The Ark by Kenneth Newman

As per the title, one is able to assume that this novel is about God along with Noah and the ark – which is correct. But, in this novel, Newman puts a modern spin on the whole story. Usually with religious novels, they are either hit or miss. I was a bit interested and also a bit nervous to start this book because of that. I must say, The Ark is a hit!

I thought it would take me awhile to get through this, honestly. But, it hasn’t at all. From the first page, there hasn’t been a dull moment. It is full of action.

There is the classic theme of Good vs. Evil. God vs Satan. The Humans vs The Giants. They are present throughout the whole novel.

In The Ark, Noah is cast aside by many members of the community and also his own family for his beliefs. They think he is crazy for believing so much in God and trusting Him to guide him through life. When God appears before him telling him that the world is going to end, and tells Noah that he needs to build an ark to keep him and the animals safe, everything takes a turn for the worse. The family starts falling apart, and a huge target is put onto Noah and The House of Seth from the outsiders.

Then at the end – my favorite, there is a huge twist! I never saw it coming which made me super excited.

Overall, The Ark is an easy, fun read. I, myself, am a Christian so it was especially entertaining for me to read. The chapters were short, so it makes the book seem not as long. And Newman never leaves you with a dull moment.

It is a great modernized retelling of Noah and The Ark, and I would recommend anyone who has some interest in the Bible and God to pick it up. Even non-believers could be entertained. Very well written.

5/5 Stars from me!

To purchase this novel visit 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ark-ken-newman/1111560066
or
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ark-ebook/dp/B008BTYF62
it is available for ebook and paperback!

Read ahead for spoilers

Solo: A Memoir of Hope by Hope Solo

There is much to be said about this outspoken goal keeper for the US Women’s National Team. Some people will describe her as selfish, some as too outgoing. People say she needs to keep her comments to herself. To me, she is an amazing goal keeper who says the things many people think, but are too afraid to say, and doesn’t care what the media says about her. Why should she? She is an Olympic gold medalist – more than once, and the greatest goal keeper in the world. In her autobiography, you, as the reader, gain an insight into what made Hope into the person she is today.

When you think of star athletes, you think of fame, fortune maybe, and having a life where everyone looks up to you. For Hope, the story did not go that way. She has had to face much adversity to get to the place she is today.

Her books takes you through stories about her personal family life, some of which could be really hard to share with people. Especially knowing the media hasn’t always been on your side – there will always be critics. The stories are filled with emotion, and gives you a pretty good insight into the type of person she is, which does not include selfish.

There aren’t many good ways to critique an autobiography, you can’t judge the story, because it is all real. But, the writing in this book was full of intelligence and class. Hope has faced many issues with her team and with the media, she explains how every one of those events came about. She may not apologize for everything she says, which she shouldn’t, but she gives her perspective on the situations and makes you realize that the media does, in fact, blow things up in order to get a good story.

It will have you crying one minute, then laughing the next. I guarantee, if you ever had a negative opinion about Hope, your mind will instantly be changed after reading this emotion-filled memoir.

5/5 stars. Beautifully written, and had me hooked from the very first page.

Read ahead for spoilers

Angel by Sebastian Michael

Angel is a story about Damion - the most beautiful boy in the world. He could get anything he wanted. He could get anyone he wanted. On paper, his life seemed ideal. Who wouldn’t have people showing them adoration all of the time. But, to Damion, this wasn’t always a blessing, and when it comes to what he wants, the end result may surprise you.

“But beauty is the cruelest gift the gods bestow. With it, you are everything to everyone, even if you are nothing to yourself”

Alright now I have a few things to say, I will state the cons first since the last part of a review is usually what people remember.

The story was really good, but the writing style had it running a bit dry at time. The beginning was very slow; it took me awhile to get through. I can’t pin point the exact reason. It could have been the length of the chapters, or just the writing.

It felt like the ending was written FIRST. This is not a writing style I am opposed to - if it doesn’t make the beginning run slow because the main events have already been written. I see why the first part was as long as it was; the tone was just very… sophisticated… I guess I could say. Nothing wrong with that, but for me it’s hard to read at times.

Now for the reasons you must read this.

As I stated before, the story is great. It points out that beauty is not always a blessing, which I feel the world needs to recognize more.

The last half of the book moved very quickly. There were many exciting events that made reading it seem like a breeze.

THE ENDING. The ending. The ending. Reading the rest of the book was so worth it just to see how it ended up. It really doesn’t disappoint.

3/5 Stars for me only for the slow beginning.

To read more about Sebastian Visit his site at www.sebastianmichael.com
or visit the books page at http://www.optimistcreations.com/angel.html

Read ahead for spoilers

12 Precious Anecdotes from Life by Payal Roy

Cherish the small things in life.

Live every day to its fullest.

Do not go without noticing the less fortunate people around you.

Do not take small events for granted, it isn’t only the big things that can change your life.

These little phrases are all a part of the message Payal puts forth in this book. 12 Precious Anecdotes from Life is a story told from the point of view of Anita Maher. Every segment provides a life changing story told by someone who has come into her life. From struggles of greed and gambling, to learning to appreciate nature and its beauty, Payal covers many topics that people go through in their everyday life and struggles that are very much present in our world. This aspect of the story is quite intriguing.

Although the plot itself was intriguing, there are a few points I would like to make that made it a little difficult for me to read. Every reader is different, though. That’s the beauty of books.

I found that in certain places, ten dollar words were used when a one dollar word would work just as well if not better. The saying less is more applies here. It made the sentences run a bit dry in places. The use of a larger vocabulary felt as though it was a bit forced to give the book more of a formal tone. Which brings me to my next point:

The conversations between Anita and her friends felt very formal to me. Almost as if she was always on a job interview. While this may vary from reader to reader, I am not used to reading dialogue in that way, and it took a bit of getting used to.

I also felt as if more time was spent developing the message itself rather than the story line. In some spots it felt as if the story was pushed a certain way in order to make it go along with the lesson. The messages, though, were very clear and thought provoking, which is a major point for many people.

Although the story was told from Anita’s point of view, it seemed to me as if most of the segments were one large story telling piece from the person that segment is about. It seemed like Anita didn’t need to be a character throughout the whole thing. The only time her story line was really present was during the story about the puppies and also the homeless man. She could have been given her own segment, because I feel like her story needs to be told, and maybe at the end it could have been expressed that they were all entangled through the common factor of Anita.

Overall, I think this was a book for people who are very interested in Philosophy of life, which doesn’t necessarily catch my attention, but for those who enjoy the subject would enjoy this novel.

I give this book a 2.5/5 Stars. Philosophy readers, grab a copy. It just isn’t my thing.


For more from Payal,visit his website at  http://musewithcoffee.wordpress.com or http://wonderworld-variety.blogspot.com


Or visit his amazon page at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0087OXSS2
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorPayalRoy 

Confessions of a Community Journalist by Michael Shawn Smith

Most of us have heard the phrase “Never judge a book by its cover.” But I do. I also judge by the book title and genre. I have never been one to read non-fiction books. The remind me of school, and I don’t want to be reminded of school when I am out for the summer. So, when Michael contacted me requesting a review for his book, I agreed but was also thinking, “What did I just get myself into?” I thought I was going to be bored, and it would take me forever to get through, but I was hoping he would prove me wrong.

When I opened the file on my Nook and began reading, my reaction was – WOW. I was completely hooked. From the very first page. It took me a little less than two days to complete.

Michael writes to inform. He infuses his personal experience from over a decade in the journalism business, and also uses examples from others as well. He doesn’t claim to know everything about the profession, and includes the fact that he is still learning himself, because things change every day. His aim with this book wasn't to give an all-inclusive guide to the art of community journalism, but rather (as it seemed to me) his purpose was to create a handbook that was short and sweet. He doesn’t drag on about a subject until it runs dry, leaving the reader begging for the section to be over. He includes a very organized mix of information and examples to help the reader understand what he is trying to say.

The sections are not very long, which make them easy to reference from day to day, and there is also a very useful table of contents at the beginning. You will be able to find what you are looking for without hassle.

Michael’s writing style in this book seemed informal, which is what this type of book needs. Having too formal of a tone will turn readers away right from the beginning. Instead, he takes a more laid-back approach and doesn’t make his opinions appear as facts. He states that some writers, photographers, designers, etc. have different styles than he does, and he doesn’t put down their techniques.

This book is very informative and encompasses a large range of different things a community writer will have to go through. He doesn’t go into long, hard to read details as I mentioned before. So, I believe this is a must-read for anyone going into the journalism field, or even that is already in the journalism field. It is always nice to have a reference book, and since this book isn’t very long, I would suggest just keeping it in a desk drawer and note the pages that you use often.

I give this book a 5/5 and I hope to see it used in Journalism classes in the future.

Personal note: I prefer the use of the pen tool rather than the lasso to cut out images, but what works for one designer doesn’t always work for another!


To hear more from Michael, visit his website! http://mbcommunityjournalist.wordpress.com/

My Disjointed Life by Martin Reed

My Disjointed Life is about a young man experiencing his first semester of college. He was never a popular kid, more of a brainiac. He enjoys science and is going into engineering.

Jeep is socially awkward and doesn’t fit in well in social situations. He usually says what’s on his mind – most of the time without meaning to. He also has an inner voice that speaks to him, usually putting him down for being an “idiot”. It brought a lot of humor to the novel which I loved.

As he makes his way through his first semester of college, he has many up and down times involving friends, enemies, girls, family, and extracurricular activities.

The relationships he has with his friends, acquaintances, and significant others are all different in special ways. I will not go into detail on that because it is more fun to read and experience it first hand. 

“Maybe the reason I get stepped on so much by people is because I let them.”

I think all readers can find a little of themselves in Jeep. He is a kind-hearted, yet extremely horny, young adult trying to make sense of life. Things don’t always come easy for him, though.

“The reasons are simple enough, but the truth always comes layered with complexity and consequence.”

Martin Reed did an excellent job writing this novel. It is witty, realistic, and explicit at times, but overall funny and a good, light-hearted read. It was divided up into segments by time. I have never read another book like that, it made it much easier to get through the chapters, because of course I am not a fan of long chapters. So, having that technique as a way to break up the text made it very easy for me to get through.

I found myself actually not wanting to finish the book, because I enjoyed it so much.

I included a few of my favorite quotes from the text in the review above as well.

4/5 Stars! A little slow at some points, but was a very fun read that I enjoyed a lot. 


To hear for from Martin, check out his blog! You wont regret it!
http://pendrum.wordpress.com/

Read ahead for spoilers

The Quickie by James Patterson

Ever since I saw this book on the shelf, I had been interested in reading it. I kept putting it off and putting it off to buy other Alex Cross series novels instead. Finally I convinced myself to just buy it. It has taken me awhile to get through it. That doesn’t mean the novel is bad. I will get into that in a minute.

It starts off with Lauren, and NYPD detective finding her husband doing shady things behind her back. She decides to get revenge, and in the process witnesses a murder that changes her life forever.

She sacrifices her career, friendships, and her own relationship trying to figure out how to make things right. But will that ever work out for her?

This novel is fast paced and it will keep you turning the pages.

For me, I couldn’t really decide if there was a “good guy” in the novel. I wasn’t really rooting for anyone in the end. It made it harder to get through because I felt no connection to any of the characters. So the experience will be different for everyone. I think that is one good thing about this novel. Everyone will see it differently.

3/5 stars. As I said, I couldn’t relate to the characters. It was well written, and it did make me want to see what ultimately happened in the end.

And the ending was one that I enjoyed

Read Ahead for Spoilers:

11th Hour by James Patterson

Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club are back in the latest installment – The 11^th Hour.

Lindsay is pregnant and having trouble in her marriage. That won’t be the last of her problems.

When a major movie star is on the suspect list of a gruesome case of serial killing, nothing will be easy.

Lindsay and her girls will go over the evidence time and time again.

Even when it all points towards one person, the outcome cam come as quite the surprise.

I have loved the Women’s Murder Club series from the very first book and this one surely did not disappoint. I have been waiting for it for about a year, and I was very pleased. I had missed reading about all of these characters.

5/5 Very well written, nice twist at the end 

Read Ahead for Spoilers:

Cat & Mouse by James Patterson

Gary Soneji is back.

He is lurking in the darkness. Spying on his prey. Waiting for the correct moment to make his move.

But, will someone else steal his spotlight?

Now introducing: Mr. Smith

Mr. Smith is a crime fighter over in Europe. But there is a darker side to Smith that emerges as the novel goes on.

Will Cross be able to stop Soneji? Will he finally put an end to the madman who has terrorized his life for years?

This is the most fast-paced Alex Cross novel that I have read so far. It kept me turning the page over and over until I was finally finished. I was hooked from the very first page.

With Cross’s life in danger, you will find out who lives, and who dies!

5/5 Stars. Wonderful thriller. Kept me hooked from cover to cover. Definitely recommend it!

Read Ahead for spoilers!

Midnight Club by James Patterson

I'm going to start by saying it took me about a month maybe a bit longer to get through this one. It wasn't longer, about the same length. It just took me way too long. 
The novel is about Organized crime and the NYPD trying to fight it. What they don't realize is how they are always one step behind the top mob bosses and business men involved in these mob and drug wars. 
The main character is John Stefanovich. He meets a writer Sarah McGinnis, and they start talking about the "Midnight Club" and how to go about catching and prosecuting them. 
Through all of this, they form a close bond and eventually a relationship. 
Stefanovich is confined to a wheel chair after being shot. He lost his wife and his partner of many years. 
It takes you through some of his struggles of being a cop. 


One thing I  noticed while reading through this one is, I didn't really care about any of the characters. 
Thats a risk writers have to take with stand-alone novels. Most of Patterson's books come in series so it is easier to get attached to the characters. 
But with this one, I had no connection which ultimately made it more difficult to get through. 


Overall 
3/5 
The ending of the novel picked up and kept me engaged, but the road there was bumpy!