Perfect on Paper

Perfect on Paper: The (Mis)adventures of Waverly Bryson ISBN: 098004250X ISBN-13: 9780980042504

I have to admit at first I had some trepidation about a self published book but the reviews started pouring in and I have to agree I really liked this book.

Waverly Bryson has just been dumped by her seemly perfect fiancé.She has a perfect career but one she really does not enjoy. Perfect on Paper is the story of her getting back in the dating game and finding her way in life.

As a hobby she starts “honey notes”. An example of a honey note:

Front: Can’t face the Dating scene after a bad break up?

Honey: Hit the bar and hit it hard. Beer goggles are the lonely girls cupid.

There are honey notes at the end of each chapter and in the book. I liked the idea of them being the head of each chapter. Waverly also hits it big with her Honey Notes when they get turned into greeting cards.

This is a light fun read. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed every minute of it. Waverly not only finds love again but also finds herself at the end of the book. The characters are enjoyable. The plot is predictable but the charters more than make up for that.

I want to thank Pump Up your Book Promotions for sending me a copy of this book to read!

 

author web site

Hiss and Tell

Hiss and Tell: True Stories from the Files of a Cat Shrink ISBN: 0140298533 ISBN-13: 9780140298536

This is a collection of true stories of a cat shrink. I thought most of the stories were laugh out loud funny. There is Mambo the cat who attacks his owner only on Sunday. And my personal favorite, the cat who hid dead birds in the owners guest bedroom bed springs. I laughed for days over that one.

The story of this book is while  humans may consider some undesirable behavior “bad” there is always a reason why a cat acts up. We just have to dig deep to find out the reason. There is always some form of cat logic behind the behavior.

As a cat lover I really enjoyed this book. If you like funny stories and cat stories you will probably enjoy this book also.

Peaceful Endings:The Noposam Project

Peaceful Endings: The NOPOSAM Project ISBN: 1432727397 ISBN-13: 9781432727390

This is a techno-thriller set in Rode Island. Dr Marilynn Harwell notices a bunch of people dying from relatively  minor injuries, she sets out to find out what is behind the deaths. Her accomplice Doug Talbot joins here in a thrilling two day adventure that includes being wrongly accused of a terrorist attack.

This was excellent writing. There are those books where the ending is predictable then there are those who leave you guessing to the end. This book was the latter. It provided twist and turns so the reader would never get bored.

The characters were well developed. There was one that I thought was overly mean but it helps the plot line. You cant help but like the two main characters and root for them.

Paul of Dune

Paul of Dune ISBN: 0765312948 ISBN-13: 9780765312945

This events in this book take place between Frank Herbert’s Dune and Dune Messiah. If you haven’t read the above this book may be hard to follow.

This book seeks to answer the question on how he became the prophet that he is in Dune Messiah.

Paul now is emperor of all worlds and sits on the throne. But his troubles are far from over.He must navigate the Jihad that he has unleashed on the universe.

Through his prophetic vision he can see that all humanity will be saved, but in the meantime he is victim to many plots to overturn and overthrow him. He must deal with his wife in name only, Ireluan the daughter of the former emperor Shadam.

One thing is that no matter how dire the circumstances are you know that Paul is going to live because he is alive in the Dune Messiah book. That is one of the condrums of writing a book such as this. You are confined to a narrow spectrum of events. However the author Kevin J Anderson does a brilliant job of making the story interesting and in keeping with the whole Dune Story.

Seductive Poison

Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor’s Story of Life and Death in the People’s Temple ISBN: 0385489846 ISBN-13: 9780385489843

While I am too young to remember The Jonestown and the  Peoples Temple Massacre I have heard about it. I remember other cults that have come to light. I have often wondered  why people would submit to such things. What makes them believe in all the hoopla that the leaders tell them?

Seductive Poison  is the story of Deborah Layton who escaped from Jim Jones Peoples Temple in South America. In this book she describes how she became involved with the Peoples Temple and her stay at Jonestown.

I used to think that people stayed in conditions such as these cause they wanted to but Layton paints a different picture. The inhabitants Of Jonestown had their passport and money taken away on arrival. They were forced to do hard labor 12 hours a day. There was next to no medical care and worse their leader went insane. He believed they were under constant threat by the CIA and had weekly drills where people would have o stay up all night and then practice for the mass suicide that sadly took place.

This is an honest look at how the inside of a cult works.

Choosing to Be

Choosing to Be: Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master: Kat Tansey: Books ISBN: 1935278142 ISBN-13: 9781935278146

I loved this book! It is going into my “feel-good’ reread collection. The author Kat Tansey finds herself in a suicidal depression and unable to find her way out. One day she reads The Tibetan Book On Living and Dying. She then decides to try and find the “Buddha” mind.

This book is classified under nonfiction only because she transcribes conversation with her Maine Coon cat Poohbear. Otherwise it is a true story of how she came into her mediation practice. She explains how over the course of a year she progresses from being suicidal to finding joy. It goes in detail into her year long journey.

I liked the way to interweaves conversations with her Main Coon cat into the story. She has conversations with him as if he is a real person.Poohbear takes on the role of Zen master delightfully.

 

Gathering Blue

Gathering Blue ISBN: 0385732562 ISBN-13: 9780385732567

This is a book set in the same world as The Giver also by Lois Lowry.

In Gathering Blue,, Kira who has a twisted leg and was kept alive thanks to her mother. Normally, a deformed or sick child would be left in the Field of Leaving. When Kira’s mother dies it is understandable that she would be nervous about her new role in society.

When she is called before the Council she worries but is saved by her extraordinary skills in sewing.In her new appointed role as the person who repairs the ritual garment robes for The Song she finds and accepts her new role.

Things are not always as they seem though and this novel is no expectation. It is a young adult novel and young readers will relate to having the authority rule over their lives.

I liked this novel as it has undertones of politics and other issues on what happens when society decides a person fate  against the greater good.

Review: Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1) ISBN: 051513449X ISBN-13: 9780515134490

After falling in love with Jean-Claude I decided to go all the way back to the book where he becomes Master of the City. Even though Jean-Claude did not do much in this book except to be punished by being forced into a cross protected coffin, It gave valuable insights as to why Anita was so hesitant to be his “girlfriend” and human servant in the first place. It also proved to show why one should read books in order but I disgress.

In this book I can also see the growth of Hamilton as a writer. I had previously only read her later books but now I can see the tremendous leaps and bounds she has made in her craft.

In Guilty Pleasures, Anita is forced to find out who or what has been killing master vampires.As this is an earlier work she has yet to receive her full vampire marks and her meta-physical stuff. It is good old fashioned fighting in this book. I personally like Anita better when she gives in to Jean-Claude. This book did provide me with some much needed back story.

Review: Arsenic Soup for Lovers

 

Arsenic Soup For Lovers: When Chicken Soup Doesn’t Work: Georgia Z Post: Books ISBN: 0595423078 ISBN-13: 9780595423071

My sense of humor tends towards the snarky side so when I heard about this book I grabbed  the chance to read.

This is the second book by Georgia Z Post. I haven’t read the first “With Malice Toward Some” but if it is even half as funny as Arsenic Soup I will.

In thinking of the best way to describe this book it is like the Chicken Soup books but on the snarky side. It is very funny. There is the story of the perfect couple who hate each other. The guy with obsession with knees and many more. As I have said before the humor runs toward the sarcastic side so if that is not your thing….

If however you do like a healthy does of sarcasm and snark you will like this book.

Review: Knowing God Intimatley

Knowing God Intimately: Being as Close to Him As You Want to Be ISBN: 0446531936 ISBN-13: 9780446531931

As I have said before, I discovered Joyce Meyer from a family member I went to the library and got some more of her books. Knowing God Intimately was one of them.

Most people only have a superficial relationship with God. Meyers explains there are four levels of intimacy. A lot of people get stuck at level one. Throughout the book the reader is taken step by step to reach level 4.

This book was interesting although I think Confidant Woman is still my favorite by her.