Saturday 29 October 2016

Book Review: Children’s Books: ALLISON ROSE AND HER DANCING TOES


3.0 out of 5 stars Nice little illustrated book


Dancing Toes is a nice little illustrated book for little girls from Sally Huss. The book continues in the series of Newest release in the Allison Rose picture book series from the author.

Simple, easy to read text should appeal to kids

Book Blurb: “Dancing keeps me on my toes,” announces Allison Rose. She dances here and there and everywhere, even when people stop and stare. No problem for her, but she thinks how much more fun would it be if others were so free and would kick up their own heels? So, she introduces them to every dance she can think of – the waltz, the tango, the bunny hop, hip hop, line dancing, fine dancing, the can can, the polka and schottische. These are just a few, but she knows that if she can get them to pick up their feet they will discover a wonderful treat. What do you think they will do? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
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Book Review: ALLISON ROSE AND HER DANCING TOES (Adorable, Rhyming Bedtime Story/Picture Book for Beginner Readers
Author: Sally Huss

Friday 28 October 2016

Book Review: 100 Places To Visit In London

3.0 out of 5 stars Yet another guide book
As the title suggests, "100 Places To Visit In London" is a guide that lists 100 places to visit in the city.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R36Q6L3GGKL9AA?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl

An old adage by Samuel Johnson goes "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" So, having a list of places to visit on a Kindle is certainly handy. The book is a simple and concise listing of places to visit with a few handy tips including ticket prices and nearest Station.

Amazon's book blurb lists "100 Places" as the Author, though in the book, there is a mention of an "Ian Mac" (Wonder if Ian is the author from London?) A few pictures with the listings would have been a nice addition.

Book Blurb: Discover Places That You Won’t Find In Any Other Guide Book. If you want to see all of London’s landmark attractions, as well as plenty of hidden gems, then this is the book for you. Do you want to avoid trawling through thousands of pages just to pick out the best places?

But do you want a bit more information about each place than the wafer-thin wonder guides?
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Book Review: 100 Places To Visit In London
Author: 100 Places

Thursday 27 October 2016

Book Review: Tiny Houses: A Beginners Guide To Tiny House Living

3.0 out of 5 stars In a world where big is beautiful... Tiny has a value
(Review of a Kindle Free download)

Americans have been conditioned to believe that big is beautiful. We want everything to be large - big house with a big lot in the suburbs, a big car or even super-size portions of fast-food. In a world where big-is the norm, small still has value.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R3PZXLYZ9EJ1G6?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl

Nancy Ross has written this tiny book to explore the topic of "Tiny Home." The book is really a "101 primer" that gives a brief overview of the tiny-home movement.

Why Three-Star review? It is unclear in the blurb if the author also lives in a tiny home and if the book was written from personal experience or it is a collation of information from an internet search.
Book Blurb: Do You Want To Discover The Easy Way To Design Your Tiny Home For Simpler Living? Whether you want to know how to build, design or decide if a tiny home is right for you this book will help you.
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Book Review: Tiny Houses: A Beginners Guide To Tiny House Living
Author: Nancy Ross

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Book Review: Super Fish (children's book)

4.0 out of 5 stars Super little book for little ones
 Mary Lee's Kindle Edition of Super Fish does not disappoint.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1CYJ689Y7U7P0/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01HOW0VKA

Mary Lee's Kindle Edition of Super Fish does not disappoint. Simple, easy to read text and nice graphics make for an engaging read for little ones.
(review of a free download copy of Kindle eBook)



Book Blurb: Who is she? Where did she come from? What's with the cape? The only one who knows about this strange and mysterious fish is an old turtle. Ask him, he loves to talk and that just might get him into a bit of trouble.

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Book Review: Super Fish
Author: Mary Lee

Book Review: Overcome Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Beast Within

3.0 out of 5 stars Tips for overcoming Anxiety

Write what you know is an old adage. Jeffrey uses his struggles with intense social anxiety and the steps he took to overcome it as a backbone for the narrative.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3S7JSMYUELBG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01LXRO3UW

 The author begins by describing how anxiety works and the different forms it can come in. The book describes a series of daily-steps one can follow for four weeks. The book concludes with a few links to references on Anxiety.

The author's bio highlights his struggle with intense social anxiety all of his young adult life. It would have been nice to read Jeffrey's accounts of his experiences in working through Week One challenge etc, that he describes.



Book Blurb:  If anxiety dictates the way you live your life and you are ready to make a change and take charge of your life, this is the book to help you overcome anxiety. You will learn right away: 

- Indispensable guidance on identifying your REAL triggers, and not just the ones you ASSUME to be. 
- The seductive power of automatic and catastrophic thinking and how it adds unrealistic problems to your life, and how you will be able to laugh at these thoughts. 
- Coping strategies that you can use anytime, even during an attack, and how you are re-wiring your brain to panic less in the future. 
- The changes you MUST make to know how you react to situations in order to fight anxiety. 
- Understanding and breaking the feedback loop that panic and anxiety lull you into over the course of years. 
- A panic and anxiety "cheat sheet" that you can easily refer to anytime, even in the middle of an attack 
 

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Book Review: Overcome Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Beast Within
Author: Jeffrey Holloway

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Book Review: Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical tips to slow down and smell the roses

We live in a 24X7 world and are constantly connected to digital devices and social media. We are also pushing “children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success.”

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SJ1AHK/

As the title suggests, the book is about “Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families.” Ann Kroeker , author sprinkles humor in the narrative to make it interesting. An example is the family trip to Paris where they got in line to see Mona!

“Philippe lifted each child above the crowd to peek at the famous lady locked behind bulletproof glass.
"Can you see it?" he asked.
"Yes"
"Take a good look"
"Okay." Next kid, same questions, same responses.”

In aptly titled chapters - Slowing Down Childhood, Too Fast to Care and Too Fast to Rest, etc - Anne gives tips based on practical insights. 


Book Blurb: The book "explores the jarring effects of our over committed culture and offers refreshing alternatives. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace resulted in a more meaningful family and spiritual life. Practical ideas and insight will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents who chucked the high-speed lifestyle and reaped the rewards of richer relationships. Not So Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life."

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Book Review:  The Things We Leave Behind Kindle Edition
Author:  Tanya Anne Crosby


Monday 24 October 2016

Book Review: The Things We Leave Behind

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Novella 
 
The Things We Leave Behind is an interesting short-novel by Tanya Anne Crosby.

The start of an novel should be engaging. This story begins with a question - “If the house were on fire, what would you save? - that grips the reader instantly. Written in first person, the narrative takes us into the mind of Zoe Rutherford who is on the edge.


Book Blurb: Zoe Rutherford has come to the end of her rope. Her relationship with Chris has reached the breaking point and it is time to leave. But can she leave? And if she does, what is she willing to leave behind?

This stunning short story, the prequel to Tanya Anne Crosby’s remarkable new novel, THE GIRL WHO STAYED, is tense, poignant, and deeply satisfying – exactly what readers have come to expect from this New York Times bestselling author.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWX2C12

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Book Review:  The Things We Leave Behind Kindle Edition
Author:  Tanya Anne Crosby

Sunday 23 October 2016

Book Review: Dirty Money (U.S. Presidential Elections 2016)

4.0 out of 5 stars Dirty Money is an analytical account of campaign financing
 
Most of us who are watching the American Presidential elections are bombarded with advertisements on TV, social media, YouTube and elsewhere. These advertisements and other campaign expenses are not cheap. We are bound to be wondering how Mr. Trump and Ms. Clinton and all the other candidates for congressional seats finance their campaigns. Dirty Money is a topical eBook that examines aspects of campaign financing. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MECSZD4


The eBook blurb caught my attention:
"Relying heavily on information gathered from official government reports, news sources, public records, etc. the author makes a strong case for how accepting vast sums from individual donors toward one's campaign could potentially lead the politician to support policy that would ultimately benefit the contributor."

In the first chapter, the author, Mr. Arunachalam, sets the context by explaining fund raising by political interests, some of which may have a conflict of interest. This is followed by an analysis of Tax Evasion in campaign financing. The author also looks at some of the topical issues like Fracking (and big oil) and how they impact campaign financing. The author tries to explain how "dirty money" and corrupt campaign finance system impede the ability to promote free and fair elections.

Dirty Money concludes with an extensive collection of references to government, corporate and independent research, that backs up some of the Author's analysis.

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Book Review:  Dirty Money (U.S. Presidential Elections 2016)
Author: Ramesh S Arunachalam
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MECSZD4