Category: book review

August 16, 2018

Go On, Girl Book Review

Executive, wife, and mother of an outgoing first-grader, Sydney Clayton crushes her day-to-day obligations at work but flounders in the cutthroat world of parental politics in Go On, Girl.

About Go On, Girl

Executive, wife, and mother of an outgoing first-grader, Sydney Clayton crushes her day-to-day obligations at work but flounders in the cutthroat world of parental politics.

She manages to avoid the local drama until she’s faced with an ultimatum: join the Forest River PTA or risk her daughter becoming a social outcast. Sydney reluctantly becomes treasurer, and takes the recently vacated position of the president’s sidekick. If protecting the children’s freedom of speech, one best friend ban at a time, isn’t complicated enough, Sydney and her husband receive an unexpected offer for their house they don’t think they can refuse.

Embroiled in the deception and manipulation rife among the elementary school moms, Sydney struggles. Should she sell the home she worked so hard to build in a town where betrayal runs rampant? Or should she stay put to avoid the fallout from uprooting her child? As Sydney focuses on what is best for her daughter, and let’s go of her judgments, she finds friendship can develop in very unexpected ways.

Warm, witty, and wise, Go On, Girl dramatizes the dilemmas of life in the suburbs and the bonds shared by women. Perfect for fans of Class Mom and I Don’t Know How She Does It.

My Thoughts

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I was hooked in the first chapter. I loved the humour, down to earth characters and the drama that while seems extreme is actually spot on. It felt like I was watching a version of my own years on the PTA but a richer version.

I still remember when I was on my first maternity leave with my second son (I had my first son in my second year at University so no break for me!), I was so excited to be getting some downtime from working full-time, studying part-time and owning a part-time business. Apparently though, this meant to some of the other moms at our very small school that this meant I could take on more responsibilities with the school – especially as some of the Moms of the older kids weren’t getting along with the principal and felt that they had done enough. I gave into a PTA meeting and left as the President. Yes – I caved to the pressure but I could never imagine the drama that would begin! The cliques, the not sharing information, the attitudes and the list goes on and on. I need a drink now just thinking of it!

As I read Sydney’s story and her interactions, I found myself laughing out loud as I had lived some of that. You think why do we do this? Why do we let ourselves get suckered in and deal with the drama? For our kids! I just wanted to contribute to a positive community for my children and spend some extra time with them – what a kick in the butt that became.

While it can come with the drama, it also had its positives like Sydney found out. You realize that you are more alike then you realize, that some of those women become the best of friends and support you through anything and we learn a lot about people and how they behave and interact with others. I wouldn’t change it for a minute.

This is an amazing novel that you will not want to put down – you will laugh, cry and relate to so many moments in Sydney’s life. She becomes your best friend and you don’t want the story to end! I would love to see a second installment in her story as she leaves off with a major change in her and her family’s life.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

By day, Hilary Grossman works in the booze biz. By night she hangs out with her “characters.” She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She’s been known to walk into walls and fall up stairs. She only eats spicy foods and is obsessed with her cat, Lucy. She loves to find humor in everyday life. She likens life to a game of dodge ball – she tries to keep many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. She lives on the beach in Long Island.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 16, 2018

Isosceles’ Day Book Review

The special relationship that author Kevin Meehan and rescue dog Isosceles formed became the inspiration behind his new children’s picture book, Isosceles’ Day, a whimsical tale that takes readers through a day in the life of Isosceles as he interacts with a variety of other furry, feathered and friendly animals.

About Isosceles’ Day

Isosceles’ Day – From being awakened by friend Mole, to a breakfast of dancing eggs, howling and grunting with Moose, time spent with Frog and Platypus, lunchtime with Lizard, playing it cool with Mouse, listening to drums with Prairie Dog, riding in a wagon with Rhino, drinking from a hose with Goose and a lullaby with Frog – come share a fun day with Isosceles, a happy rescue dog, and his animal friends.

The Inspiration

Isosceles was neglected, and likely abused for his first three years of life in Wyoming. He had not been allowed to enter the house and had to endure outdoor temperatures down to -20F. He shared this miserable life with his sister, both isolated from any type of human affection. It was said that schoolchildren would feel sorry for them and pet them before and after school. The dogs were given up for adoption when their owners moved out. The day they were found abandoned, Isosceles was brutally separated form his sister and taken to an adoption center.

The very first day he entered the adoption center, he was rescued by the author of this book, Kevin. For the first time in his short life, Isosceles was introduced to a house, a warm bed, outdoors beyond an isolated cold backyard and homemade food.

With unconditional love and patience, Isosceles was nurtured back to health and started to experience innumerable adventures with new friends, wandering in the woods and interacting with nature. This book is about one day in his new, lovely life, full of magic and fun with the special relationships he has with his friends.

Our Thoughts

I have always had a pet in my home – whether it be hamsters, birds and dogs. Pets were special members of our family – they loved you unconditionally, brought laughter into the home and were always there for you. I still remember my first dog – she would make this crying noise when you got home, pee herself (this continued right into adulthood!) when she saw you and she had this way of knowing when you were sad and would be there for cuddles. I have amazing memories of the animals in my life so I wanted my kids to experience this as well.

We now have two dogs and two young boys in our home and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The dogs sleep with our youngest, they trail him for treats (one bite for him, two bites for them!) and they love to cuddle with you (our puppy has no concept of personal space and I wouldn’t have it any other way). They have an amazing way of teaching us about true love and trust, and this is the lesson I want my children to learn.

What I have never understood is how there are people in this world who don’t see this. Who don’t offer these perfect animals back the same love that they offer us. My heart broke for Isosceles and the thought of him never knowing the inside of a home and never given the affection that he truly deserved. Animals don’t deserve to be lonely, they are such friendly and social creatures – especially dogs.

I loved that this story told the beauty of adopting a shelter pet. Shelter pets are special, loving and in need of a good home. I think we sometimes forget or worry that they will be more work or not as social because of their past. This is not true! They need that extra bit of love and who doesn’t love showering a pet with love? With love, nurture and patience – their true nature emerges and they become the animal they were meant to be.

This is a beautiful story of rescue, hope and the building of trust through love and patience. A definite must read for all children (and some adults too!).

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and more information on Kevin’s website.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

As a child, the author experienced a similar life condition as Isosceles. Not having much of a home, love or sense of protection and safety, he has a very special understanding of Isosceles’ early years. As a diplomat of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and an integrative health care practitioner for almost three decades, he recognizes the importance of the compassion essential in helping others; people and animals. The author’s commitment to helping animals and humans, coupled with his passion for biochemistry, lead him to design a unique, patented, line of canine orthomolecular supplements to nurture dogs back to health in a natural way. One of his favorite quotes is, “With the eyes of a child we learn how to see”!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 15, 2018

The CleanSweep Counterstrike Book Review

In this sequel The CleanSweep Counterstrike, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

About The CleanSweep Counterstrike

In this sequel, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

Instrumental in exposing the evil behind Operation CleanSweep—a diabolical “cultural cleansing” plot masterminded by Toronto billionaire Charles Claussen—investigative blogger Tremain now faces the madman’s desire for vengeance. Claussen intends to settle the score personally by luring Matt into a deadly trap.

But the clock is ticking for Claussen, too. Fraternité des Aigles, The Brotherhood of Eagles—a shadowy group that secretly financed Claussen’s Operation CleanSweep—wants answers and their money back. Consumed with rage, Claussen risks everything to get to Matt before the Brotherhood gets to him. Tremain is once again partnering with a police detective, Carling. Knowing they are being lured into a possible trap, they decide to face their nemesis, Charles Claussen.

Across four continents, Claussen sets traps, pursues Tremain, and continues to execute his signature brand of global chaos. When his fiancé’s life is on the line, can Tremain stop Claussen’s madness and still avoid getting killed?

My Thoughts

The CleanSweep Counterstrike is book two in this series (find more information on book one here) and it starts off with the team realizing that Claussen did not commit suicide at the end of book one and that they were all still in grave danger.

Claussen is an evil master mind with a deep hatred for anyone that does not fit into his model of the perfect person. In book one, Matt and his group of friends managed to stop Operation CleanSweep but did so with great risk to their own lives and Claussen took the lives of many individuals in book one. Claussen is out for revenge in this book and he has his own life at risk not only from Matt and his team but also the backers of his CleanSweep plan. This begins a cat and mouse game with both sides trying their best to out smart the other and escape death.

Counterstrike is a fast paced, thrilling novel that builds off of the first novel. We are introduced to new characters as they help try to stop Claussen and put an end to the hateful plot of Operation CleanSweep. You have to pay close attention in this novel as it has a lot of moving parts but it is well worth every minute.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters Indigo.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Chuck Waldron is the author of four riveting mystery, thriller and suspense novels and more than fifty short stories. Inspired by his grandfather’s tales of the Ozark Mountains and local caves rumored to be havens for notorious gangsters, Waldron was destined to write about crime and the human condition. Those childhood legends ignited his imagination and filled his head with unforgettable characters, surprising plots and a keen interest in supernatural and historical subplots.

With literary roots planted in the American Midwest and South, and enriched by many years living in the fertile cultural soil of metropolitan Ontario, Waldron now resides on Florida’s fabled Treasure Coast with his wife, Suzanne. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and the occasional Burmese python, visitors will find Waldron busy writing his next crime thriller.

You can connect with Chuck on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 14, 2018

The CleanSweep Conspiracy Book Review

In this riveting technothriller, The CleanSweep Conspiracy, investigative blogger Matt Tremain is covering devastating riots in Toronto when he learns of a plot to rid the city of “undesirables.”

About The CleanSweep Conspiracy

In this riveting technothriller, investigative blogger Matt Tremain is covering devastating riots in Toronto when he learns of a plot to rid the city of “undesirables.” The operation is called CleanSweep, and appears to be led by billionaire Charles Claussen, who want to sweep Toronto clean of all street people and any citizens who don’t match his restrictive screening matrix.

Matt questions whether he has the courage, skill or influence to take on Claussen, but the murder of one of his sources convinces the blogger to put his life on the line. He gambles on the loyalty of a Toronto police detective and a local TV reporter for help. If his trust is misplaced, Matt will become yet another victim of CleanSweep, and the truth will be buried with him forever.

My Thoughts

A thrilling, fast paced novel about a blogger in Toronto who uncovers a horrifying plan to rid the city of the people who are deemed ‘undesirable’.

While the plot itself is horrifying, you can see that it is a possibility when you watch the news everyday. The thought that even today there are people who want to get rid or hide groups of people that they don’t feel are acceptable to society, whether it be based on their economic status or the colour of their skin. In this novel, Claussen uses a plan based on the teachings of his Grandfather (who was part of the Nazi) in a trial in Toronto. They arrange for complete chaos and when the police can’t control it, he sweeps in to regain order and begin to implement his plan.

Matt is the one person who stands in his way. Matt is a blogger who was contacted by a member of Claussen’s team. He isn’t sure at first how true this plot is but when people begin to go missing an others murdered, he knows his own life is at risk. He must race against time, decipher who is friend and who is foe and to stop the Clean Sweep from taking over his city.

This was an exciting novel and very fast paced, I had to go back a few times to re-read certain chapters to ensure I understand the characters and plot development properly. But definitely well worth the read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters Indigo.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Connect with Chuck on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 13, 2018

The Austin Paradox Book Review

The Austin Paradox continues the remarkable saga of Robert James Austin in a gripping emotionally-charged thriller that explores the most compelling issues of our time.

About The Austin Paradox

Having lost his extraordinary intellectual powers in a laboratory explosion that was intended to kill him, Dr. Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in history, whose medical cures saved countless millions, struggles to find meaning in a life that has become devoid of purpose.

As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery in an effort to regain his abilities, Austin battles private demons, otherworldly forces, and a government obsessed with controlling him. When ruthless political and business interests align to pose an existential threat to humanity, Austin is thrust into the maelstrom.

Doubted even by those who love him, Austin is confronted by a harrowing paradox as time runs out to save mankind from extinction.

The Austin Paradox is the sequel to the critically acclaimed, award winning novel, Miracle Man, which was named by Amazon as One of the Top 100 Novels of 2015, a Top 10 Best Selling Thriller and a Top 10 New York Times/Amazon Best Seller.

My Thoughts

In the Miracle Man, Robert always knew his time was limited to do great. I think that is why he always pushed himself harder and further than any person has ever done before. By doing so, he was hailed as a saviour and a miracle worker with his cures and all of the lives he saved all around the world by making access to his cures affordable for all.

Not all viewed him in the same good light and he made strong enemies with the pharmacy industry. He destroyed their business of making money off of illness and they wanted him stopped. They even went as far to have him killed – instead of killing him, they destroyed a worse part at the end of the Miracle Man. His intelligence.

In a blast designed to kill him, Robert survives but loses all of his genius abilities – he can not even follow his own formulas and notes. When many thought he would lose meaning in life, it is his wife and the birth of their first child that gets him through the worst. While a part of him is always itching to understand, he begins to discover a new way of life. They settle into the witness protection program and life looks like it can finally be “normal”.

A man like Robert can not just let his abilities lay dormant – especially when he was on the verge of discovering the cure for AIDS. He begins his own journey of self discovery, unfortunately behind the back of his wife and his assistant – the two women in the whole world who love him unconditionally.

This is all played out in the backdrop of one of the world’s worst plot to destroy humanity – a bioengineered disease that will kill millions without a pharmacy owned cure. This plot was developed by the same team that tried to destroy Robert’s life.

Not only is he out of time for giving himself the time he needs to recover, he needs to act fast or the world that he lives in will be destroyed forever. You are on the edge of your seat the entire time, watching, waiting and praying. Not to mention being horrified at how quickly this disease spreads and can be spread (and the real life consequences of this type of warfare).

This was a thrilling novel from start to finish with multiple levels of plots that will have you not wanting to put this book down. It is a definite must read!!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

William R. Leibowitz practices law internationally and prefers not spending too much time in any one place. He is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Law School.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.