Em
Hello Friends.
All of you are probably questioning what is wrong. Finally, I am going a midweek blog post! Are things slowing down? Am I getting back into my old ways? The answer is yes…..soon. Very,  very soon. There are so many things that I want to tell you but yet, it will have to wait one more day. Today friends, I have the joy to bring to you another review. I hope you all are sticking with me in my busy life. Each of us needs a timeout in the busyness, and I am beginning to get to a point that I can start taking the must needed moments in life to stop and really be thankful. In these moments, I also took the time to read yet another book. This book will leave you speechless and feel emotions that one always doesn’t feel from a book. Today, it is my pleasure to review for you “The Color of Snow” by Brenda Stanley.
Summary:
Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?
When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.
Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.
Review:
Sometimes, when I read a really good book, I think really hard on how to write the review because I want to do the author justice. This is one of those books. After typing and re-typing my starting sentence to this review, I couldn’t decide on the best way to get across to you just how breath-taking this book was. What it came down to is one word: Stunning. This book captured my interest from the very beginning and held it all the way through. The characters were stunning and hauntingly beautiful, the setting captivated me, and the story itself was perfected through the mastery of the author. Novels with such sadness and longing seen through the eyes of a child are few and far between. Mixed in with the purest sense of love, confusion, and growing up in a world filled with the unknown makes this book a delicacy in the truest form. I have read many great books over the years, and I would classify The Color of Snow on the shelf with Harper Lee’s wonderful words. There were times I had to remember to breathe.  The alternating stories within the book held my attention and I always wanted more yet was scared at what that more would entail. I felt myself being drawn to Sophie’s struggle. Her innocence was so beautiful that I fell in love with her the moment I met her, just like everyone in the book.  Her character is one that you will remember and refer to as true beauty and purity. Her existence mixed in with Luke and Vee’s love story truly is a work of art for the ages. There are core emotions in each and every character and I found myself feeling each struggle and pain and love that each of the characters felt. It was heartbreaking, suspenseful, with an ending that will leave you questioning everything life is about. In short: The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley was simply stunning. Stunning.  If my review didn’t convince you to read this book, please read an excerpt from the book. This made it to my Top Ten list of quotes from books and you will see why:
“This is where I go when I can’t stand life anymore. The first time I came here, I tried to kill myself. I stole my dad’s gun and had it all planned out. Then I sat here and looked around at all this and thought...who would care? I’m nothing and no one would miss me, so why do it? That’s when I decided to live for me. I do what makes me happy now and screw the rest of them.”
There you have it friends. Try not to read it, I dare you.
About the Author:
Brenda Stanley is former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in Eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, The Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of 5 children, including two sets of twins. Brenda and her husband Dave, a veterinarian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.
Want to get a copy to read? I don’t blame you. You can purchase The Color of Snow with these great links:
There you have it friends. Another great book to add to your reading list. I will be back soon with updates about my life and what has been going on. I have plenty to tell you and can’t wait to catch up. Until then, go and get a copy of the book. You won’t regret it. A shout out to Nicole from Tribute Books for again giving me another great book to add to the shelf. J
Happy Reading Friends.
Cheers!
Em

Again, my friends, I come to you with good cheers this Saturday afternoon. I know that I have promised you updates on my life and all the happenings going on, but I am afraid I might disappoint, but just a little. Work should start slowing down and I should be back to my posts about love, life, and happiness. Until then I would like to enlighten you with yet another book review. Today, I bring to you a review of the book “Of Time and Place,” by B.R. Freemont. Sit back, grab your hot cup of tea, and get ready to enjoy the workings of B.R. Freemont. Enjoy, my friends.


Summary:

As the global energy crisis of the 21st century wears on, James Lindeman searches for answers – both for the country and for himself.

Working in the Federal Energy Department for the iconoclastic and enigmatic Kate Hastings, James is at the center of a world of political intrigue and personal conflicts. Unsure of whether he can go along with Kate’s plans for the country (and for him), he is forced to steer his own way through a maze of personal and professional problems.

When we meet James a few years later (through an ingenious weaving of dual timelines), he is in Savannah, working as a contractor for the government and debating the merits of a flirtatious college student who lives in his boarding house.

Nimbly moving forward and backward through James’s personal timeline,
 Of Time and Place leads its readers on a journey through the twists and turns of life in a kind of historical novel of the future. From a tumultuous romance and marriage to a romantic spring in Florence and the adversities along the way, James finds himself debating both his own life and the feasibility of maintaining a viable US economy in the mid-21st century.

Drawn from very real issues of global import, and playing out in some of the most storied cities in the world,
 Of Time and Place will leave every reader pondering the future – and the present.

Review:

Being an optimist, this book was hard for me to get in to at first. For the characters, it seems like they try and try again, and never really succeed. I am all for working hard to get the outcomes that you want, but the roadblock that these characters face seems daunting, more specifically James. A lot of times, I was left questioning the hands that he was dealt and what choices he was going to have to make. Don’t get me wrong; this was something that made me warm up to the book. James, the main character, has the hardest decisions. Attraction to one woman, married to another all the while dealing with being in the center of political conspiracy. The fact that everything somersaults off of James’s choices makes for suspense in the book that made me want to keep reading on. The dual timelines was sometimes hard to keep up with, but going into the book with the knowledge that there will be this challenge, I must say that the author did a great job. I felt confused at times, but I think it was supposed to make the reader feel like that because it is coming directly from James and he himself was perplexed on what to do. The suspense, love, uncertainties, and hardships make this great book to read on a rainy day. This book will make you look at the choices and consequences in life and ponder about the future, which will become the present time at some point. Do we make the right decisions the first time around? What if we can’t ever go back? How will the future play out? Of Time and Place deals with very real issues and leaves you questioning some of the hardest things in life. This book will leave you with the feeling of Hope, and to me, nothing beats hope. Well my friends, cuddle up for a long afternoon of rain, reading and hope.

About the Author:

B.R. Freemont was born in New York and has lived in the Savannah area for over a decade. He holds a B.A. from Columbia and an M.A. from New York University. During his business career, Freemont filled a number of management assignments and briefly worked for government entities.

Over the years, his interests have included: astronomy, domestic and foreign travel, dog breed club administration, wine tasting, and avidly reading both fiction and non-fiction.

He is married and has a son and two daughters.

Still want more? Of Time and Place can be purchased at:


Paperback
Price: $16.95
 
ISBN: 9781937928728
Pages: 539
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Release: August 17, 2012

eBook
PDF
 - $7.99


Cheers!
Em
Happy Saturday dear ones. I know that is has been a long time. Okay, I will be honest; it has been a very long time. My life has taken some crazy turns and I can’t wait until it settles down and we can take life down a notch and reconnect. Today, unfortunately, is not that day. I will play catch up with all of you later. In the meantime, I will leave with you with another book review. You all know that I am a sucker for inspiration when you least expect it, and Justin Cohen’s book, Quest, INC was just that. Inspiring, and sometimes difficult, journeys in the lives of many characters that helped them reach a destination, whether it be good or bad. It was a raw book that truly showed how different the human race rally is and how great it is to be in touch with reality, truth, and your own selves.  Behold, QUEST, INC.
Overview:
The World’s #1 Personal Development Agency . . . has to prove it.
What if you brought together five top personal development experts—equipped with virtually everything we know about unleashing human potential—and gave them some lives to change? Could they really coach anyone to lose fifty pounds, fix a broken relationship, or get rich? What would they do for a homeless person, or a pro-golfer trailing at the back of her league? How about taking the racism out of a racist, or turning a hellish employee into a ray of sunshine?
Welcome to Quest, Inc. They say they can change your life. Now, as they’re followed by an investigative journalist from one of the world’s leading news publications, they have to prove it—or be damned as charlatans.
Based on real life peak performance and transformational strategies, you’ll see the highs and lows everyone faces on the road to self-realization—especially the experts. Get ready for breakthrough . . . or breakdown.
Review:
Can a group of professionals change individuals to be the better, richer, more beautiful shells of themselves? I am still asking myself that question. Justin Cohen starts the book of in a great way. Scene: A man at the end of his rope faced with the facts of his decisions in life. He was on the edge of life, figuratively and literally. A slip of the foot and he is tumbling to his death. What a wakeup call. Friends form a support group and get him to the man he used to be. Successful, handsome, and rich. Roberts’s journey to me was the most inspiring. We saw him in his raw form as he took the leap of life to end his. With help, he turned around and did the impossible. Roberts story made me want to get off the couch and change something. Change something for the better. It made me think about life in a way I haven’t. What if I was at the end of my rope? Who would be there for me? Would I take the leap? Would I be better because of the journey? The start of this book made me love my life even more but also made me want to better myself by helping others. For me, the book could have stopped there. When Quest, Inc. was formed, it started to get jumpy from character to character, client to client. I found it hard had to keep track which client was which and if they were even being helped and by whom. I was frustrated that the Quest, Inc. coaches seemed like they needed as much help as the clients. Their ultimate goal was to change these individuals, but I found that that Quest Inc. was more like the coaches trying to strip their clients of their own personalities so they could become more successful. I am always one to have an ultimate goal, but it seemed that Quest Inc.’s goal was to get a good review for the pesky reporter hanging around. The death of a client at the end made me question the whole story. Did anyone get the help that was promised? Were the coaches faced with their worst fear: being unsuccessful?  Too many clients made for one too many ‘Quests’ for me. I would really of liked to bond with only a couple of clients and follow them intimately as they try to change their lives for the better. The one client who stood out to me was Laura, the homeless woman who was transformed, only to realize that on the streets is where she needed to be. This was her calling and she stuck to her beliefs through the whole program. I envy her strength and knowledge and not changing from what she really wanted! The concept of the books was very enthralling, nonetheless. I think everyone at some point in their life, want to change. Whether it be appearance, jobs, etc. The author made that a possibility and really showed me that each person has their own Quest. Some just need help finding a way to get there. Do I want to know how their story ends? Without a doubt! Everything aside, I can’t wait to read the second book in the Quest, Inc. series. Justin Cohen has sparked my interest and I can’t wait to go on another Quest.
There you have it my friends. This beautiful Saturday, go on your own quest and make some memories. Fall is just around the corner and I can wait to see what journey my life will take. We can never have too many quests in our life. DO you want some more? Read about the author below! Also, a shout out to Tribute Books for letting me review another boundless book!
About the Author:
Justin Cohen is the author of four books and seven audiobooks. He produced and hosted a television talk show in which he interviewed some of the world’s top experts on success. As a leading authority on personal development, with an honors degree in Psychology, Justin speaks, trains and writes in the fields of motivation, sales, service and leadership. Having spoken professionally for nearly fourteen years, Justin has presented in twelve different countries, and in virtually every industry, to an average of ten thousand people annually.
Still want more? You can purchase Quest, Inc. from the links below.
Quest, Inc.
Can you buy a new life?
can be purchased at:


Cheers!