what it is derived from. It also goes over the structures of the brain and which portions are affected by PTSD.
There are exercises or as the book calls them "experiments" in relaxation techniques to assist with the symptoms of PTSD. The author presents the book almost like a workbook.
The exercises use yoga & cognitive therapy which is the cutting edge in psychology right now. This book is extremely helpful for anyone who suffers from PTSD, panic attacks or anxiety attacks. I would highly recommend this book!

The Hatch by Joe Fletcher

“"I will do such things,” King Lear shouts before the storm, “What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be / The terrors of the earth.” Drawing upon Edmund Burke’s definition of the sublime—the odd beauty associated with fear and self-preservation; our astonished delight in what destroys, what overpowers and compels us toward darkness—these strange poems mine the sinister fault lines between weird fiction, expressionism, gothic horror, and notions of the absurd, cracking the mundane shell of our given metaphysical order. In the traditions of Nerval, Trakl, Schulz, Tadic, Poe, and contemporaries Aase Berg and Jeff Vandermeer, the wonderful disassociation brought to bear on the reader lies in the conjuring of unprecedented worlds, their myths and logics, their visions and transformations—worlds that resist interpretation almost successfully, and reveal to us the uncanny and nightmarish."
A compilation of poetry that writes on the darker side of humanity. Beautifully written and compiled. Very enjoyable to read.

Hack Your Anxiety by Alicia Clark

This book goes into a new modern way to look at anxiety. It lists out the different things that we call anxiety and goes step-by-step through factors such as our cell phones, political life and city living. It also goes over the fact that we are prescribed medication more than not when it comes to anxiety.
The book speaks of a new way to harness anxiety as we learn to recognize and even embrace our own anxious feelings instead of avoiding. It goes into a lot of prior research done by the big names in psychology as well as mentioning spiritual teachings. The author also gives the reader lots and lots of first name examples on the redirection of the anxious energy we all feel.
Carefully researched and written, this book would be good for just about any reader. We all feel anxious from one time to another. This book could be a big help too many.

Suicide Club by Rachel Heng

"Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever―if she does everything right. And Lea is an overachiever. She’s a successful trader on the New York exchange―where instead of stocks, human organs are now bought and sold―she has a beautiful apartment, and a fiancé who rivals her in genetic perfection. And with the right balance of HealthTech™, rigorous juicing, and low-impact exercise, she might never die.
But Lea’s perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead choose to live―and die―on their own terms. In this future world, death is not only taboo; it’s also highly illegal. Soon Lea is forced to choose between a sanitized immortal existence and a short, bittersweet time with a man she has never really known, but who is the only family she has left in the world."
This book was very difficult to read and to follow. I had a very hard time getting into the story as well. The author basically makes it into AA for people who don't want to live forever. I found the protagonist very boring and an interesting as well as most of the other characters.
To say the least I would not recommend this book.

The Time Machine and The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells

It's always hard to write two books at once. 

The Time Machine had a very intriguing concept. A brilliant inventor invents a time machine and uses it to travel through time. He then recounts his adventures for the reader. Though it was very interesting it was a rather boring read.Perhaps it is the century in which it was written? I found it a little hard to get into. 

The Invisible Man was better written in my opinion, but also a little difficult to get into due to language and grammar. A brilliant man discovers the means to make himself invisible and is shortly after driven mad as he seeks the assistance of Dr. Kemp to cure him of his invisibility.

Both very fascinating reads. I can see why HG Wells is one of the fathers of modern science fiction. Any sci-fi readers need to check out these 2 novels for sure.

Magic Bunny #1 & #2 by Sue Bentley

These 2 are as far as I've gotten in this series and I may stop here as they seem to get redundant for the adult reader. They are however cute little books with cute stories. A magic bunny from another world must hide in our world to keep their magic key safe from being stolen. Perfect for young readers (tween) and little girls who like adorable bunnies and magic. ✨🌺🐰

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

A recount of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. This is a rare case where the film was true to the book (or play in this case). I am pleasantly surprised. Easy to read but could be very difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the characters. There are many characters and they all play significant roles. Though not 100% historically accurate it is still beautifully retold in a way that's much more reader friendly. Even though it is written as a play, the story comes through perfectly to the reader. This is one of those American history classics that everyone should read at least once.

The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett

Very very close to the movie version that I fell in love with as a child, which is always awesome for me since I'm such a huge movie buff as well as a bibliophile. What a great story! Such magic and wonder. For a classic it is very easy to read and easy to follow. Very entertaining and captivating. This is one that younger readers should start off reading. A few of my subscribers have told me that this is the book that ignited their passion for reading. Highly recommend.

How To Build A Dinosaur: The New Science of Reverse Evolution by Jack Horner

The book goes over the potential of how to make a dinosaur in this day and age and the theory of how to do so. The entire first portion of the book is a recount of the history of dinosaurs and their evolution thereof. The author goes into much further depth over the debate on reptiles vs birds. 

The second part of the book pertains to gene manipulation concerning drugs versus master genes using chickens as a base genome example. Changing life in the embryo to manipulate its outer structure. Such as giving chickens teeth, claws and a tail.

The last portion of the book goes over the concise Evolution from bird to mammal and explores the theory of reversing said evolution.
A great read if you can follow it. There is a lot of scientific verbiage that would be difficult for the layman do you understand. Very interesting theories and very entertaining overviews. Jack Horner takes you in depth in seeing just how close we are to creating the Chickenosaurus.

King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table by Andrew Lang

This book is written in a very interesting way. Instead of just droning on with facts and historical theories, the author presents the book to you in a story fashion including dialogue. When the characters talk they speak in the Old English that they would have in their time. Some of what they say is difficult to understand especially to the layman. It is a very short account of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The author could not possibly cover everything written about the subject in such a small book. The illustrations (though all black and white) really did add to the story. This is a great starter book for tween-age readers who are interested in the Arthurian legends. Would definitely recommend this book to the right reader.

2-1/2 Minutes by Don Miller

   Wow! What a great story. The book begins with Eve as she's been in a horrible (self-inflicted) car accident. The book goes through the doctors and hospital staff attempting to save her. As this is going on, Eve is flashing back over the tragic events of her life. You feel for this poor girl who had to face the world unloved and unprotected. And we all know the sort of things that happen to little girls in those situations. But through all the tragedy that ultimately led her to the predicament she's now in, there is a light. Her son. She needs to live for her son.
   When she awakes in the hospital she doesn't yet realize that she has even more trials before she can have the life she chose to come back from the grips of death for. She has to pick herself back up after falling again and again. However through it all, she perseveres in turning her life around and achieving the one thing that she sought after more that anything else... her son.
   This book was beautifully written. The format is very easily followed and the story is well-told for the reader to be able to follow the events. The characters are realistic and have great dynamic in and of themselves and with each other.
   This book is heartfelt and captivating. The story is entertaining and delightful. I would definitely recommend this book to just about anyone who reads fiction. A great little read, bravo! 

To Be Read In May

Here are some up and coming titles for this month!

A Blind Date with A Book

Would you ever be brave enough to go on a blind date? The anxiety of not knowing if you’ll like your date, the awkward beginnings, the stomach butterflies…

Some of us would never venture so far as to do this with another person. However, would you be brave enough to go on a blind date with a book?

These days many book shops, coffee shops and even big book retailers like Barnes & Noble are wrapping up their books like it was Christmas Eve and putting them on to shelves either blank or with a brief description on the back. At first glance you might say “Oh how fun and whimsical!” But LO! There is a danger there.

Books are rather expensive. Even used books can get up there in price at times. So imagine if you were to choose your Blind Date Book, pay for it, bring it home, read it and hate it. What a waste of money right? For a person like me who does not have much means for book buying, something like this could really be detrimental. Of course, if you have a lot of money and don’t mind taking the chance then I say GO FOR IT!!!

Without turning this entry into a bitch session, I’d like to propose that this idea be better put to use in say… book clubs or perhaps reading challenges. I guess in some ways you are taking the same risks but in a group atmosphere you have to kind of expect a certain amount of disappointment.

Great idea? Scary adventure? What is a blind date with a book to you?