Category Archives: Book Opinion

Capitol Hell

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Author: Jayne J. Jones & Alicia M. Long             capitol hell
Publisher:  Beaver’s Pond Press
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source: BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  When recent college graduate Allison Amundson, a small town girl from South Dakota, lands the highly sought after job of scheduler to the newly-elected and rising star of the United States Senate, Senator Anders McDermott III, she thinks she is on the fast track to success.

However, she quickly learns that crazy co-workers, a high maintenance boss, an over-the-top family and an unexpected Presidential bid make Capitol Hill seem even more dysfunctional than portrayed on TV. In fact, it is Capitol Hell.

The second Allison sets foot in the prestigious Senate Russell Building, things begin to go awry. Allison soon realizes her co-workers consist of a Chief of Staff who has little to no control over the antics in the office, a Press Secretary who is not only pompous, but who is constantly primping and preening, and worst of all the Senator himself, who cares more about his rise to fame than the people of Minnesota.

As Allison struggles to juggle a new career, her blooming love interest in Cam (a quiet but loyal Legislative Assistant), and her ever-declining bank account, she is comforted only by her co-worker Janet, a fireplug who spends the majority of her time on-line dating, trying to land a Senator of her own.

Just as Allison and Janet begin to figure out the ins and outs of Capitol Hill, their lives are turned upside down when Senator McDermott announces his bid for President of the United States. Soon, Allison and Janet find themselves at the center of one of the craziest campaigns in history, and hilarity ensues.

This off-beat, funny novel captures and shares what it is like to be a young staffer working on Capitol Hill.

Ope’s Opinion:  If you have spent any time in Washington, DC, or Capitol Hill, or interested in political insights – you will really want to read this book.  It will keep your attention from beginning to end.  It has some humor  – some so close to realistic it made me giggle.

The authors of this book obviously had insider information – it was interesting and informative as well as entertaining.  I am sure Allison’s office mates are similar to office mates everywhere – you may relate to some of them.

There were some unanswered questions left at the end.  Does that lead us to a sequel?

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Nancy Clancy – Secret of the Silver Key

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Author:  Jane O’ Connor        nancy
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Genre:  Children
Source:  BEA

 

Goodreads:  Join Nancy Clancy in New York Times bestselling team Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser’s fourth Nancy Clancy chapter book about the past, present, and future! Nancy and her best friend, Bree, must go back in time to solve their latest mystery. While Nancy’s class learns about time capsules in school, another relic from the past pops up in the present. Nancy buys an old desk at a tag sale and soon finds out that someone left behind a key. In the perfect follow-up to Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth;Nancy Clancy, Secret Admirer; and Nancy Clancy Sees the Future, Nancy and Bree set out to unlock the secret of the silver key in the hopes of finding some treasure along the way. But unlocking the mystery soon proves to be more difficult than they had thought, and when the answer isn’t what they had expected, Nancy and Bree learn there are some things that remain timeless forever.

Fans of Fancy Nancy will love joining Nancy Clancy in the latest edition to the chapter book series. The central theme of all the Nancy Clancy books shines through, showing the power of positive thinking and the will to never give up.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is book four in the series, but the first one that I have read.  It can stand alone, but it is so good I recommend starting from the beginning of the series.  As an adult I enjoyed the story.  I would enjoy reading it to a younger reader or having a middle grade student read it to me.

I was impressed with Jane O’Connor’s introduction of new vocabulary words.  She used the word in a sentence, then explained it’s meaning.  I thought it was a clever way to expand a new readers vocabulary.

The pictures in the book are a nice complement to the story.  They will keep a  young readers attention if someone is reading it to them.

I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for short chapter books for gifts.  I will definitely buy the firsts ones for my granddaughters shelf.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Accidents of Marriage

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Author:  Randy Susan Meyers   accidents
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Goodreads:  Accidents of Marriage explores a topic rarely shown in fiction: the destruction left in the wake of spouse’s verbal fury. Ben never meant to hurt Maddy. He never imagined his recklessness would lead to tragedy.

Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he’s lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids – which works to keep a fragile peace – until the rainy day when they’re together in the car and Ben’s volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life.

Randy Susan Meyers takes us inside the hearts and minds of her characters, alternating among the perspectives of Maddy, Ben, and their fourteen-year-old daughter. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness.

Ope’s Opinion:  I am having a hard time reviewing this book.  I think it is a good story to highlight emotional abuse.  I am not sure there was anyone in this family who were not emotionally abused.  I think this was a realistic look inside a difficult family.   There were lessons to be learned from this book – they are hard lessons.  

 I did not “enjoy” reading it.  There were a few times I almost stopped reading.  It was kind of depressing.  I wanted to see improvement in the relationships, I wanted some resolution and I wanted to eventually like the family – that did not happen.

I have read Randy Susan Meyers and I will read her again. I think I would recommend The Comfort of Lies, if you have not read her before.

 

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Truth and Kisses

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Author:  Laurie B. Friedman         kiss
Publisher: Lerner Classroom
Genre:  Middle Grade
Source:  BEA

 

Publication Date:  September 1, 2014

 

Goodreads:  April’s New Year’s resolution: to get back together with sweet, funny Billy. But what’s going on between Billy and their friend Brynn? And why does April want to keep her friendship with Matt, her hot neighbor, a secret?

Ope’s Opinion: This is the third book in this series.  I have not read book one or two.  Book three read just fine without having read one or two.  I do think I was missing some back ground of April’s relationship with Brynn, but it was still a good read.

April, Brynn and Billy are average middle school students.  They miscommunicated and got their feelings hurt – it felt realistic.  I like the way the adults treat the students.  The adults are obviously in charge and have a relationship with the kids.

I think a parent would be comfortable having their middle grade child reading this book.

I would read another book from Laurie Friedman.

Rating: Four Chairs: I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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The Homecoming

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Author: Robyn Carr                       homecoming
Publisher:  Harlequin MIRA
Genre: Romance
Source: Little Bird Publicity

 

Publication Date:  August 26, 2014

 

Goodreads:  In a small town, reputation is everything. In her latest novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr explores the burden placed on a young man returning home to face his mistakes—the first step in claiming the life he was meant to live …

At the age of nineteen, Seth Sileski had everything. A superb athlete and scholar, handsome and popular, he was the pride of Thunder Point. Destined for greatness, he lost it all in a terrible accident that put an end to his professional football career when it had barely begun. The people in his hometown have never forgotten what might have been.

Seth has come to terms with the turns his life has taken. But now he’s been presented with an opportunity to return home and show his father—and the people of Thunder Point—he’s become a better, humbler version of his former self.

Winning over his father isn’t the only challenge. Seth must also find a way to convince his childhood neighbor and best friend, Iris McKinley, to forgive him for breaking her heart. With his homecoming, will Seth be able to convince the town, his family and especially Iris that he’s finally ready to be the man who will make them all proud?

Ope’s Opinion:  There were some great things in this book and a few disappointing things.  Let me start with the disappointing so we can end on a good note.  Robyn Carr does not usually use the “f” word and she used it in weird places in this book.  This book is part of a series.  Robyn usually updates us on all the other characters we had met in the past – there were not many updates in this book.

Now, lets get to the good part.  Seth and Iris are a really cute couple.  It was fun to watch them come together.  I love how Robyn Carr handles secrets with her characters – she does not wait until the last pages to reveal the secret.  She gives plenty of time for her characters to work things out.  She really knows how to tell a story.

I really liked how Robyn Carr handle the abusive situation.  I thought it was great to see a school counselors responsibilities.  It was encouraging to watch these characters confront abuse head on – as scary as that is.

As usual I am looking forward to her next installment in this series.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Positive

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Author: Piage Rawl, Ali Benjamin            positive
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Genre:  Memoir
Source:  BEA

 

Publication Date: August 26, 2014

 

Goodreads:  An astonishing memoir for the untold number of children whose lives have been touched by bullying. Positive is a must-read for teens, their parents, educators, and administrators—a brave, visceral work that will save lives and resonate deeply.

Paige Rawl has been HIV positive since birth, but growing up, she never felt like her illness defined her. On an unremarkable day in middle school, she disclosed to a friend her HIV-positive status—and within hours the bullying began. From that moment forward, every day was like walking through a minefield. Paige was never sure when or from where the next text, taunt, or hateful message would come. Then one night, desperate for escape, fifteen-year-old Paige found herself in her bathroom staring at a bottle of sleeping pills.

That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Paige’s memoir calls for readers to choose action over complacency, compassion over cruelty—and above all, to be Positive.

Includes twenty-five photos from Paige’s personal collection throughout.

Ope’s Opinion:  Before I start this review, you should know I am not a big reader of memoirs.  I have read several books about HIV and teens – I did not realize the bullying and isolation were still happening today.  I would have thought by now with all the information that is out there, people would not be so misinformed.

Paige’s voice in this book was clear and informative.  She was not whiney even though she was dealing with a lot of difficult situations.  I actually thought she was very mature for her age.  It was great to see Paige use her illness and hard lessons for good.

Being positive is a theme in this book. Even though Paige is HIV positive, she tried to have a  positive attitude. Paige wants us to look at life from a positive perspective.   I think she also wants others to treat everyone in a positive manner.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Can’t Look Away

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Author: Donna Cooner              look
Publisher: Point
Genre:  Young Adult
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date:  August 26, 2014

 

Goodreads:  Donna Cooner establishes herself as our own Jodi Picoult in this timely tale of sisters, loss, and redemption.

Torrey Grey is famous. At least, on the internet. Thousands of people watch her popular videos on fashion and beauty. But when Torrey’s sister is killed in an accident — maybe because of Torrey and her videos — Torrey’s perfect world implodes.

Now, strangers online are bashing Torrey. And at her new school, she doesn’t know who to trust. Is queen bee Blair only being sweet because of Torrey’s internet infamy? What about Raylene, who is decidedly unpopular, but seems accepts Torrey for who she is? And then there’s Luis, with his brooding dark eyes, whose family runs the local funeral home. Torrey finds herself drawn to Luis, and his fascinating stories about El dio de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

As the Day of the Dead draws near, Torrey will have to really look at her own feelings about death, and life, and everything in between. Can she learn to mourn her sister out of the public eye?

Ope’s Opinion:  Grieving is hard enough, then add being a teen, your sister and doing your grieving in public.  For Torrey that is what happened.  Watching her navigate her way through this tragedy felt realistic.  She is a typical teen – she is concerned about what other people think, how she looks and who is watching her.  

There were a host of characters, as there usually is any teens life.  Those characters were interesting and brought a lot to the story line.  There were some unexplored aspects of those characters that would make an interesting companion novel to this one.

It is good to see the progression of her healing.  It was a slow process – which felt realistic. I think Torrey is a good example to a young person who may have lost someone close to them.

I think those readers who enjoy blogs and youtube videos would enjoy this read.

 

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Finding Daddy Warbucks

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Author: David Hwa                       warbucks
Publisher: Wellworth LLC
Genre:  Fiction
Source:  Alyssa Livolsi

 

Goodreads:  We never know how God may lead us. The twists and turns of life often leave us confused and deflated. For 10-year-old Haley, the unexpected loss of her father was such a twist. When all is lost, a little light in the darkness can make all the difference. The world is a big place for a little girl. For that matter, it’s a pretty big place for anyone who has lost their way. Hayley finds her solution in a modern day prince, but she can’t pull off this miracle by herself. Nick, an attorney struggling to save his job, wouldn’t seem to be much help to a little girl trying to create a miracle. But life has a way of bringing us the people we need most, at just the right time. Still, there is so much that could go wrong, especially when her headstrong mother doesn’t fall for the prince. But there’s something Hayley doesn’t see coming, something she can’t see. Something she doesn’t want to see, something that hides in the dark where she can’t go, something unspeakable. Follow Haley’s journey into the light and see how redemption is there for anyone, even the condemned. And see how love can find you-even through the darkness.

Ope’s Opinion:  The chapters in this book are really short.  That was nice for being able to pick it up and put it down, but it made it hard to get into it.  It felt it was  a little choppy for me.  

The cover and story itself were endearing.  It took me a while to get into it because every time I figured out what was going on, we switched chapters and characters.  It finished too fast too.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Brunette Ambition

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Author: Lea Michele                                         lea
Publisher: Harmony Books
Genre: Non-fiction
Source:  My daughter
Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

 

 

Goodreads:  The star of the hit show Glee shares her experiences and insider tips on beauty, fashion, inner strength, and more in an illustrated book that’s part memoir, part how-to, and part style guide.

Lea Michele is one of the hardest working performers in show business. Whether she’s starring as Rachel Berry on Glee, rocking a glamorous look on the red carpet, recording her solo album, or acting as the spokesperson for L’Oreal, Lea is the ultimate multi-tasker. She knows better than anyone that it is difficult to be your best self and keep things in perspective when your to-do list is overflowing and you are faced with challenges, so she’s developed a foolproof system for remaining healthy and centered. In Brunette Ambition, she reveals the lessons and advice that have worked for her–from beauty and fashion secrets to fitness tips, and career insights. Supplemented with never-before-seen photos and revealing anecdotes, it’s the book Lea wishes she’d had in her teens and early twenties: A practical and inspirational guide to harnessing tenacity and passion and living the fullest life, no matter what obstacles life puts in your way.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is a pretty easy, simple review.  If you like Lea Michele and/or Glee, you will like this book.  It has a lot of pictures of Lea and her family and friends.  It lets you in on her childhood, her broadway shows and her Glee family.  It also has some advice and recipes.  Check it out.

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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