Lyndsay Digneo Reviews New Chicklit Book

Title – Something Borrowed

Author – Emily Giffin
Author’s Website – http://www.emilygiffin.com
Genre - Chicklit

ISBN-10: 031232118X

ISBN-13: 978-0312321185

Reviewed by Lyndsay Digneo for Simply Lindsay

Reviewer Website (Blog) – http://simplylyndsay.blogspot.com/

Despite a lot of positive reviews, I was slightly hesitant to read Emily Giffin's first novel, Something Borrowed. The whole premise of the book, the main character sleeps with her best friend's fiancé, isn't exactly the storyline I usually go for. However, with the movie being released on May 6th and a lot of great recommendations from friends, I decided to take the plunge and read it. I'm so glad I did. Unlike other novels with an affair at its core, Giffin did a stellar job of turning the tables and made the reader sympathetic to the cheater.

Meet Rachel and Darcy. They've been best friends for years. Rachel is the perpetual good girl, who's worked hard for everything she has in life, and Darcy, well, she's that girl you know and sometimes scratch your head in wonder about how everything in her life has always fallen into place. However, on the eve of her 30th birthday, Rachel finds herself in bed with Darcy's fiancé. While she resigns herself to thinking it was a one-time, drunken mistake, the fling soon becomes a full blown affair. To make matters worse, as if it could get worse, Rachel is not only Darcy's best friend she is her maid of honor.

As the story follows Rachel, Darcy, and Dex, that's Darcy's fiancé, and their friends through the summer, the lines of right and wrong get blurred. As easy as it is to say cheating is wrong, Giffin makes a subtle but strong case that there are "no moral absolutes."

At 29, I'm about the same age as Rachel and Darcy. I found myself relating to them and laughing along side of them throughout the entire book. One of my favorite scenes of the entire book was the night of Darcy's bachelorette party. Darcy spent the night at Rachel's apartment as Darcy wanted to relive the days of childhood sleepovers. If you ever had a best friend that was like a sister to you, you'll relate and feel bond between Rachel and Darcy. They truly have a history filled with good memories, and that's what makes Rachel's situation all the more intriguing and difficult.

The focal point of the novel is a heavy one, but the story itself is another segment of growing up. We grow up learning right from wrong, but the truth of the matter is "the world is not that black-and-white." Sometimes it takes us until we're 29 going on 30 to fully learn the lesson and realize that there are always tough decisions to make. And of course when it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes, we learn that a man should never be something borrowed.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

THE Book for Book Lovers

Title: The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life

Author: Nava Atlas
Publisher: Sellers Publishing, Inc. South Portland, ME
Publishing Date: 2011
ISBN 13: 978-1-4162-0632-3


Reviewer: Mindy Phillips Lawrence


Nava Atlas is a well-known cookbook author. The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life is a departure but in it, she offers us the ingredients twelve famous female writers combined to serve up their writing lives. Through family problems, depression and social misconceptions, they wrote. They persevered in order to say what they were compelled to say. Because they did, we now know the works of Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontё, Willa Cather, Edna Ferber, Madeline L’Engle, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anaïs Nin, George Sand, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf.
Atlas talks about the “universal yearning to set thoughts to paper.” Literary Ladies explains how each writer showcased in the book made space in her life to accomplish that goal. It wasn’t easy.
Harriet Beecher Stowe raised seven children and had to supplement her husband’s meager income by publishing her articles. Yet, she found the time to produce Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book that rattled a nation.
Edith Wharton was on the other end of the economic ladder. The phrase “keep up with the Joneses” pertains to her family. It was Wharton’s family with whom the elite struggled to keep up--both socially and economically. Although she had money, time and ability, her family thought the pursuit of writing was an embarrassment to their station in life and not worthwhile for a socialite. She still forged ahead to win a Pulitzer Prize.
The information about the authors comes from their diaries, letters, journals memories and interviews. From these sources, we learn about how they struggled to find and maintain their own voice, master uncertainty about their abilities and balance their family lives with the need to write. It breaks down forever the fallacy that writing is easy work.
Chapters in The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life include Becoming a Writer, Developing a Voice, Tools of the Trade, Conquering Inner Demons, The Writer Mother, Rejection and Acceptance, Money-Matters and Farther Along the Path. At the end is a section on Sources, Notes and Acknowledgements which gives additional information for deeper study. The only thing the book doesn’t have is an index, which would come in handy.

Nava Atlas not only wrote this book but also illustrated it, and did it well. She is an accomplished illustrator with work in several gallery collections. Writer, artist, cook, mother, she herself is an example of the persevering woman. But even as gifted as she is, Atlas said about her early writing life, “I thought I lacked ability when the writing got hard.” It’s so easy not to see the big picture.
Twenty-First Century women still have the same challenges as did the Literary Ladies. They must figure out how to write, get a publisher, make a living as a writer while raising a family and, in most cases, hold down a full-time job. Atlas’s book motivates modern-day female writers to carve out time from the same twenty-four-hour day the Literary Ladies had to pursue their craft. The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life offers them the ingredients and motivation to bake up their OWN literary masterpieces. That’s why this book is so important to read.

###
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Tweeting Help for Those with Something to Sell

Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers
Subtitle: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Author's Blog: http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/
129 pages
ISBN: 9781451546149


Originally reviewed by Aaron Paul Lazar for Amazon

Carolyn Howard-Johnson has written another excellent guide, this time it's suitable for anyone selling a product. I happen to be a writer, and learned a great deal about tweeting to improve book sales. For example, I never knew what "Retweets" were or that one could request them. Written with a straightforward, easy to read style, this is a great reference book. I particularly loved this quote "So let's think freely and with confidence that our good deeds will come back to us. If we act accordingly, we can successfully use all kinds of sites on the Web." Carolyn's positive and optimistic outlook shines through in this book - coupled with astute common sense and experience. Buy it today!
~Aaron Paul Lazar is the author of three lyrical and addictive mystery series. His latest book, FireSong, was just released as an eBook. FireSong: What would you do if your country church was hit by a rogue tornado during services? When the twister unearths the body of a missing churchgoer, Gus LeGarde is led into a bizarre underground labyrinth where he discovers the shock of his life and potential links to the Underground Railroad.

 
 
 
 
 
 
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

The Tech Disease: Getting Over Addiction

Title – The Digital Diet:
Subtitle - The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance
Author – Daniel Sieberg
Author's website link - http://www.danielsieberg.com/
Genre or category - technology
ISBN – 978-0307887382
Publisher -  Random House

The Digital Diet is a 28-day plan that’s meant to reawaken our awareness of technology in our lives, provide tools and gadgets to improve life, and instill the right motivational/practical formula for managing it in the future. It can be tailored based on age, profession, hobbies, and a person’s particular electronic poison and includes a self-assessment, a detox phase, and a week-by-week guide to building time for technology back into your routine.



The 4 Step Plan

Step 1 – Think - Consider how technology has overwhelmed our society and the effect it’s had on your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Step 2 – Boot - Take stock of your digital intake using Sieberg’s Virtual Weight Index and step back from the device.

Step 3 – Connect - Focus on restoring the relationship that have been harmed by the technology in your life.
Step 4 – Vitalize - Learn how to live with technology – the healthy way, by optimizing your time spent e-mailing, texting, on Facebook and web surfing.

Kirkus Review -

Former CBS and CNN technology correspondent recognizes what is lost in a multitasking, digitally obsessed world and outlines suggestions to help people reclaim their lives.

Spending hours on the computer with minimal productivity? Is social-networking a daily necessity, or has the purchase of the latest games, gadgets and apps become routine? Life does not have to be beholden to technology, writes Sieberg, who encourages technology users to take control. The author, an Emmy-nominated journalist and self-rehabbed gaming and social-network addict, urges the plugged-in public to recognize the impact technology is having on their self-esteem, relationships and health. Technology, writes the author, should allow people to work smarter, not harder. It should provide them with more down time, but not consume it. Rather than berating people for their tech obsession, though, Sieberg shares his own fall into compulsive computering and his subsequent struggle to make time off-screen. He outlines his four-step, 28-day plan that instructs readers to take back control through “positive computing” and constructive time-management. The author is aware that one size does not fit all, and he provides a flexible tech cleanse that readers can employ as they see fit. Packed with helpful tips, examples of exercises one can do while incorporating their gadgets and recommendations for apps and software that help achieve positive technology management, Sieberg sets the reader on a path for success.

Take control over technology with this energetic, engaging and uplifting read.

~ For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit http://www.danielsieberg.com/.

~ Virtual blog tour coordinated by Nikki Leigh and Promo 101 Promotional Services - http://www.bookpromotionservices.com/



----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

You Always Knew "Swum" Was a Word, Right?

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Booklet for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HowToDoItFrugally Publishing, 2010
55 pages, e-book and paperback
Also available for Kindle
ISBN: 1450507654



Reviewed by Dawn Colclasure

Is there a difference between “childlike” and “childish”? Actually, there is. That's just one of the things I learned when reading Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, which is a companion volume to her other book, The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success.

Reading this book reminded me of the first book in my Revisions series, which is scheduled for publication this spring (and notice that it is “spring” and not “Spring”). In the editing section of that book, I show the difference between popularly confusing words, such as lay/lie, this/that, who/whom and farther/further. In the first part of this book, “Trip-You-Up Words,” Carolyn explores word pairings (or even triplings) of words commonly confused with each other.

I'm glad she included information on the difference between "anxious" and "eager.” I trained myself to stop using "anxious" in a positive way (such as, "I am anxious to see you again") by remembering that the "anx-" prefix is similar to "anxiety." Thus, "anxious" is similar to being filled with anxiety. So would I be feeling anxiety at the prospect of seeing a friend again? Not if it's a good friend! So the correct word is "eager."
This made me laugh: "The sidekick baseball announcers are big on commentary. My gawd! Those statistics and opinions! They go on ad infinitum." (Page 20) One thing Carolyn is known for is her wit and sense of humor. It was pleasant to see this side of her shown in her book.


I wish she had included the difference between compliment/complement. On the other hand, readers must remember that this itty bitty book is only a “companion” volume to her larger, in-depth book on editing. You’ll also find more editing tips on her blog, “The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor." If a word pairing is not covered here or in her book, chances are good she has taken it on in her blog.
She doesn't exactly explain why there is a difference between "hope" and "hopefully," and why using "hopefully" in the common way it is misused is incorrect. (I was surprised to learn this, myself.) Again, however, check with her book, or her blog.

I really appreciated reading this: "In English, we get to make up a word now and then as long as we don't do it at the threshold of a gatekeeper." (Page 28) So true! And very good advice. One thing about being a logophile (lover of words) is that we like to “take breaks” from our quest for proper grammar and have fun with the object of our addic—er, I mean, “affection.” One way we do this is to make up words, and it’s such fun to make up words. Sometimes, I’ll write out silly words just to pass the time, and the results can sometimes pique my interest or cause me to chuckle. (And Carolyn will be pleased to know that I have use “pique” as her booklet instructs.)

I'm glad she pointed out the difference between “i.e.” and “e.g.” as well as the importance of inserting commas on either side of "i.e." and "e.g." She didn't, however, note that the periods are likewise essential. I’ve seen many people use them as “ie” and “eg.”

Some readers of this book, and many others like it, may reach the conclusion that Carolyn must always have perfect grammar and never make a mistake. Unfortunately, this is a widespread opinion of such authors and writers. Even some may believe such a thing of Mignon Fogarty ("Grammar Girl"). However, these writers are only human, and humans are prone to make mistakes. Even grammarians make mistakes. Editors make mistakes all the time. Carolyn reminds her readers of this by sharing an embarrassing goof in using the wrong word in the title of a poem she shared with her class, concluding with: "This experience gives me a chance to remind you to be forgiving of others when they error; your turn is sure to come."

I was grateful to learn the difference between "podium" and "lectern." I know I have misused "podium" a time or two. Now, thanks to this "great little" book, I'll be sure to remember which word is the correct one to use!

And now for the "curious word of the day." Cue the fanfare! The curious word is: Swum. Yes, "swum" is indeed a word, Carolyn notes. To be honest, I've always, always seen either "swim," "swimmed" or "swam." But never "swum." It made me wonder if there is a difference between "swum" and "swam." ("Swam" is still a word, right?)

I love how she points out the popular mispronunciation of words, some of which even I am guilty of. It is not "mischievious," but "mischievous." It is not "verbage" but "verbiage." Likewise, she points out the popular way sayings are repeated incorrectly. It is not "could care less" but "couldn't care less." It is not "tie you over" but "tide you over." In one of my manuscripts, a character is guilty of often quoting popular phrases incorrectly, and we’ve all gotten a chuckle or two when someone does this in a TV show or movie. Still, it's nice to know the correct way to say such a thing for what you really mean.

This “great little book” of editing tips gives readers a down-to-earth and refreshing approach to better grammar and usage. Grammarians bemoan the incorrect wording of the sign “ten items or less” and chuckle over a sign advertising “tattoo’s.” (Whose tattoo, exactly?) While we are imperfect writers living in an imperfect world filled with grammar mistakes and mispronunciations, it’s editing books like this that helps us get one step closer to writing, and speaking, clearly and succinctly.

Author of the following books: November's Child, Take My Hand, 365 TIPS FOR WRITERS: Inspiration, Writing Prompts and Beat the Block Tips to Turbo Charge Your Creativity, BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL: How We Survive as Writing Parents, Love is Like a Rainbow: Poems of Love and Devotion, Songs of the Dead, co-author of TOTALLY SCARED: The Complete Book on Haunted Houses


~Reviewer Dawn Colclasure is an author of Totally Scared: The Complete Book On Haunted Houses where she shares everything you ever wanted to know about haunted houses, and the ghosts who haunt them! http://totallyscared.webs.com/ .She is a contributing writer for SIGNews. Learn more about her at  http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/ . Tweet with her at www.twitter.com/dawncolclasure and follow her book review blog at http://writedmc.livejournal.com/.


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Memoir/Self-Help Book Tour for Susan Avitzour

Title – And Twice The Marrow Of Her Bones
Author – Susan Avitzour
Author's website link – http://www.fiveyearslater.blogspot.com/
Genre or category – Memoir, Grief, Faith, Cancer, Resilience
ISBN-10: 9659146426
ISBN-13: 978-9659146420


In 2001, Susan Avitzour lost her eighteen-year-old daughter Timora to leukemia, after a six-year struggle. In her memoir, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, she grapples with many of the profound personal, philosophical, and spiritual questions with which bereaved parents struggle for years – if not for the rest of their lives. Using narrative, poetry, and a journal, she draws us deeply into her family’s world during the “long, wrong years” of her daughter’s illness, and into her own emotional, intellectual, and spiritual journey in their aftermath. She addresses topics that range from food to fun to forgiveness, from pain to purpose to prayer – and ultimately to the challenge of affirming faith and love in an unpredictable, and often cruel, universe. In doing so, she has created a book that will offer invaluable assistance and support not only to bereaved families, but to anyone faced with life’s inevitable challenges and trials.

About Susan Avitzour –


Susan Avitzour was born in 1955. She grew up in Coney Island, Brighton Beach, and Lower Manhattan before leaving New York to earn a BA in French Literature from Wesleyan University. She finished a degree in law at the University of California, Berkeley, shortly before moving to Jerusalem with her family. She left the field of law in 1998, and worked as a mediator, grant-writer, and translator before returning to school in 2005 for a Masters degree in clinical social work. She now works as a cognitive-behavioral therapist both at Hadassah Hospital and privately, helping people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and trauma.


Susan and her husband Daniel raised seven children. Her fourth daughter, Timora, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12. The family spent the next six years struggling to maintain a normal life while she underwent extensive treatment, including two bone marrow transplants. She died in 2001, at the age of eighteen.

In addition to her memoir, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, Susan has written short fiction. One of her stories, “Understanding Betsy,” won a Special Commendation in the Third International Short Story Contest sponsored by Firstwriter Magazine. Another, “Jerusalem of Gold,” appears in the recently-published Israel Short Stories, a collection of stories by English-speaking writers living in Israel.

Susan Shares What People Are Saying About And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones…

All the comments I’ve gotten have been very positive, and very intense. Many, many people have told me they couldn’t put it down. Some have told me they found it uplifting or inspiring; others have thanked me for writing it and told me that it’s helped them deal with difficulties they are facing in their own lives, even if these difficulties are very different from those I describe in the memoir. No one has said anything noncommittal or polite, such as “it was interesting.” Everyone has used expressions such as “beautifully written,” “powerful,” and “extremely moving.”



"And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones can take you far from your expectations of a book about losing a child to cancer. The amazingly clear, honest prose can ennoble you no matter what you believe before reading the memoir.... Therapists and bereaved relatives would do well to read this memoir several times."

- Yocheved Golani, The Jewish Press: http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/47285 
"While focusing on the author's deeply Jewish experience and perspective, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones is inspiring to people of all faiths, or none. A must-read for both my Jewish and Christian students and colleagues."

- Dr. Debbie Weissman, President, International Council of Christians and Jews


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Deb Hockenberry Reviews Fantasy

TITLE: Ferry Tales

AUTHOR: Brendan Gisby
PUBLISHER: Black Leaf Publishing http://www.blackleafpublishing.com/  
FORMAT: Paperback, Kindle
PAGES: 100
PRICE: Paperback: $9.34 (US), £6.29 (UK), CND$ 10.16 (CA)
Kindle: $6.99 (US), £4.99 (U.K.)
ISBN-10: 190740712X
ISBN-13: 9781907407123

Originally reviewed by Deb Hockenberry for Amazon
Brendan Gisby has done it again! In this touching memoir, we’re transported back to 1950/60’s Scotland where the author grew up and are given a glimpse of his childhood.


I highly recommend this collection of short stories for anyone who enjoys travelling back to a simpler time. Both adults and young adults will like this humorous, sometimes sad but very relatable memoir.


In this collection of short stories, we meet his family and his friends and know everybody. If we don’t know them personally, we’re close to people very much like them. We suffer the hardships he and his family (and so many other families at the time) had to endure. We go on childhood adventures with him. We work alongside Mr. Gisby and his father. We even take his Dad’s place at work at one point in the book.

While this reviewer was reading Ferry Tales, she couldn’t help but think things like: “You’d think he’s talking about my sister.” Or, “I had a friend just like that.” There were several times throughout the book when I’d think, “I used to do things like that!” What is best about this book is that you don’t have to be from Scotland to relate to these stories or the cast of characters. Ferry Tales shows you throughout the book that people are the same the world over. Like Mr. Gisby’s other books, the characters and places are painted so realistically that we can reach out and touch them.


If you would like to learn more about Mr. Gisby and his works just visit his website at: http://www.brendangisby.com/ . He also has two Facebook pages! Just sign in at http://www.facebook.com  and search for either Brendan Gisby, Scottish Author or Brendan Gisby.


~Reviewer Deb Hockenberry blogs at http://thebumpyroadtopublishing.blogspot.com/ and
http://debsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Laura L. Mays Hoopes Breaks Spiral Ceiling with New Nonfiction Book

Title: Breaking Through the Spiral Ceiling
Subtitle: An American Woman Becomes a DNA Scientist.

Author: Laura L Mays Hoopes
Author’s web site links: http://www.lauralmayshoopes.com/ ,
http://www.westcoastwriters.blogspot.com/  
http://www.scitable.com/forums/women-in-science 
Genre or category: memoirs and biographies
ISBN-10: 0557923204
ISBN-13: 978-0557923205
Publisher: Lulu.com

Reviewd by Rossana G. D’Antonio originally for Amazon
Reviewer’s rating: 5 stars


Laura L. Mays Hoopes takes us on a colorful journey through time and science as she candidly describes her courageous story of a young woman, who unbeknownst to her, sets off on a trailblazing venture. Experiencing discrimination at a tender age in an era when women were still relegated to a few token professions, her sheer determination drives her to face her obstacles head on. It is this loss of innocence that pulls us in early in her memoir and keeps us rooting for her throughout the story. Hoopes recounts her experiences with humor, sheer honesty, and courage. These are the stepping stones she sets for us to travel alongside her in a path often riddled with self-doubt, guilt and tears as she tries to live her dream of having it all.


Having attended engineering school in the late eighties, I can attest to the difficulties of venturing into a profession that is still very much male-dominated. The obstacles still exist albeit they are much more subtle than Hoopes describes. So I am inspired by her grace, poise, and determination when facing and overcoming these prejudices.


There is still so much inequity in the world of science, math and engineering. To read about someone who has succeeded in these fields is encouraging. To learn about the many obstacles Hoopes overcame to get there is inspirational. To know that she nourished her dream allowing it to grow into something deeper and now she actively impacts future generations is a powerful concept.


In the end, Hoopes succeeds in baring her soul to the reader. A soul that has undergone a transformation with each page. A soul that has experienced love, success, a few tears, and self-discovery...and survived it all! Bravo!
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Tony Eldridge Reviews Book on Tweeting

Frugal and Focused Tweeting
Subtitle: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media
The HowToDoItFrugally series of books
ISBN 9781451546149
Paperback or Kindle
129 pages


Reviewed by Tony Eldridge originally for Book Marketing Tips, http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/


Twitter is not just for letting people know the type of cereal you are having for breakfast anymore. Savvy professionals are learning how to use it as a powerful marketing asset in their corner. Fortunately, there are a lot of resources that will help you learn how to harness the power of Twitter for your business. Carolyn Howard-Johnson is one of those people. In her newest Frugal series book, she tackles Twitter for retailers head-on, and the result is a focused, easy-to-follow plan for any retailer when it comes to incorporating Twitter into their business plan.

Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media is a wealth of information packed into a easy to navigate book. It will take a retailer from the initial stages of establishing a Twitter presence all the way through the strategies they will need to employ to make Twitter an effective marketing machine.


Carolyn goes beyond the "how-tos" of Twitter by walking through how your Twitter decisions affect the impact of your Twitter presence. For example, she gives great advice on how to set up your tiny biography in a way that reinforces your brand. And this is the kind of business savvy help you get from every page of this book.
By now, you probably have a website up for your business. Most people admit that it's a must-have for any business. But finding traffic to your site is another animal altogether. If you are worried that a Twitter account is another website project you will have to spend time marketing for, take heart. Carolyn spends time in her book showing you how to find followers for your Twitter account. And if you find good followers for Twitter, you will increase your website's presence at the same time.


Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers is far more than just a simple "how-to" book. Carolyn goes on to show you how to implement marketing strategies that are unique to Twitter. She also discusses some Twitter-specific tools you can can use. With tens of thousands of tools out there, it's worth a lot to have a Twitter expert weigh in on where to look for the tools you need.



If you are looking for a Twitter guide that cuts through the fluff, gives you exactly what you need to make Twitter a brand-enhancing tool, and is written in an easy to follow format, Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers is a must for your shelf. It will have you up and running on Twitter in no-time.


~Reviewer Tony Eldridge tweets at www.twitter.com/TonyEldridge

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Could Self-Help Really Be This Fun?

Title: Your Degrees Won't Keep You Warm at NightSubtitle: The Very Smart Brothas Guide to Dating, Mating, and Fighting Crime
Authors: Damon Young and Panama Jackson
Author's Web site link: http://verysmartbrothas.com/
Genre: Nonfiction: Relationship humor, satire, advice, self-help
ISBN: 978-1453708767



Reviewed by Helena Andrews for The Root http://www.theroot.com/

Reviewer's Rating: 5 of 5


It's an unfortunate universal fact that common sense is neither common nor sacred. Too often, men and women make uncoordinated missteps because whacking the angel on their shoulder is easier than worshipping it. Plus, doing "hood-rat stuff with your friends" is fun. But for those of you lacking in the friends-with-some-sense department, there's Your Degrees Won't Keep You Warm at Night: The Very Smart Brothas Guide to Dating, Mating and Fighting Crime.

Written by Damon "the Champ" Young and Panama Jackson, the two "very smart brothas" behind the blog of the same name, Your Degrees isn't the latest literary money pit for pitiful women looking to "find, keep and understand a man." Instead, the book, which reads more like a "best of" blog series (in a good way), is a case study in new-millennium mating for like-minded folk who live near a metro. The book is playful without being patronizing.
In 30 chapters with titles like, "The Tenets of Grown-ass-ness," "Love Actually ... Sucks" and "The Do's and Don'ts of Breaking Up," Young and Jackson make an excellent case for common sense when dealing with the opposite sex from both sides of the aisle. "Every grown-ass sista should at least have one *heterosexual!* male in her life that'll give it to her straight with no chaser," explains the Champ. Steve Harvey allusions aside, he's obviously right. Another universal law of attraction goes something like, "You already know the truth, but somehow hearing it come out of a deep voice helps." It's like the Great Oz phenomenon of fornication.
Fooling around also gets a lot of play in Your Degrees. In one of the longest chapters in the book, the Champ's exposition on the "19 Things About Sex I Definitely Didn't Learn in Sex-Ed," we learn that men easily trump women when it comes to bedroom neurosis. They are hyperaware of how many glasses of malbec a woman's had, whether she bothered to Swiffer the place and if she's wearing My Little Pony pj's or something "a little more comfortable."
Most of the chapters in Young and Jackson's first-person field study on "dating, mating and fighting crime" aren't for the faint of heart -- or for those wearing chastity belts. For example, "If guys you're dating always seem to turn into magicians after you've had sex, maybe they're just not that into your vagina," and "clubbing while horny is no different than grocery shopping while hungry."
But Your Degrees isn't all gynecological punch lines (although "penis politician" is hands down my favorite). "Remember; happy woman means happy man, and happy men mean less crime," writes the Champ in his exposition in 21st-century chivalry, which, according to him, is very much alive. He advises men to open the door for any woman within 15 to 20 feet, give up their seat on the bus and be the first to change their relationship status on Facebook. When his daughter is all grown up, Jackson plans to advise her to stick with a man who's loyal -- to his barber, his boys and a basketball team. "One mark of a good dude is the fact that he's able to keep stable relationships with certain male institutions."


Our two bloggers-turned-blogging authors also offer up a myriad of new terms for the crazy characters we should all stay away from. Diva Dude (any black man who watches Nightline, thinks he's an endangered species and acts accordingly), Kryptonite Chick (the psycho chick with great legs who's still psycho) and the Crazy Bastard ("the relationship terrorist holding your sanity hostage") are all familiar archetypes that anyone -- regardless of degree, ethnicity or naiveté -- should run from.
"Young and Jackson" sounds like a detective show set in 1970s Detroit. I picture the authors fighting crime with functional but revolutionary-appropriate Afros, red leather trench coats and black mock turtlenecks. They say things like, "You've just been close-bused, sucka" (page 113) or, "Take those 'work googles' off before you go home with the elevator operator ... sucka!" (page 63).
In the series finale, though, beneath the one-liners and leather armor, both guys have a lot of heart: "Most men aren't scared of commitment and we actually welcome it. We're just scared to death of committing to the wrong person. Big difference."
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Banned Book Given Green Light Review

Title: Such A Long Journey

Author:Rohinton Mistry
ISBN: 9780571245888


Reviewed by Aakanksha Singh for his Book Review Galore blog 

'Such A Long Journey', the debut novel of Rohinton Mistry was in the news due to it being banned by the esteemed vice chancellor of Mumbai University. Leaving aside all the political crap raked up by the Shiv Sena, the book is an exceptional work of literature and no one should be denied the right to read such a fantastic book.


Taken from faber.co.uk'Such A Long Journey' in general is a story of a Parsi man, Gustad Noble, livng in the then Bombay in a Parsi Khodadad Building. It is set during 1971 when East Pakistan was at war with West Pakistan and millions of refugees poured into India, particularly Bengal, due to unspeakable crimes committed on them by brute forces of West Pakistan.


Gustad is a bank clerk whose eldest son, Sohrab, gets into IIT but wants to continue his BA much to the dismay of Gustad, his other son, Darius is a sort of a body builder while his daughter, Roshan, falls ill constantly with bouts of fever and diarrhea. Gustad had known better times, more prosperous times. If his family troubles weren't enough, his old friend Jimmy Bilimoria sends a letter asking him to help out in a preposterous, somewhat heroic, somewhat illegal manner.


In between all these happenings of Gustad's life, Mistry exposes the reader to an assorted motley of characters whose lives are entwined with Gustad's. For eg, his homely , superstitious wife-Dilnavaz,the fumbling, handicapped-Tehmul, the bipolar Ghulam Mohammad, the philosophical pavement artist, his college friend-Malcolm etc. The best thing about Mistry's novel is the apart from the realistic and episodic descriptions of the main character's lives, he also imbues even the most trivial and seemingly unimportant character with stark and singular qualities that immediately make them memorable. He is skilled in the way of characterization.


Mistry provides the reader with a glimpse of the way of life at that time, gives fleeting images and vast descriptions of certain peculiar aspects of Bombay like the House Of Cages, Mount Mary Church and most importantly, a middle class Parsi way of life in Bombay.


'Such A Long Journey' has no clear cut divisions, like many other novels, of prologue, climax, epilogue or conclusion. The story goes on with a smooth flow, carrying the reader through Gustad's and others' lives. There is no obvious climax, no resolute conclusion. In fact, the end of the book suffuses one with a sweet lingering feeling of nostalgic happiness and sadness. There are no shades of excitement in the book except for parts when Gustad is engaged in helping out Jimmy. There are flecks of suspense in those parts. Other then that, 'Such A Long Journey' has no proper plot, no climax, no thrills and frills. This is not a disadvantage but for those who prefer the above aspects may find the book largely monotonous. 'Such A Long Journey' depicts Gustad's life. It portrays it realistically and it is as if the reader is being taken through his life. And in real life, there are hardly any clear distinctions of plot and climax and such stuff. Thus the story tries to mimic this aspect and Mistry has thus created a unique novel.


The rest can easily pick up the book, sit cozily on an armchair, cuddle up and let Mistry draw you into the ups and downs, highs and lows of Gustad's life. Let yourself journey through 'Noble' Bombay.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Title: The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus, From Gazavat to Jihad

Author: Robert W. Schaefer
Author's Web site link: http://www.insurgencybook.com/
Genre: Nonfiction: Chechnya, Russia, Foreign Policy, Insurgency, Terrorism, Politics
and Government
ISBN: 978-0313386343

Reviewed by Margus Kuul for The New Book Review

Reviewer's Rating: 5 of 5


Do you want to know why terrorists bombed the Moscow airport in February 2011?
The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus, From Gazavat to Jihad (Praeger, 2011) is a "must read" for those who are looking for answers about how to stop the brutality and violence in Southern Russia and learning more about the ongoing insurgency in Chechnya and the rest of the North Caucasus.

A wise man once said: "humanity's greatest need is not for money but for more understanding." In his introduction on page 6, Schaefer points out how much money the Russians will spend over the next four years to fight the insurgents in Chechnya alone, and yet, he makes the point clearly throughout the rest of the book that successful counterinsurgency campaigns first of all require a deep understanding of insurgency practice and doctrine followed by detailed historical and cultural knowledge of the region and its people.

Money doesn't fix problems; knowledge solves complex issues like the fighting in Russia.

Although Schaefer's book should be read by everyone following the conflict - or who simply want to know more about the terrorism, the enforced "disappearances" of civilians, why the 2014 Sochi Olympics will be in danger, or how insurgency and counterinsurgency work overall, the people who REALLY need to buy, read, and re-read this book are the who are still fighting battles (yet losing the war) against the insurgents along their southern border.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Title - And One Last Thing...
Author – Molly Harper
Author’s Website – http://www.mollyharper.com/
Genre - Chicklit
ISBN-10: 1439168776
ISBN - 978-1439168776

Reviewed by Lyndsay Digneo for her blog

And One Last Thing by Molly Harper is funny, light-hearted at times, and above all else entertaining. I was looking for a book with a certain element of "fluff," and this fit the bill perfectly!

From the first page, you're thrust into the heart of the story when thirty year old Lacey Terwilliger mistakenly receives a bouquet of flowers from her husband that was intended for his mistress. Suddenly, the life she knew comes crashing down as she deals with the realization that her husband has been having an affair with his assistant. Lacey's pain, rage, and embarrassment are characterized so well. In her fit of anger, she sends a mass email detailing her husband's affair to his clients, friends, and family. As the email goes viral and becomes an Internet sensation, she escapes to her grandmother's lakefront cabin to avoid the media frenzy and the craziness of the divorce.
While it's a predictable theme in most chick lit books, she went to the cabin seeking solitude, but of course she meets Monroe, her sexy, new neighbor. However, it's not as cut and dry as boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. Monroe has a rule to keep his distance from divorced women, and that suits Lacey just fine. But in time, they develop a friendship that eventually leads to intimacy, and in the end, Lacey ultimately has to decide if she can take a chance and love again.


As the reader, you're in Lacey's head for the entire book. You know what she's thinking and why she's doing what she's doing, no matter how crazy it may be. (Skinning dipping in the middle of the night? You'll know why! And you'll laugh through the ordeal, which involves Monroe thinking she is committing suicide!) And that mass email is so carefully written as the typical wronged wife. However, as crazy as Lacey is at times, I found myself cheering and laughing as she said "one last thing."

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

A Moment with Martha , Author of Three Children's Books

The holder of a Bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Clemson University and a master’s from the University of Maryland in Kinesiology, Ms. Martha Swirzinski has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of movement with children.

“More and more research is being developed about the rise of obesity in children,” notes Ms. Swirzinski, who teaches movement education in a local pre-school and offers teacher training workshops and customized consultations. At the same time, numerous studies continue to link increased brain function and movement, she explains. “Being active grows new brain cells!”

Ms. Swirzinski believes that every child should be afforded structured movement opportunities every day to promote an active, healthy lifestyle and become part of a lifelong regime.

It is along this vein that Ms. Swirzinski has published three children’s books focused on movement. Using entertaining rhymes and charming pictures, these developmentally based books offer fun and creative ways for children to move while also providing mind stimulating activities on each page. By following the suggested activities, children can engage in 30-60 minutes of their recommended structured daily movement, as well as enhancing other mind/body skills. Designed to be enjoyed again and again, the pages of these books are filled with laughter, learning, movement and more.

Martha’s books are: “Leap… Laugh… Plop,” “Guess… Giggle… Wiggle,” and “Kick… Catch… Buzz”

Let’s take a moment and get to know more about this fun author.

What do you love most about working with young children?
They hug and give compliments and “always say the darndest things.”

What is most challenging about being a pre-school teacher?
Saying “Goodbye” at the end of the year.


What do you enjoy most about writing children’s books?
I enjoy being creative and imagining the joy the children will experience when reading them.


What is the best way to engage children in story time?
 I believe in getting them to be part of the story. My books get children engaged by moving along to the rhymes but moving can be done with any book.



What other writing genre’s interest you?
 Mystery, Nonfiction based on my field of study (childhood development), Historical fiction



If a snapshot was taken of you enjoying a perfect day, what would it look like?
On the beach with my family.


Favorite gadget:
Heart shaped waffle maker

Favorite movie(s):
Christmas movies

The book(s) on your nightstand:
The Bible, The Developing Brain by Marilee Sprenger, Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (I’m reading this to my girls. They’ve decided to write a paper on the differences between the book and the movie. It’s been fun finding them.) Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Describe yourself in two words:
Adventurous and Kind

Comfort food:
Fried shrimp and grits
Your secret skill:
Making healthy food fun for my children.

What is your favorite word and why?
Serendipitous because I believe we should all be open to these kinds of moments.
What is your least favorite word and why?
Can’t because I believe the moment that it comes out of your mouth you are defeated.

What is your personal motto?
 "A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.” Winnie the Pooh

Any tips for parents and their children?

Safety Tips
Whether we play inside or we play out of doors,
We want to play safely and protect the ones we adore.

1. Teach children about personal space. Have each child extend their arms to the side and turn slowly in a complete circle. Make sure the arms of one child do not touch the arms of another child.
2. Use the concept of freeze. Play areas are often noisy so use your outside voice and yell freeze. Teach the children that when they hear the word freeze they immediately hold the pose that they are in. You can then have them sit down and regain their personal space.
3. Be sure that the proper fitting safety gear is worn for the activity.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drinking water is important when children are exercising, especially when it is hot. The Centers for Disease Control recommends 10 ounces every 15 – 20 minutes.

Tips to Keep Children Active:
Use Outside as your Play Room
· Take a nature hike – name the colors you see, pick up trash for a more pleasant environment, count different types of plants, move like the animals you see.

· Visit a pick your own berry farm

· Play at a neighborhood park

· Ride bikes

· Walk the dog together or just take a walk as a family

· Teach your child how to plant a garden

· Dig for worms and roly poly animals

· Draw on the sidewalk with chalk


Find out what your child likes to do:

· Read- take a walk to the library, pick books that encourage movement throughout the story.

· Draw – draw people being active and act out what they are doing

· Play- Try some of the classic games like Red Rover, Red Light/Green Light, Hopscotch, Tag, Charades, or 4 Square.

· Climb – a tree, a rope, a rock wall

· Dance- turn on the music and DANCE!! No one is watching so be silly and have fun!

Set a positive example:

· Park farther from store entrances

· Take the stairs

· When you go to the park with your child be active with them and have fun playing.

· Eat healthy snacks and meals

· Drinks lots of water

· Take your children places that encourage walking: Zoo, botanical gardens, beach, museums, and parks.


Learn more about Martha at http://www.movementplus.com/  and http://www.wholechildpublishing.com/. Also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Movement-Plus-/194978907592?ref=ts


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Scottish Version of "Watership Down" Reviewed

Title: The Island of Whispers
Author: Brendan Gisby
Author's Web site: http://www.brendangisby.com/
Genre: Fiction: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1907407109



Reviewed by George Polly Originally for Amazon and www.tostadaspeaks.blogspot.com  a

Reviewer's rating: 5 stars



Reminiscent of Richard Adams' "Watership Down", Brendan Gisby's novel is a mesmerizing tale of conquest, enslavement and yearning for a life of freedom from oppression and want.
Set in Scotland in an ancient ruined monastery on the island of Inchgarvie that was abandoned during the Middle Ages, "The Island of Whispers" tells the story of the conquest and subjugation of the island's indigenous black rat population by much larger (cat-size larger) brown rats that arrived from passing ships. Enslaved, despised and abused by the brown rats, the black rats yearn for freedom and dream of founding a just society somewhere else. The ruling leadership will do anything to snuff it out and exterminate it.
Looking out from his island prison, Twisted Foot sees another land. How could they get there? Could it be a place where he, his mate and his child could have a free life? What about Fat One, Small Face and Long Ears? Would they be interested? And Grey Eyes, Soft-Mover and Bone-Cruncher? They would have to be very, very careful to avoid the sharp eyes and ears of the Protectors and the Inner Circle. Eventually, taking Slayer, the Slave King who escapes during a slave revolt that the authorities brutally put down, they leave the island for their freedom.
What happens then? Does their freedom last? Are Twisted Foot, Fat One and their friends able to establish the just society they were dreaming of? You'll have to read the book to find that out, which - unless you hate rats - shouldn't be a problem, as it's a can't-put-it-down kind of read.
This rat tale is a wonderfully told story of the yearning to be free that's in every person's heart. It's a story that is as ancient as history, and as current as today's news. Inchgarvie could be Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, North Korea, apartheid South Africa, Israel, the U.S., Argentina during the military junta, Chile during Pinochet's rule, Myanmar, the company you work for ... wherever people are kept down, marginalized, despised, and ignored.
Pick up a copy of "The Island of Whispers" in either paperback or Kindle. It's a book you will read again and again.

Will there be a sequel to this story? I certainly hope so.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :