World Traveler Reviews What Foreigners (and Americans!) Need to Know About America From A To Z

Title: What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A to Z

Subtitle: How to understand crazy American culture, people, government, business, language and more

By Lance Johnson

Author's Web site: http://AmericaAtoZ.com

Available Amazon US: http://amzn.to/ForeignersAmericaUS
Available on Amazon worldwide
 

 

Reviewed by Kristin Johnson
Five of Five Stars

 

As an American traveler, I have often been asked questions I found difficult to answer. Luckily, there is a resource, for me and for the people I have met in different countries.

 

This guide, What Foreigners Need to Know About America From A to Z, answers questions such as: what would you do if...

 

...you were from another culture and had to negotiate a business deal but you found your American counterpart direct and rude (especially if you are from Japan)?

 

...you were a student at a university baffled by American students who talked back to professors?

 

..you disliked a particular food or could not eat it but didn't want to offend your American host?

 

...you were courting and dating an American?

 

...your friends from your culture living in the US criticized your attempts to dress like an American?

 

...you were invited to an American's home for dinner in Hawaii* or in the Midwest?

 

Our world may be global, communication instant, but this only ramps up (increases) cultural misunderstandings among cultures. As a businessperson, actor, author, teacher, and world traveler, Lance Johnson realizes that making sense of our "crazy" American ways can be a challenge for immigrants, tourists, and businesses from other countries doing business with their American counterparts. What he has done in his book America From A to Z is take the equivalent of several university courses' worth of information on America and present his information in an informal, conversational one-on-one manner, as if he were talking to a friend, such as a Vietnamese guide Lance met during an eye-opening *enlightening) trip to Vietnam.

 

Each of the book's four major sections stands on its own (if you are wondering about the construction of this sentence, check page 477), and depending on what aspects of American culture you want to learn, you can look at the particular section you would like to study. Each section is available as its own separate book, but to get the most out of Lance Johnson's lessons, having the complete book is ideal.

 

Section I: America's Heritage

 

Useful for: Understanding US History, US Law, US Government (baffling to all), where the Bible Belt is versus Dixie, the American Dream, contributions of/history of immigrants as well as Americans of foreign descent (such as Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal of Louisiana), national parks, religion (baffling) and measurements (an even more baffling subject made simple here).

 

Section II: America's Culture

 

Useful for: Understanding American painters, writers, sports, film (easily one of our biggest exports), how to get along in American social situations, greetings, navigating high school and college, dating/marriage guides, formal to fast food dining tips, dressing tips, Americans' views on themselves and other cultures, and foreigners' experience of America.

 

Section III: America's Business

 

Useful for: giving you all the information to understand how Americans do business (straightforward), negotiate, hire, fire, do finance, start a business, and so on.

 

Section IV: America's Language

 

Useful for: Foreigners AND Americans who want to speak better English by avoiding common errors, learning the alphabet, grammar and vocabulary, learning from famous sayings, understanding slang and abbreviations, recognizing most commonly used words, and getting speaking tips (my favorite: "Do not be afraid to try").

 

Appendices:

--Lincoln's Gettysburg Address ("Four score and seven years ago our founding fathers...")

--Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges in America (#1 Williams College)

--Top 50 Universities in America (#1 Harvard University)

--Colleges With Largest Percentages of Foreign Students (New School, NY)

--Sample Income Tax Form

--The Pulitzer Prize for Literature (1937-2011)

--Academy Awards for Best Picture (1927-2011)

--Newspaper Column: "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus"

--The 50 US States

--US History Government Quiz (Hint: You might ask that your American friends take this, too!)

 

EASY FEATURES

 

This book has "a ton of" (many) lists and tables (I counted 278). The lists, tables and charts make the text easily readable. Another equally helpful feature are the numerous hints and tips, as well as "Here's an assignment for you" exercises sprinkled like gems throughout the text.

 

Some of my favorite hints...

 

Hint: As another example of our crazy language that we discuss in Section IV on America’s language, coins are minted (made) at the U.S. Mint. Something is in mint condition if it appears to be brand new. We have a green aromatic plant called mint that is used in teas and to flavor foods. And we have candy after-dinner mints made with chocolate and the flavoring from mint plants.

 

Hint: It is also fine to bring unwrapped gifts with only a small gift card attached, especially for items like flowers, candy, and wine.

 

Hint: Just as women like men who are confident, most American men like women who are confident. If a woman is shy and unable to express her opinions and wishes, as some foreigners can appear to be, she will not impress most American men. On the other hand, if she is controlling and domineering, she won’t either. Try to strike a good balance.

 

Hint: You will learn in Chapter Y on using better English grammar that we have three levels of grammar: formal, general, and informal. I suppose you could say we have the same levels for table etiquette based on who you are eating with. I must admit I do not practice all of the good manners, especially when I am with close friends or in a fast food restaurant. Just be aware that the more of our rules you practice the more favorable you will appear. Over time you will note the manners used by your counterpart and will see which ones are most important to him or her.

 

A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND WIT

 

Surveys on American morals and values reveal our character. Personal stories humanize the American experience, whether from the point of view of a Frenchman, foreign exchange students and Muslim-Americans, an Englishman (the delightful Alistair cooke), or a Vietnamese immigrant as well as a Chinese teacher of English. The message: We all can learn from each other. This is the most enduring message of the book, and Lance Johnson's commitment to his vision shines.

 

This book should be a staple in: US embassies, foreign embassies in the US, high schools and colleges, corporate libraries, travel agencies...the surface has barely been scratched (meaning there's much more to share).

 

* In Hawaii, if you are invited to someone's home for a potluck or party it is a huge gesture of respect and inclusion. In Hawaii social activity typically revolves around the family (ohana). Ask the host/hostess what you should bring in terms of food. Take your shoes off before entering someone's home.

 ~Special Offer:
This book and a Valentine booklet are available as free e-books with only a couple clicks. All you do is go to http://amzn.to/12JoVsa on Jan 13, 14, 15, or 16^th and click and then to http://amzn.to/UabAn7  and click. Both e-books will come directly to your computer or your Kindle.

~ More About the Reviewer:
As a screenwriter, journalist, author (BUTTERFLY WINGS, CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING, co-writer of THE HIGH-TECH GOOSENECK PUTTER), blogger, award-winning poet/short story writer, and traveler, Kristin Johnson has spent time in exotic lands such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan,and Texas (more than a state--a state of mind.)  She has also spent considerable time in various Canada locations such as Ontario, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and France. She works on creative projects with people based all over the world. View her Amazon.com profile at https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1ZCYC0RHTRMZF?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0.

 

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  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 Best Kind of Valentine Gift--Early and Free

Title: Cherished Pulse
Subtitle: Unconventional Love Poetry
Genre: Poetry/holiday/Valentine's
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
Available FREE for Kindle or PC/Mac download
Available paperback
Poetry Chapbook o Valentine Greeting Card
ISBN: 9781449546052
Authors' Web sites: http://magdalenaball.com http://howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm

 

Valentine’s Day may be the holiday best made for poetry. A rose, a poem and thou.  Trouble is, many that we find on the inside covers of commercial greeting cards may be just a little too-too for many of us. Multi award-winning poets Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball to the rescue with Cherished Pulse, a chapbook of poetry just right for tucking into an envelope or sending off as an e-mail attachment to loved ones.

And right now, Cherished Pulse is available free with the KDP Select free e-book feature. All you do is go to http://bit.ly/Vs07hV

 on January 11, 12, 13, 14 and 14^th and click. And you don’t need to have a Kindle reader to benefit! It may be downloaded as a pdf to send to loved ones, or let Amazon do the work for you by sending directly from their site.

It takes only the click of a mouse!

 

And there is plenty of time for you to schedule delivery before February 14^th.

It's a mini gift and greeting card in one!

Cherished Pulse includes many of the science-inspired poems Magdalena is famous for as well as Carolyn’s nostalgic poetry. Chapbooks in the Celebration Series have won many awards including MWSA’s highest honor of gold and several from USA Book News.

 

It’s you who had me dreaming

lilacs, breathing April’s sweetest

tears…

 

Magdalena Ball runs the highly respected CompulsiveReader.com review site.  She is the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, which was published to unanimous five-star reviews.  Her novel Sleep Before Evening was a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist and she just released a new novel set in Australia. It is Black Cow.  

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's poetry appears frequently in review journals. She is listed in Poets & Writers and her chapbook of poetry, Tracings (   ), was given the Award of Excellence by the Military Writers Society of America. One of her poems recently won the Franklin Christoph Poetry Prize. She is also an award-winning novelist and short story writer and instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

For more information on the Celebration Series chapbooks, contact either author, or visit media rooms at http://howtodoitfrugally.com or  http://magdalenaball.com.

Vicki Thomas contributed the watercolors used on the cover and interior. To see her selections of her work, go to http://www.vickithomasartist.com.

                              ###

Support material available electronically or by post on request.

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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.

Review Blogger Reviews Paranormal Thriller

Shadowed,
by Ken Hughes
Author's Web site: www.kenhughesauthor.com
Genre: paranormal thriller
Print ISBN: 978-0-9850484-0-2
E-book ISBN: 978-0-9850484-1-9

Review by Charlene Mabie-Gamble originally for Literary R&R 
Description:

Paul lives in hiding, struggling to control preternatural senses no secret is safe from and certain that nobody suspects he exists. He searches the city for answers, using his power and a few self-taught tricks to outwit those who have something to hide and still he cannot remember what drove him away from the people he loved. And now Paul must risk everything to protect the family he left, make peace with a woman he's wronged and face enemies more ruthless than his worst fears, to at last learn what has transformed his life. Because the one person who knows, is the one who did it to him.

Charlene's Review:

Paul has some unusual abilities that have led to him becoming estranged from his family, friends, and most of the world. He stalks through the days searching for the cause of his abilities, as well as trying to right the wrongs of the world. When he finds out his family is in danger, he reconnects with them, rather cautiously, and through a series of events, faces the one who he believes is responsible for changing his life.

This was an amazing suspense tale. The focus on the book is Paul, a victim of a mysterious transformation that allows him to use his five senses in ways unheard of before. Despite being an unwilling victim, he does his best to bust corruption around him, and to protect his family.

Before I realized it, I had read the book through in one evening. The degree with which this novel moves will completely sweep you in. Paul is a very complex character as he struggles to understand what happened to him, and how much of the consequences is his fault. Facing unknown forces, betrayals, and even risk of death, Paul begins to piece together his past, and to hopefully, right the future.

There are a lot of twists and turns, dead-ends, and suspense, all the way to the final page. It is left wide open for a sequel, that I hope to be just as riveting.

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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.

Spanish and English Book Teaches About Squiggly Things and More

Title: She Doesn't Want the Worms - Ella no quiere los gusano

Author: Karl Beckstrand

Illustrator: David Hollenbach

LCCN: 2010910827

BISAC:JUV002140, JUV019000, JUV020000, JUV028000, JNF020010, JUV054000·Soft cover picture Book: 24 pages, 8"x 10"

Suggested List Price: $3.25 ebook, $14.95 retail

Publisher: Premio Publishing & Gozo Books (June 2011) Premiobooks.com

Languages: English, Spanish, or bilingual

ISBN bilingual:978-0-9776065-2-8, Engl: 978-0615492780, Span: 978-0977606573, eBiling: 978-1452485263, eSpan: 978-1452471020

Awards: Top 10 "Best Books" of 2011:

"She will not clutch, nor even touch, the bumblebee I gave her. The fly, she hates (but tolerates it ... like a sour neighbor)." This striking bilingual exploration of a little girl's aversion to all things wiggly works effortlessly on every level. Operating as a Spanish and/or English rhyming and grammar lesson--plus a humorous, yet gross, index of bugs, including beetles, salamanders, moths, and spiders, among others--and presenting museum-quality, collage-like artwork, this title raises the bar for all children's picture books. Ages two and up. - ForeWord Reviews Aug. 2011

Activities include: Counting/finding, pronunciation guide for trying out the names of creepy crawlies in Spanish and English. For Ages 3+

 

More About the Author: Karl Beckstrand works with the Utah

 Humanities Council "Author on Main Street" (bilingual lecturer). Learn more about him at  KarlBeckstrand.com .

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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 :

Young Adult Reviewer Attacks Long List of "Best Books"

Title- Anna And The French Kiss

Author- Stephanie Perkins
Genre- YA
ISBN- 0142419400

Reviewed by Stacy Bernstein originally for her blog Longtime Love of Literature

 

Anna And The French Kiss- By Stephanie Perkins

#53- ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

Rating- 9/10

Every book that I read throughout this, I think to myself... "this is the best one yet!" and again, this book made me think that. I'm having a hard time not rating every single book a 10/10 so I'm trying to reserve those for books I consider life-changing... not to say this book was incredible and very very good, it just didn't change my life like the other "10" books have.

That being said, Anna And The French Kiss is a story about a girl named Anna (who would have guessed!) a girl from Atlanta Georgia, whose father writes cliche love novels (think Nicholas Sparks, but 10x as corny) and decides that Anna should go to a prestigious school... in Paris!

Now for very American Anna this is a big shock, and although she is grateful for the opportunity, at first all she can think about is how much she misses home. Her first night at school she is crying into her pillow when the girl who lives in the dorm next to her, named Meredith, comes and knocks on the door and offers her hot chocolate. Anna happily accepts, and is glad to receive an invitation to eat breakfast with her the next day.

At breakfast, Anna meets Meredith's other friends, Rashmi, Josh, and Etienne St. Clair, she also has a wakeup call when the entire menu is in French, a language that she doesn't speak a single word of. To her relief St. Clair (a very adorable, English, Parisian, and very sexy boy) helps Anna order breakfast.

As expected the signs point to a romance blossoming for St. Clair and Anna, until she finds out that he has a girlfriend. So she decides that she will simply be friends with him... can I just say, YEAH RIGHT?! Everyone knows that simply being friends doesn't always work out like that, and Anna finds this out the hard way.

Throughout ups and downs of a friendship that is begging to be more Anna enjoys her year at boarding school, while finding out who she can be when she is given the chance to do things on her own.

I think that the biggest perk for me about this book was how realistic it felt. When Anna was expressing her emotions I honestly wondered whether this author had read my brain, taken my thoughts, and then written them into this book. I felt her love, her anger, her complete confusion over this boy who supposedly loved her but also loved someone else. I just wanted to rip this girl from the pages of the book and ask her some advice.

She said one thing that really made me connect to her as a character, she thinks that being with a guy is a special thing. She says that if the worst were to happen and she would to get knocked up by someone, would she be embarrassed to tell the child that he was their father? If the answer is anywhere close to a yes, then she wont have sex with him. This is something that I respect so much coming from a character in a book because it goes against the stereotypical generation that we live in that's so quick to give away every piece of themselves.

Also as a side note, the complete descriptions of Paris made me want to visit it even more so than I would have before. The descriptions of the crepes, can I say yum? Also somewhat ironic/coincidental Anna writes her own blog on movies that she watches, somewhat like this project of mine writing a blog on books I read. Even more so why I felt she was so relatable to me.

“Why is it that the right people never wind up together? Why are people so afraid to leave a relationship, even if they know it's a bad one?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the reviewer:

I'm Stacy Bernstein, just a semi-typical girl from California who was looking for a challenge one day and came across an article on twitter surveying the best-ever teen books as voted in 2012 by a survey conducted by National Public Radio and responded to by 75,220 voters. I decided to make it my mission to complete reading all of these books in a one year period (completing them in August of 2013) I will continue reading and rating the books on my blog [http://longtimeloverofliterature.blogspot.com/] for others to hopefully share the knowledge and joy of these books as well.  The book reviewed today was number 53.

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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.

Reviewer Calls Novel Universally Appealing

Deception Peak
By Dianne Lynn Gardner
Author's Web site: http://dragontargeseries.blogspot.com/
Genre: MG/YA adventure fantasy
ISBN: 978-0615679709

Reviewed by Daniel Cann originally for The Independent Review UK


Dianne Lynn Gardner has written a ‘rites-of-passage’ YA fantasy novel with Deception Peak. This is a ripping yarn in the tradition of all heroic quest tales. We have an unlikely (and initially) unwilling hero, a father-son relationship, and a vivid, exciting new world to explore.

 

The synopsis of this universally appealing adventure is:

“The first book of a trilogy, Deception Peak is a young adult adventure fantasy about a teenager, Ian Wilson, who follows his father through a portal that magically appears on their computer screen. They travel into a deceptively beautiful Realm, where horses run free, the wind sings prophetic melodies, and their computer avatars come to life.

But when the two are separated, Ian is abducted by a tribe of dragon worshippers and is forced to find his courage. As he struggles for his freedom and embarks on a perilous search to find his father, Ian meets the true peacekeepers of the Realm. It's then that he learns there is a greater purpose for being there.”

What I liked about this were the characters of Ian and Alex Wilson. Ian is a young lad who is a bit of a daydreamer and an aspiring artist. There is nothing particularly remarkable about him, and he therefore has an ‘everyman’ quality about him which readers of all ages will find easy in relating to.

His father, Alex, is a different proposition: recently widowed, he is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife and the pressures of being a single parent.

Technically gifted and practical, Alex hunts, fishes and works at a foundry. He is also an adept computer game programmer and designer. He is currently obsessed with a new game he has created and is in danger of literally losing himself in this new cyber world.

The theme of fathers and sons has been explored before, but Gardner has created a believable relationship and skilfully weaves it into her plot.

The dangers of finding solace in gaming and a fantasy world are very real twenty first century concerns which are adeptly explored here. Unfortunately, for out two protagonists, this world is a little too immersive!

I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with horse riding, exploration and adventure in a new landscape. This world’s features include: plains, prairies, woodland, wilderness, mountains, wild boar, wolves, pumas and dragons!

Whilst Alex is in his element in this new world, poor Ian is completely out of his comfort zone. The ‘fish out of water’ adverb is very apt for his situation. He would much rather be at home in the company of his school friend Abbi and enjoying his creature comforts.

Here he finds himself tested against the elements and suffering the hardships of this organic and challenging world. He goes through the mill in his quest to be reunited with his father. Ian is a long way from his native Seattle!

Gardner’s prose is very descriptive: the sights, sounds and smells of the Realm are brought vividly to life; it was easy to picture it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a reluctant hero finding resolve and reserves of courage in testing circumstances. The value of friends and family, being able to survive in hostile surroundings, becoming self-reliant, are all excellent themes for children to learn.

It is also important to note that with a title like Deception Peak you should expect plenty of mind games, trickery, and sorcery! This one is a winner; look out for the sequel soon.

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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. 

First in Christian Series Given Thumbs Up

Operation Dark Angel

By Pam Funke

Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00949V7KK 

Christian Fiction

ISBN-13: 978-1462662883

 

Reviewed by Melanie for her Melanies Random Thoughts blog

 

Book Description: The world is in complete and utter chaos. ""Operation Dark Angel"" is a military operation designed to bring about world peace...or is it? General Alexander Ludlow is the man in charge of bringing about peace and serenity for not only the United States, but the entire world. But will it really bring an end to the turmoil, violence, and hatred as he was told by the voice? Who is the voice? What is its true nature? Nicolaitanes Balac is quickly gaining political power; power that no single man should ever be given. Just who is Nicolaitanes Balac really? Why is the whole world looking to this man to solve all of their problems? How did one man become in charge of the entire world? What's to become of mankind?

*e-book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review

Operation Dark Angel starts really strong : a voice prophesied the birth of a boy through immaculate conception. The boy, Nicolaitanes Balac, is now an adult in search of world domination. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. "Operation Dark Angel" is creating havoc all around the world. Terrorism attacks are wiping out thousands of the world's population. Nicolaitanes sits back and waits for his chance to be seen as the saviour of mankind. He may be more evil than it seems. In the meantime, good can still be found in the world. People are reuniting trying to fight Operation Dark Angel. What will become of the world? How evil is Nicolaitanes Balac? Will Operation Dark Angel be stopped before it's too late? Well, you will have to pick up the book to find out the answer to these questions and a lot more.

Operation Dark Angel is the first book in the Four Horsemen Series. Pam Funke did an incredible job writing her debut novel. It is an exciting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and dying to find out what will happen next. It can be terrifying at times to read about the evil going on throughout the world and how parts of the world are being destroyed in a blink of an eye.

A few things kept me from giving this book a rating of five stars. First, Operation Dark Angel has a lot of characters. It was hard for me to keep up with all of them. I found the switch from one character to another quite confusing at times but I have to say I really enjoyed how some characters crossed each other's path.

The Four Horsemen series is off to an amazing start. The series promises to be a thrilling read.

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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.

Review Blogger Jonathan Wlodarski Loves Funny Memoir

Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Author: Jenny Lawson

http://thebloggess.com/
Genre: Humor/memoir
ISBN 978-0399159015
Rated 5/5

Originally reviewed by Jonathan Wlodarski for his Jonathan Likes Books blog

"I am not particularly a fan of the humor book genre. I am frequently confused by them: are they essays? Are they memoirs? I have a difficult time understanding their purpose and function. I don't know whether to laugh or try to glean a life-lesson or some deep emotion from the book. There is, of course, the chance that the humor book won't be funny, in which case it has failed at its most basic goal (my experience with David Sedaris has left me wanting).

I read Bossypants earlier this year and, though I liked it, I found myself occasionally disappointed. The material wasn't too consistent and at times veered from the completely humorous to the overly sentimental. Jenny Lawson's memoir, fortunately, never once failed to make me laugh aloud (I measure consistency as at least one laugh per chapter/essay/whatever the heck the sections of a nonfiction humor book are called).

Let's Pretend This Never Happened is an exercise in sustaining a zany, breathless deluge of comedy, and it succeeds perfectly. Which is no small feat: Lawson commands humor even in the darkest of situations (namely, a chapter devoted to her pregnancy horrors and several instances where her overpowering social anxiety disorder causes a disaster). There are true moments of genuine emotion that the reader feels alongside the author, sadness and happiness and success and failure, feelings that never cover everything in a suffocating blanket of forced importance.

It is, of course, important that these moments of non-humor appear in the book; without some heavy anchors, the book will appear over-the-top; humorous, but not memorable. There is an almost impossible-to-achieve balance between humor and seriousness in writing a book like this, but Jenny Lawson tightrope walks it like she's been doing it her whole life (which, I suspect, she has).

 

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. It is so funny in every way that I can imagine: sarcastically, genuinely, darkly, cutely, relatably hilarious.

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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.

Amazon Reviewer Recommends American Novel

Title: Beauty Rising

Author: Mark W. Sasse
Genre: Literary Fiction/General Fiction
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing
ASIN: B00AIOYC1G
Purchase at : http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Rising-ebook/dp/B00AIOYC1G/ref=cm_cr-mr-img
Author's Website: http://mwsasse.wordpress.com/

 

Review by Richie Morrison: (Amazon Reviewer)

I highly recommend Mark's book Beauty Rising. It is definitely a page-turner that I had a hard time putting down and wanted more when it ended. Mark does an excellent job of creating characters that are real and endearing. He led me through a range of emotions and had me laughing at times from my own memories of Vietnam and being the `fat' foreigner. Anyone who has been to Vietnam will have to chuckle as Mark vividly describes the mannerisms of the Vietnamese people. I especially enjoyed the taxi driver Tan. In the character Tan, Mark really captures the spirit of a majority of Vietnamese people, fun, loving, and always willing to help the `foreigner.'

In addition, Mark addresses many underlying, and darker, issues many Nam vets and their families faced after returning home. Through his novel, I believe people will come away with a deeper understanding of some of the emotional and generational issues that the Vietnam War has caused in America. He also sprinkles in some interesting history that has tied Vietnam and America together long before the Vietnam War began.

Finally, I believe that Mark has written an American novel that captures the flow and feel of a traditional Vietnamese poem or book. Anyone who has read the famous Vietnamese poem `The Tale of Kieu' cannot help but see its influence in Mark's book.

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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. 

Consider Young Adult Novel by Denise Kim Wy

Title: Please Stay

Author: Denise Kim Wy
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Word Count: 54, 110
Learn more at Goodreads
Purchase at
http://www.amazon.com/Please-Stay-ebook/dp/B008W8D3LU

Summary

Kymberly Gray is happy with her life. She graduated from her dream school and landed a great job in New York. She’s coming home to Northridge to celebrate her dad’s birthday, when a chance encounter with Ethan Richards turns her life upside down.

Seven years have passed, and as far as Kym is concerned, Ethan is happily dating her best friend, Michelle West. They haven’t seen each other ever since the night Ethan asked her the question that haunted her dreams as she left Northridge. Now, as fate decides to bring them together, bringing back bitter sweet memories as they visit the places that witnessed their evolution from childhood friends to awkward teens dealing with love, peer pressure and entering the real world. As the day draws to an end, the question remains, has Ethan already moved on, or is he still waiting for Kym’s real answer to his question?

Please Stay is a young adult romance novel filled the awkwardness of young love, regret and a surprise twist in the end.

 

~Learn more about Denise Kim Wy at

www.denisewy.com. She blogs at denisewy.blogspot.com. Follow her on Twitter @denisewy

 

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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.

Dave Menefee Gives Thumbs Up to Reference for Emigrants

Title: What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A to Z

Subtitle: How to understand crazy American culture, people, government, business, language, and more

Author: Lance Johnson

Available on Amazon and on Amazon sites worldwide

Available as an e-book.

Author's Web site:  http://AmericaAtoZ.com   

 

 

 

Reviewed by Dave Menefee, originally for Book Pleasures.com and Amazon

 

Every person living in America should be required to study this book.

The divides separating ages, cultures, religions, and races could largely be eliminated and a Utopian civilization could be finally achieved if we simply understood each other, but we’re not all working off the same page. Lance Johnson has produced the ultimate guide for bringing about a universal understanding between the millions of people living, working, and loving inside the United States.

Nothing could be worse than nudging a naïve neophyte into the magnificent melting pot known as America. This book could be their salvation, but beware of the misleading title. You might think that What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z contains nothing but factoids for foreigners, but you need look no further than yourself and those within your intimate circle of friends to realize that our entire population today woefully lacks a perception of etiquette, knowledge of this country’s heritage, awareness of culture, know-how about business, and comprehension of language. We need alertness to TLC: Tradition, Legacy, and Custom. This monumental book holds the missing key to collective comprehension.

The 566-page book weighs as much as a big city telephone book, and you cannot absorb the whole in one reading (I tried), but thankfully, Johnson has divided the digest into four sections:

America’s Heritage: the dreams that immigrants brought from the four winds, and the government, geography, history, law, religions, and measurements that resulted.

America’s Culture: our customs and etiquette, education, relationships, literature, films, art, sports, food and dining, dress and appearance, media, holidays and traditions, and attitudes.

America’s Business: models, unions, banking, customs and conduct, owning a business, how to get a job, and paying taxes.

America’s Language: how to talk and write correcting, slang, and tonality.

Back matter contains appendices for:

•  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
• Colleges with Largest Percentage of International Students
• Sample Income Tax Form 1040
• Pulitzer Prize-winning books
• Academy Awards for Best Picture
• The Famous 1897 New York Sun article “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Clause”
• A list of the current 50 United States
• A comprehensive 100-question Quiz on US Government

 You might wonder what the above topics have to do with understanding Americans, but these subjects fuse together the follies, foibles, and fundamentals that formed this country. The author profusely illustrates his text with more than 650 photos, maps, charts, and illustrations. His writing style embraces excellent grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling. Each of the four main sections is also available as a separate paperback edition. Those Volumes 1-4 allow a reader to hone in on areas they may feel that they most need to study, but the huge multi-volume edition can be found in both paperback and Kindle book editions. Study remains the keyword here, because the author outlays everything everyone needs to learn about living, working, socializing, and doing business in America. A comprehensive Index makes referring back to some detail a snap. Throughout the book, the author interjects "hints" that offer his personal pointers about how to further understand a given topic, not unlike having your best friend nudge you and whisper a tip that completely clarifies your understanding.

The book should be the last course all high school students must pass before graduating, compulsory for earning a college diploma, mandatory for every management trainee, and a required refresher for all senior citizens before beginning to collect Social Security. Our nation would be vastly improved if all adults were following the same guiding principles.

What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z pulls together between two covers a richly researched, all-inclusive panorama of America’s heritage, culture, business, and language. If this country ever ceases to exist, I hope this book survives as a testament to the truth that there was once a land where life’s leading lights shown at their brightest on a candelabra forged from the iron of the ages. Until that dark day, Lance Johnson has provided us with a workbook for winning that has been struck from those same elements and should be on your gift list for friends setting up in America for the first time, any student emerging from the classroom into the jungle of life, and all the rest of us who have forgotten the beauty of the forest because of the tangle of trees.

Lance Johnson has an Ivy League graduate business degree and has studied at Oxford University in England. He has traveled through 81 countries, served as manager of an international consulting firm, and appeared in many movies, stage plays, and commercials.

~Reviewer David W. Menefee is the author of

Can't Help Falling in Love

Secret Soldier Master of Disguise
Sweet Memories

Sarah Bernhardt, Her Films, Her Recordings (Foreword by Kevin Brownlow)Wally: The True Wallace Reid Story (Foreword by Robert Osborne)

The Rise and Fall of Lou-Tellegen

Richard Barthelmess: A Life in Pictures

The First Female Stars: Women of the Silent Era

The First Male Stars: Men of the Silent Era

Brothers of the Storm

"Otay!" The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story (with William Thomas, Jr.)

Charlie O’Doone’s Second Chance

Margot Cranston The Voice in the Shadows

Margot Cranston The Secret of St. Laurent Lighthouse

Margot Cranston The Mystery at Loon Lake

Margot Cranston The Quest for the Jade DragonsFalling Stars 10 Who Tried to be a Movie Star

George O'Brien: A Man's Man in Hollywood
A Craving for Travel II  (with Jim Strong)

How to Write, Format, and Market a Kindlebook on a Shoestring Budget

Menefee's newly released book, Master of Disguise, is about secret soldier Isador Messing who lives up to the title of the book. Terror strikes when Hitler's SS troops arrest Messing's fiancé on the day they plan to escape Nazi occupied Berlin. Alone and stoic in the face of utter malevolence, he launches a bold, daring, and desperate plan to liberate her. Can the remarkable Mr. Messing's one-man army triumph against all odds and win in a war-torn world gone mad?This book is also available on Kindle.

 

Editor's Note: The separate sections of What Foreigners Need to Know are  also available for those who want to focus on one aspect of this reference, like accent reduction and grammar or culture.  

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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.

Sun News Reviewer Shares Thriller with New Book Review

Title: Justice Beyond Law
Author: Barry Kelly
Website: www.factsandfictions.com ; www.facebook.com/factsandfictions
Genre: Fiction
Review: Originally appeared in The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
ISBN: 978-0983307334

 

Reviewed by Joan Leotta

Reading Corner | ‘Justice Beyond Law’ a fast-paced thriller with good writing, plot, characters

Move over Batman: Jack Brandon, former cop and Marine and millionaire does not need a utility belt or a special car. With his superb martial arts skills and two ex-CIA female sidekicks, Kathy and Anita, he battles today’s super criminals – ex-KGB agents working with al-Qaida.

Having accepted the basic premise of the hero’s massive skill set and the tremendous abilities of his sidekicks, plus a plethora of great connections, amazing family background story and money, the book captivates readers with a well-structured plot, terse writing and fast-paced action. Author Barry Kelly’s scenic descriptions in this, his first novel, are right on the mark.

I was especially pleased to see his loving detail of Pittsburgh (my hometown) and Washington, D.C., (where I lived for 35 years) and the places along Route 30 that connect the two. More exotic locales such as Katmandu receive equally detailed treatment. Does the hero find romance? Yes, but without slowing the action. Kelly uses every scene to advance the action and plot.

The trail of dead bodies left as our heroes fight for justice without the structure of CIA rules stretches across several continents in the course of the action; the totals are worthy of an opera.


~Submitted by Caroline Evans, freelance editor, stareditors@gmail.com.



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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.

Mary Fan Reviews New Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel

Title: Temple of the Sixth
Author: +Ross Harrison
Author's Website: www.ross-harrison.com
Genre: Science Fantasy
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1481164078 / B00ANSWQTM
Publisher: Self-Published (Kindle, Smashwords, Createspace)
Reviewer's Rating: 5 Stars 

 Reviewed by Mary Fan originally for her blog, Amazon, and Goodreads

"Thardriik Jhunassi Kortlyn III, better known as Theak, is an ex-military pilot seeking his fortune as a private investigator, so when he receives an anonymous note basically saying, "meet me at this space station, and you'll make vast amounts of money," he immediately jumps onto ship and zooms over. What he finds when he reaches the station is a massacre. The next thing he knows, he's pulled into an ancient conflict between godlike beings, forced to fight for the side of good when all he really wants is to get paid--and live to tell the tale. Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, Omar and Palitz, two City Guard secretaries, find their planet overrun by undead former citizens, surrounded by omens of the apocalypse.

Temple of the Sixth takes its conflict to a grand, end-of-the-universe scale. The stakes could not be higher. If this mysterious, ancient evil is not stopped, everything will cease to be. But why are these godlike beings so bent on destruction? What can a mere batch of mortals--not all of them heroes--do to stop them? Therein lies the epic conflict that keeps the pages turning.

Although it's classified as "science fiction" due to the nature of its universe--spaceships, aliens, robots, laser guns, and the like--Temple of the Sixth reads more like fantasy, reminiscent of some of the more world-ending story lines featured in comic books such as X-Men. Psychic powers, out-of-dimension locations, higher levels of existence, possession--all is fair game. Bit by bit, Harrison reveals the mythology behind his universe.

There's something satisfying about opening a sequel and hearing familiar voices, reentering a familiar space. Harrison's dry sense of humor illuminates the text with his unique style of storytelling. He once again shows off his strengths as a writer of thrilling action scenes and creator of immersive worlds. In Temple of the Sixth, he expands upon the concepts he set up in the first book and illustrates his universe from a different angle. It is really more of a spin-off to Shadow of the Wraith than a sequel. Travis Archer, the main character from the first book, doesn't show up until more than halfway through the book and plays a supporting role to his buddy Theak. Other characters, such as Juni, have only brief cameos (for those of you who are wondering--yes, Arkuun-Marl makes an appearance). As such, it can be read as a stand-alone novel even if one hasn't had a chance to read the first book yet.

In Temple of the Sixth, Harrison tells his story from multiple angles in a rather cinematic fashion. While Theak is the thread that ties the novel together, he doesn't drive the action--he reacts to it. Flashes to Omar and Palitz's struggles, to the small man trying to recruit agents for the side of good, and to the perspective of the godlike Sixth herself give the reader a panoramic view of the universe and its conflict. But despite all the noise surrounding him, Theak nevertheless shines through as a memorable and likable character. Confident, cavalier, and a tad ridiculous at times, he's not exactly the noble hero type and doesn't even take himself too seriously. Nevertheless, he does what's right, even if he's somewhat annoyed that he has to.

For those who read and enjoyed Shadow of the Wraith, Temple of the Sixth, while very different, is a welcome return to Harrison's world of starships and ancient conflicts, robots and fantastical powers. Harrison's writing is tighter and more understated than in his debut novel, and yet it retains its snarky sparkle. For those who haven't--and why haven't you?--the book stands on its own as a fascinating take on the age-old battle between Good and Evil. Clever, thrilling, and entertaining on all levels, Temple of the Sixth is a page-turning journey through a universe in chaos."

But the book in
Kindle & Paperback abd
Other E-Formats
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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 :