Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Harmless by Katherine Dell



Summary

Be careful what you wish for.

After moving from Vancouver to isolated Hazelton, BC, high school senior Rachel Barnes hopes she’ll finally find closure and a sense of direction after tragedy has torn her family apart. When she and her friends discover the old spirit box her grandmother gave her, they see it as a chance to wish their troubles away. But the Great Spirits—deer, crow, bear, and the mythical wendigo—give away nothing for free. 

So instead of worrying about fitting in and finding a boyfriend, Rachel finds herself in a race to control the malevolent spirit who’s taken up residence in Mason Allen, who she fears and craves in equal measure. What began as a harmless game forces Rachel to confront her past—and offers her a future she never imagined.



My Thoughts

So, I opened up my planner a few days ago and realized that I had written in to try to review the book Harmless this week.  I couldn't remember what it was about so I searched for the review request email and read the synopsis.  It sounded pretty good so I wasn't worried, but at the same time, I sure was hoping that it would be the kind of book that I would be so into that I would want to put it down (You know, since I didn't have much time to read it being that I'm a procrastinator).  Well... It was SO GOOD!

I seriously read it in 2 days.  It would have been 1 day if I hadn't started it late at night!  I really enjoyed it.  Even after reading the synopsis, I was still surprised and kept on the edge of my seat.

Before reading Harmless I had never even heard the word wendigo, much less knew what one was.  I really like learning about other cultures and things so I found that pretty cool.  I don't know that I would ever want to meet one but learning about them was neat! Lol!

Harmless was left somewhat open ended.  Hopefully that means there will be a sequel to this story!  I would love to hear more about what happens with Mason and Rachel!

Thank you, Katherine, for sending this book to me!  I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from you!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, July 14, 2017

Operation: Hail Storm by Brett Arquette



Summary

Marshall Hail was a husband, a father, a Physics Nobel prize winner and industrial billionaire. But when Hail's family was killed in a terrorist attack, he became a predator and redirected his vast industrial assets toward one goal, removing every person on the FBI's Top 10 Terrorist list. With the help of his MIT colleagues, Hail designed and built a devastating arsenal of attack drones of all shapes and sizes that are flown by the nation's best young gamers. The world will come to realize that Marshall Hail possesses the capability of getting to anyone, anywhere, at any time, unleashing an operation so disturbing that the CIA has named it Operation Hail Storm.


My Thoughts

Such a great book!  It is fast-paced and certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.  I didn't want to have to put it down!  The character development was phenomenal.  My personal favorite is Kara!

Operation Hail Storm is the kind of book that somehow makes you feel a bit smarter when you've finished reading it.  I feel like I learned so much more about technology but didn't feel like I was being forced to learn.  So Good!

I honestly don't know that I would have picked this book up on my own.  It's not the genre that I usually prefer.  That is one thing that I love about reviewing books for people.  They send books that I wouldn't necessarily pick out for myself, I read them, and then I end up a happy girl with an extended book genre preference!  Love it!

*Note:  I received  copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Ten Tips For The Frazzled Parent by Birgitta Karlén



Summary

'Ten Tips for the Frazzled Parent, When You've Reached the End of Your Rope!' takes a behind the scenes look at the joys and frustrations of raising children. Most would agree there is never a dull moment with a child in the house, and several can be downright overwhelming! Having conceived and written the book in the parenting trenches, author Birgitta Karlén takes a real look at how fun, yet frustrating, demanding, challenging and sometimes silly the job of parenting can be. Illustrator Michael Pugliese brilliantly captures the nuance of the family dynamic, with his loveable characters and true-to-life depictions. Parents and caregivers alike will find these ten bits of parenting "wisdom" charming and irresistibly funny!


My Thoughts

Ten Tips For The Frazzled Parent is such a cute little book.  It would be a great baby shower gift for a new parent.  The illustrations are fun and so relevant (great job, Michael Pugliese!).
I especially loved tip #4 "Even though it may seem like they are trying to kill you...slowly...you are the light of their lives."

It's a really small, short book that is a quick and fun little read.  Thanks, Birgitta Karlén, for sending it to me!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Elephant Picture Book by Jack L. Roberts and Michael Owens



Summary

The Elephant Picture Book is a delightful picture book for children (ages 4-8) that tells about the differences (and similarities) between African elephants and Asian elephants. It also provides a special look at a group of elephants at Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand, a place where overworked and abused elephants have found a safe and loving home in a natural environment. Photographer Michael Owens captures both the gentleness and the majesty of these enchanting animals in his full-color photographs that are guaranteed to delight both young readers and their parents alike.


My Thoughts

I took this book to my class (I teach First and Second grade at a private school) and they LOVED it!  I read it to them first and then they wanted to take turns looking at it at their desks.  The book stayed in my classroom for the rest of the school year and will be returning when school starts back up in August!

The Elephant Picture Book was a bit hit in my classroom!  Thank you, Jack Roberts, for sending this book to me!

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.